On the banks of the roses, my love and I sat down

And I took out my violin to play my love a tune

In the middle of the tune, O she sighed and she said

O Johnny, lovely Johnny, Would you leave me



O when I was a young man, I heard my 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



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

I can take a good glass or leave it alone

And the man that doesn't like me, he can keep

his daughter home

And young Johnny will go roving with another



And if ever I get married, twill be in the month of May

When the leaves they are green and the meadows

they are gay

And I and my true love can sit and sport and play

On the lovely sweet banks of the roses