Roses Are Red chords

by Bobby Vinton

Song Key: F Major

Time Signature: 4/4

Tempo: 104 bpm


Guitar Tuning: E A D G B e

Skill Level: Beginner (all easy chords - see charts)

Guitar Chords in C Major: C, C7, C7/E, D7, D7/A, F, G7, G7/D, Am7

Capo: 5th fret (to play along with the video in F Major)

Chord Chart Legend
C Major C7 C7/E D7 D7/A F Major F Major Barre Chord G7 G7/D Am7
Lefties Chord Chart Legend
C Major-LH C7-LH C7/E-LH D7-LH D7/A-LH F Major-LH F Major Barre Chord-LH G7-LH G7/D-LH Am7-LH

Roses Are Red (My Love)

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key 
       C7        F                        C
Intro: Roses are red, my love... Du-du-du-du

                G7
1. A long, long time a-go,
             C
   On grad-u-a-tion day,
               F
   You hand-ed me your book,
 G7              C
   I signed this way 

        G7/D  C7/E  F
CH: Ros-es    are   red, my love, 
                 C
    Vio-lets are blue.
 Am7          F
    Su-gar is sweet, my love,
        G7              C
    But not as sweet as you.  

             G7
2. We da-ted through high school,
                C
   And when the big day came.
              F
   I wrote in-to your book,
G7            C
   Next to my name... 

        G7/D  C7/E  F
CH: Ros-es    are   red, my love, 
                 C
    Vio-lets are blue.
 Am7          F
    Sug-ar is sweet, my love,
        G7              C        F        C         G7/D  C7/E
    But not as sweet as you. (As sweet as you - Oo  oo    oo...) 

      F             G7
Bridge: Then I went far a-way,
            C                             G7/D  C7/E
        And you found some-one | new  2&   3&    4&  |
      F             G7
        I read your let-ter dear,
            C        D7/A   G7   C
        And I wrote  back   to   you...
 
        G7/D  C7/E  F
CH: Ros-es    are   red, my love, 
                 C
    Vio-lets are blue.
 Am7          F
    Sug-ar is sweet, my love,
         G7                  C         F         C
    Good luck, may God bless you. (may God bless you) 

                G7
4. Is that your lit-tle girl?
               C
   She looks a lot like you.
                 F
   Some-day some boy will write,
 G7             C
   In her book, too.  

        G7/D  C7/E  F
CH: Ros-es    are   red, my love,
                 C
    Vio-lets are blue.
 Am7          F
    Sug-ar is sweet, my love,
        G7              C       F  G7  F   C
    But not as sweet as you... (ro-ses are red...)

Please Note: Chords with bass notes, i.e., C7/E, D7/A, G7/D, can all be played as straight chords: C7, D7, and G7. The chords with leading bass notes sound great, so give them a try, as they are all very easy to play.

Song Details:

  • Songwriters: Paul Evans, Al Byron
  • Lyrics Begin: A long, long time ago on graduation day, you handed me your book.
  • Performing Artist: Bobby Vinton - He recorded the song in New York City with Robert Mersey and his Orchestra, and it became Vinton's first major hit.
  • Single:
    Recorded: February 16, 1962
    Released: April 6, 1962
    B-side: You and I
  • Genre: Traditional pop
  • Album: Roses Are Red
    Released: July 1962
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