Songbook/The Raggle Taggle Gypsies

= The Raggle Taggle Gypsies =

Many text variants date from the 18th century and were sold in broadsheet format (simply folded song sheet) for pennies. The basic structure of the ballad is as follows: A daughter from a good family runs off with a gypsy. Her father tries in vain to bring the daughter back, as she is not prepared to leave her husband. Then the text variants diverge greatly. Sometimes the woman's poverty is described, sometimes a child is mentioned, sometimes the father takes revenge on the gypsy clan.

The originally Scottish ballad soon became an integral part of Irish folk music.


 * 1
 * There were three of the gypsies a come to my door,
 * And down stairs ran this a-lady, O.
 * One sang high and another sang low
 * And the other sang bonny bonny Bis-ca-y O


 * 2
 * Then she pulled off her silk finished gown,
 * And put on hose of leather, O
 * The ragged ragged rags a-bout our door
 * She's away with the wraggle-taggle gypsies,O.


 * 3
 * It was late last night when my lord came home,
 * Inquiring for his a-lady O
 * The servants said on every hand
 * She's gone with the wraggle-taggle gypsies,O.


 * 4
 * O saddle to me my milk-white steed
 * And go and fetch me my pony, O
 * That I may ride and seek my bride,
 * Who's gone with the wraggle-taggle gypsies,O.


 * 5
 * O he rode high, and he rode low
 * He rode through wood and copses too,
 * Un-til he came to a wide open field,
 * And there he e-spied his a-lady O


 * 6
 * What makes you leave you house and land?
 * What makes you leave you money, O?
 * What makes you leave you new-wedded lord,
 * To follow the wraggle-taggle gypsies, O.


 * 7
 * "Last night you slept on a goosefeather bed,
 * With the sheet turned down so bravely, O.
 * To-night you'll sleep in a cold open field,
 * Alone with the wraggle-taggle gypsies, O."


 * 8
 * "What care I for a goose-feather bed,
 * With the sheet turned down so bravely, O.
 * For to-night I'll sleep in a cold open field,
 * In the arms of my wraggle-taggle gypsies, O.