As I roved out - Planxty 1979

[objamie6]

This is such a great song , sung by a great fella. It takes me back to when I was a child playing in the kitchen on a Sunday morning and my Grandmother would have the Sunday morning Irish/Newfoundland show on the radio while she was cooking a feed of Jigs dinner and she would always make be quite while this song was on !!

[annmaria]

perfect



[hydfawr]

Heartbreaking and beautiful. What a great band!

[KPIARASK]

Play off the album and close your eyes - these songs can sound trite, but Andy has a certain something that makes this stuff magic.

[SAINTARGENTUM777]

This speaks to something deep in my heart that I cannot explain in any other way than tears x

[JohninRosc]

@SAINTARGENTUM777 I first heard it 30 years ago and was mesmerised. I know what you mean - so well said. It brings back so many deep feelings and thoughts for me too that were manifested as a young man.

[gracchusbb]

is there two songs with this title??

[rufus566]

What instrument is Andy playing there?

[diesundas]

@rufus566 It is called a hurdy-gurdy. You have some strings that are touched by a wooden wheel rotated by turning a crank with one hand, that play a droning sound like a bagpipe, and your other hand presses keys that press on another string to play the melody.

[32Fearghal]

Ceol den chéad scoth.

[sinjin480]

I'm wondering about the tune, I have heard it before, but I don't think it was with these lyrics. Is it a traditional, or borrowed to or from? Lovely bit of music, great group.

[kungfuasgaeilge]

@sinjin480 I believe Andy learned the words from Paddy Tunney, from Letterkenny. He then composed music for the words and that's what this version of the song is. There are a few songs with similar lyrics (or just a similar stanza), but I haven't heard any with the same tune

[jfeeney73]

beautiful singing 

[mirkoplayboy1]

3 Peopl never will rove out ;D

[kungfuasgaeilge]

wow, everyone in planxty plays EVERYTHING!

and Andy has such a wonderful voice. I just spent the last 5 minutes of my life in a trance. Brilliant.

[crowmatic1]

Beautiful,moving music. I was going to say that you would need to be made of brass to not enjoy this, but I've just noticed my doorknob has got a tear in it's eye.

[JohninRosc]

@crowmatic1 Love it!

[tiocimarla]

Best version by a country mile

[Squeege85]

One of the most beautiful Irish folk tunes I've ever heard. You can listen to Flogging Molly or The Dropkicks but this the real stuff right here.

[11gokey]

INCREDIBLE !! Does anyone have the chords and or tuning for this beautiful version? I would thank you 'til the end of time!

[andypandywright]

played in normal tuning with these chords - (chords placed after the word where they change) : Begins with G - "as i(Am) roved out on a bright(G) may mor- (D) -ning(G) to view the mea- (C) -dows and(G) flo- (Am)-wers gay(D), who should(C) i find but my own(Am) true lover(C) as she sat under yon willow(D) tree" - unusually the song doesn't end on the tonic (G) but on D. also, the guitarist occasionally adds a C note to the G chord and also lifts the F# of the D chord to give open 1st string.

[11gokey]

@andypandywright Martin, thank you so much for taking the time and effort to answer. Also, I listened to your

tune on your home page. Really nice work. Good luck to you.

[andypandywright]

phil - glad it helps - cheers from the uk - martin.

[heavybreizhad]

@andypandywright Thanks for the "lesson". I'm a bit lazy to find it by listening ( sorry if my english is not very good). Cheers from France.

[andypandywright]

your english is fine, heavybreizhad, and glad i could help - cheers from england to fabulous france - martin.

[FraterNM]

GOD!!! I LOVE Planxty!!! just such true Celtic music. Makes my heart heavy, and yet very reminiscent of true love!!! God is with the Irish, I love your Catholic culture!!!

[tumadoireacht]

@FraterNM lots more besides ruddy Catholic culture here

[janbob73]

i have this on a cd by the count down singers it so pretty

[astrolog7000]

Their music is so wonderful, that I wonder how anyone can listen to anything else!

[Gurrier]

What video is this from may I ask? Wonderful performances

[DottyWang]

That's a palatial hurdy-gurdy and doesn't bear much relation to the sort played by the old fellow in Wilhelm Mueller's poem. Lovely work, Irvine's a musician down to his toes and a Wobbly too I seem to remember.

[1286z]

@DottyWang Was this one of his poems? Was it translated ?

[Lodestone1968]

Planxty!!!! Brilliant

[TheSvartHelvete]

this is one of my favourite planxty tunes. very nice performance as well.

[Sacuv]

Andy Irvine performing a classic (for many of my old friends). I know I'm not allowed to have a memory, but FC frequently went to sleep to this soothing music.. and I shall now..

[nicodagger]

I' ve never heard the hurdy-gurdy played so beautifully! He makes them sound like Irish pipes.

[shanahanism]

For my beautiful Shanahan cousins Pauline, Catherine Ann and Vin.

[cjwaywell]

100% Perfection 

[stargateluvver]

I bet they stank that day. Look at Andy's dirty hands!

[bigalli100]

@stargateluvver 

[bigalli100]

@stargateluvver Why give a nasty comment like that ,just listen to the music,Andy has had a briliant musical life and has a lot of devoted fans why wind them up .>have you never got your hands mucky you ponce.

[stargateluvver]

@bigalli100 Lad, I love Planxty. Lighten up.

[bigalli100]

@stargateluvver ok did i over react, but i wish i had his mucky fingers cheers allan

[spoombung]

OMG this is gold!

[mikesamwild]

Great thanks love the combo

[capitanplanitet]

Anyone know the what tuning the guitar is in?

[conansound]

Standard Tuning but down a tone, so D, G, C, F, A, D

[capitanplanitet]

It took me ten minutes of watching a tiny clip of it over and over to figure that out. Thanks anyway

[objamie6]

This song brings be back years ago i can remember my grandmother cooking Jigs dinner on a Sunday and this song playing on the radio......Wonderfull memories....

[cjwaywell]

This is a really beautiful piece and it so makes one think of Ireland.

[caquintet]

I love this Song-sad yet beautiful

[gfirl]

great music from planxty as usual and they are still as good to this day.

[lurak9]

a very strange looking but beautiful sounding collection of instruments!

[Frankieireland]

dochreidte, iontach. is breá liom é.

Unbelievable, beautiful. I love it.

[ContraHalma]

i was so  young. but it´s verry eire`sh

[eoinpiperer]

Iontach. Ranganna ar an fheadog stain agus amhrain ar an sean-nos i rang 5.

[caley956]

Absolutely fantastic, I've loved this song ever since I heard it on "The Well Below The Valley". Pretty brave of Andy to play hurdy gurdy alongside Liam O'Flynn!

I don't think the song's particularly about the famine, more about the system of inhertitance where it was necessary to marry somebody you didn't love in order to get a bit of land.

[cqsallie]

@caley956 I think you're entirely correct about the inheritance. It's obvious in the words, which would be more plainly spoken outside of song.

When I turned the groom.... Such stupidity, and thus it has been.

[Urbani2]

Clearly the lass who has the land is the queen and her army is the marriage...the brass he embraces.

[dbasq1]

Ive never seen a Hurdy Gurdy (what a name!) played before, sounds very much like an Uillean Pipes.

[SirDanielMcLean]

that's because Uillean pipes are being played at the same time :P

[Frankieireland]

@dbasq1 there's pipes there as well. i think it's liam o'floinn playing them.

[jamotrad]

Thanks Bilko. Andy is a national treasure to be cherished, a beautiful song and performance.

[joeygsmom]

I love Irish music cant believe I havent seen this group before I am really enchanted by this group and esp the very handsome Andy Irvine!!!

Wonderful, magic the way they play and sing.

[barryproject]

as a Fermanagh man who lived in the flat next to Andy on Morehampton Road I have nothing but thanks for this song

[DrQTron]

Discredited on youtube! You're right though, it was a bit twee. Duly removed to avoid more awkwardness, and apologies to everyone :) As to my original point in any event, Planxty are unbeatable!

[zebrasandwich]

DrQtron that comment made me cringe.. With the little qoute and the pointless seanfhocail..

Tá Gaeilge fluairseach agam agus is maith an rud é cun Gaeilge a fheiscint ach tá an Gaeilge sin an Gaeilge a mhúnann siad duit i rang a sé sa mbunscoil. Agus cuireann sé isteach orm.

[Paudyis]

Any Monkstownians happen to know what venue that is? Have a suspicion it's the primary school I went to, albeit a good 10 years after that recording! Andy Irvine is an utter genius, fantastic voice!

[goty2001]

Scoil Lorcain

[Paudyis]

Ha that is unbelievable, tis the very school I went to allright!

[printedpaper]

a jewel in a fake world

[flamencofan50]

one of my all time favourite versions of this beautiful song!

[hansaushamburg2008]

Thank you bilko!

[20gurt]

i hope their music never dies, NEVER.........

[u3of52]

Treasure .. Time Machine ! :)

[maslowkhazo]

Hurdy Gurdy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!

[SlightlySusan]

What a band they were!  Genius arrangements!

[lukedavoc]

such a great song, but dont really get the last verse!!

[MrZonko]

The song's about the famine, which was English imposed, so it could be about that. Some think that the last verse was added later to the song though.

[EZEEKEEL]

I wish i could be transported to this very moment and live there forever. How beautiful and amazing doth this sound resonate throughout all our lives even when we don;t know it.

[kathleentherose]

Pure Bards... the fruit of Éire ... this song is so so beautiful xx Go raibh mhaith agat Dónal xx

[Valentia53]

Feck! I'm transported back. What a time we had!!

Wonderful.

[ohisashiburi]

Planxty..always the pride of Ireland..beautiful and real!

[kathleentherose]

Andy Irvine is as good and brilliant as he was back then. Can anyone imagine a 20 something year old singing like this today?? Saw ye in vicar street. Words cannot how beautiful and powerful the music was. Planxty and the lads are a jewel in the Irish music crown/ An álainn na Bhucaillií go dteas!! xx

[Avagar]

i reckon he was more 30 something at this time, sure look at the big beards on him and christie

[theghostintheruins]

Simply brilliant.

[dangermouse333]

Good on you gabe25591....they are so wonderful..wish I could find a good clip of them singing Cunla..ahh... *smiles

[gabe25591]

I do love Planxty... Shame no-one else my age has even heard of them.

But yeah, as a 17 year old, I've got to say that they are better than 99% of everything out there today...

[francoamerican99]

dude I'm a 15 year old American, Planxty has been one of my favorite bands for a couple of years

[gabe25591]

Good man!

[Appelsappel]

not true, this is my favorite song, and a friend of mine listens this music too ;)

[astrolog7000]

Just so marvelous. I really enjoyed this.

Andy Irvine is a wonderful singer, and I love this song. Marvelous instrumentation. The Irish are the world's best musicians.

Lilli

USA

[janbob73]

@astrolog7000 ty for the commet bout me fellow irish

[VenusInPisces]

this is so beautiful, his voice is hauntingly beautiful!

[pennyshroom]

does anyone know the guitar tabs for this song? I have literally been looking for years. Thanks

[garydcu]

I made up my own user-friendly version with AM G D G , hold the G, then C Bm Am D, "whom should I spy "etc. is C D Am C D. Check out Paddy Tunney's version. 'Tis lovely. Hope that helps.

[jackducky]

he married the lassie with the land?

so sad of a song.

[wearinhisrolex]

thankyou Bilko I heard this years ago and thanks to you I can now play it to my daughter -its heartstoppingly beautiful.

[Jarrahnut]

I love it. Thanks bilko 1234. Wasn't  this song used in the film "Waking Ned Devine"? Greetings to one and all from Jarrahnut in wonderful Western Australia.

[lucabez]

After thirty years this video is still young like then too beautiful!...

[conorcrotty]

I played this on my wedding day all day playlist before i had seen the video. I thought . . . . . .how can he hold back the tears? My woman wares a ring of GOLD!

[Frankieireland]

unbelievable stuff. Is that gig available on dvd or anything?? Thanks for putting this up.

[benjidrake]

Ooufff... Makes my eyes burn. Such a sad and beautiful song. Thanks for uploading.

[whatsthattune]

Paddy Tunney was a cousin of my grannys. Nuff said!!!

[deadheadjon]

one of my favorite planxty songs. andy irvine is absolutely brilliant.

[batterseaspark]

oh jesus this is beautifull

[deirjon]

priceless, priceless. Thanks

[0bh]

Great to hear something so beautiful played on low tech instruments. I just love it. 5 stars

[mardimitriou]

Wonderful!

[1singularity]

all round musical geniusssss at work!

[ohisashiburi]

Let's hear it for Planxty!

[z5hmg]

This is such a lovely tune!

there must be two very different songs named "as I roved out" - this one same as Kate Rusbys version (which is lovely too!) - but Christy Moores & Tommy Makems song of the same name is different ...

[JackGander]

Both songs of the same title are on "The Well Below the Valley" - I can't think of too many examples of albums where that happens...

[crabb18]

Absolute perfection, stunning stuff.

[Donegaldan]

A hurdygirdy you dont see them often. Planxty classic. Irvin's vocals add value to this old traditional song.

[skara100]

great stuff, Bilko, once again, you're a star! (make the most of Andy on the h'gurdy...he is not too keen to play this live)

[Jarrahnut]

Sorry, that should have read bilko1234. You've evidently got very good taste. Best wishes to you. I have added this to my list of favourites.

Hello nurse Kate (in a children's hospital in Perth, WA). Best wishes to you.

Jarrahnut

Western Australia.

[Jarrahnut]

That's very beautiful. I haven't heard it for many years and, somehow, it seems even more lovely. They've certainly got the audience's full attention. In fact, this is the first time I've seen a video of Planxty singing this particular number. Well done bilco - I salute you.

I'm gonna rove out now ... pour myself a glass of dry red wine ... and watch it again!

Greetings to one and all from Jarrahnut in wonderful Western Australia.

Cheers!

[alonzogarbanzo]

Are you aware of the 2004 reunion concert?  The DVD is excellent and contains a gorgeous performance of this tune.

[sandown122]

Great stuff yer made of

[jsm54321098]

It has been so long since I've heard this song. It is so beautiful. Thank you for posting it.

[Elderwilliam]

Fantatsic Bilco , what a gem , love Planxty

[trish3rs]

I love you for uploading this!

[Dubinvero]

Bilko, it's great to see you adding new videos. This song of Andy's is one of my favourites.Thanks for all of your postings of these rare gems.

[eness3]

how do you do it?!

[WilliamCerf]

Incredibly beautiful. I've added it to my favourites.

[UISTMAN59]

****

[tony1orourke]

What year was that?

[crabb18]

Nice one Bilco, an absolute gem.

[subz6]

hurdy gurdy

[powerthomas]

a hurdy gurdy