A Red, Red Rose facts for kids

A Red, Red Rose is a famous song from 1794. It was written in Scots, a language spoken in Scotland. The song was created by a famous Scottish poet named Robert Burns. It's also known by other names like "Oh, My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose" or "My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose". Many people also read it as a beautiful poem.

About the Song

"A Red, Red Rose" is a love poem and song. It talks about deep and lasting love. The poem uses images like a fresh red rose and a sweet melody to describe love. It also says that this love will last forever, even until the seas dry up or rocks melt.

How the Song Was Saved

Publication in A Selection of Scots Songs Harmonized Improved with Simple and Adapted Graces by Peter Urbani, Edinburgh, c. 1793

Robert Burns spent the last seven years of his life working on an important project. He wanted to save traditional Scottish songs for future generations. He helped preserve more than 300 songs. One of his most famous works is "Auld Lang Syne".

Burns worked with two music collectors. One was James Johnson for his book, The Scots Musical Museum. The other was George Thomson for his five-volume collection, A Select Collection of Original Scottish Airs for the Voice.

Burns had planned for "A Red, Red Rose" to be in Thomson's collection. However, they had different ideas about what made a good song. Burns felt that Thomson didn't understand the simple, natural beauty of some traditional songs. He wrote to a friend that what he found "simple and wild," Thomson might see as "funny and silly."

Because of this disagreement, Burns gave the song to a Scottish singer named Pietro Urbani. Urbani then published "A Red, Red Rose" in his own book, Scots Songs. This helped make sure the song was shared and remembered.