The Yellow Rose of Texas is a traditional folk song from America that is much-loved as a singalong western song. Over the years, versions have been recorded by top artists including Willie Nelson and Elvis Presley, helping to keep it relevant and popular with audiences across the globe.
The original song can be traced back to the 1850s with the first published version found in Christy’s Plantation Melodies. No. 2 in 1853. It was originally a type of minstrel song, the Yellow Rose of Texas uses a combination of dialects and phrases that wouldn’t be acceptable for use today.
An altered version of the lyrics was used by Confederate soldiers in 1864 when General John Bell Hood announced it would be used as a marching song. This usage was aimed at increasing the morale of the troops in order for them to deal with long marches and drawn-out battles.
Yellow Rose of Texas Lyrics
There’s a yellow rose in Texas that I am gonna see
Nobody else could miss her, not half as much as me
She cried so when I left her, it like to broke my heart
And if I ever find her we never move apart
She’s the sweetest little rosebud that Texas ever knew
Her eyes are bright as diamonds, they sparkle like the dew
You may talk about your Clementine and sing of Rosa Lee
But the Yellow Rose of Texas is the only girl for me
Where the Rio Grande is flowin’, and starry skies are bright
She walks along the river in the quiet summer night
I know that she remembers when we parted long ago
I promised to return and not to leave her so
She’s the sweetest little rosebud that Texas ever knew
Her eyes are bright as diamonds, they sparkle like the dew
You may talk about your Clementine and sing of Rosa Lee
But the Yellow Rose of Texas is the only girl for me
Oh, now I’m gonna find her, for my heart is full of woe
We’ll do the things together we did so long ago
We’ll play the banjo gaily, she’ll love me like before
And the Yellow Rose of Texas shall be mine forevermore
She’s the sweetest little rosebud that Texas ever knew
Her eyes are bright as diamonds, they sparkle like the dew
You may talk about your Clementine and sing of Rosa Lee
But the Yellow Rose of Texas is the only girl for me