About The Song
“An Occasional Rose” is a country ballad recorded by American singer Marty Robbins and released as a single in October 1980. It was written by Dave Burgess and produced by Eddie Kilroy. The track appears as the ninth song on Robbins’ 1981 album Everything I’ve Always Wanted, issued by Columbia Records (catalog JC 36860).
The single reached number 28 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, spending 12 weeks on the chart. This marked one of Robbins’ later charting singles during a period when he continued to release material consistently into the early 1980s. A follow-up single from the same album, “Completely Out of Love,” peaked at number 47 on the same chart.
Marty Robbins (born Martin David Robinson, September 26, 1925 – December 8, 1982) had a career spanning over three decades by this point, with 17 number-one singles on the Billboard country charts and a total of 94 charting singles. Known for his versatility across styles including traditional country, western ballads, rockabilly, pop crossovers, and Hawaiian music, Robbins had already secured major successes such as “El Paso” (Grammy winner for Best Country & Western Recording in 1961), “A White Sport Coat (and a Pink Carnation),” “Singing the Blues,” and “Devil Woman.” By the late 1970s and early 1980s, his output included albums like All Around Cowboy (1979) and With Love, Marty Robbins (1980), leading into Everything I’ve Always Wanted.
The album Everything I’ve Always Wanted was released in 1981 on Columbia Records. It featured a mix of tracks, including several written or co-written by Robbins himself, alongside contributions from other songwriters. “An Occasional Rose” stands as a representative example of his continued work in straightforward country balladry during this era. The production by Eddie Kilroy aligned with standard Nashville recording practices of the time. Dave Burgess, the songwriter, had other credits in country music, including various compositions recorded by artists in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Robbins’ late-career recordings, including those from 1980–1982, often appeared on Columbia before his death in December 1982. Posthumous releases followed, such as compilations and additional albums drawing from his catalog. “An Occasional Rose” was later included on various compilation releases, including Biggest Hits and digital reissues. Reissue labels like Morello and Cherry Red have paired it with other late-period material, such as in the two-fer CD combining All Around Cowboy and Everything I’ve Always Wanted.
In terms of chart performance context, Robbins maintained a presence on country charts into the 1980s despite shifts in the genre toward more contemporary sounds. His earlier peaks included multiple weeks at number one in the 1950s and 1960s. “An Occasional Rose” performed modestly compared to his career highs but reflected his enduring fan base and label support. The song did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 or other major pop charts.
The recording features Robbins’ characteristic smooth vocal delivery over a traditional country arrangement. Session details are not extensively documented in public sources, but it followed Columbia’s standard practices for his projects. The B-side of the single was “Holding On To You.” Promo copies and commercial 7-inch singles (Columbia 1-11372) were distributed in the United States.
Robbins’ overall discography includes 52 studio albums. Everything I’ve Always Wanted fits among his final original studio projects before his passing. He continued performing and recording despite health challenges, including heart issues that had affected him for years. His versatility allowed him to maintain output across genres, though late 1970s and early 1980s work leaned more toward core country material.
Additional context on the songwriter: Dave Burgess contributed to other tracks recorded by Robbins and various artists. The composition uses standard country lyrical tropes centered on romantic persistence and emotional resilience. No major external events or specific recording anecdotes beyond standard production credits are widely documented for this particular track in primary sources like Wikipedia, Songfacts, or AllMusic.
The song has been reissued on streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music, and appears in various Marty Robbins compilations. Its inclusion in Biggest Hits collections underscores its representation of his later output. Physical vinyl copies from the original pressing remain collectible among country music enthusiasts.
Marty Robbins was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1982. His catalog, spanning rockabilly, western epics, and ballads like “An Occasional Rose,” continues to be re-evaluated in retrospectives. The track exemplifies his ability to deliver consistent country singles well into the later stages of his career.
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Lyric
It’s so hard to fight a memory
Only time can be a healer of the past
And the thorns of love are many
When they’re clingin’ to a love that didn’t lastYesterday is over and his memory
Will fade away with time
So I’ll accept a rose and just be patient
Till all your love is mineI can take the thorns if there’s
Just an occasional rose
I can bear the pain for a while
Even though my heart knows
You’ll be thinkin’ of him when
We’re makin’ love, it always shows
I can take the thorns if there’s
Just an occasional roseThe road of love is rocky and
Behind the blue sky there’s a thousand storms
But a smile or a touch or a love word’s
Like a rose among the thornsWhen you say you love me
It erases all the worries on my mind
‘Cause you’ll be with me tonight
For a little while his memory’s left behindI can take the thorns if there’s
Just an occasional rose
I can bear the pain for a while
Even though my heart knows
You’ll be thinkin’ of him when
We’re makin’ love, it always shows
I can take the thorns if there’s
Just an occasional roseI can take the thorns if there’s
Just an occasional rose