Rose Garden

Lynn Anderson

(peak Billboard position # 3 in 1971)

Words and Music by Joe South

I beg your pardon

I never promised you a rose garden

Along with the sunshine

There's gotta be a little rain some time

When you take you gotta give so live and let live

Or let go oh-whoa-whoa-whoa

I beg your pardon

I never promised you a rose garden

I could promise you things like big diamond rings

But you don't find roses growin' on stalks of clover

So you better think it over

Well if sweet-talkin' you could make it come true

I would give you the world right now on a silver platter

But what would it matter

So smile for a while and let's be jolly

Love shouldn't be so melancholy

Come along and share the good times while we can

I beg your pardon

I never promised you a rose garden

Along with the sunshine

There's gotta be a little rain some time

I beg your pardon

I never promised you a rose garden

I could sing you a tune and promise you the moon

But if that's what it takes to hold you

I'd just as soon let you go

But there's one thing I want you to know

You better look before you leap, still waters run deep

And there won't always be someone there to pull you out

And you know what I'm talkin' about

So smile for a while and let's be jolly

Love shouldn't be so melancholy

Come along and share the good times while we can

I beg your pardon

I never promised you a rose garden

Along with the sunshine

There's gotta be a little rain some time