May Kway
Petula Clark Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Rose, Rose, so stunning!
Rose, Rose, so ravishing!
You open in late summer on tip of a branch,
Rose, Rose, I love you!

Rose, Rose, you touch me deeply,
Rose, Rose, my love is true.
You opens in late summer beside the thorns,
Rose, Rose, I love you!

I pledge my heart, my tender love,
Your pure brilliance radiates the whole world.
I pledge my heart, my tender love,
Your pure radiance illuminates the world.

Rose, Rose, so stunning!
Rose, Rose, so ravishing!
Opens in late summer on tip of a branch,
Rose, Rose, I love you!

Rose, Rose, your limbs so slender,
Rose, Rose, your thorns so sharp.
Today stormy rains may ravage you,
Bruising your limbs and graceful body.

Rose, Rose, your heart is hard.
Rose, Rose, your thorns are sharp.




In future stormy rains may ravage you,
May crush your mellow fruit.

Overall Meaning

The song "May Kway" by Petula Clark is a beautiful ode to the rose, ascribing it qualities of stunning beauty, ravishing charm, and deep emotion. The lyrics are essentially a poem that celebrates the different aspects of the rose and how it enchants the singer. The rose is described as opening up in late summer on the tip of a branch, and its beauty and thorns are mentioned repeatedly.


At its core, the song is a love song, with the singer pledging their heart and tender love to the rose. The rose is seen as pure, brilliant, and radiating luminosity to the whole world. It is also seen as delicate and vulnerable, as rough weather can damage its limbs and body. The song, therefore, conveys a sense of wonder, passion, and fragility, all wrapped into a simple yet evocative piece of poetry.


In many ways, the song holds up the rose as a symbol of love, beauty, and resilience. The rose's ability to endure stormy weather and still retain its grace and charm is a powerful metaphor for human relationships and how they can weather the storms of life. Moreover, the rose's thorns are a reminder that love can be painful and difficult, but ultimately the beauty and joy it brings are worth the effort.


Line by Line Meaning

Rose, Rose, so stunning!
Oh rose, how beautiful and breathtaking you are!


Rose, Rose, so ravishing!
Oh rose, how enchanting and alluring you are!


You open in late summer on tip of a branch,
You blossom in the late summer on the topmost branch of your tree.


Rose, Rose, I love you!
Oh rose, how much I adore and cherish you!


Rose, Rose, you touch me deeply,
Oh rose, how you move and stir my emotions!


Rose, Rose, my love is true.
Oh rose, I swear my love for you is genuine and sincere.


You opens in late summer beside the thorns,
You bloom in the late summer alongside your thorny stems.


I pledge my heart, my tender love,
I promise my heart and my gentle affection.


Your pure brilliance radiates the whole world.
Your sheer brightness shines throughout the entire world.


Your pure radiance illuminates the world.
Your complete luminosity lights up the world.


Rose, Rose, your limbs so slender,
Oh rose, your branches are so delicate and slim.


Rose, Rose, your thorns so sharp.
Oh rose, your prickles are so pointed and piercing.


Today stormy rains may ravage you,
Today, violent rains may damage you.


Bruising your limbs and graceful body.
Injuring your branches and elegant body.


Rose, Rose, your heart is hard.
Oh rose, your core is strong and resilient.


In future stormy rains may ravage you,
In the future, stormy rains may harm you.


May crush your mellow fruit.
And may crush your delicate fruit.




Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Don Piears

What an entertainer. To go from child star, through various genres of music and to be able to undertake a rendition using some Chinese is just pure talent.
A friend of mine, John Harris, who lived in Brentwood, Essex, and is now sadly deceased, was her number one fan.

Michael Fishberg

It is played in an episode of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" when families are in a Chinese restaurant!

Mireille Verrilli

Petula Méga Star🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
πŸ˜˜πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•Petula

EraPonyProductions

I think I'll stick to the Anita Mui version.

MUSIC MY LIFE MY SOUL

Sure this is Petula Clark ? Doesn't sounds like her at all....

will oconnor

Google it.She recorded this right after Yao Lee's version when she was a teenager.Obviously they gave it that Asian sound and feel and so it sound's nothing like anything else she did.

SoloPilot6

@Ken Reynolds : More like 18.

SoloPilot6

@will oconnor : No, this was done (and charted) in 1950 -1951.

will oconnor

Solo Yes you're right I shouldn't have said "right after Yao Lee",I think even when I made the comment I knew better.If you like Yao Lee and you haven't heard -The Spring Breeze Kisses My Face by Yao Lee or Li (same person)you should YouTube it.

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