Little Bunch of Roses, Lyric Variant 01

This item is part of the I. G. Greer Folksong Collection which consists of more than 300 individual song titles and their variants as collected by Isaac Garfield Greer (1881-1967) from informants, primarily in Ashe, Wilkes and Watauga counties. The collection includes manuscripts, typescript transcriptions produced by Dr. Greer’s clerical staff, and handwritten musical notations. Songs range from traditional Child Ballads, traditional English and Scottish ballads as well as their American variants, to 19th century popular music to musical compositions of local origin.

Farewells--Songs and music

Folk songs--United States

Love--Songs and music

Roses--Songs and music

AC.113 Isaac Garfield (I.G.) Greer Papers and Recordings

W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Appalachian State University

Greer, I. G. (Isaac Garfield), 1881-1967

PDF

English

Text

Little Bunch of Roses

Darling I have come to tell you,
Though this message breaks my heart
For before the dawning, darling,
We’ll be many miles apart.

Take this little bunch of roses
That you gave me long ago.
I have kissed them many times, darling,
Never to kiss them any more.

Down among the faded roses,
I have but the withered stem.
I have parted from my darling
Never to see his face again.

Go and leave me if you wish to.
Never let me cross you mind.
In your heart you love another
Who will treat you good and kind.

Darling, don’t you know who loves you?
Don’t you know whose heart is true?
Don’t you know who’s sad without you?
Goodbye, darling, I must go.

One more word and all is over,
Though my eyes are filled with tears.
You have caused me lots of trouble
You have almost broke my heart.

One more word and all is over,
Though my eyes are filled with tears.
Meet me darling, up in Heaven,
There to spend ten thousand years.

Don’t you hear a sea bird crying
On a dark and lonely sea?
Oh! My darling, while you’re thinking,
Won’t you sometimes think of me?

I would pawn my watch and locket,
I would pawn my golden chain.
I would spend my last old dollar
Just to see his face again.

Don’t the sea look rough and rugged?
Don’t the sea look wide and deep?
Don’t my darling look the sweetest
When he’s in my arms asleep?

Brown, Additional Songs - 700 Combs, 200

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