Rose
John Hiatt Lyrics


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Rose puts on her stockings and she lights a cigarette.
Holds her tired face up to the mirror.
She sees a younger woman there she thought she would forget,
And it hurts her now that no one comes to see her.

She used to go to parties and a-dancing with her beau.
Beneath the southern moon they found their places.
But now she's tired all the time and she got no where to go,
And the memories keep showing up in faces.

So she finds her dressing table and she puts on all of her clothes,
And she cries when she's realized she's just an old Rose.

Rose walks to the kitchen then she fills her coffee cup.
And thinks of how the mornings used to greet her.
But now it's just another day and harder to get up,
And it breaks her heart to think that no one needs her.

And she wants to start all over but she ain't got far to go,
So she cries when she's realized she's just an old Rose.

Rose puts on her stockings and she lights a cigarette.
Holds her tired face up to the mirror.




She sees a younger woman there she thought she would forget,
And it hurts her now that no one comes to see her.

Overall Meaning

The song "Rose" by John Hiatt is a poignant portrayal of a woman named Rose who reminisces about her past life while feeling the pain of loneliness and abandonment in her old age. The opening verse of the song has Rose putting on her stockings and lighting a cigarette. She looks at herself in the mirror and sees a younger version of herself that she had thought she had forgotten. The lyrics convey the sense that Rose is now alone and isolated, with no one coming to see her.


The second verse talks about the memories of the past that keep showing up as faces. This is a reference to the fact that Rose's friends and acquaintances of the past are now no more, and she has to live with the memories of them alone. She used to go to parties and dance with her beau under the moon, but now she is alone, tired all the time, and has nowhere to go. This sense of isolation and loneliness is conveyed well in the music and lyrics of the song.


The third verse has Rose walking to the kitchen to fill her coffee cup, and as she does so, she remembers how the mornings used to greet her. However, now she finds it harder to get up, and it breaks her heart to think that no one needs her. She cries as she realizes that she is just an old Rose. The song concludes with Rose putting on her stockings and lighting a cigarette, looking at herself in the mirror, and feeling the pain of loneliness as no one comes to see her.


Overall, the song is a heart-wrenching portrayal of loneliness and isolation in old age, and it shows that even though Rose is still alive, in many ways, she feels like she is already dead.


Line by Line Meaning

Rose puts on her stockings and she lights a cigarette.
Rose begins her day by getting dressed and smoking a cigarette, possibly to find some pleasure in her otherwise mundane life.


Holds her tired face up to the mirror.
Rose looks at her reflection and sees a tired, aged woman staring back at her, which makes her feel hopeless and depressed.


She sees a younger woman there she thought she would forget,
Rose remembers a time when she was young and full of life, but that memory brings her pain because it contrasts with her current state.


And it hurts her now that no one comes to see her.
Rose feels lonely and forgotten by the people she used to know and love, which adds to her feelings of hopelessness and sadness.


She used to go to parties and a-dancing with her beau.
Rose used to be young and in love, and they used to go out and enjoy themselves together, but those days are long gone.


But now she's tired all the time and she got no where to go,
Rose is now old and tired, and she doesn't have anyone to go out with or any particular place to go.


And the memories keep showing up in faces.
Although Rose tries to forget her past, memories of her youth and happier times continue to come to mind and haunt her.


So she finds her dressing table and she puts on all of her clothes,
Perhaps as a way to lift her spirits or forget her depression, Rose puts on her finest clothes in an effort to feel beautiful and young again.


And she cries when she's realized she's just an old Rose.
Despite her efforts to relive her youth, Rose is reminded of her age and feels sad and defeated.


Rose walks to the kitchen then she fills her coffee cup.
Rose moves on with her day and goes to the kitchen to make coffee, a routine she has probably done countless times.


And thinks of how the mornings used to greet her.
As Rose sips her coffee, she thinks about how mornings used to be exciting and full of promise, but now they are just a reminder of her age and loneliness.


But now it's just another day and harder to get up,
Each new day feels like a challenge to Rose, and it's harder for her to find the motivation to get out of bed.


And it breaks her heart to think that no one needs her.
Rose feels useless and unwanted, which is one of the most heartbreaking things anyone can experience.


And she wants to start all over but she ain't got far to go,
Rose wishes she could turn back time and start over, but she is too old to do so and feels like her options are limited.


So she cries when she's realized she's just an old Rose.
Rose is overwhelmed by her emotions and begins to cry as she realizes that she can't change her circumstances and must accept her fate as an old woman.


Rose puts on her stockings and she lights a cigarette.
At the end of the day, Rose repeats her routine of putting on stockings and smoking a cigarette, perhaps finding comfort in the familiarity of her actions.


Holds her tired face up to the mirror.
As she looks at herself in the mirror again, Rose is reminded of her age and mortality, which is a constant source of sadness for her.


She sees a younger woman there she thought she would forget,
As before, Rose is reminded of her youth and beauty, which is all the more painful because of how much she has aged since then.


And it hurts her now that no one comes to see her.
Finally, Rose realizes that she is alone and that no one is coming to visit her, which is the ultimate source of her sadness and despair.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HIATT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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