(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden

Album: Rose Garden (1970)
Charted: 3 3
Play Video
  • I beg your pardon
    I never promised you a rose garden
    Along with the sunshine
    There's gotta be a little rain some time
    When you take you gotta give so live and let live
    Or let go oh-whoa-whoa-whoa
    I beg your pardon
    I never promised you a rose garden

    I could promise you things like big diamond rings
    But you don't find roses growin' on stalks of clover
    So you better think it over
    Well if sweet-talkin' you could make it come true
    I would give you the world right now on a silver platter
    But what would it matter
    So smile for a while and let's be jolly
    Love shouldn't be so melancholy
    Come along and share the good times while we can

    I beg your pardon
    I never promised you a rose garden
    Along with the sunshine
    There's gotta be a little rain some time

    I beg your pardon
    I never promised you a rose garden

    I could sing you a tune and promise you the moon
    But if that's what it takes to hold you
    I'd just as soon let you go
    But there's one thing I want you to know
    You better look before you leap, still waters run deep
    And there won't always be someone there to pull you out
    And you know what I'm talkin' about
    So smile for a while and let's be jolly
    Love shouldn't be so melancholy
    Come along and share the good times while we can

    I beg your pardon
    I never promised you a rose garden
    Along with the sunshine
    There's gotta be a little rain some time,
    I beg your pardon
    I never promised you a rose garden Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 1

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn August 30, 1969, The Brotherhood performed Joe South's "Rose Garden" on the Dick Clark ABC-TV Saturday-afternoon program 'American Bandstand'...
    Their version did not make Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart...
    The original version was track three of side one on Billy Joe Royal's second studio album, 'Billy Joe Royal featuring Hush' {1967}...
    Joe South himself recorded it, it was on his 1968 album, 'Introspect'...
    On February 7th, 1971 Lynn Anderson's covered version of "Rose Garden" peaked at #3 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, and on December 20th, 1970 it reached #1 {for 5 weeks} on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Howard Jones

Howard JonesSongwriter Interviews

Howard explains his positive songwriting method and how uplifting songs can carry a deeper message.

Prince

PrinceFact or Fiction

Prince is shrouded in mystery, making him an excellent candidate for Fact or Fiction. Is he really a Scientologist? Does he own an exotic animal?

Songs About Movies

Songs About MoviesSong Writing

Iron Maiden, Adele, Toto, Eminem and Earth, Wind & Fire are just some of the artists with songs directly inspired by movies - and not always good ones.

Todd Rundgren

Todd RundgrenSongwriter Interviews

Todd Rundgren explains why he avoids "Hello It's Me," and what it was like producing Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell album.

Annie Haslam of Renaissance

Annie Haslam of RenaissanceSongwriter Interviews

The 5-octave voice of the classical rock band Renaissance, Annie is big on creative expression. In this talk, she covers Roy Wood, the history of the band, and where all the money went in the '70s.

Dennis DeYoung

Dennis DeYoungSongwriter Interviews

Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."