English Rose

The Jam

No matter where I roam
I will return to my English rose
For no bonds can ever tempt me from she
I've sailed the seven seas
Flown the whole blue sky
But I've returned with haste
To where my love does lie
No matter where I go
I will come back to my English rose
For nothing can ever tempt me from she
I've searched the secret mists
I've climbed the highest peaks
And caught the wild wind home
To hear her soft voice speak
No matter where I roam
I will return to my English rose
For no bonds can ever keep me from she

Been to ancient worlds (been to ancient worlds)
I've scoured the whole universe
And caught the first train home
To be at her side
No matter where I roam
I will return to my English rose
For no bonds can ever keep me from she


Lyrics submitted by planetearth

English Rose Lyrics as written by Paul John Weller

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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English Rose song meanings
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16 Comments

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  • +4
    General Comment
    Mentat - It's a widely accepted variation in grammar, mostly used in Olde English Literature "no bonds can ever tempt me from she". If the line was "No bonds can ever tempt me from her" it just wouldn't be as poetic..
    nononononononoon December 20, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    The English Rose is not a girl. It's England itself. Not the Queen or fake nationalism. More about humour, pubs, green stuff, ways of doing things, music, buzz, us being us. I tried living in America, Holland and Spain. Came home gratefully from all three, much as I liked them. I've been out in the world. It's SO good to be home.
    invictaspiriton October 07, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I love to play this to those who think they know Paul Weller's type of music from what they've heard on the radio. When they hear this they're amazed it's by him. The lyrics were also used in a play on TV about a year or two ago. Can't remember what it was called, but the female character read them out to a small audience in a field. When I told my (then) girlfriend that Paul Weller wrote those words, she thought I was joking.
    jackd36on February 16, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    When I was like 11 - 14 years old, I played nothing in my bedroom but Loud Jam records. So much so that my sister brought me an expensive pair of headphones for christmas. a few years later I made my sister a compilation cassette of some of my favourite songs that I thought she would appreciate. She loved English Rose, she was absolutely stunned it was by The Jam. I later caught her borrowing my Style Council records.
    Mojo Workingon September 04, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    Marvelous song from The Jam, not about a person, or a place, so much as that feeling you get when you're not in England. A good load of people who live there say they hate England, but at heart they know where their home is, and they'll never be able to live anywhere else. Other than that... well, it's SongMeanings, so: err i think its about a guy whos broken up with his girlfriend and hes like upset... and so on
    SMCon September 18, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I met paul weller in a pub in 1992 and he told me that it was a literal song. And despite his hard man image he was and is a big fan of the decoritive bloom known in the northern hemisphere as the rose. And I for one believe him
    mattsmiton May 04, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I love the way this is so different from most Jam songs, in terms of tempo and quality this is up there with carnation and fly as some of wellers most beutiful songs. If this is the new direction that weller had taken in 1981-1982 I would have had few complaints.
    sivillaon May 08, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    On one level, like some sort of love letter to his girlfriend at the time as he was missing her while he was in America. On the other hand, he was missing England too....
    SmithersJones87on October 12, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Forty year old...Londoners...we love this. " no bonds will ever keep me from she.."
    kayleighronsonon January 03, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    This song sums up being English. No matter where any of us go, we will come back to our English Rose, be it a girlfriend, boyfriend, family or whatever. One of my all time faves this.
    bobby82on March 09, 2005   Link

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