4 Meanings
Add Yours
Share
Q&A

Spanish Harlem Lyrics

There is a rose in Spanish Harlem
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem
It is a special one, it's never seen the sun
It only comes out when the moon is on the run
And all the stars are gleaming
It's growing in the street right up through the concrete
But soft and sweet and dreamin'

There is a rose in Spanish Harlem
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem
With eyes as black as coal that look down in my soul
And starts a fire there and then I lose control
I have to beg your pardon
I'm going to pick that rose and watch her as she grows in my garden



I'm going to pick that rose and watch her as she grows in my garden

(There is a rose in Spanish Harlem)
La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la-la
(There is a rose in Spanish Harlem)
La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la-la
(There is a rose in Spanish Harlem)
FADE
Questions and Answers

Ask specific questions and get answers to unlock more indepth meanings & facts.

4 Meanings

Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.

Cover art for Spanish Harlem lyrics by Ben E. King

i just thought i'd leave this here even though its not very hard to decipher this songs meaning. the "rose in spanish harlem" is actually a beautiful woman located in east harlem, manhattan new york. he then sings about how this woman makes him feel and that he would love to have her in his life by picking that rose and planting her in his garden.

Song Meaning
Cover art for Spanish Harlem lyrics by Ben E. King

I believe this song is about trafficking young girls for sex specifically from poverty stricken areas like Spanish Harlem. 'I'm going to pick that rose and watch her as she grows in his garden'. His garden is his garden of young sex traffickers.

These young girls are sent out into the streets at night. 'It only comes out when the moon is on the run'.

That's my 2 cents.

@ayebrobrolol I think this is a valid interpretation, but I'm sure you mean young sex workers/prostitutes and not sex traffickers, since the pimp is the trafficker. I also think it could be a "Pretty Woman" that combines your interpretation with n2o's interpretation above.

@ayebrobrolol "Pretty Woman" scenario, I mean.

Cover art for Spanish Harlem lyrics by Ben E. King

Check out Lauro Nyro's version of this song, it is beautiful, she hits all the nuances of the song!

Cover art for Spanish Harlem lyrics by Ben E. King

it's about a person for sure. maybe not a woman. it's a metaphor ,for someone breaking up through the concrete how much imagination does it take to see the obious,now,phrase,in the following ? It is a special one, it's never seen the sun It only comes out when the moon is on the run And all the stars are gleaming'. anyone notice that 'coming out ' has a meaning ? why don't others before me notice this obvious thing,or am i not searching diligently enough? if not,i should copyright the concept? jk .