So, we'll go no more a roving
Encyclopedia
"So, we'll go no more a roving" is a poem, written by (George Gordon) Lord Byron (1788–1824), and included in a letter to Thomas Moore
on 28 February 1817. Moore published the poem in 1830
as part of Letters and Journals of Lord Byron.
It evocatively describes the fatigue of age conquering the restlessness of youth. Byron wrote the poem at the age of twenty-nine.
In the letter to Thomas Moore, the poem is preceded by an account of its genesis. "At present, I am on the invalid regimen myself. The Carnival--that is, the latter part of it, and sitting up late o' nights--had knocked me up a little. But it is over--and it is now Lent, with all its abstinence and sacred music... Though I did not dissipate much upon the whole, yet I find 'the sword wearing out the scabbard,' though I have but just turned the corner of twenty nine."
The poem seems to have been suggested in part by the refrain of a Scottish song known as "The Jolly Beggar
." The Jolly Beggar was published in Herd's "Scots Songs" in 1776, 41 years before Byron's letter, and goes partially thus:
There is also the traditional sea shanty "The Maid of Amsterdam," which includes verses and chorus such as:
The poem appears as "Go No More A-Roving" on the 2004 Leonard Cohen
album, Dear Heather
. It has been recorded by Ariella Uliano on her 2009 album 'A.U. (almost) a Compilation'. It was also recorded by Joan Baez
on her 1964 Joan Baez/5
album, and by Mike Westbrook
on his 1998 The Orchestra of Smith's Academy album. Richard Dyer-Bennet
recorded his own setting, with slightly altered text, on the 1955 album "Richard Dyer-Bennet 1". The poem is also a centerpiece of "...And The Moon Be Still As Bright" from Ray Bradbury
's novel, The Martian Chronicles
.
The poem also serves as a basis for the chorus of the song "The Jolly Beggar
" as recorded by the traditional Irish band Planxty
, as well as the basis for the love leitmotif in Patrick Doyle
's score for Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994 film), where it is fully realized in the track, "The Wedding Night".
The poem is also featured in John Wyndham
's seminal post-holocaust book, The Day of the Triffids
, where it occurs when a blinded pianist commits suicide.
Thomas Moore
Thomas Moore was an Irish poet, singer, songwriter, and entertainer, now best remembered for the lyrics of The Minstrel Boy and The Last Rose of Summer. He was responsible, with John Murray, for burning Lord Byron's memoirs after his death...
on 28 February 1817. Moore published the poem in 1830
1830 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Godey's Lady's Book, the most popular women's magazine of the 19th century in the United States, is founded in Philadelphia by Louise Antoine Godey. Its circulation would reach 150,000...
as part of Letters and Journals of Lord Byron.
It evocatively describes the fatigue of age conquering the restlessness of youth. Byron wrote the poem at the age of twenty-nine.
In the letter to Thomas Moore, the poem is preceded by an account of its genesis. "At present, I am on the invalid regimen myself. The Carnival--that is, the latter part of it, and sitting up late o' nights--had knocked me up a little. But it is over--and it is now Lent, with all its abstinence and sacred music... Though I did not dissipate much upon the whole, yet I find 'the sword wearing out the scabbard,' though I have but just turned the corner of twenty nine."
The poem seems to have been suggested in part by the refrain of a Scottish song known as "The Jolly Beggar
The Jolly Beggar
The Jolly Beggar also known as The Gaberlunzieman is Child ballad 279. The song's chorus inspired lines in Lord Byron's poem So, we'll go no more a roving.-Synopsis:...
." The Jolly Beggar was published in Herd's "Scots Songs" in 1776, 41 years before Byron's letter, and goes partially thus:
He took the lassie in his arms, and to bed he ran,
O hooly, hooly wi' me, Sir, ye'll waken our goodman!
And we'll go no more a roving
Sae late into the night,
And we'll gang nae mair a roving, boys,
Let the moon shine ne'er sae bright.
And we'll gang nae mair a roving.
There is also the traditional sea shanty "The Maid of Amsterdam," which includes verses and chorus such as:
She placed her hand upon my knee,
Mark well what I do say!
She placed her hand upon my knee,
I said "Young miss, you're rather free."
I'll go no more a roving with you fair maid!
A rovin', a rovin',
Since rovin's been my ru-i-in,
I'll go no more a roving
With you fair maid!
The poem appears as "Go No More A-Roving" on the 2004 Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
album, Dear Heather
Dear Heather
Dear Heather is Leonard Cohen's eleventh studio album, released in 2004.It shows a further departure from Ten New Songs, with more female lead singing and a marked increase in read poetry over sung lyrics, two of these being poems by other writers....
. It has been recorded by Ariella Uliano on her 2009 album 'A.U. (almost) a Compilation'. It was also recorded by Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
on her 1964 Joan Baez/5
Joan Baez/5
Joan Baez/5 is a 1964 album by American folk singer Joan Baez. It peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200 chart. The single "There But for Fortune" reached number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100.-History:...
album, and by Mike Westbrook
Mike Westbrook
Michael John David 'Mike' Westbrook is an English jazz pianist, composer, and writer of orchestrated jazz pieces.-Early work:Mike Westbrook grew up in Torquay...
on his 1998 The Orchestra of Smith's Academy album. Richard Dyer-Bennet
Richard Dyer-Bennet
Richard Dyer-Bennet was an English-born American folk singer , recording artist, and voice teacher....
recorded his own setting, with slightly altered text, on the 1955 album "Richard Dyer-Bennet 1". The poem is also a centerpiece of "...And The Moon Be Still As Bright" from Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
Ray Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
's novel, The Martian Chronicles
The Martian Chronicles
The Martian Chronicles is a 1950 science fiction short story collection by Ray Bradbury that chronicles the colonization of Mars by humans fleeing from a troubled and eventually atomically devastated Earth, and the conflict between aboriginal Martians and the new colonists...
.
The poem also serves as a basis for the chorus of the song "The Jolly Beggar
The Jolly Beggar
The Jolly Beggar also known as The Gaberlunzieman is Child ballad 279. The song's chorus inspired lines in Lord Byron's poem So, we'll go no more a roving.-Synopsis:...
" as recorded by the traditional Irish band Planxty
Planxty
Planxty is an Irish folk music band formed in the 1970s, consisting initially of Christy Moore , Dónal Lunny , Andy Irvine , and Liam O'Flynn...
, as well as the basis for the love leitmotif in Patrick Doyle
Patrick Doyle
Patrick Doyle is a Scottish musician and film score composer. A longtime collaborator of actor/director Kenneth Branagh, Doyle is known for his work scoring such critically acclaimed films as Henry V , Sense and Sensibility , Hamlet , and Gosford Park , as well as noteworthy blockbusters as Harry...
's score for Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994 film), where it is fully realized in the track, "The Wedding Night".
The poem is also featured in John Wyndham
John Wyndham
John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris was an English science fiction writer who usually used the pen name John Wyndham, although he also used other combinations of his names, such as John Beynon and Lucas Parkes...
's seminal post-holocaust book, The Day of the Triffids
The Day of the Triffids
The Day of the Triffids is a post-apocalyptic novel published in 1951 by the English science fiction author John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris, under the pen-name John Wyndham. Although Wyndham had already published other novels using other pen-name combinations drawn from his lengthy real...
, where it occurs when a blinded pianist commits suicide.