About the song
“The Rose” is a timeless pop song written by Amanda McBroom. Its melody, intriguingly, traces its origins to Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1, specifically the second movement, and was later adapted by Robert Lowry into the hymn “Here Is Love, Vast As the Ocean.” Bette Midler brought this song to widespread fame with her recording for the 1979 film “The Rose,” where it played during the closing credits, leaving a lasting impact on audiences.
McBroom recalls that she penned the song in response to her manager’s suggestion to create tunes reminiscent of Bob Seger to secure a record deal. Remarkably, she composed “The Rose” in just 45 minutes. Despite the song’s simple structure—one verse musically repeated three times—McBroom found it conveyed a powerful and universal message of hope. This simplicity and emotional resonance likely contributed to its enduring popularity.
The song’s journey to fame began when it was chosen by Midler for the soundtrack of “The Rose.” The film’s producer, Paul A. Rothchild, had sifted through over 3,000 songs to find thirty potential tracks, from which Midler selected seven, including “The Rose.” Released as the second single from the soundtrack album, “The Rose” soared to number one on the Cashbox Top 100 and peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. It also dominated the Adult Contemporary chart for five consecutive weeks and was certified Gold by the RIAA for selling over a million copies in the United States.
Midler’s rendition of “The Rose” earned her the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, triumphing over other notable artists such as Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer. The song’s profound impact was further evidenced by its inclusion in AFI’s 100 Years…100 Songs survey, ranking at #83 among the top tunes in American cinema.
Interestingly, there are two distinct mixes of the song. The single mix features orchestration, while the film version focuses on a piano-and-vocals arrangement, emphasizing the song’s poignant lyrics. Despite its success and association with the film, “The Rose” did not receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, as it was not specifically written for the movie. However, it did win the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association does not require songs to be original to their parent films.
Over the years, “The Rose” has been covered by numerous artists, including Conway Twitty and Westlife, who achieved significant chart success with their versions. Nana Mouskouri also recorded both German and English versions of the song, further testament to its universal appeal. “The Rose” remains a beloved classic, celebrated for its heartfelt message and timeless melody.
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Lyrics
Some say love, it is a river
That drowns the tender reed
Some say love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love, it is a hunger
An endless aching need
I say love, it is a flower
And you, its only seed
It’s the heart afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
It’s the dream afraid of waking
That never takes the chance
It’s the one who won’t be taking
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul, afraid of dying
That never learns to live
When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed that with the sun’s love
In the spring becomes the rose