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

(Ah-ah-ah-ah)

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


Lyrics submitted by Pharmaecopia

Rose Garden Lyrics as written by Joe South

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Rose Garden song meanings
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6 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    I can't believe this song has gotten alot of comments! It's just a magnificent song! Basically about a woman who needs her lover to understand that things won't always be perfect in their relationship. She basically tells him that it won't always be happy and sunny between them. In a way I want to say it's also about the dissolve of a relationship because her lover can't come to terms with her unperfection. "Come along and share the good times WHILE WE CAN" but thats just another way of looking at it.

    dustinatoron March 27, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is about a lady who is telling her lover, that thier relationship wont always be good, and she never said it would be. and that they should ' smile for a while'. its a great song

    Talieon January 19, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "But you don't find roses growin' on stalks of clover." If you want the beautiful majesty that is a rose, you must take the thorns that invariably follow. Analogously, if you wish the benefits of love that comes in a relationship, you must take the conflict will accompany.

    j_dubon June 26, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    martina mcbride sang this song. listen to her version it is so good

    coldplay-fanon September 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    So alot of songs women sing 90's back are written by men, last year I was listening to the lyrics & it sounded like something a guy would say, so I looked it up & IT IS written by a guy. Some bloke named: Joe South. If you're a reader its obvious, look at the things Hemmingway, Dickens, or any male looks at. Women feel & associate emotion & what they are thinking in their stories, & so Im generally not a fan of female authors. Great song but... The meaning of which the manager said sing this one & she said ok. I don't appologize for anyone's bubble I bursted.

    angrypipon October 06, 2017   Link
  • -1
    General Comment

    She talks about their relationship almost like it's inevitably going to end. To me it sounds like shes saying it's not going to last very long you should enjoy it while it does. It's a good song I think a lot of people should listen to this song love isn't always going to be a "rose garden"

    hateme.on May 07, 2009   Link

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