We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

There Were Roses

from Dancing At The Crossroads by The Crossing

/

about

Tommy Sands' classic "There Were Roses" has affected us deeply for many years, and after bringing it back into our concert set, we were urged by our audiences to record it. This is for our faithful fans and for Ireland.

lyrics

My song for you this evening is not to make you sad
Or for adding to the sorrows of our troubled northern land
Lately I've been thinking and it just won't leave my mind
I'll tell you of two friends one time who were both good friends of mine

Isaac Scott from Banagh, he lived just across the fields
A great man for the music and the dancing and the reels
McDonald came from South Armagh to court young Alice fair
And we'd often meet on the Ryan Road and laughter filled the air

There were roses, roses
There were roses
And the tears of the people ran together

Now Isaac he was Protestant, Sean was Catholic-born
But it never made a difference for the friendship it was strong
Sometimes in the evenings when we heard the sound of drums
We said it won't divide us, we always will be one

For the ground our fathers plowed in, the soil it is the same
And the places where we say our prayers they've just got different names
We talked about the friends who'd died, we hoped there'd be no more
It's little did we realize the tragedy in store

It was on a Sunday morning when the awful news came round
Another killing had been done just outside Newry town
We knew that Isaac danced up there, we knew he like the band
When we heard that we was dead we just could not understand

Gathered at the graveside on one cold and rainy day
The minister, he closed his eyes and for no revenge he prayed
All of us who knew him from along the Ryan Road
Bowed our heads and said a prayer for the resting of his soul

Now fear it filled the countryside, there was fear in every home
Late at night a car came prowling round the Ryand Road
A Catholic would be killed tonight to even up the score
Oh God, it's young McDonald that they've taken from the door

"But Isaac was my friend," he cried, he begged them with his tears
But centuries of hatred have ears that cannot hear
And eye for an eye, it was all that filled their minds
And another eye for another eye until everyone is blind

My song for you this evening is not to make you sad
Or for adding to the sorrows of our troubled northern land
But lately I've been thinking and it just won't leave my mind
I'll tell you of two friends one time who were both good friends of mine

Now I don't know where the moral is or where this song should end
But I wonder just how many wars are fought between good friends
And those who give the orders, they are not the ones to die
It's Scott, and McDonald, and the likes of you and I

credits

from Dancing At The Crossroads, released June 1, 1993
Words & Music: Tommy Sands

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

The Crossing image

The Crossing Chicago

The Crossing is a talented group of musicians firmly rooted in the traditional celtic music featuring bagpipes, whistles, fiddle, cello and harp among their many instruments. They blend original songs with traditional Irish and Scottish jigs and reels as well as atmospheric ballads. With their songs they get you thinking while their instrumentals get your feet moving. ... more

contact / help

Contact The Crossing

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this track or account

If you like The Crossing, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Saxophonist Isaiah Collier chats about his new LP and the influence of Pharoah Sanders.
listen now