Annotation:Romp (2) (The)
X:1 % T:Romp [2], The M:6/8 L:1/8 R:County Dance B:Wright's Compleat Collection of Celebrated Country Dances (London, 1740, p. 97) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:D A2| AGF FED|Dd2-d2A|AGF FED|Dd2-d2e| fed edc|dcB cde|E3 ^G3|A3-A2:| |:e|cde A2e|cde A2A|FGA D2A|FGA D2e|edc cBA| Ae2-e2A|AFG AFG|Ad2-d2B|AGF E2D|D3-D2:|]
ROMP [2], THE. English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The country dance version of the melody was first printed in John Walsh's Third Book of the Compleat Country Dancing-Master (London, 1735 & 1749), followed by inclusion in Henry Carey's The Musical Century, vol. 1 (1737, p. 28), and Daniel Wright's Wright's Compleat Collection of Celebrated Country Dances (1740, p. 97). It was also entered into the music manuscript collection of American flute player Henry Beck (1786).
As a song "The Romp [2]" predates the instrumental version. It was written and composed by Henry Carey (along with a second song) and was inserted into Colley Cibber & Sir John Vanrugh's stage comedy The Provok'd Husband; or, A Journey to London (Jan., 1729). The song was also issued on period song-sheets.
What tho' they call me country lass,
I read it plainly in my glass,
That for a duchess I might pass,
Oh, could I see the day!
Would fortune but attend my call,
At park, at play, at ring, at ball,
I'd brave the proudest of 'em all,
With a stand by, ... clear the way!
Surrounded by a crowd of beaux,
With smart toupets and powder'd cloathes,
At rivals I'll turn up my nose,
Oh, could I see the day!
I'll dart such glances from these eyes,
Shall make some nobleman my prize,
And then, ... Oh, how I'll tyrannize!
With a stand by, ... clear the way!
Oh, then for grandeur and delight,
For equipage, for diamonds bright,
And flambeaux that outshine the light,
Oh, could I see the day!
Thus ever easy, ever gay,
Quadrille shall wear the night away,
And pleasures crown the growing day,
With a stand by, ... clear the way!