Flowers are amazing! They make us feel happy and loved, whether we’re looking at a meadow full of them or getting a bouquet from someone special.
Artists, poets, and musicians have always been inspired by flowers. They’ve created beautiful songs, poems, and paintings about them.
Today, let’s check out some awesome flower-inspired songs. We’ve gathered a playlist of 28 of the best ones for you to enjoy.
Contents
- 20 Songs About Flowers
- 1. “Bed Of Roses” By Bon Jovi
- 2. “Flowers” By Miley Cyrus
- 3. “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” by Poison
- 4. “Build Me Up Buttercup” by The Foundations
- 5. “Kiss From A Rose” By Seal
- 6. “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” by Pete Seeger
- 7. “Paper Roses” By Marie Osmond
- 8. “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” By Barbra Streisand And Neil Diamond
- 9. “Supermarket Flowers” By Ed Sheeran
- 10. “Love Is A Rose” By Linda Ronstadt
- 11. “Buy Me A Rose” is a song by Kenny Rogers
- 12. “Dead Flowers” By Miranda Lambert
- 13. “Daisies” By Katy Perry
- 14. “Waltz Of The Flowers” By The London Festival Orchestra
- 15. “Flower” By Kylie Minogue
- 16. “Wildflowers” By Tom Petty
- 17. “Life Is A Flower” by Ace of Base
- 18. “A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing” By Ella Fitzgerald
- 19. “Black Roses Red” By Alana Grace
- 20. “I Only Bought You Flowers” by The Other Guys
- Submit Your Song to This Playlist
- Listen on Other Music Streaming Platforms
20 Songs About Flowers
1. “Bed Of Roses” By Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi, the American rock band, has many hit songs. One of them is “Bed of Roses,” released in 1992 from the album Keep the Faith.
The repeated line “I want to lay you down in a bed of roses, For tonight I’ll sleep on a bed of nails” is a metaphorical expression of sacrifice and longing. Here, the phrase “bed of roses” implies a life of ease, comfort, and happiness, as if one were lying on a soft bed of fragrant roses.
The singer is expressing that, despite experiencing his own suffering, he is willing to endure it if it means bringing joy to the person he cares about.
In the song, the singer deals with a hangover while facing unresolved issues. He’s apart from his lover, giving him time to reflect. He realizes she’s all he needs and feels sad they’re not together.
2. “Flowers” By Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus’ song “Flowers” has been popping up a lot on the radio lately. It came out in January 2023 and was a huge hit for her. The song held the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks straight. Plus, it racked up over 96 million streams on Spotify within its first week.
“Flowers” is all about loving yourself and being independent. In the lyrics, Miley talks about a past relationship that didn’t work out. Instead of feeling sorry for herself or begging her ex to come back, she realizes she can stand on her own two feet.
As she sings, “I can buy myself flowers,” it shows that you don’t need someone else to make you happy or feel complete. You can be just fine on your own, even when it’s tough to move on.
3. “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” by Poison
Poison, the glam metal band, brings us their 1988 hit, “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.” This song reminds us that even good things come with their downsides.
Lead singer Bret Michaels wrote this song when he discovered his girlfriend was cheating on him while he was touring away from LA.
The lyrics capture the moment when their relationship isn’t officially over, but her infidelity marks the end. Despite his efforts to salvage it, he realizes their love has its dark side.
Ultimately, she moves on, leaving him to find his own path forward. As the song says, “Every rose has its thorn,” echoing the idea that beauty often accompanies pain, much like the petals of a delicate flower.
4. “Build Me Up Buttercup” by The Foundations
“Build Me Up Buttercup” by The Foundations is an oldie but a goodie, released back in 1968. Even though it’s been around for a while, most people still know it.
Buttercup is a type of flowering plant commonly found in meadows, fields, and gardens. It has bright yellow cup-shaped flowers. The singer uses “buttercup” a term of endearment for his love interest.
Now, the music might sound happy, but the lyrics tell a different story. The singer’s relationship with the girl is complicated. She keeps making promises she doesn’t keep, like saying she’ll call but never does, or saying she’ll be there at ten but never shows up.
Despite all this, the singer still loves her and is willing to forgive her. He’s hoping she’ll stop playing with his feelings and finally come through for him. He sings, “Why do you build me up (build me up) buttercup, baby / Just to let me down?”
5. “Kiss From A Rose” By Seal
Seal, the British singer-songwriter wasn’t too thrilled about “Kiss from a Rose” when he first wrote it. In fact, he felt a bit embarrassed and tucked the song away for a few years. To add to that, the song didn’t really make waves on the charts right after its release.
But everything changed when the song was featured in the movie Batman Forever. Suddenly, it shot to the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
As for the lyrics, Seal left them open to interpretation by his listeners. However, if we take a closer look, the song seems to be about love. When Seal sings, “I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey,” it’s like saying that his lover brings brightness and joy to his otherwise dull life, comparing their love to the beauty of a rose.
6. “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” by Pete Seeger
Next up is Pete Seeger’s song “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.” It’s a sad song about love and death, and how things don’t always change like we hope they will. This song talks a lot about flowers.
Seeger wrote it in 1955, getting inspiration from a Cossack folk song and an Irish tune. It became an influential song for peace during Seeger’s time.
The lyrics are about girls picking flowers, then guys picking girls. Eventually, the girls pick flowers to put on the graves of the guys. As the song goes, “Graveyards / They’re covered with flowers every one. / Flowers / Young girls have picked them every one.”
It’s a sad song that makes you think about life and not taking things for granted.
7. “Paper Roses” By Marie Osmond
In 1973, 14-year-old Marie Osmond sang “Paper Roses.” It became a big hit, climbing to the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
The song compares the singer’s love interest to paper roses. He acts sweet and gives her flowers, making her think his love is real. But eventually, she realizes his love is fake, like paper roses. As the lyrics go, “Paper roses, paper roses / Oh how real those roses seem to me / But they’re only imitation / Like your imitation love for me.”
Despite being fooled for a while, she’s grateful to see the truth.
8. “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” By Barbra Streisand And Neil Diamond
“You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” is a sad song about a relationship falling apart. Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond sang it together in 1978, and it was a big hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two separate weeks.
In the song, the woman notices how things have changed with her partner. He doesn’t bring her flowers like he used to, and it’s not just forgetfulness. He also doesn’t talk to her the way he used to. As the lyrics go, “You don’t bring me flowers anymore / You don’t sing me love songs.”
Nowadays, their relationship feels like they’re just going through the motions. The passion they once had is gone, and they don’t express their love or need for each other like they used to
9. “Supermarket Flowers” By Ed Sheeran
When you hear about flowers, you usually think happy thoughts. But in Ed Sheeran’s song “Supermarket Flowers,” it’s all about feeling sad.
The singer talks about what happens after someone dies. He mentions taking flowers from the supermarket and other things that remind him of the person, like stuffed animals. One line goes, “I took the supermarket flowers from the windowsill / I threw the day old tea from the cup.”
Every little thing reminds him of his sadness. In real life, Sheeran’s grandma passed away when he was making the song. So, “Supermarket Flowers” is like a special way to remember her.
10. “Love Is A Rose” By Linda Ronstadt
Roses are often compared to love, right? Well, Neil Young’s song “Love is a Rose” puts a twist on that. Linda Ronstadt, an American singer, brought it to life in 1975.
In the song, Young tells us something different. He cautions us to be careful with love because it’s like picking a rose—you might get hurt by the thorns. As the lyrics go, “Love is a rose, but you better not pick it/ Only grows when it’s on the vine / Handful of thorns and you’ll know you’ve missed it.”
Ronstadt made her version with a country music vibe. It did really well, hitting #5 on the Country Singles chart. And she’s not the only one who covered it – Lisa Loeb and Terri Clark did too!
11. “Buy Me A Rose” is a song by Kenny Rogers
“Buy Me A Rose” is a song by Kenny Rogers featuring Alison Krauss and Billy Dean. It talks about how sometimes we try to make our loved ones happy by giving them material things, but what they really want is our love and attention.
The song’s about a guy who thinks he’s doing right by his wife by getting her luxurious possessions like a big house and credit cards. But she just wants him to show he cares by doing simple things like buying her a rose or spending time with her at work. As the lyrics say, “Buy me a rose, call me from work / Open a door for me, what would it hurt?”
In the end, he realizes what she really wants and decides to make things right by showing her love in the little ways she appreciates.
12. “Dead Flowers” By Miranda Lambert
Next up is Miranda Lambert’s song “Dead Flowers.” It’s a country tune from her Revolution album, released back in 2009.
In this song, Lambert compares herself to the flowers her lover once gave her, singing, “I feel like the flowers in this vase / He just brought ’em home one day / They’re sittin’ in the vase, but now they’re dead / Dead flowers.” They started out beautiful, but over time, they withered away in dirty water. It’s a metaphor for how their relationship deteriorated.
Sadly, her lover seems oblivious to her feelings. He’s more interested in small talk about the weather than addressing their issues. This shows he’s not really focused on their relationship.
13. “Daisies” By Katy Perry
Katy Perry’s song “Daisies” is all about feeling strong and confident. It’s from her album “Smile,” released in 2020. In the song, she talks about going her own way, no matter what others say.
She faces tough times and people doubting her dreams. They laugh at her and try to stop her. But she doesn’t let that get her down. Instead, she uses those hard times to push herself forward. She’s determined to reach her goals, no matter the obstacles.
Katy sings, “They tell me that I’m crazy, but I’ll never let ’em change me / ‘Til they cover me in daisies, daisies, daisies.” Here, the metaphor of “daisies” suggests resilience and determination despite criticism or doubt.
Daisies are often seen as resilient flowers because they can thrive in various conditions, even in harsh environments.
14. “Waltz Of The Flowers” By The London Festival Orchestra
The London Festival Orchestra’s rendition of ‘Waltz of the Flowers’ isn’t just any seasonal tune. While it’s not explicitly tied to any holiday, it’s strongly linked to Christmas because it’s part of Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet, The Nutcracker.
This waltz is famous for bringing to mind the graceful Sugar Plum Fairy. What’s interesting is that unlike other closing pieces, it doesn’t start with a bang. Instead, it begins gently, with the violins creating a delicate, flowing melody reminiscent of flowers swaying in the breeze.
As the music unfolds, it’s as if Tchaikovsky whispers, ‘Clair de lune, mysterious, mystical, magical, mystical, mystical, mystical.’
The contrast comes when a richer, warmer melody joins in, adding depth to the piece. The gradual build-up makes the eventual climax even more powerful
15. “Flower” By Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue, the Aussie singer, explores the concept of motherhood in her song “Flower” from 2012.
In the song, she dreams about having a child, referring to them as “my flower.” She wonders about them, imagining if they’re out there somewhere, “blowing in the breeze.”
She reflects on the love she’ll have for her child once they arrive, promising to be there for them always. Like any mom-to-be, she pledges to give her all for her future little one.
16. “Wildflowers” By Tom Petty
Tom Petty’s song “Wildflowers” is a fan favorite from his 1994 album with the same name.
In the song, it’s all about a person who seems like a free soul. The singer believes she belongs in nature among wildflowers or out on the open sea in a boat. Basically, wherever she feels most liberated. As the lyrics go, “You belong among the wildflowers / You belong in a boat out at sea.”
He tells her to follow her heart, pursue love if that’s what she wants. The main idea is that she deserves happiness, a place where she can thrive and be true to herself.
17. “Life Is A Flower” by Ace of Base
“Life Is A Flower” by Ace of Base compares life to a flower. The band from Sweden released it in 1998, and it became popular in Europe, hitting the top 10 in many countries.
The song’s happy words tell us to be optimistic about life because we live in a world where we’re free to do what we want. It reminds us that life is like a flower, beautiful and precious, but also delicate.
Just like we take care of a flower by planting it in good soil, we should take care of our lives by living in a good environment, like a “free world.” As the song says, “Life is a flower / So precious in your hand /Carry on smiling / And the world will smile with you.”
18. “A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing” By Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald’s “A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing” talks about different flowers like daffodils, azaleas, and gardenias. Ella’s voice makes the song smooth and a bit sad. It goes low unexpectedly and has interesting music with blue notes.
People don’t listen to it much anymore, which is a shame because it’s a complicated piece of music. It’s a slow type of jazz, but it’s sweet and worth listening to again.
When you pay attention to the lyrics, you’ll love the song even more. It’s about how flowers stay beautiful, no matter what happens. Where they grow or what time of day it is, you can always enjoy their beauty. One line goes, “A daffodil, a rose, no matter where it grows / Is such a lovely lovesome thing.”
19. “Black Roses Red” By Alana Grace
In 2005, Alana Grace dropped “Black Roses Red,” a tune featured in the movie “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.”
The song dives into a melancholic journey where the singer pleads with someone to transform her black roses into red. In stories, black roses usually represent decay or death, reflecting the singer’s deep despair. As she sings, “Can you turn my black roses red?” it vividly portrays her longing for renewal amidst the darkness.
Amidst the sorrowful lyrics, it’s evident how isolated and desolate the singer feels. She searches desperately for solace, feeling like she’s drowning in emptiness, as vast as the ocean floor.
20. “I Only Bought You Flowers” by The Other Guys
In this song, The Other Guys respond to Wendy Cope’s poem about getting flowers with a fun twist. It’s a sweet tune with a catchy melody. The lyrics talk about a man who keeps giving his sweetheart flowers.
The singer mentions lots of different flowers in the song, like roses and violets, as seen in the lines “Roses are red (roses are red) and violets are blue (so blue) / Foxgloves and magnolias can bloom in any hue.”
The line “everything that blossoms must one day die you know / and I’ll always buy you flowers ’cause I’ll always love you so” expresses the idea that everything in life, even beautiful things like flowers, eventually come to an end.
Despite this inevitability, the singer promises to keep buying flowers for his loved one as a symbol of their enduring love and affection.
Submit Your Song to This Playlist
Do you have a track or song you’d like to feature on this playlist? If so, please fill out the form below for our evaluation.
Listen on Other Music Streaming Platforms
For your convenience, you can listen to our playlist on:
Serena Whitfield is the founder of PlaylistCurator.org. She’s a musician who writes songs for bands. She studied music at the University of Oxford and graduated with distinction. With her expertise, she knows how to review songs and understand what makes good and bad music. Every playlist on our platform is approved by her before publishing to maintain top-notch quality. If you want her to check out your song and maybe get featured on our playlist, submit your song for Serena to evaluate.