Share this page

My Luve is like a Red Red Rose



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; 
And I will luve thee still, my dear, 
While the sands o' life shall run. 

And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve ! 
And fare-thee-weel, a while! 
And I will come again, my Luve, 
Tho' 'twere ten thousand mile!

Listen

HRH The Prince of Wales
Brian Cox
Daniela Nardini

Watch

Eddi Reader live in concert

About this work

This is a song by Robert Burns. It was written in 1794 and is read here by HRH The Prince of Wales.

More about this song

One of the most famous love songs associated with Robert Burns, 'My Luve's like a Red, Red Rose' was composed prior to 1794 when it appeared in a collection by an Edinburgh composer named Urbani.

It later appeared in James Johnson's Scots Musical Museum in 1796 and in George Thomson's Select Collection of Scottish Airs in 1799. Part of the song's appeal is its use of powerful, natural imagery to convey a love that is ever-lasting and capable of surviving both distance and time.

Pauline Mackay

Themes for this song

love regret

Locations for this song

Dumfries

Selected for 23 June

June is a favourite month for songwriters seeking imagery and atmosphere but this beautiful love song has never been bettered, whether sung to the tune Burns himself put the words to, or in the better known version popularised by his publisher, George Thomson. Legend has it that 'A Red, Red Rose' was written by Burns to be sung by his wife, Jean Armour. Her mezzo-soprano voice could probably have coped with its considerable range. There is no doubt at all, however, that the late Kenneth McKellar's vibrant, subtle tenor was equal to the strenuous demands of a song that will forever be associated with him. That great artist was born in Paisley on this day in 1927.

Donny O'Rourke

Skip to top

BBC © 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.