Volume V, song 402, page 415 - 'A red red Rose' - Scanned...
Volume V, song 402, page 415 - 'A red red Rose' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)
Verses 1 and 2: 'O my Luve's like a red, red rose, That's newly sprung in June; O My Luve's like the melodie That's sweetly play'd in tune. As fair art thou, my bonie lass, So deep in luve am I; And I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a' the seas gang dry. Till a' the seas gang dry, my Dear, And the rocks melt wi' the sun: O I will love thee still my dear, While the sands o' life shall run.'
The 'Scots Musical Museum' is the most important of the numerous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century collections of Scottish song. When the engraver James Johnson started work on the second volume of his collection in 1787, he enlisted Robert Burns as contributor and editor. Burns enthusiastically collected songs from various sources, often expanding or revising them, whilst including much of his own work. The resulting combination of innovation and antiquarianism gives the work a feel of living tradition.
Over the years, this world famous song by Burns has been set to numerous different melodies. In his book 'Early Scottish Melodies' (1900), John Glen gives an excellent potted history of 'A Red Red Rose' and its various musical accompaniments. Johnson included this song in the 'Museum' twice, with this, the first, set to the tune 'Major Graham' and the second, entitled 'Old Set, Red red rose', accompanied by the melody of 'Mary Queen of Scots Lament' (see song 404). The song, however, is better known accompanied by a version of the tune entitled 'Low down in the Broom'.
Volume V, song 402, page 415 - 'A red red Rose' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)