D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus & Gillian Knight Follow

List and learn, list and learn,
List and learn, ye dainty roses,
Roses white and roses red,
Why we bind you into posies
Ere your morning bloom has fled.
By a law of maiden's making,
Accents of a heart that's aching,
Even though that heart be breaking,
Should by maiden be unsaid:
Though they love with love exceeding,
They must seem to be unheeding —
Go ye then and do their pleading,
Roses white and roses red!
List and learn,
List and learn, ye dainty roses,
Roses white and roses red,
Why we bind you into posies
Ere your morning bloom has fled.
List and learn, list and learn,
Roses white and roses red,
Roses, Oh list, list and learn,
List and learn,
Oh, roses white and red!

Fiametta.
Two there are for whom in duty,
Every maid in Venice sighs —
Two so peerless in their beauty
That they shame the summer skies.
We have hearts for them, in plenty,
They have hearts, but all too few,
We, alas, are four-and-twenty!
They, alas, are only two!
We, alas!

Contadine.
Alas!
Fiametta.
Are four-and-twenty,
They, alas!
Contadine.
Alas!
Fiametta.
Are only two.
Contadine.
They, alas, are only two, alas!
Now ye know, ye dainty roses,
Roses white and roses red,
Why we bind you into posies,
Ere your morning bloom has fled,
Now ye know, now ye know,
Roses white and roses red!
Roses, Oh now, now ye know,
Now ye know,
Oh, roses white and red.