YELLOW  ROSE  OF  TEXAS

Time signature:  4/4
​
Composer:  unknown, but assumed to be African American.  The earliest published version dates from 1853.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION:  Everything needs to be checked.
ACCORDION (BUTTON) NOTATION
Beats per bar = 4
​Beat symbol = Dot ( . ) or equivalent
(based mainly on the 1858 published music)

​
​Either row  =  Buttons 4 to 8
Verse 1 (of 3)


    "5     "4*   |   .4   .5     .5     .5   |    .5*   :5    "5   "4*   |   .4   .5       ;6    "7*   |   .:7
There's  a       yel-low  rose  in      Tex - as    I'm__        go-ing   back   to       see

.7   |   .7   .5   .5   .7   |    .7      :7*    .6   |    .6*   .6      ;7*    "7    |    .:7*
No     oth-er  fel-low   loves  her,   no  -  bod - y,     on  -  ly         me

  .5   |   .4     .5      .5    .5   |   .5*   :5      "5 "4*   |    .4   .5      ;6      "7*   |   .:7
She   cried  so  when  I      left  her,        it          like  to  broke  my      heart
​
  .5   |    .5     .8*    .8*  .8*   |  "8* "7    :7     .7*  |   .6   .5      ;7     "7*   |   .:6 
And      if       I     ev - er         find   her,   we     nev-er   more  will      part

​Chorus

  "5     "4*   |    .4     .5       .5     .5   |    .5*   :5     .4*   |   .4   .5     ;6   "7*   |   .:7
She's  the    sweet-est   rose  in      Tex- as   this     fel-low   ev - er       knew

  .5   |    .5      .7       .7      .7   |    .7     :7*         .6   |    .6*   .6      ;7*    "7   |   .:7*
Her    eyes  are  bright  as      dia-monds;  they    spar-kle   like    the     dew

  "5     "4*  |   .4   .5     .5       .5   |   .5*   .5     ;5      "4*   |    .4     .5    ;6   "7*  |   .:7
You  may    rave  a - bout  your   Cle-men-tine,  and     sing  of   Ros - a      Lee

  "5  "5   |    .5   .8*    .8*    .8*  |   "8*   ;7   ;7* .6   |   .6   .5     ;7   "7*   |   .:6 
But  the     yel-low  rose  of     Tex - as   is  the     on - ly   girl  for       me
​GUITAR (STRUMMING) NOTATION    Keys of C & ​G
          To sound in Keys of Ab, A or Bb: place Capo at Fret 1, 2 or 3, and play in key of G
          To sound in Keys of D, Eb, or F:  place Capo at Fret 2, 3, or 5, and play in key of C
Verse 1 (of 3)

                  G      
                  C
There's a  yellow rose in Texas I'm going back to see

                            D              D7
                            G              G7
No other fellow loves her,  nobody, only me

         G
         C
She cried so when I left her, It like to broke my heart
​
         C                                           G       D7    G
         F                                           C       G7    C
And if I ever find her, we never more will part


Chorus:

                  G      
                  C
She's the sweetest rose in Texas this fellow ever knew

                                       D                         D7
                                       G                         G7
Her eyes are bright as diamonds; they sparkle like the dew

                G
                C
You may rave about your Clementine, and sing of Rosa Lee

               C                                            G      D7         G
               F                                             C      G7         C
But the Yellow Rose of Texas  is the only  girl for me
​Embedded youTube VIDEOS
Eighteen videos in the keys:    Ab,A,Bb=1    A=4     A,Bb=1     C=4    D=3     F=1     G=3     G,Ab=1
As with most really "old" songs, there are wide variations among the videos on this page, especially for the song's lyrics, but also, though to a lesser extent, the song's tune.   For some musical phrases, you may have to depart from the above accordion notation to play along with the tune; also the case for singing along with some lyrics.  It is hoped that at least one of these videos will match your button accordion and your singing voice.

​Also note that some of the performances have musical interludes between the verses (& chorus) that are not covered by the accordion notation above.
Key:    Ab  for 1st verse & chorus
            A   for 2nd verse & chorus
           Bb  for 3rd verse & chorus

Group:  Mitch Miller Orchestra

Posted by:  chester10
Key:  A

Group:  The Avett Brothers

​Posted by:  ​crackerfarm
Key:  A

Singer:  Lawrence Shoberg

Posted by:  Historic Vinyl
Key:   A
​
Singer:  Johnny Desmond

Posted by:  CatsPjamas1
​
Key:   A

Pianist:  Andrew Holdsworth

​Posted by:  Andrew Holdsworth - Topic

Piano instrumental.

It is interesting that a folksong that has been used as a marching tune can also be played as a lullaby.  

This four-minute lullaby, covering two verses (& choruses), is played slowly and may be easy for beginners to play along with.  Andrew separates the verses (& chorus) with a few spacing notes, not given with the accordion notation above.
​Key:  A  for most of the song
         Bb  for the final chorus 

Group:  Foster & Allen

​Posted by:  Oldies But Goodies

They omit the second verse (compared with lyrics given below)
Key:   C

Singers:  Hoyt Axton, John Hartford,
               Kris Ballinger and others

​Posted by:  AmericanExperience

​They omit the second verse (compared with the lyrics below) and add a different verse.  Beautifully done, however.
Key:  C

Group:  The Confederate Army

Posted by: Josiah McBeth
Key:  C

Singer:   ?

​Posted by:  Dixie Dawn

This performance has a different order of verses (compared with the lyrics below),
and lots of instrumentation.  This video uses our chorus as its first verse, and our first verse as its chorus.  Still, a fine performance.
​Key:   C

Performer:  Gary Coover

Posted by:  angloconc

​Concertina instrumental.
Key:  D

Group:  ShoreGrass

Posted by:  Shoregrass - Topic
Key:  D

Group:  Rebel Son

​Posted by:  RebelSon TV

​Omits the second verse.
Key:  D

Group:  The Cumberlands

​Posted by:  ​The Cumberlands - Topic
Key:   F

Tempo:  ~ bpm

Singer:  Tommy Faile

​Posted by:  Tommy Faile - Topic
Key:   G

​Singer:  David Allan Coe

​Posted by:  the winner
Key:   G

Singer:  Bobby Horton

​Posted by:  Bobby Horton - Topic
​
Substitutes a different third verse.
Key:   G

Singer:  James 'Sparky' Rucker

​Posted by:  MyMoppet52
​
Adds a final verse, not given in the lyrics below.
​Key:  G  for first two verses (& choruses) 
         Ab for final verse and chorus.

Singer:  "Texas" Bill Strength

​Posted by:  ​finnigan49
Background Materials, Information & Links
​Lyrics:
There's a yellow rose in Texas
I'm going back to see
No other fellow loves her
Nobody, only me
She cried so when I left her
It like to broke my heart
And if I ever find her
We never more will part

Chorus:

She's the sweetest rose in Texas
That a fellow 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 flowing
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

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
​
Additional verses are included by some performers.
Background Links:
Click HERE for an article on the "ironic origins" of this popular song.

​Click HERE or additional info about this song.  (Wikipedia)