X:1
T:The Banks of Red Roses
S:John MacDonald
B:MacColl and Seeger, Traveller's Songs from England and Scotland, Routledge And Kegan Paul, 1977
Z:Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger
F:http://www.folkinfo.org/songs
M:4/4     %Meter
L:1/8     %
K:C
E2 |G2 G4 A2 |(E2 D2) C3 C |c2 c2 d2 e2 |G2 c3 d z2 |
w:When I was a young_ thing, my moth-er used to say__
e2 d2 c2 B2 | c2 A2 G2 E2 |A2 A2 G2 E2 |  D4 z2
w:That I'd be a rov-in' lass and eas-y led a- stray;
E2 | G4 G2 A2 |(E2 D2) C3 C |c2 c2 d2 e2 |G2 z2
w:Be-fore I would work,_ sure, I'd rath-er sport and play
c2 d2 |e2 d2 c2 B2 |(A G3) c2 E2 |D8 |C4  |]
w:On the bon-nie, bon-nie banks_ of the ro-ses.
W:When I was a young thing, my mother used to say
W:That I'd be a rovin' lass and easy led astray;
W:Before I would work, sure, I'd rather sport and play
W:On the bonnie, bonnie banks of the roses.
W:
W:(Chorus)
W:On the banks of the roses, my love and I sat down,
W:He's ta'en oot his German flute to play his love a tune;
W:In the middle o' the tune, noo, the bonnie lassie cried:
W:"O, it's Johnnie, dear, O Johnnie, dinna leave me!"
W:
W:For he's ta'en oot a wee penknife as sharp as ony lance,
W:And he's plunged it right tae yon bonnie lassie's hairt;
W:He plunged it right in tae yon bonnie lassie's hairt,
W:And he left her lyin' low amang the roses.
W:
W:Noo, come a' ye traivellin' lasses, a warnin' take by me,
W:It's never let a Gorgi lad an inch abune your knee;
W:For if ye dae, ye'll be sure to rue
W:For he'll leave ye lyin' low amang the roses.
W:
W:(Final chorus omitted)