Page 71
Roud Folk Song Index #386

This is the traditional song You Rambling Boys of Pleasure
capo 2, after Andy Irvine. The timing on this one can be pretty tricky.

    I Wish I Was in Belfast Town

    by trad
    [G] You rambling boys of [C] plea- [G] sure
    [C][D] Give ear unto these [C] lines I [G] write
    [C][D] I own I [Em] am a [D] ro- [C] ver
    In [C] rambling [G] I take [D] great de- [C] light
    [D] I cast my [Em] mind on a [D] handsome [C] girl
    And [C] often [G] times she [D] does me [C] slight
    [G] My mind is never [C] ea- [G] sy
    [C][D] 'cept when my true love is [C] in my [G] sight.

    [G] Down by yon flowery [C] gar- [G] dens
    [C][D] Where me and my true [C] love do [G] meet
    [C][D] I took her [Em] in my [D] a- [C] rms
    [C] And unto [G] her gave [D] kisses [C] sweet
    [D] She bade me [Em] take love [D] ea- [C] sy
    [C] Just as the [G] leaves fall [D] from the [C] tree
    [G] But I being young and [C] fool- [G] ish
    [C][D] With my true love I did [C] not [G] agree.

    Bridge in [C] to [G]

    [G] And the second time I [C] met my [G] love
    [C][D] I thought that her heart was [C] surely [G] mine
    [C][D] But as the [Em] season [D] chan- [C] ges
    [C] My darling [G] girl has [D] changed her [C] mind
    [D] Gold is the [Em] root of [D] e- [C] vil
    [C] Although it [G] bears a [D] glistening [C] hue
    [G] Causes many a lad and [C] lass to [G] part
    [C][D] Though their hearts like ^mine be [C] e’er so [G] true.

    [G] And I wish I was in [C] Belfast [G] town
    [C][D] And my true love a- [C] long with [G] me
    [C][D] And [Em] money in my [D] poc- [C] ket
    [C] To keep us [G] in good [D] compa- [C] ny
    [D] Liquor [Em] to be [D] plen- [C] ty
    A [C] flowing [G] glass on [D] every [C] side
    Hard [G] fortune would ne’er [C] daunt [G] me
    [C][D] For I am young and the [C] world is [G] wide.