What the bee is to the flow'ret (Charles Villiers Stanford)

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Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2024-03-07).   Score information: Letter, 8 pages, 492 kB   Copyright: Personal
Edition notes:
  • (Posted 2012-04-12)  CPDL #25941:        (Sibelius 6)
Editor: Ian Haslam (submitted 2012-04-12).   Score information: A4, 3 pages, 40 kB   Copyright: CPDL
Edition notes: Original score had a piano reduction which has been removed in this edition.

General Information

Title: What the bee is to the flow'ret
Composer: Charles Villiers Stanford
Lyricist: Thomas Moore
Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: SecularPartsongFolksong

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1901 Boosey & Co.
Description: Six Irish Folksongs, Op. 78, No. 2

AIR: THE YELLOW GARRON

External websites:

Original text and translations

English.png English text

What the bee is to the flowert,
When he looks for honey-dew,
Through the leaves that close embower it,
That, my love, I'll be to you.

What the bank, with verdure glowing,
Is to waves that wander near,
Whispering kisses, while they're going,
That I'll be to you, my dear.

But they say, the bee's a rover,
Who will fly, when sweets are gone,
And, when once the kiss is over,
Faithless brooks will wander on.

Nay, if flowers will lose their looks
If sunny banks will wear away,
'Tis but right that bees and brooks
Should sip and kiss them, while they may.