Love Is a Rose

This song was written by Neil Young, who recorded it in 1974 for an album called Homegrown that wasn't released until 2020. He offered it to Ronstadt, who recorded a faster version with a hoedown feel. Young's rendition appeared on his 1977 compilation, Decade.

Roses have long been used as metaphors for love, to the point where it's somewhat cliché. Neil Young's angle is that once the rose is picked from the vine, it starts to die and you'll be left with a handful of thorns. Much of his work around this time dealt with his split from the actress Carrie Snodgress, with whom he had his first child, Zeke, in 1972.

Neil Young performed "Love Is A Rose" with different lyrics in 1971 when the song was known as "Dance Dance Dance." This version, which was not released until the 2007 compilation Live at Massey Hall 1971, had a more optimistic tone: Never thought love had a rainbow on it See the girl dance