About the Lyrics of               Yellow Rose Of Texas A manuscript of a poem, but not music, appeared around 1836 signed "H.B.C." and giving honor to a lover: The earliest known copy of the song "The Yellow Rose of Texas" appeared soon after the Battle of San Jacinto. This handwritten version was dedicated to "E.A. Jones". There's a yellow rose in Texas That I am a going to see No other darky knows her No one only me She cried so when I left her It like to broke my heart And if I ever find her We nevermore will part And continues: She's the sweetest rose of color This darky ever knew Her eyes are bright as diamonds They sparkle like the dew You may talk about dearest May and sing of Rosa Lee But the yellow rose of Texas Beats the belles of Tennessee Obviously, the author is black, or is pretending to be, and has left a love, and has some connection to Tennessee. More than 25 years later, the lyrics were changed.... "Soldier" replaced "darky." And the first line of the chorus was also changed to read, "She's the sweetest little flower...." As the Texas Confederate soldiers marched off to battle, this new and somewhat censored version was what they were singing. In 1864 General Hood and the Texas Brigade fighting in Tennessee, were defeated. His men retreated in such confusion they thought the war was over. Many headed home, and a fourth stanza was added: And now I'm going southward, for my heart is full of woe, I'm going back to Georgia, to see my Uncle Joe. You may talk about your Beauregard, and sing of Bobbie Lee, But the gallant Hood of Texas played hell in Tennessee. [Chorus] Some versions have the third line changed to read, "...and sing of General Lee," - an obvious reference to the Confederate General Robert E. Lee. In 1936 a concert arrangement was offered by David W. Guion for the Texas Centennial (and dedicated to Franklin D. Roosevelt, who ordered a White House performance). In 1955 Mitch Miller recorded an arrangement for Columbia Records. The lyrics were, by then, much altered: She's the sweetest little rosebud, That Texas ever knew Her eyes are bright as diamonds, They sparkle like the dew, You may talk about your Clementine and sing of Rosalee, But The Yellow Rose of Texas is the only girl for me!