RED  IS  THE  ROSE


Time signature:  4/4
​Typical tempo:  60 bpm
Traditional Irish lyrics, with
Melody based on 'Loch Lomond'
(an 18th century Scottish tune)
The featured chorus is played low on the inside row.
​The high octave can be played on either row.
Accordion Notation 
Beats per bar = 4
Beat symbol  =  Dot ( . ) or equivalent
Either row (high) =  Buttons 5 to 9*
Inside row (low)  =  Buttons 2 to 5* plus o3*
Verse 1 (of 3)

   :5    |   .6   '''6    '7*    ;7     "6    |   '7*   '''7   "7*  "6      ;5*
   .2    |   .3   '''3    '3*    ;4     "3    |   '3*   '''4   "3*  "3     ;o3*
Come     o - ver  the  hills,  my     bon - ny    I - rish   lass 

     5    |  .6    "6   "6     .6     "7   "8    |   :9*     :8   |
    "2   |   .3   "3   "3     .3     "4   "5    |   :5*     :5   |
Come    o - ver   the  hills  to  your     dar - ling; 

  .9*      '''9*     '8      .7       "7      "8   |   "8*  "7     "7*     "6     ;5*
  .5*      '''5*     '5      .4       "4      "5   |   "4*  "4     "3*     "3    ;o3*   
You  choose  the  rose   love,  and         I'll       make  the  vow 

  "5  |  .6   "7    "8      .9*    "8     "7   |   :7*     :6~   |
  "2  |  .3   "4    "5      .5*    "5     "4   |   :3*     :3~   |
And    I'll  be  your  true  love  for      ev  -  er. 


Chorus:
  
  .6   '''6   '7*    ;7      "6   |   "7*    ''7    "7*    "6        :5*    |
  .3   '''3   '3*    ;4      "3   |   "3*    ''4    "3*    "3       :o3*   |
Red  is   the  rose  that      in  your   gar - den   grows

  .6   '''6   '6    '6   '''7   "7   "8   |   :9*      :8   |  
  .3   '''3   '3    '3   '''4   "4   "5   |   :5*      :5   |  
Fair  is   the  lil  -  y    of   the     val  -  ley; 
   
  .9*   '''9*   '8       .7     "7   "8   |  "8*  "7     '''7*    '6       ;5*
  .5*   '''5*   '5       .4     "4   "5   |  "4*  "4     '''3*    '3       ;o3*  
Clear  is    the    wat - er  that     flows     from  the    Boyne 

 "5   |   .6    "7    "8    .9*  '''8    '7    |   :7*   :6~ | ~:
 "2   |   .3    "4    "5    .5*  '''5    '4    |   :3*   :3~ | ~:
But     my  love  is   fair - er  than     an  - y____

​
Observation:  Many performances begin with the chorus.

​Embedded youTube VIDEOS
There are some variations in the lyrics, arrangements and tempo among these videos.  Total of 15 videos in various keys:    B=2    C=3    Db=1    D=1    D,E,F=1    D,G,D=1    E=4    E,F#=1   G=1
Key:   C

​Tempo:  ~55 bpm

Singer:  Tommy Makem with (one or
              more of?) the Clancey Brothers.
​              

Posted by:  theconman18



​
Key:  E

​Tempo:  ~60 bpm

Group:  The O'Neill Sisters

Posted by:  The O'Neill Sisters
Key:  D   from time 0 to 1:10
          E   from 1:11 to  2:13
          F   from 2:14 to  End

​Tempo:  ~70 bpm

Group:  The Irish Tenors

​Posted by:  Dermott Studio
Key:  D

​Tempo:  ~40 bpm

Group:  The Ennis Sisters
​
Posted by:  alliexirish

​
Key:  C

​Tempo:  ~55 bpm
 
Singer:  Liam Clancy

​Posted by: mitchmallow
Key:  G  

​Tempo:  ~60 bpm

Group:  The Chieftans

​Singer:  Nanci Griffith

​Posted by:  The Chieftains - Topic
Key:   E

​Tempo:  ~65 bpm

Singer:  Jill Anderson
 
​Posted by:  DesolationoftheDolls

From Jill's album "Cool of the Day".
Key:   E  from time 0 to 3:51
​          F# from 3:52 to End

​Tempo:  ~60 bpm

Singer:  ?
​
Posted by:  11111222233366698984
Key:  D   from time 0 to 1:49
         G   from 1:50 to 3:22
         D   from  3:23 to End

​Tempo:  ~60 bpm

Singers:  Orla Fallon & Tommy Flemming

Posted by:  Matteo

From AlbumL  The Platinum Collection
​​
Key:  E 

​Tempo:  ~65 bpm

Performers:  The High Kings
​
​Posted by:  The High Kings
Key:   B

​Tempo:  ~50 bpm

Singer:  Ciara Fox
​
Posted by: Forgotten Ireland
Key:   Db   ?
​
Singer:  Mary Duff
​
​Posted by:  ?

Music begins at time 0:47
​
Key:  C

​Tempo:  ~70 bpm
 
Singer:  Emi Fujita

Posted by:  ek7283
Key:   B 

​Tempo:  ~50 bpm

Performer:  Philomena Begley  
​
Posted by: Philomena Begley - Topic
Key:   E ?

Singers:  Daniel & Majella O'Donnell

​Posted by: ?

Lyrics and Background Info and Links
​Lyrics:
Come over the hills, my bonny Irish lass 
Come over the hills to your darling; 
You choose the rose, love, and I'll make the vow 
And I'll be your true love forever. 

Chorus:
         Red is the rose that by 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 
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. 

It's not for the parting of my sister Kate 
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.
Observation:
Some Internet lyrics-sites and youTube videos show some variations from the lyrics above, as well as a range of interpretations.  My favorite, consistent with the above lyrics, is that this is a song by a lad in love with a young lass (first two verses and chorus) and is broken-hearted because she is leaving Ireland with her family, perhaps because of the famine (or some other reason).   The third verse suggests that he finds this more difficult to deal with than the death of his sister and the grief of his mother.
Background
Links:
Click HERE for additional info about this song.

Click HERE for additional information on The Ennis Sisters (wikipedia).



​