On the Banks of the Roses me love and I sat down 
And I took out me fiddle for to play me love a tune 
And in the middle of the tune-o she sighed and she said 
Oro Johnny, lovely Johnny don't ya leave me 

When I was a young boy I heard me 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 

On the Banks of the Roses me love and I sat down 
And I took out me fiddle for to play me love a tune 
And in the middle of the tune-o she sighed and she said 
Oro Johnny, lovely Johnny don't ya leave me 

And then I am no runaway and soon I'll let them know 
That I can take a bottle or can leave it alone 
And if her daddy doesn't like it he can keep his daughter at home 
And young Johnny will go rovin' with some other 

On the Banks of the Roses me love and I sat down 
And I took out me fiddle for to play me love a tune 
And in the middle of the tune-o she sighed and she said 
Oro Johnny, lovely Johnny don't ya leave me 

And when I get married t'will be in the month of May 
When the leaves they are green and the meadows they are gay 
And me and me true love we'll sit and sport and play 
By the lovely sweet banks of the roses 

On the Banks of the Roses me love and I sat down 
And I took out me fiddle for to play me love a tune 
And in the middle of the tune-o she sighed and she said 
Oro Johnny, lovely Johnny don't ya leave me