“The Wild Rover” for Ukulele – FREE TAB

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I’m a sucker for a good Irish pub sing-along. Not that I’ve have the opportunity to go to any, living here in the U.S. and all. They just seem like a really good time. And there isn’t really a better song to sing at the top of your lungs while holding a beer than “The Wild Rover.”

Except, wait a minute. “The Wild Rover” was meant to promote temperance. It’s all about a guy who spent “all his money on whiskey and beer” and was apparently known to skip out on a tab when his pockets were empty. But now he’s back in town with all sorts of gold and a promise to never go back to his wild-roving days.

To be clear, the song seems to be promoting moderation and general responsibility, not full-on abstinence from alcohol, which is what most of us associate with the temperance movement, at least here in the States. Turns out they got to the banning of alcohol by degrees. “The Wild Rover” was from the early days of the temperance movement when they did, in fact, just want temperance.

In any case, while the song may have been about temperance at once point, these days it’s just a fun song to sing with your friends while out at a pub. Cheers!

“The Wild Rover” Playing Tips

I’ll be quick with this one. I mostly wrote this up to have the chords handy in case I wanted to sing it. The melody is slow and simple, so you aren’t going to have any problems playing it.

If you are going to strum the chords, keep in mind this tune is in 3/4. A standard ONE-two-three, ONE-two-three waltz rhythm will work nicely. A strumming pattern of DOWN-down-up-down-up, DOWN-down-up-down-up sounds great.

I’ve included a low G and high G version, so take your pick with what works better with your voice. I prefer the low G version, which is in D. That will likely be the crowd-pleaser. You can strum the low G chords on a high G uke as well, but the single-note melody won’t work for you.

I neglected to include the full lyrics in the PDF, so here they are:

I’ve been a wild rover for many’s the year
and I’ve spent all me money on whiskey and beer
but now I’m returning with gold in great store
and I never will play the wild rover no more

Chorus:
And it’s no, nay, never
no, nay never no more
will I play the wild rover
no never no more

I went to an alehouse I used to frequent
I told the landlady my money was spent
I ask her for credit, she answered me nay
such a custom as yours I can have any day

Chorus

I brought from me pocket ten sovereigns bright
and the landlady’s eyes opened wide with delight
she said:’I have whiskeys and wines of the best
and the words that you told me were only in jest’

Chorus

I’ll go home to my parents, confess what I’ve done
and I’ll ask them to pardon their prodigal son
and when they’ve caressed me, as oft times before
I never will play the wild rover no more

Click the link or the ‘Download’ button below to see the sheet music if your browser doesn’t display the embedded PDF. The high G version of the song is the bottom download button. Happy picking!

“The Wild Rover” Low G Sheet Music Download

“The Wild Rover” High G Sheet Music Download