Raggle Taggle Gypsy Lyrics

Raggle Taggle Gypsy lyrics

There were three 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 Biscay O 

Then she pulled off her silk finished gown, 
And put on hose of leather, O 
The ragged ragged rags about our door 
And she's gone with the wraggle, taggle gypsies O 

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 

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 

O he rode high, and he rode low 
He rode through wood and copses too, 
Until he came to a wide open field, 
And there he espied his a-lady O 

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. 

What care I for my house and land? 
What care I for my money,O? 
What care I for my new-wedded lord, 
I'm off with the wraggle-taggle gypsies, O! 

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

"What care I for a goose-feather bed, 
With the sheet turned down so bravely, O. 
For tonight I'll sleet in a cold open field, 
Along with the wraggle-taggle gypsies, O. 

info:
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Dorothy Scarborough in her "Song Catcher from the Southern 
Mountains" says that in the earliest edition of the ballad, the 
gypsy is called Johnny Faa, a name common among gypsies. When 
the gypsies were banished from Scotland in 1624, Johnny Faa 
disobeyed the decree and was hanged.