On the Banks of the Roses

On the banks of the roses me love and I lay down

And I took out me fiddle for to play me love a tune

And in the middle of the tune o she smiled and she said

Oh Johnny, lovely Johnny don't ya leave me

 
When I was a young man I heard me father say

That he'd rather see me dead and buried in the clay

Sooner than be married to any runaway

By the lovely sweet banks of the roses

 

And then I am no runaway and soon I'll let them know

That I can take the bottle or can leave it alone

And if her daddy doesn't like it he can keep his daughter at home

And young Johnny will go rovin' with another

 

And when I get married t'will be in the month of May

When the leaves they are green and the meadows they are gay

And me and me true love we'll sit and sport and play

By the lovely sweet banks of the roses