Foreign songs about flowers: world classics and popular hits

Pictures of LilyThe Who

The Who – Pictures of Lily (1967)

This song is a track by the British rock band The Who, released in 1967, and its Japanese title is “Lily no Omokage” (“The Image of Lily”).

It’s a ballad about a boy suffering from insomnia who falls in love with a woman named Lily he sees in a photograph given to him by his father.

Lily also means “yuri” (lily) in Japanese, and it seems that quite a few women’s names in foreign countries are also names of flowers.

Lily Of The ValleyQueen

Queen – Lily Of The Valley (Official Lyric Video)

There’s a song by Queen, the legendary British rock band, called “Lily of the Valley.” Its Japanese title is rendered as “Tani ma no Yuri,” but “Lily of the Valley” refers to the flower known as suzuran in Japanese.

It may not be one of their most popular tracks, but it’s a beautifully flowing piece.

Sun Flower Sun KissedYppah

Yppah – Sunflower Sun Kissed

Ipa is a solo project by American musician Joe Corrales Jr.

He is an artist who has gained popularity with a sound that fuses shoegaze and hip-hop through electronica centered on sampling and programming.

“Sunflower” means “himawari” (sunflower).

EdelweissThe Sound of Music

Edelweiss from The Sound of Music (Official HD Video)

The song “Edelweiss” appears in the American musical film The Sound of Music.

In the story, Captain von Trapp sings it as he thinks of his homeland, Austria, which is disappearing after being annexed by Germany, cherishing the edelweiss as a symbol of Austria.

Edelweiss is a high-altitude plant in the Asteraceae family and is commonly found in the Alps.

Yellow RosesHeron

Heron-Yellow Roses 1970

Known by the nickname “Komorebi Folk,” the British folk group Heron has a song called “Yellow Roses.” Another song that features yellow roses is the old folk song from the American South, “The Yellow Rose of Texas.”

Forget Me NotsPATRICE RUSHEN

Patrice Rushen – Forget Me Nots

Patrice Rushen is an American soul and R&B singer.

Her signature and biggest hit is the song “Forget Me Nots,” a staple of disco music in the 1970s and ’80s.

“Forget-me-nots” are flowers whose name carries the meanings “don’t forget me” and “true love,” and that sentiment is reflected in the lyrics.

English RoseMotörhead

English Rose – Motorhead

Motörhead is a high-speed, loud-as-hell rock band said to have developed a sound that encompassed the musical qualities of thrash metal and hardcore punk long before those genres emerged.

Among their songs is one called “English Rose.”