People often ask about the spark that ignited “The Rose,” a song that has touched hearts across generations. The journey of “The Rose Song” from a simple freeway drive to becoming a global anthem is a tale of serendipity, inspiration, and the unexpected power of a single lyric. This is the story behind “The Rose.”
It was an ordinary afternoon drive sometime in the 1970s when inspiration struck. Cruising down the freeway, the radio played a song that caught my ear – “Magdalena” by Danny O’Keefe, in Leo Sayer’s rendition. The melody was captivating, but it was a particular line that resonated deeply: “Your love is like a razor. My heart is just a scar.” There was a raw emotion in that lyric that was undeniable.
However, as I continued driving, the sentiment of that line began to stir a contrasting thought within me. “Is love truly like a razor?” I pondered. Perhaps it was youthful idealism, but I found myself disagreeing with the analogy. This disagreement became the catalyst for a creative outpouring. If love wasn’t a razor, then what was it?
Suddenly, it felt as though a window had opened in my mind. Ideas and words flooded in, almost faster than I could grasp them. I had to repeat them to myself, a mantra against forgetting, as I pressed down on the accelerator, eager to reach home. Tires screeching, I pulled into the driveway, rushed past bewildered pets and family, and practically dove onto the piano bench. In a mere ten minutes, “THE ROSE” was born.
Excited and slightly breathless, I called my husband, George, into the room. He was always my first audience, the one I trusted to hear my new songs. I played “The Rose” for him, my fingers still trembling slightly from the rush of creation. He listened intently, and when the last note faded, he quietly declared, “You’ve just written a standard.” I remember protesting, convinced that only a small circle of friends would ever hear it. This was long before I had ever recorded anything myself. But George was firm, “Mark my words,” he said, “something is going to happen with this song.”
About a year later, a talented young songwriter named Michele Brourman, who would become a dear friend and my primary musical collaborator, approached me with an exciting proposition. “Listen,” she said, “there’s a movie coming out called ‘The Rose.’ They’re searching for a title song. Would you like me to submit yours?” Submitting “the rose song” to anyone hadn’t even crossed my mind. Songwriting, at that time, felt more like a personal passion than a professional pursuit. So, I simply said, “Sure, why not?” Interestingly, the film was initially titled “Pearl,” after Janis Joplin’s nickname. However, her family declined permission to use that name. In a twist of fate, this turned out to be incredibly fortunate. As Michele pointed out, “Pearl” is definitely “MUCH harder to rhyme.”
Michele submitted “The Rose,” but the initial reaction from the film’s producers was far from enthusiastic. They rejected it outright, deeming it “dull,” “hymn-like,” “NOT rock and roll,” and completely unsuitable for the movie. It was relegated to the reject pile. But fate intervened in the form of the legendary Paul Rothchild. Rothchild, who was the music supervisor for “The Rose” and had famously produced Janis Joplin, unearthed “the rose song” from the rejects and urged the producers to reconsider. They initially refused again. Undeterred, Rothchild sent it directly to Bette Midler, the star of the film. Bette loved it. And that, as they say, is how “the rose song” found its way into the movie “The Rose,” changing my life irrevocably.
Looking back, I’ve never experienced songwriting with such speed and fluidity again. It’s as if I was simply a vessel, a window momentarily open to receive the thoughts and emotions that needed to be expressed through “the rose song.” My gratitude is immense – to Bette Midler, for embracing the song and making it her own; to Paul Rothchild, for his unwavering belief in it; to Bill Kerby, the screenwriter of “The Rose”; to my friend Michele, for her serendipitous submission; and ultimately, to the Universe itself, for speaking to me that day on the freeway and revealing what I truly believe about love.
Here are the lyrics that poured out that day:
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 that fears the 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 taken
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 snow
Lies the seed
That with the sun’s love, in the spring
Becomes the rose
* For permission to reprint the lyrics of “THE ROSE” in any form, please contact Warner Chappell at www.warnerchappell.com.
