Lyrics and Chords

Raggle Taggle Gypsy

The lyrics to The Raggle Taggle Gypsy tell the story of lady who deserts her aristocratic husband to run off with a gypsy who calls at the castle door.

Raggle Taggle Gypsy
Song Origins and Appeal
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There are versions to be found in Ireland, Scotland, England and the United States.

The lyrics given here are the ones most widely used by bands like The Waterboys and Planxty.

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The chords are presented here in A Minor, the key used by Christy Moore and Planxty in their version of the Raggle Taggle Gypsy.

The Waterboys play the song in Em. Use our key converter to play the chords in other keys.

Raggle Taggle Gypsy Lyrics and Chords

Am 

There were three bold gypsies came to our hall door

 

They came brave and  

C 

boldly-o

 

Well there’s  

Em 

one sang  

Am 

high and the  

Em 

other sang  

Am 

low

 

And the lady sang The  

Em 

Raggle-Taggle 

 

 

Am 

Gypsy-o.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was upstairs downstairs the lady went

Put on her suit of leather-o

And there came a cry from around the door

She’s away with the raggle taggle gypsy-o.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was late that night when the Lord came in

enquiring for his lady-o

And the servant girl she said to the Lord

“She’s away with the raggle taggle gypsy-o”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Well saddle for me my milk white steed-

My big horse is not speedy-o

And I will ride till I seek my bride

She’s away with the raggle taggle gypsy-o”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now he rode East and he rode West

He rode North and South also

Until he came to a wide open plain

It was there that he spied his lady-o.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“How could you leave your house and your land

How could you leave your money-o?

And how could you leave your only wedded Lord

All for a raggle taggle gypsy-o?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Well what care I for my house and my land?

What care I for my money-o?

I’d rather have a kiss from the yellow gypsy’s lips

I’m away with the raggle taggle gypsy-o!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How could you leave your goose feather bed

Blankets strewn so comely-o

How could you leave your only wedded lord

All for the gaggle taggle gypsy-o.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What care I for my goose feather bed

Blankets strewn so comely-o

Tonight I lie in a wide open field

In the arms of a raggle taggle gypsy-o.

Raggle Taggle Gypsy
Song Origins and Appeal
Videos
Lyrics and Chords
Lyrics and Chords Print version