When I was a wee thing, I heard my mother say
That I was a rambler, and easy led astray
Before that I would work, I would rather sport and play
With my Johnny on the banks for red roses
On the banks of red roses, my love and I sat down
He took out his tuning books to play his love a tune
In the middle of the tune, his love got up and cried
Saying, "Johnny, Johnny, will you go on and leave me."
And they walked, and they talked, till they came up to a cave
Where the night before, her Johnny, he'd been digging at her grave
Where the night before, her Johnny, he'd been digging at her grave
On the bonny, bonny banks of red roses
"Oh Johnny, dearest Johnny, that grave's not meant for me."
"Oh yes, my dearest Molly, that your bridal bed shall be
Oh yes, my dearest Molly, that your bridal bed shall be."
And he's laid her down low on red roses
That night while walking home, his heart was full of fear
And everyone he met, he thought it was his dear
And everyone he met, he thought it was his dear
He had slain on the banks of red roses
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