| "I'll Pick a Rose for My Rose" | 
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| B-side | "You Got The Love I Love" | 
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| Released | 1969 | 
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| Genre | Funk, Soul Pop | 
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| Label | Gordy (Motown) | 
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| "I Miss You Baby (How I Miss You)" (1966)
 | "I'll Pick a Rose for My Rose" (1969)
 | "So Glad You Chose Me" (1970)
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"I'll Pick a Rose for My Rose" is a soul-pop ballad written by James Dean, William Weatherspoon, and Marv Johnson in 1969.
Background and composition
The song tells the story of a man reflecting on lost love and the hope of rekindling it. The metaphor of picking a rose represents enduring affection and a symbolic return to a past relationship. Set against a smooth, orchestrated backdrop, the lyrics combine themes of regret, romance, and emotional maturity.[1]
Notable recordings
- Marv Johnson, one of the original architects of the Motown sound and the song's co-writer, was the first to record the track in 1969.[2] Although Johnson's popularity had waned by the mid-1960s, the song brought him renewed success overseas, reaching No. 10 in the UK (his best charting song in 7 years).[3] It was also predicted to reach the top 60 on the Billboard Hot 100,[4] but it didn't even appear on the chart.
- Eddie Fisher recorded the song in 1969, and it was released as his final single. It came after his "comeback" with a few well-charting songs in 1966 and 1967, but it failed to chart.
References
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| Studio albums |  | 
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| Live albums |  | 
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| 1950s singles |  | 
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| 1960s singles |  | 
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