Last Rose of Summer – lyrics and chords

The lyrics to The Last Rose of Summer is about the sadness of life once a person’s friends and loved ones have passed on. The song was originally written as a poem by Thomas Moore and was later set to an old Irish folk tune.

Last Rose of Summer
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The chords are presented here in G Major, the same key used by Clannad in their version of The Last Rose of Summer. The Fureys play the song in the key A Major. Place a capo on the second fret and play the chord shapes shown below to play The Last Rose of Summer in A Major. Use our chord converter to play the song in other keys.

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I’ll not leave thee, thou lone one to pine on the stem
Since the lovely are sleeping, go sleep thou with them.
Thus kindly I scatter thy leaves o’er the bed
Where thy mates of the garden lie scentless and dead.

So soon may I follow, when friendships decay
And from love’s shining circle the gems drop away.
When true hearts lie withered and fond ones are flown
Oh who would inhabit this bleak world alone!

Last Rose of Summer
Last Rose of Summer videos
Last Rose of Summer lyrics and chords

Last Rose of Summer lyrics and chords print version