A Rose Is Still a Rose

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"A Rose Is Still a Rose" is a 1998 single written and produced by Lauryn Hill and recorded and released by singer Aretha Franklin off the album of the same name. Written by Hill for Franklin, the song is feminist-based, focused on a motherly figure giving advice to a younger woman who keeps getting into bad relationships. Throughout the song, Franklin advises that in spite of everything and despite the woman's "scorned roses and thorn crowns" that the woman is "still a rose". Elements of the song "What I Am" by Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians were sung throughout the song by Hill herself. The video features Franklin, Hill and other female R&B singers such as Faith Evans and Amel Larrieux and featured Elise Neal in the video as the main protagonist. Released in 1998, the song became a surprise hit for Franklin, 40-plus years into her storied career, reaching number twenty-six on the Billboard Hot 100 and number-five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart while also reaching the UK top forty. The song helped its parent album reach gold status and remains one of Franklin's most played songs from her later years.

Chart positions

Credits

• Lead and background vocals by Aretha Franklin
• Additional vocals by Lauryn Hill
• Produced by Lauryn Hill

References

v d e Aretha Franklin Studio albums Columbia Songs of Faith (1956) Aretha: With The Ray Bryant Combo (1961) The Electrifying Aretha Franklin (1962) The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin (1962) Laughing on the Outside (1963) Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington (1964) Runnin' Out of Fools (1964) Soul Sister (1966) Take It Like You Give It (1967) Take a Look (1967) Atlantic I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967) Aretha Arrives (1967) Lady Soul (1968) Aretha Now (1968) Soul '69 (1969) Soft and Beautiful (1969) This Girl's in Love with You (1970) Spirit in the Dark (1970) Young, Gifted and Black (1972) Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky) (1973) Let Me in Your Life (1974) With Everything I Feel in Me (1974) You (1975) Sparkle (1976) Sweet Passion (1977) Almighty Fire (1978) · La Diva (1979) Arista Aretha (1980) Love All the Hurt Away (1981) Jump to It (1982) Get It Right (1983) Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985) Aretha (1986) Through the Storm (1989) What You See Is What You Sweat (1991) A Rose Is Still a Rose (1998) So Damn Happy (2003) Other This Christmas, Aretha (2008) A Woman Falling Out of Love (2011) Live albums Yeah!!! In Person with Her Quartet (1965) · Aretha in Paris (1968) · Aretha Live at Fillmore West (1971) · Amazing Grace (1972) · One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism (1987) · Oh Me Oh My: Aretha Live in Philly, 1972 (2007) Compilation albums Aretha's Gold (1969) · Aretha's Greatest Hits (1971) · The Best of Aretha Franklin (1973) · Aretha Sings the Blues (1980) · Greatest Hits (1980–1994) (1994) · Greatest Hits (1998) · Aretha's Best (2001) · Rare & Unreleased Recordings from the Golden Reign of the Queen of Soul (2007) · Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the Queen (2007) · A Deeper Love: The Best of Aretha Franklin (2009) · The Great American Songbook (2011) · Knew You Were Waiting: The Best of Aretha Franklin (1980-1998) (2012) Box sets Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings (1992) · Take A Look: Aretha Franklin Complete on Columbia (2011) Singles "Precious Lord (Part 1)" (1959) · "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" (1961) · "I Surrender, Dear" (1962) · "Try a Little Tenderness" (1962) · "Say It Isn't So" (1963) · "Skylark" (1963) · "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" (1964) · "One Step Ahead" (1965) · "You Made Me Love You" (1965) · "Mockingbird" (1967) · "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" (1967) · "Respect" (1967) · "Baby I Love You" (1967) · "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (1967) · "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" · "Chain of Fools" (1967) · "Satisfaction" (1968) · "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" (1968) · "Think" (1968) · "You Send Me" (1968) · "I Say a Little Prayer" (1968) · "The Weight" (1969) · "Tracks of My Tears" (1969) · "Gentle on My Mind" (1969) · "Share Your Love with Me" (1969) · "Eleanor Rigby" (1969) · "Call Me" (1970) · "Son of a Preacher Man" (1970) · "The Thrill Is Gone" (1970) · "Don't Play That Song" (1970) · "You're All I Need to Get By" (1971) · "Bridge over Troubled Water" (1971) · "Spanish Harlem" (1971) · "Rock Steady" (1971) · "Day Dreaming" (1972) · "Wholy Holy" (1972) · "Angel" (1973) · "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" (1973) · "I'm in Love" (1974) · "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (1974) · "Something He Can Feel" (1976) · "Break It to Me Gently" (1977) · "What a Fool Believes" (1981) · "It's My Turn" (1981) · "Jump to It" (1982) · "Get It Right" (1983) · Freeway of Love" (1985) · "Who's Zoomin' Who" (1985) · "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" (1985) · "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (1986) · "Jimmy Lee" (1986) · "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (1987) · "Oh Happy Day" (1988) · "It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be" (1989) · "Everyday People" (1991) · "Someday We'll All Be Free" (1992) · "A Deeper Love" (1993) · "Willing to Forgive" (1994)  · "A Rose Is Still a Rose" (1998)  · "Wonderful" (2003)  · "Put You Up on Game" (2007) Record labels Columbia · Atlantic · Arista Related topics Discography Book:Aretha Franklin