Chorus :

On the banks o' the red roses.

My love and I sat doon.

An' he's taen oot his tunin' box,   (in some versions 'fiddle')

To play his love a tune.

In the middle o' the tune,

She sighed and she said,

Oh Johnny, lovely Johnny, dinna leave me.

 

When I was a young lass,

I heard my mither say,

That I would be a rovin' lass

An' easily led astray.

Before I would wark,

I'd raither sport an' play,

Wi' my Johnny on the banks o' red rosea.

 

They baith walkit doon,

Till they cam' tae a grave.

Whaur Johnny the hale day lang

Had been delvin' wi' a spade.

Whaur Johnny the hale day lang

Had been delvin' wi' a spade.

By the bonnie, bonnie banks o' red rosea.

 

Then he took oot his penknife,

It bein' lang an' shairp.

And he speared it through an' through

His bonnie lassie's he'rt.

He speared it through an' through

His bonnie lassie's he'rt.

An' he left her lyin' there amang red rosea.

 

So come all ye young maidens,

An' a learnin' tak frae me.

Never care tae enter

Wi' a young man's company.

They'e sweet tae your face,

An' they're shair tae treat ye free.

But they'll leave ye lyin' low amang red roses.