From the beginning of man’s interaction with nature, flowers have been widely admired for their beauty and variety. Flowers have even been used as currency in centuries past. Now people give flowers to others that they admire, and the language of flowers has become an increasingly popular topic.
Therefore, it’s no surprise that musicians all around the world have written songs named after certain flowers or mentioned them within their lyrics. If you have ever wondered about the best songs about flowers, then it’s time to find out which ones reign supreme, starting with…
Top 63 Best Songs about Flowers
1
Supermarket Flowers – Ed Sheeran (2017)
Super Market Flowers is a song penned by British singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran for his 2017 album ÷ (Divide). The song is about Sheeran losing his grandmother.
People often give bouquets of flowers to people to wish them a fast recovery or to people who are grieving. They can easily buy a small bouquet from their local supermarket while on their way to visit someone who is ill. This song portrays Sheeran’s grief and reminisces on the life his grandmother lived.
2
Roses – Outkast (2004)
Roses is a certified gold record from American hip-hop duo Outkast. It peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2004 when it was released as a single. The lyrics talk about a girl who is stuck up and thinks she is cooler than she actually is, comparing her to roses and their scent.
The song goes, “I know you’d like to think your shit don’t stank, but – Lean a little bit closer, see – Roses really smell like poo-poo-ooh,” meaning that the girl might look good from a distance, but when you get closer, there are negative things you didn’t initially notice, in this case, the smell of the ‘rose.’
3
Flowers – Lauren Spencer Smith
The 2023 single Flowers by up-and-coming singer/songwriter Lauren Spencer Smith went viral online, drawing attention from TikTok users who have used the sound almost 68 thousand times on the app. This song takes a common belief that flowers are used to make grand gestures, be it love proclamations or when asking for forgiveness.
Spencer Smith wrote, “I guess that flowers aren’t just used for big apologies/guess I should’ve been more conscious how you spoke to me,” referencing a past relationship in which their partner only ever gave flowers as a form of apology. Once the person moved on from that relationship, they learned that flowers aren’t only used to make up for mistakes but can be given for many different occasions.
4
Every Rose Has Its Thorn – Poison (1988)
The title of this song is a well-known idiom meaning that all positives have negatives, or every good situation has something bad that goes along with it. The American glam metal band sings about a failing relationship with no possible solution since they have no idea how it had got to this point.
The chorus recites other phrases with similar meanings to “every rose has its thorn,” showing just how hopeless the relationship seems, because even though there were great, beautiful moments, the end is anything but that, effectively the “thorn” of the relationship.
5
For the Roses – Joni Mitchell (1972)
For the Roses is off Joni Mitchell’s fifth album, also named For The Roses. The folk rock song offers beautiful acoustic melodies and Mitchell’s airy voice. Mitchell said the title of the song comes from saying “to run for the roses,” which refers to race horses running to the finish, where the winner will have roses draped over them. These roses are a symbol of victory and success.
Mitchell talks about hearing applause in the wind in the opening line and goes on to reminisce about someone she hasn’t seen in years. The entire album showcases Mitchell’s emotions and honesty, and the lyrics read like poetry, a fitting accompaniment to flowers and beautiful scenery.
6
Wildflowers – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (1994)
This Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers song is relatively simple in writing and very melodic. Petty starts the song by singing about how “you belong among the wildflowers […] you belong somewhere you feel free”. He is singing about a person who deserves to be in beautiful places and places that they are comfortable in as if they deserve only good things.
Nature can be such a relaxing place, and the imagery of being in a large meadow surrounded by colorful flowers and having the sun shining down creates a euphoric atmosphere. Something that we don’t get to experience often in our day-to-day life. Flowers can have a calming feeling on people and give a serotonin boost when we need it most.
7
Daisies – Katy Perry (2020)
Next, in my rundown of the Best Songs About Flowers, I have this catchy 2020 track from pop star Katy Perry, which is about proving people wrong. The lyrics tell a story about someone from a small town having dreams that are too big according to the people around them. The song explains that people won’t believe in you until you actually reach your goal. The person doesn’t let these people affect their determination, and they continue on until they prove to everyone else that they were wrong to doubt the protagonist.
One of the key lyrics from the song is “They tell me that I’m crazy, but I’ll never let ’em change me – ‘Til they cover me in daisies’ ‘ which means that they won’t change until they’re dead. A similar term is “pushing up daisies” which means someone has died and been buried.
8
Kiss From A Rose – Seal (1994)
Seal sings of comparing someone to a kiss from a rose in a desolate landscape. This person is a bright light in an otherwise graying world and is a reason to keep going, a source of inspiration.
Roses are seen as a romantic symbol and can mean love and courage, as well as other interpretations. So this song most likely refers to a romantic partner that has given meaning to life as well as a source of love and happiness.
9
Yellow Roses – Dolly Parton (1989)
Dolly starts the song by singing about receiving a yellow rose from someone that asked her out on a date. This partner stayed with her throughout the year and continued to send her yellow roses that lit up her life like sunshine.
Yellow roses are thought to represent friendship and joy, which are key aspects of a healthy and happy relationship. Interestingly Dolly sings that the person left her life by giving her a yellow rose just like how they entered it. Dolly ends the song reminiscing about memories of this lost love and questioning why they had to leave.
10
Blue Orchid – The White Stripes (2005)
This song by Alternative/Indie band, The White Stripes has curious lyrics referencing both white and blue orchids. To better understand this song, you’ll first have to know what both of these flowers mean.
The lyrics go, “You took a white orchid and turned it blue.” White orchids can mean purity, innocence, and beauty, while blue orchids can mean rarity, uniqueness as well as beauty. So this lyric can possibly mean that the person was pure and innocent and turned into something else very unique.
But the lyrics continue saying, “how dare you,” so it could also mean that they ruined something pure and innocent. Regardless, this song has a much different meaning and sound compared to the others on this list.
11
Sunflower – Post Malone feat. Swae Lee (2018)
This song was originally for the movie Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse and features a fresh sound and funky beat that compliments both Post Malone and Swae Lee’s voices. The key lyrics in this song would be “You’re a sunflower, I think your love would be too much.”
Sunflowers are gorgeous flowers that can grow to tower their surroundings. These flowers also require a lot of nutrients from the soil and consume it quickly, leaving the soil depleted. The lyric is saying that this person would use up all of their partner’s love and leave them empty like a parasite. They take and take until there is nothing left.
It’s rather morbid for a song that sounds so bright and catchy. This is also like sunflowers because they are so stunning that you don’t catch the negative aspects of them, like the negative meaning of the song.
12
Iris – Goo Goo Dolls (1998)
Iris was written for the soundtrack for the 1998 movie City of Angels, but the song has become massively well known, surpassing its original purpose for the movie. It is certified seven times platinum in the United States with over seven million sales. Irises symbolize faith, hope, courage, wisdom, and admiration according to the Victorian era language of flowers.
This somewhat coincides with the main character’s situation in City of Angels, an immortal portrayed by Nicholas Cage, who would give up everything in order to feel love like a human does. This song is one of the most iconic power ballads of the 1990s, easily becoming the Goo Goo Dolls’ most recognizable song to date.
13
Cherry Blossom Girl – Air (2004)
The French duo Air created this electro-pop song that divulges their desire to talk to the person they are in love with, whom they refer to as Cherry Blossom Girl. A cherry blossom is a seasonal flower that blooms in spring on cherry blossom trees. Japan is specifically known for its cherry blossom season, where cherry blossoms bloom in mass, coloring cities pink for a couple of months a year.
These flowers are delicate and extremely affected by the weather, and they don’t last long, fading quickly by the end of the season. Air sings of a person who is hard to obtain and unreachable.
They also mention being together when the time is right. Overall, the song has an extremely dreamy feel that lulls you through the entire three-minute and forty-two-second song in a haze.
14
Flower – Kylie Minogue (2012)
Coming to the end of my list of the Best Songs About Flowers, this pop ballad by Australian pop queen Kylie Minogue strikes an emotional cord with its devotional lyrics and breathy vocals. The song doesn’t single out a specific kind of flower, but it is used as a term of endearment.
Flower is a somewhat common pet name. It portrays a delicate meaning and makes the person sound like they are treasured and handled with care.
Kylie sings that she will “breathe life into [them]” and is willing to give them everything. The song could be interpreted as a maternal feeling from a mother to their child as well as between lovers. There aren’t any specific lyrics to cause it to lean more towards one or the other. The song projects a feeling of warmth and safety as it filters into your ears, melodic and calm.
15
A Rose By Any Name – Blondie (2013)
Blondie is an iconic American rock band that has been active on and off since 1974. The title is paraphrased from the popular William Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet, which states, “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
This meant that it didn’t matter what or who Romeo is; he would be the same regardless of where he came from. This mattered because he was technically her family’s rival. Shakespeare liked to use metaphor and similes in his writing to compare nature, such as flowers, to humans and other things.
Blondie sings about how it doesn’t matter what gender someone is, a boy or girl, because they’d be loved just the same. The song then goes, “a rose by any name,” referencing Romeo and Juliet. The song can be interpreted as a statement about how someone’s gender does not define them.
Now that you’ve got your fix of flower-related music, here are some of the flowers that I’ve mentioned if you are looking to become a plant parent but don’t always have the time to maintain them.
16
Daisy Jane – America (1975)
17
Roses – OutKast (2003)
18
Where Have All the Flowers Gone? – Pete Seeger (1961)
19
The Rose – Bette Midler (1980)
20
Build Me Up Buttercup – The Foundations (1968)
21
The Flower Duet – Leo Delibes (1883)
22
Lilac Wine – Jeff Buckley (1994)
23
Poppies – Marcy Playground (1997)
24
Dandelion – The Rolling Stones (1967)
25
The Sunflower – Glen Campbell (1977)
26
Black Roses – Nashville Cast (2012)
27
Honeysuckle Rose – Fats Waller (1929)
28
Primrose Lane – Jerry Wallace (1959)
29
Kiss Me with Flowers – Ray Charles (1951)
30
The Lily of the Valley – Queen (1991)
31
Water Lily – 999 (1981)
32
Wildwood Flower – The Carter Family (1928)
33
Cherry Blossoms – Color Theory (2010)
34
Violet – Hole (1995)
35
The Jasmine Flower – Shi Zhi-you (1942)
36
A Daisy a Day – Jud Strunk (1973)
37
Red Roses for a Blue Lady – Vic Dana (1965)
38
Lotus – Cage the Elephant (2015)
39
Goldenrod – Brian Wilson (2015)
40
Honeysuckle – Wavves (2013)
41
Flowers in the Rain – The Move (1967)
42
Hibiscus – The Butterfly Effect (2006)
43
Daffodil Lament – The Cranberries (1994)
44
Oleander – Mother Love Bone (1989)
45
Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two) – Harry Dacre (1892)
46
The Orchid and the Wasp – The Decemberists (2018)
47
Mandevilla – The Mountain Goats (2004)
48
Bluebells – Patrick Wolf (2009)
49
Flowers on the Wall – The Statler Brothers (1965)
50
The Poppy Fields – The Alarm (2004)
51
The Jasmine Corridor – Tangerine Dream (1975)
52
Pansy Waltz – John Hartford (1984)
53
Foxglove – British Sea Power (2002)
54
Buttercup – Brad (2002)
55
Flower of Scotland – The Corries (1968)
56
Flowers in the Window – Travis (2001)
57
The Flower Song – Carmen (1875)
58
The Flower Duet – Léo Delibes (1883)
59
Little Blossom – Billy Fury (1964)
60
Wisteria – George Winston (1991)
61
Flowers and Beads – Iron Butterfly (1968)
62
California Poppy – James Horner (2005)
63
Flowers in Your Hair – The Lumineers (2012)
63
Plumeria – Ingrid Michaelson (2014)
Embracing the flowers!
First up is the orchid. These beautiful faux white orchids tie into the White Stripes song Blue Orchid. Secondly is the recurring wildflowers. This package of wild flower seeds are beautiful and features flowers like milkweed, Nasturtium, and forget-me-nots.
And lastly, flower crowns! There are so many options for flower crowns, and you’ll be able to find one that tickles your fancy. For the sake of the previously mentioned songs, this rose flower crown seemed fitting.
Flower crowns are also a music festival staple, so this is just another example of how music and flowers can go together perfectly. There are so many other floral things you could look into, like clothes and bedding, if you’re really feeling the aesthetic.
Looking for Some Superb Songs?
Then take a look at our thoughts on the Best Songs About Dreams, the Best Songs About California, the Best Songs About the Sun and Sunshine, the Best Songs About Change, the Best Songs About Magic, and the Best Songs About Walking for more quality song selections.
You’ll need to hear the songs in all their glory. So, take a look at our in-depth reviews of the Best Sound Quality Earbuds, the Most Comfortable Earbuds, the Best True Wireless Earbuds, the Best Bass Earbuds, the Best iPhone Earbuds, or the Best Noise Isolating Earbuds that you can buy in 2023.
Best Songs About Flowers – Wrapping it up
There are so many more great songs about flowers, but these have been some of the most well-known ones throughout the past few decades. Flowers have been used as metaphors in both music and poetry for decades, and they will continue to be because of their variety and people’s appreciation for their beauty.
Who knows what the future’s best songs which are named after flowers will be, but you can safely assume that there will be more to listen to by new artists as music continues to evolve.
Happy listening, and enjoy the flowers!