A . Bm7 . C#m7 . Bm7 . A Bm7 C#m7 Bm7 A Bm7 C#m7 Bm7 I wish I was a red rosey bush D E7 A Bm7 C#m7 Bm7 By the banks of the sea D E7 A Bm7 And every time my true love passed C#m7 Bm7 A Bm7 C#m7 Bm7 She'd take a rose from me
I wish I had a little white box *) I put her in and I'd take her out, and kiss her, then I'd put her back again
I wish I was in some dark hollow Where the sun don't ever shine for If my true love belongs to another I know she'd never be mine.
I wish I was a red rosey bush By the banks of the sea And every time my true love passed She'd pick a rose from me
*) At least that’s what I hear. Another version of the text has:
I wish I had a golden box To keep my true love in I'd take her out, and I'd kiss her twice Then I'd put her back again