When I was a bachelor, young and bold
I followed the roving trail
The only thing that I ever done wrong
I courted a handsome maid
I wooed her all the summertime
And part of the winter too
The only harm that ever I done
Was to keep off the foggy dew
'Twas on one night about twelve o'clock
As I lay fast asleep
There came this maid to my bedside
And bitterly she did weep
She wept, she moaned, she tore her hair
And she cried, "What shall I do?"
So I rolled her into bed and I covered up her head
For to keep off the foggy dew
Well, all the first part of that night
And we did sport and play
And all the latter part of that night
Snug in my arms she lay
And when the broad daylight appeared
She cried, "I am undone"
Well, hold your tongue, my pretty young girl
For the foggy dew has gone
Well, I never told nobody her name
And it's damned be if I do
But it's often times that I think on that night
That I kept off the foggy dew
