I'll Pick a Rose for My Rose

"I'll Pick a Rose for My Rose" is a soul-pop ballad written by James Dean, William Weatherspoon, and Marv Johnson in 1969.

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]

• 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] After the success with the song, he reissued another song in the UK that year "(I Miss You Baby (How I Miss You))", which reached No. 25.
• 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.