"Roses Are Red (My Love)" is a popular song composed by Al Byron and Paul Evans. It was recorded by Bobby Vinton, backed by Robert Mersey and his Orchestra, in New York City in February 1962, and released in April 1962, and the song was his first hit."Bobby Vinton's All-Time Greatest Hits," Varese (Vintage) Sarabande CD compilation, copyright 2003

Bobby Vinton version Bobby Vinton found the song in a reject pile at Epic Records. He first recorded it as an R&B number, but was allowed to re-record it in a slower more dramatic arrangement, with strings and a vocal choir (from Robert Mersey and his Orchestra) added."Bobby Vinton's All-Time Greatest Hits," Varese (Vintage) Sarabande CD compilation, copyright 2003

The song was released in April 1962.Alan Levy, "A dozen red roses - to disc jockeys", Life, March 12, 1965. p. 89 It reached No. 1 in Australia, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, and the United States, and was a major hit in many other countries as well. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on July 14, 1962, and remained there for four weeks.Hot 100 - Bobby Vinton Roses Are Red Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 19, 2018.Joel Whitburn, "The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits", Billboard Publications, Inc., 1987. p. 316 The single was also the first number-one hit for Epic Records.

Billboard ranked the record No. 4 in their year end ranking "Top 100 Singles of 1962""Top 100 Singles of 1962", Billboard, Section II, December 29, 1962. p. 82. Retrieved February 24, 2018. and No. 36 in their year end ranking of the top Rhythm and Blues records of 1962."The Top 50 Country Music and Rhythm & Blues Records of 1962", Billboard, Section II, December 29, 1962. p. 88. Retrieved March 19, 2018. The song was also ranked No. 17 on Cash Boxs "Top 100 Chart Hits of 1962".

Chart performance

Weekly charts Charts (1962)PeakpositionAustralia (David Kent)David Kent, Australia's Top 20 Singles for August 18, 19621Australia (Music Maker)"Hits of the World", Billboard, September 22, 1962. p. 16. Accessed October 14, 20152Canada (CHUM Hit Parade) Chart No. 275.1Denmark"Hits of the World", Billboard, October 6, 1962. p. 16. Accessed October 14, 20156FlandersBobby Vinton - Roses Are Red (My Love), Ultratop. Retrieved June 3, 2018.5Hong Kong"Hits of the World", Billboard, November 24, 1962. p. 30. Accessed October 14, 20155India (The Voice)"Hits of the World", Billboard, April 6, 1963. p. 66. Accessed October 15, 20159Ireland (Teenage Express)3NetherlandsBobby Vinton - Roses Are Red (My Love), Dutch Charts. Retrieved October 14, 20153New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)"Lever Hit Parade" 16-Aug-1962, Flavour of New Zealand. Accessed October 14, 20151Norway (VG-lista)Bobby Vinton - Roses Are Red (My Love), norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved June 3, 2018.1South Africa1UK New Musical Express"Hits of the World", Billboard, August 25, 1962. p. 18. Accessed October 14, 201513UK Record Retailer15US Billboard Hot 1001US Billboard Easy Listening"Easy Listening", Billboard, July 28, 1962. p. 26. Accessed October 14, 20151US Billboard Hot R&B SidesHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs - Bobby Vinton Roses Are Red Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 20, 2018."Hot R&B Sides", Billboard, August 4, 1962. p. 34. Retrieved March 20, 2018.5WalloniaBobby Vinton - Roses Are Red (My Love), Ultratop. Retrieved June 3, 2018.47West Germany (Musikmarkt)7

Year-end charts Chart (1962)RankSouth Africa10US Billboard Hot 1004US Billboard Easy Listening"Top Adult Contemporary Songs of 1962", MusicVF.com. Retrieved March 16, 2019.3US Billboard R&B36US Cash Box17

All-time charts Chart (1958-2018) PositionUS Billboard Hot 100256

Certifications

Ronnie Carroll version In the UK, a cover version by Northern Irish singer Ronnie Carroll reached No. 3 on the Record Retailer chart on August 8, 1962, the same week that the Bobby Vinton record peaked at No. 15.Ronnie Carroll- Full Official Chart History, Official Charts Company. Accessed October 13, 2015Bobby Vinton - Full Official Chart History, Official Charts Company. Accessed October 13, 2015 It peaked at No. 7 in the very first Irish Singles Chart published in September 1962.

Chart performance Charts (1962)PeakpositionUK (New Musical Express)"Hits of the World", Billboard, September 15, 1962. p. 16. Accessed October 14, 20152UK (Record Retailer)3

Other versions In July 1962, David MacBeth released his version of the song as a single on Piccadilly Records.

The song was recorded by Jim Reeves in 1963 and released on the album Gentleman Jim, one of the last albums released while he was still alive.

Caterina Valente recorded the song in German, Rosen Sind Rot（1962). The single reached #7 in Germany.

In 1962, an answer song, entitled "Long as the Rose Is Red", was recorded by Florraine Darlin."Artists' Biographies", Billboard, September 29, 1962. p. 40. Accessed February 19, 2016 The song spent seven weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 62,Hot 100 - Florraine Darlin Long as the Rose Is Red Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 20, 2018. while reaching No. 15 on Billboards Easy Listening chart.Adult Contemporary - Florraine Darlin Long as the Rose Is Red Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 20, 2018."Easy Listening", Billboard, September 15, 1962. p. 26. Accessed February 19, 2016 It was released by Epic Records (single #9529)"Late Pop Spotlights", Billboard, August 4, 1962. p. 10. Retrieved March 20, 2018. and was produced by Robert Morgan.

See also List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1962 (U.S.) List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1962 (U.S.) VG-lista 1962 List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1960s List of number-one singles in 1962 (New Zealand)

References