Freeborn Man

This song was written by Ewan MacColl for the radio ballad The Travelling People.  I have put more information about this song and the radio ballads on my Occasional Folk Songs  Blog. 

I found the words and the tune for this song some years ago - I can't remember where now - and worked out the chords from the melody. In the end, for my version, I transposed the song up a tone from C to D to make it more comfortable for me to sing. The chords are for the song sung in D.

Chords used in this song.

I’m [D] a freeborn man of the [G] travelling peop[A]le,

[D] Got no fixed a[A]bode with nomads I am [D] numbered,

[A] Country lanes and by ways were [D] always [G] my [D] way,

I’ve [G] never [D] fancied [C] being lum[D]bered.

O we knew the woods, all the resting places

And the small birds sang when wintertime was over

Then we'd pack our load and be on the road

They were good old times for the rover

There was open ground where a man could linger

Stay a week or two for time was not your master

Then away you'd jog with your horse and dog

Nice and easy, no need to go faster

Now and then you'd meet up with other travelers

Hear the news or else swap family information

At the country fairs, we'd be meeting there

All the people of the traveling nation

I've made willow creels aye and heather besoms

And I've done some begging and some hawking

And some days I've spent wrapped up in my tent

And I've listened to the old folks talking

All you freeborn men of the traveling people

Every tinker, rolling stone, or gypsy rover

Winds of change are blowing, old ways are going

Your traveling days will soon be over

You can hear my version on You Tube