This edition was prepared by Mark Chapman — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Blood Red Roses
Staff Notation • Secular, Folk songs
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Blood Red Roses by Mark Chapman — Lyrics
Our boots and clothes are all in pawn
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down.
And it's flamin' drafty 'round Cape Horn,
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down.
Oh, you pinks and posies,
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down.
My dear old mother said to me,
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About Blood Red Roses
Mark Chapman’s Blood Red Roses is an SATB arrangement of a traditional English folk song. It captures the gritty reality of life at sea, with lyrics describing the hardships faced by sailors and their longing for home. The refrain, 'Go down, you blood red roses, Go down', adds a poignant, almost fatalistic, undertone to the narrative. This arrangement is ideal for a choir seeking to explore the rich tradition of sea shanties and folk ballads, bringing a powerful narrative to life through its SATB voicing. It offers a chance to connect with stories of maritime adventure and the enduring human spirit in the face of adversity.
