"Counting Song"

[a.k.a. "The Spanish Lady" or "Wheel Of Fortune" or "Dublin City" or "Twenty Eighteen"]

Words & Music:

Traditional

 

This is traditionally sung acappella.

 

VERSION 1:  as sung by Natalie Merchant & Michael Stipe

 

[He] On yonder hill, there lives a lassie and her name I do not know.

[He] One fine day, I'm going to find her, whether she be rich or poor.

 

CHORUS:

[She] 'Round and 'round on the wheel of fortune;

[Both] 'Round and 'round on the wheel in me

[Both] Young women's hearts are so uncertain,

[Both] Sad experience teaches me.

 

[He] 19, 17, 15, 13, 11, 9, 7, and a 5, 3, 1

[She] 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, none.

 

[He] Lassie, I've got gold & silver; lassie, I've got gooses & land.

[He] Lassies, I've got ships on the ocean all to sail at your command.

 

CHORUS:

[Both] 'Round and 'round on the wheel of fortune;

[Both] 'Round and 'round turnthe wheel for me

[She] Young women's hearts are so uncertain,

[Both] Sad experience teaches me.

 

[She] 19, 17, 15, 13, 11, 9, 7, and a 5, 3, 1

[He] 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, none.

 

CHORUS:

[Both] 'Round and 'round on the wheel of fortune;

[Both] 'Round and 'round turn the wheel on me

[Both] Young women's hearts are so uncertain,

[Both] Sad experience teaches me.

 

[She] I don't want your gold or silver, I don't want your gooses or land.

[She] I don't want your ships on the ocean, all I want's a good young man.

 

[He] 19, 17, 15, 13, 11, 9, 7, and a 5, 3, 1

[She] 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, none.

 

CHORUS:

[Both] 'Round and 'round on the wheel of fortune;

[Both] 'Round and 'round 'turn the wheel on me

[Both] Young women's hearts are so uncertain,

[Both] Sad experience teaches me.


VERSION 2:  From Idir An D‡ Sholas - Between The Two Lights

Titled "The Spanish Lady"

 

As I was walking through Dublin City

About the hour of twelve at night

It was there I saw a fair pretty female

Washing her feet by candlelight

First she washed them, then she dried them

Over a fire of ambery coals

And in all my life I never did see

A maid so neat about the soles

 

CHORUS:

She had twenty eighteen sixteen fourteen

Twelve ten eight six four two none

She had nineteen seventeen fifteen thirteen

Eleven nine seven five three and one

 

I stopped to look but the watchman passed

Says he, "Young fellow, now the night is late

And along with you home or I will wrestle you

Straight away to the Bridewell gate

I got a look from the Spanish lady

Hot as a fire of ambery coals

And in all my life I never did see

A maid so neat about the soles

 

CHORUS:

 

As I walked back through Dublin City

As the dawn of day was o'er

Oh whom should I spy but the Spanish lady

When I was weary and footsore

She had a heart so filled with loving

And her love she longed to share

And in all my life I never did meet

A maid who had so much to spare

 

CHORUS:

 

I have wandered north and I've wandered south

By Stoneybatter and Patrick's Close

And up and around by the Gloucester Diamond

Back by Napper Tandy's house

Old age has laid her hand upon me

Cold as a fire of ashey coals

And gone is the lovely Spanish lady

Neat and sweet about the soles

 

'Round and around goes the wheel of fortune

Where it rests now wearies me

Oh fair young maids are so deceiving

Sad experience teaches me

 

CHORUS:


VERSION 3: as sung by Gordon Bok

Titled: "WHEEL OF FORTUNE" or "DUBLIN CITY"

 

As I was a-walking through Dublin City

About the hour of twelve at night

It was there I saw a fair, pretty maiden

Washing her feet by candle light

 

First she washed them and then she dried them

And around her shoulder she pegged the towel

And in all my life I ne'er did see

Such a fine lass in all the world

 

She had twenty, eighteen, sixteen, fourteen

Twelve, ten , eight, six, four, two, none

Nineteen, seventeen, fifteen, thirteen

Eleven, nine, seven, five, three, and one

 

Round and round the wheel of fortune

Where it stops wearies me

Fair maids they are so deceiving

Sad experience teaches me

 

Oh, but tides do be running the whole world over

Why, tis only last June month, I mind that we

Were thinking the call in the breast of the lover

So everlasting as the sea

 

But there's the same little fishes that swims and spin

And the same old moon on the cold wet sand

And I no more to she, nor she to me

Than the cool wind passing over my hand

 

 


VERSION 4:  Titled:  "Twenty, Eighteen"

Source: Broadwood, L, 1893, English County Songs, London, Leadenhall Press

 

"Ho! yonder stands a charming creature,

Who she is I do not know,

I'll go court her for her beauty,

Until she do say yes or no."

Twenty, eighteen, sixteen, fourteen,

Twelve, ten, eight, six four, two, nought;

Nineteen, seventeen, fifteen, thirteen,

Eleven, nine and seven, five, three and one.

 

"Ho! Madam, I am come to court you,

If your favour I may gain;

And if you will entertain me

Perhaps I may come this way again."

 

"Ho! Madam I have rings and jewels,

Madam I have house and land,

Madam, I have wealth and treasures,

All shall be at your command."

 

"Ho! what care I for your rings and jewels?

What care I for your house and land?

What care I for your wealth and treasures?

All I want is a handsome man."

 

"Ho! first come cowslips and then come daisies,

First comes night and then comes day;

First comes the new love, and then comes the old one,

And so we pass our time away."

 

"Ho! the ripest apple is the soonest rotten,

THe hottest love is the soonest cold;

Lover's vows are soon forgotten,

So I pray, young man, be not so bold."

 





Back to the Songbook Index.

This page's content is copyrighted ©1977-2008 by Kristin C. Hall. Please drop me a line (via "dink (at) media (dot) mit (dot) edu") if you wish to use it or link to it or correct it! Please send comments, suggestions, fixes and general mischievious mayhem to the web diva via the above email address. (sorry, spambots have forced me to remove my automatic mail link.) Many thanks...and enjoy!

Note to lawyers and any other litigious-minded folk:
I am not trying to screw anyone out of royalties, etc. I have posted these only as a helpful resources for teachers, camp counselors and people who like to "sing along with Mitch", if you will. If you do not want your work posted to these pages, please just email me (via "dink (at) media (dot) mit (dot) edu") and I shall remove it.