Chords
The Rose

The Rose, composed by Amanda McBroom and popularized by Bette Midler, was inspired by a song McBroom heard on the soundtrack of the movie Madame X. Initially written for her own personal use, it became well-known after being chosen as the theme for the 1979 movie The Rose starring Midler.

Key: C

Introduction:

             C                  G  
Some say love, it is a river,
        F                 G      C  
That drowns the tender reed
             C                  G  
Some say love, it is a razor,
        F                 G          C  
That leaves your soul to bleed
             Em                 Am  
Some say love, it is a hunger,
        F        Dm7      G  
An endless aching need
         C                    G  
I say love, it is a flower and
 F            G      C  
You its only seed

              C                        G  
It' s the heart afraid of breaking
        F          G            C  
That never learns to dance
              C                      G  
It' s the dream afraid of waking
      F            G            C  
That never takes the chance
            Em                      Am        Am7  
It' s the one who won' t be taken
        F        Dm7        G  
Who cannot seem to give
          C                      G  
And the soul afraid of dying
        F        G             C  
That never learns to live

             C                          G  
When the night has been too lonely
            F            G             C  
And the road has been too long
             C                      G  
And you think that love is only
            F         G            C  
For the lucky and the strong
        Em                    Am  
Just remember in the winter
        F                      G        G4  
Far beneath the bitter snow
             C                         G  
Lies the seed that with the sun' s love,
            F            G             C  
In the spring becomes the rose