Lyrics The Rake - The Irish Rovers

The Rake

I am a young fellow from County Tyrone,
In the town of Strabanshire I'm very well known,
For down to the alehouse I'm frequently gone,
With Kitty and Ginny and Marie.
My father rebuked me for being such a rake,
And for spending my money on whiskey and cakes,
But the lassies are sweet and its all for their sakes,
And it keeps me lighthearted and merry.
I'll eat when I'm hungry, I'll drink when I'm dry,
I will court all the lassie
Or at least I will try,
And I'll never conform 'til the day that I die,
Agus fàgaimid siùd mar atà sè.
If I chance for to wander on down to the fair,
All the lassies all around me do flock on the square,
I'll pull out me fiddle and play an auld aire,
And soon we're all off on the spree.
There's Peggy and Jane form the banks of Loch Nee,
There's Kitty and Molly down Donegalleon Way,
And there's another from Coutstown who makes me head sway,
Such a fuss they all make over me.
I'll eat when I'm hungry, I'll drink when I'm dry,
I will court all the lassie
Or at least I will try,
And I'll never conform 'til the day that I die,
Agus fàgaimid siùd mar atà sè.
To quarrel for riches I ne'er was inclined,
For the greatest of misers must leave them behind,
So me money I spend with no thought in me mind,
But to kick up our heels and carrouse.
For the rich never spend any gold of their own,
Sure they hold it away like a dog and it's bone,
But they end on their back among nettles and stones,
And I hear there're no pockets in shrouds.
I'll eat when I'm hungry, I'll drink when I'm dry,
I will court all the lassie
Or at least I will try,
And I'll never conform 'til the day that I die,
Agus fàgaimid siùd mar atà sè.
Now some say I'm foolish and some say I'm wise,
Fer loving the women and the whiskey like vines,
But the son of King David had ten hundred wives,
And his wisdom was highly regarded!
So I'll call for the lassies and ask them to wed,
And we'll all be content in the one marriage bed,
While the rich count their gold
We'll count children instead,
And we'll raise them up true and stout hearted.
I'll eat when I'm hungry, I'll drink when I'm dry,
I will court all the lassie
Or at least I will try,
And I'll never conform 'til the day that I die,
Agus fàgaimid siùd mar atà sè.
Agus fàgaimid siùd mar atà sè.