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'Rose' or 'Peace' round - counter-verses/variants

05 May 01 - 12:19 PM (#456454)
Subject: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST,Sparrow

Hi everyone, I am desperately searching for the remaining lyrics to the round Rose. Your database only has the first verse. Here is what I have so far.

Rose, rose, rose, red (or Rose)
When will I see thee wed?
I will marry at thy will, sire.
At thy will.

Ding dong, ding dong,
Wedding bells on an April morn.
Carve your name on a moss covered stone,
On a moss covered stone.

Hey ho, nobody home,
No meat, no drink, nor money have I none.
Still I will be merry
Hey ho, nobody home.

Ding dong, ding dong.
Funeral bells on a September morn.
Rose, my Rose is dead and gone, sire.
Dead and gone.

Descant (over last verse)
As small bird.
Flying high.
Above the darkness of this dark night.

From what I can gather, the song may be about a Crusader going off to war and returning to find his wife has passed away from heartbreak or starvation.

I think there are verses missing between 2 & 3 and 3 & 4
Any input would be appreciated.

:) Grins
Sparrow

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 3-May-02.


05 May 01 - 02:21 PM (#456502)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: Hollowfox

Wow, I just thought that they were rounds that had the same tune. I hope you find the answer to your question, this one's interesting.


05 May 01 - 02:31 PM (#456505)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: MMario

As I have always understood it they ARE all different rounds sung to the same tune. Certainly "Ah Poor Bird" and "hey Ho nobody home" are seperate.

Never heard of any crusader connection - in fact, my SCA friends tell me there are serious doubts as to whether they can be traced back further then the late 1700's


13 Apr 02 - 06:27 PM (#689413)
Subject: 'Rose' or 'Peace' round
From: GUEST,merry_gypsy@yahoo.com

The song "Rose Res, A.K.A. "Hey Ho", "Rose", "Peace", Round, etc., has more verses. To date, I have found the following 6 verses and 3 counter verses; does anybody have any more or variations on what I have?

What a goodly thing
If the children of the earth
Could dwell together
In peace.

I am an old man,
My shoes are worn and thin
I have a little pocket
To put a penny in.
If you haven't got a penny,
A hae-penny will do,
If you haven't got a hae-penny,
God bless you.

Rose, Rose, Rose, Red
Will I ever see thee wed?
I will marry at thy will, sire,
At thy will.

I won't be me father's Jack, no!
I won't be me mother's Jill!
I will be a fiddler free,
I'll fiddle where I will!

Ding dong, ding dong
Wedding bells on an April morn
Carve my name on a moss covered stone,
On a moss covered stone.

Hey, ho, nobody's home
Meat nor drink nor money have I none
Still I will be very, very merry
Hey, ho, nobody's home.

Ah poor bird,
Why art thou
Singing in the shadows
At this late Hour?

Ding dong, ding dong
Funeral bells on a September morn,
Rose, oh Rose, is dead and gone sire,
Dead and gone.

Ah, poor bird,
Take thy flight
High above the sorrows
Of this sad night.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 16-Apr-02.


13 Apr 02 - 07:35 PM (#689465)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Rose' or 'Peace' round
From: GUEST

Well, "Ah Poor Bird," is a different round, with its own lovely melody. And the "Peace Round" words were composed by Jean Ritchie (it's published in The Friends Hymnal). The words I know to, "Rose, Rose" are:

Rose, rose, rose, rose,
Will I ever see thee red?
Aye, marry- that thou wilt,
If thou but stay.

Your, "I am an old man" verse sounds like it was based upon a verse from, "The Souling Song:"

The lanes are very dirty; my shoes and very thin.
I've got a little pocket to put a penny in.
If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do-
If you haven't got a ha'penny, it's God bless you!

What you have I would guess, is a medley- probably born around a campfire. Good fun!


14 Apr 02 - 04:27 PM (#689942)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Rose' or 'Peace' round
From: 8_Pints

I know several versions of Rose, Rose

Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose,
Will I ever see thee wed
I will marry none but thee sir
None but thee

Or an angry version

Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose,
Will I ever see thee wed
Aye, surely that thou shalt
When thou art dead!

Sue vG


13 Nov 03 - 07:06 PM (#1053405)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST

I heard a completely different tune to Ah, Poor Bird, where the tune of Heigh, Ho is completely different from Rose Red as well. These words were as follows:

Rose, Rose, Rose Red
Will I ever see thee wed?
I will marry at thy will, sire
at thy will.

Heigh, ho, nobody home
meat nor drink nor money do I own.
Still I will be very very merry merry
ho.

Ah, poor bird,
Take thine flight!
Up above the sorrows of this
sad night.


14 Nov 03 - 12:44 AM (#1053560)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: Melani

I learned "Rose" and "Heigh Ho" as the same tune.


14 Nov 03 - 11:09 PM (#1053960)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST,Kent

Don't know the original words, but we (in the churches of Christ, at least in the US)sing
"Love, love, love, love.
The Gospel in a word is love.
Love thy neighbor as thy brother.
Love, love, love."

Joy, joy, joy, joy,
The gospel in a word is joy.
Joy that fills to ever-flowing.
Joy, joy, joy.

Peace, peace, peace, peace.
The gospel in a word is peace.
Peace that passes understanding.
Peace, peace, peace.

Christ, Christ, Christ, Christ
The gospel in a word is Christ.
Love Him, serve Him, and adore Him.
Christ, Christ, Christ.


11 Jun 04 - 03:56 PM (#1205347)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST,guest

The way that I learned the lyrics from my mother:

Rose, rose, rose, rose
Will I ever see thee wed?
I will marry at thy will sire,
at thy will.

Heigh ho, nobody home
no eat, no drink,
no money have I none
but still I will be very merry
Rose, rose, rose, rose

Rose, rose, rose, rose


23 Jun 04 - 09:22 PM (#1213272)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST,aaka

Thou Poor Bird
Thou poor bird, Lost within the storm,
Lift your wings into your night flight home!


I've got this to add to the "thou poor bird" bit.
A World Of Peace Lyrics also has some interesting variations under Friendship Fires, but I don't know how they fit in.

BTW, this is a really interesting thread.

~!


28 Aug 04 - 05:58 AM (#1258774)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST,vbillard@verizon.net

I learned it with the following additional verses:

I won't be my father's lack
And I won't be my mother's chill
I will be a fiddlers wife
And fiddle as I will

Peace peace peace peace
Wars will come and wars will cease
We must learn to live together
Peace peace peace

And Ah Poor Bird I've always heard as

Ah poor bird
Why art thou
Flying through the shaddows
Off this dark hour

Though I'm prone to agree that it is a seperate song.


28 Aug 04 - 12:54 PM (#1258915)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

This has been gone over, over and over. See especially thread 1143: Rose etc.
1. The verse is not known from before the 20th century.
2. The added verses are either independent or belong to other rhymes (floaters).
If you read the thread linked above, I think you will find that the 'Peace' rhymes are by 'kytrad' and are in the "Friends Hymnal."


28 Aug 04 - 01:12 PM (#1258927)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: Tannywheeler

Hally was such a stickler. She sang the "Rose" verse as a round -- but always "SHALL I ever see the wed?" -- and by itself. Tw


28 Aug 04 - 05:27 PM (#1259097)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)

As I gave in another similr thread: We sang it this way-

Rose, rose, rose, rose,
Shall I ever see the red?
Aye, marry, that thou wilt-
If thou but stay.

The question is about the color of the rose- the answer is that it takes patience to see your flowers in bloom. The "Aye, marry," an old way of saying,"Yes, to be sure," seems to have confused many modern folks who, thinking that if marriage was involved, the word "red" must be "wed," and so the whole meaning was changed.

"Rose, Rose," and "Heigh Ho, Nobody Home," are basically the same tune, the first sung slowly and serenely; the second sung to a faster, more bouncy rhythm.

My song, "The Peace Round," (beginning, "What a goodly thing..." uses the cadence and rhythm of the slower,"Rose, Rose." The words are mine, based on an old testament verse. Ah, ha! now who can find the verse?   Jean


28 Aug 04 - 08:30 PM (#1259198)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

Kytrad, the 'red' version that you give seems the most logical to me.
The 'wed' version seems to have originated in camps for young people, including scouts, although some people claim that it is 'old' (see link below).

I have been trying to find reliable information for the 'red' verse without success. (I have seen verses of that ilk in UK garden catalogues).
Without support, one Canadian site calls the 'red' version 16th c. and the 'wed' version the popular form (see under Love and Traditional in their index for the latter). They give the music, and the verse you post, as "traditional 16th c.," but I have noted some misattributions with songs at this site, and references are seldom provided: Rose 4X


I found these rather odd ones:
Rose, rose, rose, rose
Shall I ever see thee red?
Aye, marry that thou shalt
When thou art dead?

Also (Australian site):
Rose, rose, rose, rose
Shall I ever see thee red?
Aye marry if thou wilt
And thou but stay.


29 Aug 04 - 06:26 PM (#1259556)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)

Thanks, Q. I forgot to add that the four lines I gave were the entire song; it was sung only as a round. But folks have always liked to add on verses, if they like a tune, or if the words bring to mind an appropriate parody...I can see it happening- a mother teasing Rose,her 'old-maid' daughter, Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose, shall I ever see thee wed?" And then of course, the other two lines she had to adapt, to make sense!

I have done no serious research, and appreciate the bits you gave. I do believe that originally the four-line round was all there was. And the last line could well have been the one you gave from the Australian site, "And thou but stay."


29 Aug 04 - 07:47 PM (#1259586)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

I agree, the four lines are sufficient unto themselves.
No one has been able to give any older references. It seems likely that it is a modern rhyme expressed in older language; something that has been done a number of times.


30 Aug 04 - 01:14 PM (#1259958)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: Tannywheeler

OK, kytrad: "...for brethren to dwell together in unity" (or amity?), and New Test., but that's as close as I can get. And Mama probably learned it from you. Tw


15 Dec 04 - 12:32 AM (#1357232)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST,Girl Scouter


19 Aug 06 - 04:13 AM (#1813630)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST,Rey

I heard a (highly suspicious) tale of origins that it was about the War of the Roses, and that it was originally:

Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose
Shall I ever see the red?
I will, merry, at thy will, sire,
at thy will.

(Supposedly being the words of a knight simultaneously contemplating a rose in his garden and his desire for Lancaster to win as he's being called to war.)

The follow up verse was SUPPOSEDLY originally:

Ding dong, ding dong
Wedding bells on a September morn
Carve thy name on a moss cover stone,
A moss covered stone.

(This being the wedding to end the war over the bodies of the losers.)

We atually sang the second vers in this manner, but the first was:

Rose, rose, rose, rose
Shall I ever see thee wed?
I will marry at thy will, sire,
At thy will.

Cute story. Probably nonsense.


22 Aug 06 - 12:02 PM (#1816204)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST,Emma

I've also heard the story that it's about the war of the roses - that was how it was taught to me at girl scout camp when I was a kid. Maybe it's not actually a period song, but it does seem to tell a tale of love lost to war.

Rose, rose, rose, rose
Shall I ever see thee Red?
I will marry at thy will sire,
At thy will

Ding dong ding dong
Wedding bells on an April morning
Carve your name on a moss-covered stone
On a moss-covered stone

Peace, peace, peace, peace
Shall I ever see thee come
I will wait forever and ever
Peace, peace, peace

Ding dong, ding dong.
Funeral bells on an autumn morning
Rose, my Rose is dead and gone
is dead and gone.

Mother, Father dig my grave
Dig it with a golden spade
Bring some friends and a turtle dove
To show that I died for love
To show that I died for love

Descant:
O my love,
Lov'st thou me? Then
Quickly come and save him, that
Dies for thee.


22 Aug 06 - 12:03 PM (#1816206)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST,Emma

I've also heard the story that it's about the war of the roses - that was how it was taught to me at girl scout camp when I was a kid. Maybe it's not actually a period song, but it does seem to tell a tale of love lost to war.

Rose, rose, rose, rose
Shall I ever see thee Red?
I will marry at thy will sire,
At thy will

Ding dong ding dong
Wedding bells on an April morning
Carve your name on a moss-covered stone
On a moss-covered stone

Peace, peace, peace, peace
Shall I ever see thee come
I will wait forever and ever
Peace, peace, peace

Ding dong, ding dong.
Funeral bells on an autumn morning
Rose, my Rose is dead and gone
is dead and gone.

Mother, Father dig my grave
Dig it with a golden spade
Bring some friends and a turtle dove
To show that I died for love
To show that I died for love

Descant:
O my love,
Lov'st thou me? Then
Quickly come and save him, that
Dies for thee.


22 Aug 06 - 12:05 PM (#1816207)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST,Emma

(Dur, problem with the form. Sorry for the dupe post.)


22 Aug 06 - 02:18 PM (#1816300)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

The 'peace' rhyme, of course, was written by Jean Ritchie (see Kytrad post above, 28 Aug 04).
As noted in her post of 29 Aug 04, the four lines given on the 28th are the earliest known, and they did not appear before the 20th c. (see threads linked at top of thread, esp. 1143: Rose ). Her explanation is the one generally accepted.

Dozens of people have added verses from other rhymes, or their own verses, since the first four lines appeared. Many search for a complicated explanation unsupported by fact. Childhood fantasies from summer camps and emotions and romanticized memories of those days probably are the source of these speculations.

The same is true of another 'scout-camp' song called 'Barges'. All the stories about it, too, are unsupported invention.


30 Aug 07 - 09:43 PM (#2137269)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST,Miribelle

i learned the first two songs in a girl scout song book, but they only ever use the first two verses about getting married, not the latter oned about suicide/ death


31 Aug 07 - 04:04 PM (#2137884)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: lady penelope

Mmm, the tune I know to

Ah poor bird
Take thy flight
Fly above the misery
Of this dark night

Wouldn't fit as a descant to the Rose round as it's far shorter in length and a different time signature.


08 Sep 07 - 04:43 PM (#2144140)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST,another verse

another verse that goes withthe rose rose tune that I always use to sing in girl scouts is

my close are very dirty,
my shoes are very thin
i have a little pocket to put a penny in
if you haven't got a penny
a hay penny will do
if you haven't got a hey penny then god bless you!


08 Sep 07 - 10:54 PM (#2144358)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

Should be written ha'penny.

The verse is a variant of one in the song, "Christmas is Coming." It has nothing to do with the round "Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose."

See thread 41384 for the complete rhyme, posted in 2001 by Joe Offer.
Christmas is Coming


23 Oct 07 - 03:30 AM (#2177047)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST,Figured I'd throw a pair of ha'pennies in

I learned these three entirely seperately. And Ah Poor Bird was always my preferred section of round to be in. We (being my brothers and I) sang it as

Ah Poor Bird
Take thy flight
Up upon the sha-adows
Of this Dark Night.

I write it here, how we sang it.


29 Oct 07 - 11:21 AM (#2181883)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST,X3

I always learned the last verse was
mother father dig my grave
dig it with a golden spade
bring some friends and a turtle dove
to show that I died for love
to show that I died for love


05 Nov 07 - 03:15 AM (#2186596)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST

do you know who the composer was, and what era it is in


15 Nov 07 - 02:57 PM (#2194635)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rose, Rose, Rose (Round)
From: GUEST,tara

i was in choir for a few years. the rose rose song was one of our warm-ups. your version was a little different from what i had learned in school.

rose, rose, rose, rose
will i ever see thee wed?
i will marry at thy will
at thy will

ding dong, ding dong
wedding bells on April morn
carve thy name on a moss covered stone
a moss covered stone

oh poor bird
take thy flight
high above the sorrows
of this dark night


30 Mar 08 - 02:58 AM (#2300895)
Subject: RE: 'Rose' or 'Peace' round - counter-verses/variants
From: GUEST

When I was at a summer camp about 5 years ago they taught a version of that song to us. It wasn't nearly as intricate, and I'm not sure how correct it is, but what I was taught was:

Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose
Will I ever see thee wed?
I shall marry at thy will, Sire.
At thy will.

Ding Dong, Ding Dong
Wedding bells on an April morn
Carve your name on a moss covered stone
On a moss covered stone

Hey ho, nobody's home
No meat, no drink, no money have I none
But still I will be married.
Hey ho, nobody's home

Free, free bird
Take thy flight
Fly high above the sorrows
Of this sad night.


When I googled some of the lyrics, the results I got indicated that the 'version' we were taught was this, kind of, butchered re-constructed version that left out the most of the song.


30 Mar 08 - 09:03 PM (#2301618)
Subject: RE: 'Rose' or 'Peace' round - counter-verses/variants
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)

The agonies over this little round have been going on for years!!! What is its mysterious interest? I will guess that it's based upon every soul of us wanting our own childhood (or campfire) memories to be The Right Way to Sing It.... all agree?

My guess about the "poor bird" (Ah, poor bird, take thy flight- High above the sorrows of this sad night) is that it fits as a harmony sung at the same time as the Rose Round. The "poor bird" lyrics are certainly not metrically right for being sung with it as a round.
Selah.    Jean


30 Mar 08 - 09:07 PM (#2301621)
Subject: RE: 'Rose' or 'Peace' round - counter-verses/variants
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)

I neglected to say, however, that "Ah, poor bird," is a round in its own right, leaving off the Rose words. Was just looking for the reason it got dragged into, "Rose, rose..."


30 Mar 08 - 09:10 PM (#2301623)
Subject: RE: 'Rose' or 'Peace' round - counter-verses/variants
From: Melissa

I worked at two camps, and Rose/Ah Poor Bird were sung together at both. I imagine that's why they end up paired by folks who stop in to mention them.

At one of the camps, we had a third song that was sometimes added to the mix. Not as verses to a round, but as songs we sang at the same time.


24 Jul 08 - 08:08 PM (#2397224)
Subject: RE: 'Rose' or 'Peace' round - counter-verses/variants
From: GUEST,ink_heart

this is the version we sagn.. i am assuming that it is about the Vietnam War...

Rose Rose Rose Rose
When will I see thee wed?
I will marry at thy will,
sire at thy will.

Ding dong ding dong.
Wedding bells on an April morn
carve thy name in a moss cover stone
in a moss covered stone

Fly bird fly bird
high above the mountain top
spread my hopes my laughs my dreams
on a high mountain top

Peace peace peace peace
Wars will come and wars will cease
We must learn to live together
Peace peace peace
peace peace peace...


25 Jul 08 - 11:03 AM (#2397631)
Subject: RE: 'Rose' or 'Peace' round - counter-verses/variants
From: GUEST,Marymac90

In the 70's and later, we sang one version no one has
mentioned yet:

Love, love, love, love,
People we were made for love,
Love each other as ourselves,
For we are one.

We would sing another set of words that I can't quite
put my finger on. We'd start with one set, then sing
one against the other, then gradually all switch to
the second set. It might have been kytrad's Peace
lyric's, I'm not sure. I will ask a friend and post
when I know.

Marymac


13 Aug 08 - 08:42 PM (#2413045)
Subject: RE: 'Rose' or 'Peace' round - counter-verses/variants
From: GUEST,Blood Rose

hrmmm... the tune i learned, though probably very unacurate, is
Rose, rose, rose, rose
will i ever see thee wed?
i will marry at thy will, sire
at my will


11 Mar 10 - 05:43 AM (#2861667)
Subject: RE: 'Rose' or 'Peace' round - counter-verses/varia
From: GUEST,Salina

I thought it was:

ah poor bird
take thy flight
far above the sorrows
of this sad night

Rose rose rose:

rose rose rose red
will I ever see the wed
I marry, that I will
if thy bud stays

and then there's another one, but I don't know the
name:

redder strawberries
redder than red roses
heigh ho tralala
redder than red roses
redder strawberries
redder than red roses
greener leaves are growing


26 Apr 10 - 07:14 PM (#2894906)
Subject: RE: 'Rose' or 'Peace' round - counter-verses/variants
From: GUEST,GUEST, Wichita

I would like to know the name of the one "GUEST, Saline" typed. I've also heard it, and heard it slightly different with another verse:

Red are strawberries
Redder than red roses
Heigh ho tralala
Redder than red roses
Red are strawberries
Redder than red roses
Green the leaves are falling

Deep in forests
Deeper than the ocean
Heigh ho tralala
Deeper than the ocean
Deep in forests
Deeper than the ocean
Green the leaves are falling


05 May 10 - 12:00 AM (#2900293)
Subject: RE: 'Rose' or 'Peace' round - counter-verses/variants
From: GUEST,Guest - Jewelle

Here's another place to find the lyrics and they have a verse I haven't seen posted here... I even have a mp3 of this song including this verse. Its sung acapella by 3 to 4 people. There is even an example to listen to on this site, I enjoyed it hope you do too.

http://www.chivalry.com/cantaria/lyrics/peaceround.html


20 Oct 10 - 02:23 PM (#3011659)
Subject: RE: 'Rose' or 'Peace' round - counter-verses/variants
From: GUEST

I learned the a rose song but it was

Red are the strawberries
Redder than red roses
tra la tra la la
Redder than the rose
Red are the strawberries
Redder than red roses
Green the grass is growing


16 Aug 13 - 07:03 PM (#3549985)
Subject: RE: 'Rose' or 'Peace' round - counter-verses/variants
From: GUEST,Miss. Liss

So, as far as I know, my round is;

Rose, Rose, Rose Red, will I ever see thee wed?
I will marry at thy will Sire, at thy will.

Beauty is before me, beauty is around me, beauty is above me and below.

Ding, ding, ding dong, wedding bells on an April morn', carve my name on a moss covered stone, on a moss covered stone.

Ding, ding, ding dong, funeral bells on a September morn', Rose, oh Rose is dead and gone Sire, dead and gone.

Ah, thou poor bird, take thy flight high above the sorrows of this night. This night.