Painting the roses red
We're painting the roses red
We dare not stop or waste a drop
So let the paint be spread
We're painting the roses red
We're painting the roses red

Oh, painting the roses red
And many a tear we shed

Because we know

They'll cease to grow

In fact they'll soon be dead

And yet we go ahead
Painting the roses red

Painting the roses red
We're painting the roses red

Oh, pardon me
But Mister Three
Why must you paint them red


The queen
She likes them red
If she saw white instead
She'd raise her voice
And each of us would quickly lose his head

Since this is the thought we dread
We're painting the roses red

Painting the roses red

We're painting the roses red

Don't tell the queen that's what you've seen
Or tell her what we've said
We're painting the roses red

Yes, painting the roses red

Not pink

Not green

Not aquamarine

We're painting the roses red