Book of Song

Raggle Taggle Gypsy, The

by trad

There were [Em] three gypsies comin to my hall door
when [C] down stairs [D] ran this [G] lady-oh
[G] One sang [Em] high and the other sang low
and the other sang a [D] bonnie bonnie [Em] biscay-o

Then she pulled off her silk finished gown
and put on a hose of leather-oh
The ragged, ragged rags around our door
she is gone with the raggle taggle gypsy-oh

It was late last night when my lord came home
enquiring for his lady-oh
The servants said on every hand
“She is gone with the raggle taggle gypsy-oh”

“Oh, saddle for me my milk white steed
and go fetch me my pony-oh
That I may go and seek my bride
who is gone with the raggle taggle gypsy-oh”

Oh, he rode high and he rode low
He rode throught the wood and copses oh
Until he came to a wide open field
and there he spied his lady-oh

“Oh, what made you leave your house and lands?
What made you leave your money, oh?
What made you leave your newly wedded lord,
To be off with the raggle taggle gypsy-oh?”

“Oh, what care I for my house and lands?
What care I for money oh?
What care I for my newly wedded lord?
I am off with the raggle taggle gypsy-oh!”

“Last night you slept on a goose feathered bed
with the sheets pulled down so bravely, oh
Tonight you’ll sleep in a cold corn-field
along with the raggle taggle gypsy-oh”

“Oh, what care I for my goose feathered bed
with the sheets turned down so bravely, oh?
Tonight I will sleep in a cold corn-field
along with my raggle taggle gypsy-oh!”