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) |
UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Everything needs to be checked.
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.
: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 |
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Key: E
Tempo: ~60 bpm Group: The O'Neill Sisters Posted by: The O'Neill Sisters |
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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 |
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Key: D
Tempo: ~40 bpm Group: The Ennis Sisters Posted by: alliexirish |
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Key: C
Tempo: ~55 bpm Singer: Liam Clancy Posted by: mitchmallow |
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Key: G
Tempo: ~60 bpm Group: The Chieftans Singer: Nanci Griffith Posted by: The Chieftains - Topic |
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Key: E
Tempo: ~65 bpm Singer: Jill Anderson Posted by: DesolationoftheDolls From Jill's album "Cool of the Day". |
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Key: E from time 0 to 3:51
F# from 3:52 to End Tempo: ~60 bpm Singer: ? Posted by: 11111222233366698984 |
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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 |
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Key: E
Tempo: ~65 bpm Performers: The High Kings Posted by: The High Kings |
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Key: B
Tempo: ~50 bpm Singer: Ciara Fox Posted by: Forgotten Ireland |
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Key: Db
Tempo: ~50 bpm Singer: Mary Duff Posted by: Bethany-Jade Foyle Music begins at time 0:47 |
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Key: C
Tempo: ~70 bpm Singer: Emi Fujita Posted by: ek7283 |
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Key: B
Tempo: ~50 bpm Performer: Philomena Begley Posted by: Philomena Begley - Topic |
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Key: E
Tempo: ~50 bpm Singer: Daniel O'Donnell Posted by: Bethany-Jade Foyle |
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Guitar Chord Notation
I found that googling different Internet sites turned up a number of different guitar-chord arrangements for this song, most of them in the keys of C and D, some sounding more melancholic (including more minor chords) than others. Some of these are very specific to particular singers, including a number available on youTube. I like the arrangement below.
Key of Gmajor - for keys Ab, A, Bb, or B, place capo at frets 1, 2, 3 or 4.
Key of Cmajor - for keys Db,D, Eb, E, F, or F#/Gb, place capo at fret 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6.
I found that googling different Internet sites turned up a number of different guitar-chord arrangements for this song, most of them in the keys of C and D, some sounding more melancholic (including more minor chords) than others. Some of these are very specific to particular singers, including a number available on youTube. I like the arrangement below.
Key of Gmajor - for keys Ab, A, Bb, or B, place capo at frets 1, 2, 3 or 4.
Key of Cmajor - for keys Db,D, Eb, E, F, or F#/Gb, place capo at fret 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6.
G Em C D7
C Am F G7
Come over the hills, my bon-ny I-rish lass
G Em C G
C Am F C
Come o-ver the hills to your dar-ling;
C G C D7
F C F G7
You choose the rose, love, and I'll make the vow
G C G D7 G
C F C G7 C
And I'll be your true love for ev-er.
Chorus:
G Em C D7
C Am F G7
Red is the rose that by yon-der gar-den grows,
G Em C G
C Am F C
Fair is the lil-y of the val-ley;
C G C D7
F C F G7
Clear is the wa-ter that flows from the Boyne
G C G D7 G
C F C G7 C
But my love is fair-er than an-y.
G Em C D7
C Am F G7
'Twas down by Kil-lar-ney's green woods that we strayed
G Em C G
C Am F C
The moon and the stars they were shin-ing;
C G C D7
F C F G7
The moon shone its rays on her locks of gold-en hair
G C G D7 G
C F C G7 C
She swore she'd be my love for ev-er.
G Em C D7
C Am F G7
It's not for the part-ing of my sister Kate
G Em C G
C Am F C
It's not for the grief of my moth-er
C G C D7
F C F G7
'Tis all for the loss of my bon-ny I-rish lass
G C G D7 G
C F C G7 C
That my heart is break-ing for ev-er.
C Am F G7
Come over the hills, my bon-ny I-rish lass
G Em C G
C Am F C
Come o-ver the hills to your dar-ling;
C G C D7
F C F G7
You choose the rose, love, and I'll make the vow
G C G D7 G
C F C G7 C
And I'll be your true love for ev-er.
Chorus:
G Em C D7
C Am F G7
Red is the rose that by yon-der gar-den grows,
G Em C G
C Am F C
Fair is the lil-y of the val-ley;
C G C D7
F C F G7
Clear is the wa-ter that flows from the Boyne
G C G D7 G
C F C G7 C
But my love is fair-er than an-y.
G Em C D7
C Am F G7
'Twas down by Kil-lar-ney's green woods that we strayed
G Em C G
C Am F C
The moon and the stars they were shin-ing;
C G C D7
F C F G7
The moon shone its rays on her locks of gold-en hair
G C G D7 G
C F C G7 C
She swore she'd be my love for ev-er.
G Em C D7
C Am F G7
It's not for the part-ing of my sister Kate
G Em C G
C Am F C
It's not for the grief of my moth-er
C G C D7
F C F G7
'Tis all for the loss of my bon-ny I-rish lass
G C G D7 G
C F C G7 C
That my heart is break-ing for ev-er.
Lyrics and Background Info and Links
Lyrics:
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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:
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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.
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Background
Links: |
Click HERE for additional info about this song.
Click HERE for additional information on The Ennis Sisters (wikipedia). |