“Paddle the Road with Me”
Description
A rambler invites a girl to marry him and join him on the road. The girl is not thrilled; winter is coming and her father has another husband in mind. The rambler declares that her fiance is worthless; the two set out happily on their rambles
Supplemental text
Paddle the Road with Me
Complete text(s)
*** A ***
To Pad the Road wi' Me
From John Ord, Ord's Bothy Songs and Ballads, pp. 78-79. Supplied by
W. Malcolm of Arbroath.
Says I, "My dearest Mollie,
Come let us fix the time
When you and I will married be,
And wedlock us combine.
When you and I get married, love,
Right happy we will be,
For ye are the bonnie lassie
That's to pad the road wi' me."
"To pad the road wi' you, kind sir;
Cauld winter's coming on,
Besides my aged parents
Have ne'er a girl buy one;
Besides, my aged parents
Have ne'er a girl but me,
So I'm no the bonnie lassie
That's to pad the road wi' thee."
"Oh, never mind cauld winter, love,
The spring will follow soon;
Come sit ye down beside me,
And I'll sing you a nice song.
I'll sing you a nice song,
While I diddle you on my knee,
For ye are the bonnie lassie
That's to pad the road wi' me."
Saw she has donned her hose and shoon,
And to the kirk they've gaen,
And lang, ay lang ere morning
That couple were made ane.
And lang, lang ere the morning
Her troubles were set free,
For she's the bonnie lassie
That's to pad the road wi' me."
Cross references
- cf. "The Weaver and the Tailor" (tune)
References
- Ord, pp. 78-79, "To Pad the Road wi' Me" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Warner 32, "Paddle the Road with Me"
- SHenry H18a, pp. 358-359, "Will Ye Pad the Road wi' Me?"; H 564, pp. 344-345, "The Banks of Mourne Shore" (2 texts, 2 tunes, the second placing more emphasis than usual on the rejection; the girl never agrees to go with the man)
- ST Wa032 (Full)
- Roud #4599
- BI, Wa032