My Love is Like A Red Red Rose
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Barry Taylor
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The first three stanzas of the song appeared in Scots Musical Museum (1797 volume). Burns originally set the lyrics to a tune by Neil Gow Major Graham which he found in Oswald's Companion Book (1745). It later appeared in Thomson's Original Scottish Airs (1799) where the editor set it to the tune Wishaw's Favourite. The song became popular when Robert Archibald Smith matched it to the tune Low down in the Broom in his Scottish Minstrel (1821). That tune first appeared in the Caledonian Pocket Companion.

Pietor Urbani (1749-1816) published the song in Selection of Scots Songs... Improved and with Simple and Adapted Graces (1794), claiming to have collaborated with Burns. For the full story go to See the article on Urbani in the Burns Encyclopedia at Burns Country.

For a full list of Burns tunes at this site, enter Robert Burns in the search engine.

O, my luve is like a red, red rose,
That's newly sprung in June;
O, my luve is like a melodie
That's sweetly played in tune.
As fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
till a' the seas gang dry.
Adn I will luve tee still, my dear,
Till a' the seas gang dry.

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands of life shall run.
But fare thee weel, my only luve!
O, fare thee weel awhile!
And I will come agian, my luve,
Tho' 'twere ten thousand miles.
Tho' 'twere then thousand mile, my luve,
Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile,
And I will come again, my luve,
Tho 'twere ten thousand mile.
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From
Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
See Bibliography for full information.