It Must Have Been the Roses

Annie laid her head down in the roses1

She had ribbons, ribbons, ribbons

in her long brown hair

I don’t know, maybe it was the roses

All I know, I could not leave her there

Chorus:

I don’t know

it must have been the roses

The roses or the ribbons in her long brown hair

I don’t know, maybe it was the roses

All I know, I could not leave her there

Ten years the waves rolled the ships home from the sea

Thinking well how it may blow in all good company

If I tell another what your own lips told to me

Let me lay ’neath the roses and my eyes no longer see

(Chorus)

One pane of glass in the window

No one is complaining, though, come in and shut the door

Faded is the crimson from the ribbons that she wore

And it’s strange how no one comes ’round anymore

(Chorus)

Words and music by Robert Hunter

1 roses

See note under “That’s It for the Other One.”

Notes:

Studio recording: Reflections (January 1976).

First performance: February 22, 1974, at the Winterland Arena in San Francisco. A steady number in the repertoire thereafter.