Good Year for the Roses - wikipedia Good Year for the Roses `` A Good Year for the Roses '' Single by George Jones from the album George Jones with Love B - side `` Let a Little Loving Come In '' Released October 1970 Format Gramophone record Genre Country Length 3 : 12 Label Musicor Songwriter ( s ) Jerry Chesnut Producer ( s ) Bob Moore George Jones singles chronology `` Tell Me My Lying Eyes Are Wrong '' ( 1970 ) `` A Good Year for the Roses '' ( 1970 ) `` Sometimes You Just Ca n't Win '' ( 1971 ) `` Tell Me My Lying Eyes Are Wrong '' ( 1970 ) `` Good Year for the Roses '' ( 1970 ) `` Sometimes You Just Ca n't Win '' ( 1971 ) `` Good Year for the Roses '' Single by George Jones and Alan Jackson from the album The Bradley Barn Sessions B - side `` High - Tech Redneck '' Released November 1994 Genre Country Length 3 : 38 Label MCA Nashville Songwriter ( s ) Jerry Chesnut Producer ( s ) Brian Ahern George Jones singles chronology `` Never Bit a Bullet Like This '' ( 1994 ) Never Bit a Bullet Like This1994 `` Good Year for the Roses '' ( 1994 ) Good Year for the Roses1994 `` One '' ( 1995 ) One1995 Alan Jackson singles chronology `` Livin ' on Love '' ( 1994 ) Livin ' on Love 1994 `` Good Year for the Roses '' ( 1994 ) Good Year for the Roses1994 `` Gone Country '' ( 1994 ) Gone Country 1994 `` A Good Year for the Roses '' Single by George Jones Released 1970 Genre Country Length 3 : 12 Label Musicor Songwriter ( s ) Jerry Chestnut Producer ( s ) Pappy Daily George Jones singles chronology `` Tell Me My Lying Eyes Are Wrong '' ( 1970 ) `` A Good Year for the Roses '' ( 1970 ) `` Sometimes You Just Ca n't Win '' ( 1971 ) `` Tell Me My Lying Eyes Are Wrong '' ( 1970 ) `` A Good Year for the Roses '' ( 1970 ) `` Sometimes You Just Ca n't Win '' ( 1971 ) `` A Good Year for the Roses '' is a ballad written by Jerry Chesnut and originally recorded by American country singer George Jones. It rose to # 2 on the country singles chart in 1970. Contents 1 Background 2 Other recordings 3 Chart performance 3.1 George Jones version 3.2 Elvis Costello version 3.3 George Jones and Alan Jackson version 4 References Background `` A Good Year for the Roses '' describes the thoughts of a man as his wife is preparing to leave him, and is as good an example as any of Jones ' ability to deliver an intensely moving vocal, in this case one that conveys both the sadness and profound bitterness that comes with a broken marriage. Although recorded while George was with Musicor, the production is typical of the sound Billy Sherrill would employ when Jones moved to Epic Records the following year. Although supported by a choir of background singers and strings on the chorus, Jones ' stunning clenched - teeth vocal is the centerpiece throughout, with Chris Woodstra of AllMusic calling it `` one of his all - time greatest performances. '' The lyric, infused by Jones ' nuanced delivery, captures the disillusion of the narrator : Jones recorded two versions of the song ; the second can be heard on the A Good Year for the Roses : The Complete Musicor Recordings 1965 - 1971. Jones also cut the song with Alan Jackson as a duet in 1994 for the Bradley Barn Sessions, but was disappointed with its reception by country radio, noting in his autobiography, `` Alan was white - hot on the radio, and programmers wanted his voice. But some did n't want his if they had to take mine. The vast majority of Alan 's other single records have gone to number one. His duet with me was his first not to crack the top 50. '' It actually peaked at number 57. In June 1995, the song won the Music City News Country Awards `` Vocal Collaboration of the Year. '' Other recordings Elvis Costello scored a No. 6 hit in the UK Singles Chart with the song in 1981. Berlin - based band Dangerpony with Laura Bruce and Laurent Lavolé made a cover of the song in 2013. Wizex recorded the song in 1982 on the album Nattfjäril, with Kikki Danielsson on lead vocals. Stefan Sundström wrote lyrics in Swedish as Fläder, and the song was recorded as Apache on the album Babyland in 1997. Mona Halldeby wrote other lyrics in Swedish Ännu blommor våra rosor, recorded by among others Stefan Borsch 1982 on the album En liten fågel, and by Lasse Stefanz on the 2010 album Texas. In 2016, Michael Daves released both an acoustic and an electric version of the song on his Orchids and Violence album. Chart performance George Jones version Chart ( 1970 -- 1971 ) Peak position Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles ( Billboard ) 12 US Hot Country Singles ( Billboard ) Elvis Costello version Chart ( 1981 -- 1982 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 34 Belgium ( Flanders ) 25 Netherlands 11 UK Singles Chart 6 George Jones and Alan Jackson version Chart ( 1994 ) Peak position Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) 65 US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) 56 References Jump up ^ Jones, George ; Carter, Tom 1995, pp. 330. ^ Jump up to : Roberts, David ( 2006 ). British Hit Singles & Albums ( 19th ed. ). London : Guinness World Records Limited. ISBN 1 - 904994 - 10 - 5. Jump up ^ `` Nattfjäril Svensk mediedatabas ''. Smdb. kb. sde. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 03. Jump up ^ `` Texas Svensk mediedatabas ''. Smdb. kb. sde. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 03. Jump up ^ `` Top RPM Country Tracks : Issue 3738. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. January 16, 1971. Retrieved August 4, 2014. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2005 ). Joel Whitburn 's Top Country Songs 1944 to 2005. Record Research. p. 195. Jump up ^ Kent, David ( 1993 ). Australian Chart Book 1970 -- 1992 ( Illustrated ed. ). Sydney : Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0 - 646 - 11917 - 6. Jump up ^ `` Elvis Costello - Good Year For The Roses ''. Ultratop.be. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 03. Jump up ^ Steffen Hung. `` Elvis Costello - Good Year For The Roses ''. Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 03. Jump up ^ `` Top RPM Country Tracks : Issue 2692. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. December 19, 1994. Retrieved August 4, 2014. Jump up ^ `` George Jones Chart History ( Hot Country Songs ) ''. Billboard. George Jones singles Singles `` No Money in This Deal '' `` Why Baby Why '' `` Achin ', Breakin ' Heart '' `` Seasons of My Heart '' `` Too Much Water '' `` Just One More '' `` Do n't Stop the Music '' `` Color of the Blues '' `` White Lightning '' `` The Window Up Above '' `` Tender Years '' `` She Thinks I Still Care '' `` I 'll Share My World with You `` The Race Is On '' `` Love Bug '' `` Walk Through This World with Me '' `` If My Heart Had Windows '' `` Good Year for the Roses '' `` Loving You Could Never Be Better '' `` A Picture of Me ( Without You ) '' `` The Grand Tour '' `` The Door '' `` He Stopped Loving Her Today '' `` I 'm Not Ready Yet '' `` If Drinkin ' Do n't Kill Me ( Her Memory Will ) '' `` Still Doin ' Time '' `` Same Ole Me '' `` Shine On ( Shine All Your Sweet Love on Me ) '' `` I Always Get Lucky with You '' `` Tennessee Whiskey '' `` You 've Still Got a Place in My Heart '' `` She 's My Rock '' `` Hallelujah, I Love You So '' `` Who 's Gonna Fill Their Shoes '' `` The One I Loved Back Then ( The Corvette Song ) '' `` Somebody Wants Me Out of the Way '' `` Wine Colored Roses '' `` The Right Left Hand '' `` I Turn to You '' `` I 'm a One Woman Man '' `` I Do n't Need Your Rockin ' Chair '' `` Choices '' `` Funny How Time Slips Away '' Collaborative singles `` We Must Have Been Out of Our Minds '' ( w / Melba Montgomery ) `` Let 's Invite Them Over '' ( w / Melba Montgomery ) `` What 's in Our Heart '' ( w / Melba Montgomery ) `` Blue Moon of Kentucky '' ( w / Melba Montgomery ) `` We 're Gonna Hold On '' ( w / Tammy Wynette ) `` Golden Ring '' ( w / Tammy Wynette ) `` Near You '' ( w / Tammy Wynette ) `` Maybellene '' ( w / Johnny Paycheck ) `` Two Story House '' ( w / Tammy Wynette ) `` You Better Move On '' ( w / Johnny Paycheck ) `` Yesterday 's Wine '' ( w / Merle Haggard ) `` C.C. Waterback '' ( w / Merle Haggard ) Guest singles `` A Few Ole Country Boys '' ( w / Randy Travis ) `` You Do n't Seem to Miss Me '' ( w / Patty Loveless ) `` A Country Boy Can Survive ( Y2K version ) '' ( w / Chad Brock and Hank Williams, Jr. ) `` Murder on Music Row '' ( w / Dierks Bentley ) Related articles Albums discography Singles discography Discography with Tammy Wynette Awards Alan Jackson singles Here in the Real World `` Here in the Real World '' `` Wanted '' `` Chasin ' That Neon Rainbow '' `` I 'd Love You All Over Again '' Do n't Rock the Jukebox `` Do n't Rock the Jukebox '' `` Someday '' `` Dallas '' `` Midnight in Montgomery '' `` Love 's Got a Hold on You '' A Lot About Livin ' ( And a Little ' bout Love ) `` She 's Got the Rhythm ( And I Got the Blues ) '' `` Tonight I Climbed the Wall '' `` Chattahoochee '' `` Mercury Blues '' `` ( Who Says ) You Ca n't Have It All '' Who I Am `` Summertime Blues '' `` Livin ' on Love '' `` Gone Country '' `` Song for the Life '' `` I Do n't Even Know Your Name '' The Greatest Hits Collection `` Tall, Tall Trees '' `` I 'll Try '' `` Home '' Everything I Love `` Little Bitty '' `` Everything I Love '' `` Who 's Cheatin ' Who '' `` There Goes '' `` Between the Devil and Me '' `` A House with No Curtains '' High Mileage `` I 'll Go On Loving You '' `` Right on the Money '' `` Gone Crazy '' `` Little Man '' Under the Influence `` Pop a Top '' `` The Blues Man '' `` It Must Be Love '' When Somebody Loves You `` www. memory '' `` When Somebody Loves You '' `` Where I Come From '' `` It 's Alright to Be a Redneck '' Drive `` Where Were You ( When the World Stopped Turning ) '' `` Drive ( For Daddy Gene ) '' `` Work in Progress '' `` That 'd Be Alright '' Greatest Hits Volume II `` It 's Five O'Clock Somewhere '' ( w / Jimmy Buffett ) `` Remember When '' What I Do `` Too Much of a Good Thing '' `` Monday Morning Church '' `` The Talkin ' Song Repair Blues '' `` USA Today '' Like Red on a Rose `` Like Red on a Rose '' `` A Woman 's Love '' Good Time `` Small Town Southern Man '' `` Good Time '' `` Country Boy '' `` Sissy 's Song '' `` I Still Like Bologna '' Freight Train `` It 's Just That Way '' `` Hard Hat and a Hammer '' 34 Number Ones `` Ring of Fire '' Thirty Miles West `` Long Way to Go '' `` So You Do n't Have to Love Me Anymore '' `` You Go Your Way '' Other songs `` Tequila Sunrise '' `` Good Year for the Roses '' ( w / George Jones ) `` Redneck Games '' ( w / Jeff Foxworthy ) `` Margaritaville '' ( w / Jimmy Buffett ) `` Murder on Music Row '' ( w / George Strait ) `` Designated Drinker '' ( w / George Strait ) `` Hey, Good Lookin ' '' ( w / Jimmy Buffett, Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith and George Strait ) `` You Ai n't Just Whistlin ' Dixie '' ( w / The Bellamy Brothers ) `` As She 's Walking Away '' ( w / Zac Brown Band ) See also Singles discography Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Good_Year_for_the_Roses&oldid=848488711 '' Categories : 1970 songs 1970 singles 1981 singles 1994 singles George Jones songs Alan Jackson songs Musicor Records singles MCA Nashville Records singles Song recordings produced by Brian Ahern ( producer ) Songs written by Jerry Chesnut Vocal duets Elvis Costello songs Country music songs Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Singlechart usages for Canadacountry Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Singlechart making named ref Singlechart usages for Billboardcountrysongs Talk Contents About Wikipedia Nederlands Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 2 July 2018, at 06 : 47 ( UTC ). 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Question: who wrote a good year for the roses
Answer: Jerry Chesnut