On the banks of the roses, my love and I sat down 
And I took out my violin to play my love a tune 
In the middle of the tune, O she sighed and she said 
O Johnny, lovely Johnny, Would you leave me 

O when I was a young man, I heard my 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 

O then I am no runaway and soon I'll let them know 
I can take a good glass or leave it alone 
And the man that doesn't like me, he can keep 
his daughter home 
And young Johnny will go roving with another 

And if ever I get married, twill be in the month of May 
When the leaves they are green and the meadows 
they are gay 
And I and my true love can sit and sport and play 
On the lovely sweet banks of the roses