The Yellow Rose of Texas

[OLDNAVYMCPO]

Most Texans know the legend or have at least heard a version of the story of the origins of the song.
Born in New Haven, Conn., Emily D. West was a teenaged orphaned free negro when she was contracted to Col James Morgan. She was reputed to be a strikingly beautiful, "high yellow", mulatto. She journeyed by ship to the wilderness of Texas in 1835. She was an indentured servant on the plantation of Col Morgan at New Washington.
Supposedly her lover was a runaway slave musician who was running from bounty hunters. Runaway slaves commonly hid in the wild areas of Texas, living with Indians or running to Mexico. For whatever reason, they were separated at the time of the Texas War of Independence in 1836.
Santa Anna was hot on the heels of Sam Houston and boys. Sam was playing it coy since he was way outgunned, he kept retreating, picking the optimum time and place to do battle. Both armies had to pass thru the local of the Morgan plantation. Santa Anna was hard up for companionship since he had to leave his mistress behind at a swollen river. As he passed thru the Morgan place, he had his boys destroy everything of value. He was however, attracted to the beautiful Emily West. Willingly or by force, Santa Anna took Emily as his play toy.
During his siesta, while waiting for the Texans to stand and fight, Santa Anna and his new sex toy were having a play party. Sam Houston chose that exact time to attack. The battle lasted 18 minutes. Santa Anna was forced to flee in his silk drawers and undershirt. He was thus attired when the Texans captured his sorry butt the next day.
Supposedly Emily West's lover wrote the song. Texans made Emily a heroine and adopted the song, the rest is legend.

 

[RobertJ.]

And that's the rest of the story!

That's an interesting piece of history that I wasn't aware of.

And believe it or not, I actually grew up listening to that song, even up here in the NW. My dad was a big Stan Freberg fan, and it was on, "A Child's Garden of Freberg". I still listen to it, and the band I'm in plays it. The original, not Stan's version!

 

[LAKOTA169]

Different versions of the lyrics.

The Yellow Rose of Texas Song Lyrics

 

[Rustyt1953]

MC this one got to me. My father loved that song. Whenever driving, walking, working or tinkering he would whistle that tune and whistle it well.
He passed in1999 and I find myself whistling that old tune in his stead. When I do it, it binds me to him and I feel at peace.
Thanks for bringing the memories back. You do me service.

With kind affection.

 

[the ringo kid]

I love that song too. Great story Master CHief. The story I grew up hearing about which the song sprang from--was that a Confederate Soldier was very lonely for his Rose--who lived in Texas. Her favorite color was yellow (often wearing a yellow dress--so this man--to have yellow branch colors on his uniform--joined the Confederate Cavalry. I THINK it was my mother? or grandmother--who told me the story this way/ however, yours has got to be the correct one.

Also, for the flower itself---these here are known as Confederate Roses.

 

[shouldazagged]

When the song was highly popular, in about 1954, a high school classmate of mine was whistling it one day when the elderly black lady who cleaned for his mom asked him, "Jack, what is that?" He told her, and she began to cry. "I haven't heard that song since I was a little girl. My daddy used to sing it--he learned it when he fought in the Civil War."