Lyrics John Wesley Harding

John Wesley Harding

The Bonny Bunch Of Roses

By the margin of the ocean

One pleasant evening in the month of June

The pleasant singing blackbird

His charming notes to tune

Then I saw a woman

All in great grief and woe

Conversing with young Bonaparte

Concerning the bonny bunch of roses

And then up and spoke the young Napoleon

And he took hold of his mother's hand

Oh mother dear be patient

And soon I will take command

I'll raise a terrible army

And through tremendous danger go

And in spite of all of the universe

I'll conquer the bonny bunch of roses, oh

And when first you saw the great Napoleon

You fell down on your bended knee

And you asked your father's life of him

And he's granted it most manfully

Then he took an army

And over the frozen Alps did go

He said I'll conquer Moscow

I'll come back for the bonny bunch of roses, oh

And so he's took three hundred thousand fighting men

And kings likewise for to join his throng

He was as well provided for

Enough to take the whole world on

But when he came to Moscow

All overpowered by driving snow

And Moscow was a-blazing

And he lost the bonny bunch of roses, oh

My son don't speak so venturesome

For England she has a heart of oak

And England, Ireland and Scotland

Their unity has never been broke

So son think on your father

In St.Helena, his body it lies low

And you will follow after

Beware of the bonny bunch of roses, oh

And it's goodbye to my mother, forever

For I am on my dying bed

Had I lived, I might have been clever

But now I bow my youthful head

And while our bodies do molder

And weeping willows over us do grow

The deeds of brave Napoleon

Will sting the bonny bunch of roses, oh