Nathan … Read Full Bio ↴Nathan Carter (born 28 May 1990) is an Irish country singer.
Nathan was born in Liverpool to parents from Northern Ireland. He began playing the accordion at age 4 and at age 10, he won the title for All Ireland Title for Traditional Singing. At 18 he moved from Liverpool to live in Ireland.
His debut album, Starting Out, was released in 2007 and from then on he has been known for reviving the genre of Country and Irish in both the United Kingdom and Ireland. Nathan released his latest album Where I Wanna Be in August 2013. His cover of the single "Wagon Wheel" has topped the main Irish Singles Chart.
Banks of the Roses
Nathan Carter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I took out me fiddle for to play me love a tune
And in the middle of the tune-o she sighed and she said
Oh Johnny, lovely Johnny don't ya leave me
When I was a young boy I heard me father say
That he'd rather see me dead and buried in the clay
Sooner than be married to any runaway
On the Banks of the Roses me love and I sat down
And I took out me fiddle for to play me love a tune
And in the middle of the tune-o she sighed and she said
Oro Johnny, lovely Johnny don't ya leave me
And then I am no runaway and soon I'll let them know
That I can take a bottle or can leave it alone
And if her daddy doesn't like it he can keep his daughter at home
And young Johnny will go rovin' with some other
On the Banks of the Roses me love and I sat down
And I took out me fiddle for to play me love a tune
And in the middle of the tune-o she sighed and she said
Oro Johnny, lovely Johnny don't ya leave me
And when I get married t'will be in the month of May
When the leaves they are green and the meadows they are gay
And me and me true love we'll sit and sport and play
By the lovely sweet banks of the roses
On the Banks of the Roses me love and I sat down
And I took out me fiddle for to play me love a tune
And in the middle of the tune-o she sighed and she said
Oro Johnny, lovely Johnny don't ya leave me
"Banks of the Roses" is a traditional Irish folk song and is believed to have originated in the mid-19th century. The song talks about a man and his love, sitting on the banks of the river playing the fiddle. The woman expresses her love for him and fears that he might leave her. The man convinces her that he is not a runaway and is willing to stand up against anyone who criticizes their relationship. The song ends on a happy note with the man promising to get married in May and live happily ever after on the banks of the roses.
The song has a slow and soothing melody that accompanies the melancholic lyrics. The lyrics have multiple interpretations, some people believe that the song is a lament for the loss of true love, while others believe that it is a representation of the social norms and restrictions of the Irish society during the period when the song originated. The song highlights the struggles of Irish men and women who wanted to marry for love but were unable to do so due to societal pressures.
Line by Line Meaning
On the Banks of the Roses me love and I sat down
The singer and his lover sat down on the banks of the Roses.
And I took out me fiddle for to play me love a tune
The singer played a tune on his fiddle for his lover.
And in the middle of the tune-o she sighed and she said
While the singer played, his lover sighed and said something.
Oh Johnny, lovely Johnny don't ya leave me
His lover pleaded for him not to leave her.
When I was a young boy I heard me father say
The singer recounts what his father told him when he was young.
That he'd rather see me dead and buried in the clay
His father would prefer him dead than runaway or married to the wrong woman.
Sooner than be married to any runaway
His father would rather him die than marry a runaway bride.
By the lovely sweet banks of the roses
This is set by the lovely banks where the singer and his lover sat and talked.
And then I am no runaway and soon I'll let them know
The singer explains that he is not a runaway and will make sure everyone knows it.
That I can take a bottle or can leave it alone
The singer can decide whether or not to drink.
And if her daddy doesn't like it he can keep his daughter at home
If the girl's father doesn't approve, he can keep her at home.
And young Johnny will go rovin' with some other
The singer will find someone else to be with if her father doesn't approve.
And when I get married t'will be in the month of May
The singer plans to get married in May.
When the leaves they are green and the meadows they are gay
May is the perfect month for his wedding because of the beautiful scenery.
And me and me true love we'll sit and sport and play
The singer and his true love will enjoy each other's company.
By the lovely sweet banks of the roses
This is set again by the lovely banks where the singer and his lover will sit and relax together.
Writer(s): Nathan Carter
Contributed by Christian E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.