Bonny Bunch of Roses (II), The

DESCRIPTION: "Father, mother, may I go?" The singer is allowed to go [to the ball? wall?] for "the bonny bunch of roses." She dresses, goes, and meets her lover on the way. They kiss, and, in some versions, part.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1901(Maclagan)
KEYWORDS: courting clothes father lover mother
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber,High)) Ireland
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Greig/Duncan8 1614, "The Big Big Bunch o' Roses" (1 text)
Opie/Opie-TheSingingGame 91, "The Bonny Bunch of Roses" (4 texts)
Peirce-KeepTheKettleBoiling, p. 25, "(Father, father, may I go?)" (1 text)
ADDITIONAL: Robert Craig Maclagan, The Games and Diversions of Argyleshire (London, 1901 ("Digitized by Google")), pp. 61-63, "Bonnie Bunch o' Roses" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #12980
NOTES [92 words]: Opie/Opie-TheSingingGame: "In some curious way the game appears to be connected with... 'The Birks of Abergeldy,'" referring specifically to Herd's version in which the suitor promises "a gown of silk" to accompany him; she rejects the offer because "my minnie she'll be angry." The verse structure is similar. Opie/Opie-TheSingingGame: "Mother, mother, may I go, May I go, may I go? Mother, mother, may I go, To the bonny bunch of roses?" Herd: "Bonnie lassie, will ye go, Will ye go, will ye go, Bonnie lassie, will ye go To the birks o' Abergeldie?" - BS
Last updated in version 6.6
File: GrD81614

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