You know, some songs just hit you in a place you didn’t even know needed healing. “A Good Year For The Roses” is one of those. It’s a classic country heartbreaker, and when you hear George Jones and Alan Jackson sing it together, it’s like two old friends sitting on the porch, swapping stories about love lost and memories that linger.
The song paints such a vivid picture: a man standing in his garden, noticing the roses are blooming beautifully—while inside, his marriage is falling apart. It’s that bittersweet feeling we all know too well, when life keeps moving and beauty still exists, even as your heart aches. George’s voice brings out all the raw, aching sadness, and Alan’s harmony adds this gentle, understanding touch, like a friend who’s been there too.
What makes this duet so special isn’t just the lyrics or the melody—it’s the way these two legends breathe life into every word. They don’t just sing about heartbreak; they make you feel it, right down to your bones. And yet, there’s a strange comfort in it. Maybe it’s knowing you’re not alone in your pain, or maybe it’s just the way country music can turn even the hardest moments into something beautiful.
Whenever I listen to this song, I’m reminded that every heartbreak leaves behind a little bit of beauty—like roses blooming quietly, even in the toughest years. That’s the magic of country, and that’s the magic of George Jones and Alan Jackson together.
Video
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
I can hardly bear the sight of lipstick
On the cigarettes there in the ashtray
Lying cold the way you left them
At least your lips caressed them while you packed
And a lip print on a half filled cup of coffee
That you poured and didn’t drink
But at least you thought you wanted it
And that’s so much more than I can say for me
[Chorus]
But what a good year for the roses
Many blooms still linger there
The lawn could stand another mowing
It’s funny, I don’t even care
When you turned and walked away
And as the door behind you closes
The only thing I know to say
It’s been a good year for the roses
[Verse 2]
After three full years of marriage
It’s the first time that you haven’t made the bed
I guess the reason we’re not talking
There’s so little left to say, we haven’t said
While a million thoughts go running through my mind
I find I haven’t spoke a word
And from the bedroom those familiar sounds
Of our one baby’s cryin’ goes unheard
[Chorus]
But what a good year for the roses
Many blooms still linger there
The lawn could stand another mowing
It’s funny, I don’t even care
And when you turned to walk away
And as the door behind you closes
The only thing I know to say
It’s been a good year for the roses