Red is the Rose Lyrics:
5 Reasons to Love this Song

Red is the Rose lyrics tell the tale of a blossoming love that ends in sadness as the two lovers are separated.  Many believe that the song is about one of the lovers emigrating apart from the other, a topic that inspires plenty of Irish songs and stories.

Image of four well-dressed vocalists with microphones singing to an audience.

This lovely song is not originally Irish, but is sung to the same haunting melody as a 19th century Scottish tune: The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond.

Come over the hills, my bonnie Irish lass
Come over the hills to your darling
You choose the road, love, and I'll make the vow
And I'll be your true love forever.

Chorus
Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows
Fair is the lily of the valley
Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne
But my love is fairer than any.

Just want the complete lyrics? You can jump immediately to ALL of the lyrics to Red is the Rose here, plus a couple of our favorite performances of the song.

Interested in a few more facts and ideas?  Keep reading for some fascinating information about this beloved "Irish" ballad.

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Things to Know About Red is the Rose Lyrics

Here are some fun facts about Red is the Rose.  Hopefully they will entice you to sing along next time you hear it!

  1. This classic Irish song is not originally Irish. It comes from a well-known Scottish song called The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond, which dates back to at least the 19th century. Red is the Rose lyrics express the Irish variation, and are sung to the same traditional melody.
  2. The song become popular on a global scale thanks to Tommy Makem, who is sometimes known as the Godfather of Irish Music. Tommy Makem did record the song and perform it widely, but he is not the songwriter as some claim.
  3. In fact, the earliest recording of Red is the Rose dates all the way back to 1934. The song was sung by Josephine Beirne and George Sweetman, cementing it in history as a traditional Irish folk song.
  4. Many major artists have since recorded the song. Red is the Rose has been sung by The High Kings and The Chieftains, among many others. Famously, the Irish tenor Anthony Kearns also sang a recorded a version of the song at the John F. Kennedy Library in honor of JFK's mother, who was also named Rose
  5. Many modern versions of the song have an incomplete ending. Misheard "Read is the Rose" lyrics over time confuse the story. The original version reveals that the man doesn't miss his mother or his sister as much as his lover, who has left Ireland forever.

Red is the Rose Lyrics

Come over the hills, my bonnie Irish lass
Come over the hills to your darling
You choose the road, love, and I'll make the vow
And I'll be your true love forever.

Chorus
Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows
Fair is the lily of the valley
Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne
But my love is fairer than any.

'Twas down by Killarney's green woods that we strayed
When the moon and the stars they were shining
The moon shone its rays on her locks of golden hair
And she swore she'd be my love forever.

Chorus

It's not for the parting that my sister pains
It's not for the grief of my mother
'Tis all for the loss of my bonny Irish lass
That my heart is breaking forever.

Chorus (x2)

Songwriter:Tommy Makem

Melody Loch Loman R. Burns

Our Favorite Performance

Please enjoy this rich and engrossing performance by the Irish Tenors.


Another Version - Which Do You Like Better?

And here is a beautiful a capela version by the High Kings.


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