About The Song
“Eleven Roses” is a tender country ballad by Hank Williams Jr., released in March 1972 as the lead single and title track from his MGM Records album. Written by Lamar Morris and Darrell McCall, it became his first solo No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, topping the chart for two weeks in July 1972 and charting for 14 weeks. The 2:41 track, a departure from his later rowdy style, embraces the lush countrypolitan sound with a remorseful narrator gifting his lover eleven roses: “Take the roses and look in the mirror / And the twelfth rose will be looking back at you.” Williams’ subdued, heartfelt vocals, paired with sweeping strings, convey regret and hope, as AllMusic notes: “It’s Hank Jr. at his most vulnerable, a far cry from his outlaw years.” Williams told Country Music in 1973, “That song showed I could do more than just sing Dad’s songs—it was my own moment.” The song marked a pivotal step in carving his identity beyond his father’s shadow.
Recorded on December 9, 1971, at Columbia Recording Studio in Nashville, the track was produced by Jim Vienneau, with strings arranged by Bill McElhiney and uncredited Nashville A-Team players likely including Pete Drake on steel guitar and Hargus “Pig” Robbins on piano, per Discogs. The polished arrangement—lush strings, gentle guitar, and soft percussion—fits the era’s countrypolitan trend, as Taste of Country observes: “It’s golden-age country, with Hank’s voice carrying the weight of remorse.” The album reached No. 12 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The D-A-G chord progression and “there’s just something about a spray of roses” refrain, per BettyLouMusic, gave it radio appeal. A 2004 remaster on The Best of Hank Williams, Jr. and a 2018 YouTube upload by Universal Music Group kept it accessible, per Spotify.
Hank Williams Jr., born May 26, 1949, in Shreveport, Louisiana, is the son of country legend Hank Williams. Initially a tribute act for his father, he found his own voice in the 1970s before embracing a Southern rock-infused outlaw style post-1975, with hits like “Family Tradition” (1979). Wikipedia notes his 98 country chart singles and 2006 Country Music Hall of Fame induction. “Eleven Roses” was a live staple, performed on The Porter Wagoner Show in 1972 and at his 1973 Grand Ole Opry shows, with a YouTube clip showcasing his earnest delivery. Covers include Trace Adkins (2006), Sonny James (1972), and Barbara Ray (1973), per SecondHandSongs. Reddit fans on r/country in 2023 called it “a classic we don’t hear enough,” with an X post noting its “sweet, old-school vibe.”
The song appeared in no major films but thrives on streaming platforms like Spotify and Smule karaoke, with Shazam users tagging its sentimental melody. No controversies surround it—just Williams’ shift toward a distinct identity, as No Depression notes: “It was Hank Jr. proving he was more than a legacy.” “Eleven Roses” remains a poignant milestone, showcasing his early versatility and emotional depth.
Video
Lyric
I guess you noticed there is only eleven roses
I chose them from our garden where they grew
Take the roses and look in the mirror
And the twelfth rose will be looking back at youThere’s just something about a spray of roses
To a woman they say more than man can say
After what I’ve done you may not keep the roses
But I just thought I would send them anywayThere’s just something about a spray of roses
To a woman they say more than man can say
After what I’ve done you may not keep the roses
But I just thought I would send them anyway
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