Song Lyrics

Maids when you're young never wed an old man

Traditional

Printer-friendly version of this lyric

An old man came courting me
courting me courting me
An old man came courting me
Faldaro dee
Yes an old man came courting me
Feigned he would marry me
Maids while you're young never wed an old man

For they've got no faloorum, faliddle falooru
Got no faloorum, faliddle dog dee
No they've got no ding doodle
It's all in their noodle
Maids while you're young never wed an old man

When that we went to the church
went to the church went to the church
When that we went to the church
Faldaro dee
Yes when that we went to church
he left me in the lurch
Now maids while you're young never wed an old man

For they've got no faloorum, faliddle faloorum
Got no faloorum, faliddle dog dee
No they've got no ding doodle
It's all in their noodle
Maids while you're young never wed an old man

Now when that we went to bed
went to bed went to bed
When that we went to bed
Faldaro dee
Yes when that we went to bed
He lay as if he were dead
Now maids while you're young never wed an old man

For they've got no faloorum, faliddle faloorum
Got no faloorum, faliddle dog dee
No they've got no ding doodle
It's all in their noodle
Maids while you're young never wed an old man

But when that he went to sleep
went to sleep went to sleep
When that he went to slee
Faldaro dee
Yes when that he went to sleep
Out of bed I did creep
Into the arms of a jolly young man

And he had his faloorum, faliddle faloorum
Had his faloorum, faliddle dog dee
Yes he had his ding doodle
It wasn't in his noodle
Maids while you're young never wed an old man

Footnotes

The origin of this song is unknown but it’s possible that it first appeared in music halls (vaudeville) where its bawdy content would have been more acceptable. The song was popular in the late 19th century in Ireland and the UK and quickly spread across the English speaking world. According to song collector Robert Gogan, the first known published version appeared in 1869 in a collection by David Herd called Ancient Scottish Songs, Heroic Ballads etc. It appeared under the title, Scant of Love, Want of Love. The song was made popular again by Luke Kelly and The Dubliners.

Comments:

Log in to make a comment