Banks of the Roses, The

DESCRIPTION: In full form, (Jeannie) meets (Johnny) on the banks of the Roses and bids him never leave her. (Her father opposes the relationship.) Johnny takes her to a (cave) containing her grave; he kills and buries her. Many versions leave out portions of this plot
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: c. 1790 (Madden Collection); also a fragment as #7 in the _Scots Musical Museum_
KEYWORDS: courting love fiddle homicide burial family father
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South),Scotland(Aber)) US(MA) Ireland Canada(Newf)
REFERENCES (12 citations):
Gardham-EarliestVersions, "BANKS OF THE ROSES, THE"
Doerflinger-SongsOfTheSailorAndLumberman, pp. 315-316, "The Banks of the Roses" (1 text, 1 tune -- a lyric version)
MacColl/Seeger-TravellersSongsFromEnglandAndScotland 72, "The Banks of Red Roses" (1 text, 1 tune)
Reeves/Sharp-TheIdiomOfThePeople 35, "The German Flute" (1 text)
Greig/Duncan7 1444, "Rab the Rover" (1 fragment, 1 tune)
Porter/Gower-Jeannie-Robertson-EmergentSingerTransformativeVoice #60, p. 222-223, "The Banks o' Red Roses" (1 text, 1 tune)
Greenleaf/Mansfield-BalladsAndSeaSongsOfNewfoundland 105, "The Banks of the Dizzy" (1 text, 1 tune)
Peacock, pp. 497-498, "The Banks of the Roses" (1 text, 1 tune)
OLochlainn-IrishStreetBallads 80, "The Banks of the Roses" (1 text, 1 tune)
Stewart/Belle-Stewart-QueenAmangTheHeather, p. 54, "Banks of Red Roses" (1 text, 1 tune)
Silber/Silber-FolksingersWordbook, p. 144, "Banks Of The Roses" (1 text -- a lyric version)
DT, BANKROSE BANKROS2* BANKROS3 BANKROS4* BANKROS5*
Roud #603
RECORDINGS:
Seamus Ennis, "The Banks of the Roses" (on Lomax42, LomaxCD1742)
Lizzie Higgins, "The Banks of Red Roses" (on Voice10)
NOTES [109 words]: Evidently singers loved the tune of this song, and the first few verses, but didn't like the murder ballad aspect. As a result, the first half of the song circulates independently, with Jeannie and Johnny courting and either getting married or peacefully going their separate ways. The result is lyric, and I suspect survives only because of its strong melody. - RBW
Folktrax site includes the following note for "The Banks of the Roses" which might explain the Greenleaf/Mansfield-BalladsAndSeaSongsOfNewfoundland title: "PETRIE 1902 #253 has Irish song to same air. 'Ta mo chleamhnas deanta' is alternative title to tune 'The Banks of the Daisies.'" - BS
Last updated in version 6.8
File: Doe315

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