This is a rather well known 1950s ballad composed and written by Leo Maguire. It tells the story of two lovers, one a young noblewoman and the other a roaming gypsy. They both came upon each other one evening and, falling in love, run away together. The next day, the lady's father sets out on his horse to search for her and finally finds her at a large mansion overlooking a river. He finds out that the gypsy his daughter ran off with wasn't a gypsy at all, but a wealthy Lord. After the noblewoman proclaims to her father that she will spend the rest of her days with her gypsy, the story finishes with the two lovers whistling their song as the green woods ring around them.
This number is just one of many songs about gypsies that have been composed and sung over the years. There is another song called "Gypsy Davy", a lullaby written by Dorothy Scarborough that has a similar chorus to "Gypsy Rover".
Lyrics
A gypsy rover came over the hill
Down through the valley so shady.
He whistled and he sang 'til the green woods rang
And he won the heart of lady.
Ah-dee-doo-ah-dee-doo-dah-day
Ah-dee-doo-ah-dee-day-dee
He whistled and he sang 'til the green woods rang
And he won the heart of a lady.
She left her father's castle gate.
She left her own fond lover.
She left her servants and her state
To follow her gypsy rover.
Ah-dee-doo-ah-dee-doo-dah-day
Ah-dee-doo-ah-dee-day-dee
He whistled and he sang 'til the green woods rang
And he won the heart of a lady.
Her father saddled his fastest stead
Roamed the valley's all over.
Sought his daughter at great speed
And the whistlin' gypsy rover.
Ah-dee-doo-ah-dee-doo-dah-day
Ah-dee-doo-ah-dee-day-dee
He whistled and he sang 'til the green woods rang
And he won the heart of a lady.
He came at last to a mansion fine
Down by the river Claydee.
And there was music and there was wine
For the gypsy and his lady.
Ah-dee-doo-ah-dee-doo-dah-day
Ah-dee-doo-ah-dee-day-dee
He whistled and he sang 'til the green woods rang
And he won the heart of a lady.
"He is no gypsy, my Father," she said,
"But Lord of these lands all over.
And I shall stay 'til my dying day
With my whistlin' gypsy rover."
Ah-dee-doo-ah-dee-doo-dah-day
Ah-dee-doo-ah-dee-day-dee
He whistled and he sang 'til the green woods rang
And he won the heart of a lady.