ROSE GARDEN - chords and comments

Lyrics without distraction HERE

Joe South, born Joseph Alfred Souter (1940–2012), wrote this one in 1967. It was first recorded by Billy Joe Royal the same year, followed by South himself. None of these recordings were especially successful, but in 1970 Lynn Anderson came across South's original and decided to cover it.
The producer at Columbia Records refused: he regarded it as a male song. Lynn did not give in, and won the battle. The single became a huge crossover-hit all around the world. She did not only cover it, she captured it.
A lot of artists have covered it ever since. They all sound the same. Joe South's way of making music made sure: play as is, or get lost. I've tried to tweak it, to make it my own. Damn, I got lost. I don't fancy to get stuck ... so I play it as is.
G            Am    D         D7            G
I beg your pardon  I never promised you a rose garden
                Am      D            D7           G
along with the sunshine there's gotta be a little rain sometimes
         C                                               Am
when you take you gotta give so live and let live or let go oh oh oh
            D       D7                      G
I beg your pardon   I never promised you a rose garden

G
I could promise you things like big diamond rings
G                          G7                   Am
but you don't find roses growing on stalks of clover
                        D7
so you better think it over
          G
when it's sweet talking you could make it come true
                                  G7               Am
I would give you the world right now on a silver platter
                  D7
but what would it matter

   Am                     D        D7
so smile for a while and let's be jolly
 Bm                   E7
love shouldn't be so melancholy
Am                       A7                  Cm ...D7
come along and share the good times while we can

           Am      D         D7            G ...
I beg your pardon  I never promised you a rose garden ...
G major
G
G seventh
G7
D major
D
D seventh
D7
C major
C
C minor
Cm
A minor
Am
A seventh
A7
B minor
Bm
E seventh
E7
Joe South