Roses (Outkast song)

Infobox Single
Name = Roses


Artist = OutKast
from Album = Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
Released = March 2, 2004
Format = 12" vinyl, CD single
Recorded =
Genre = R&B, soul, Hip hop
Length = 6:09
Label =
Writer = André 3000, Big Boi, Matt Boykin
Producer = André 3000, Dojo5
Certification = Platinum (ARIA) [ [http://aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations-singles-2004.htm "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2004 Singles"] . Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 7, 2007.]
Last single = "Hey Ya!"/"The Way You Move"
(2003)
This single = "Roses"
(2004)
Next single = "Ghettomusick / Prototype"
(2004)

"Roses" is a track by OutKast from their 2003 double album "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below". It appears on André 3000's "The Love Below" disc, and is the only track on his disc to feature Big Boi. It peaked at #4 on the UK Singles Chart and #9 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Despite the belief that this is the only song that both André 3000 and Big Boi appear on in the double disc album, André appears in two tracks and produced three tracks on the "Speakerboxxx" disc.

Music video

The video heavily references the stage musical "West Side Story" and features cameo appearances from Paula Abdul, Lukas Haas, Kevin McDonald, members of the Dungeon Family, and Katt Williams, Faizon Love, as well as various others.

An unknown person is flipping through a Stankonia yearbook and comes on the photo of Caroline Jones, "Biggest Flirt". After Caroline leaves the bathroom with her girls, Big Boi is shown with his crew. He opens a response he gave to Caroline, asking if she'd be his valentine. Rather than checking off the Yes or No boxes Big Boi put on the paper, she adds her own 'Maybe' option. Upset, Big Boi calls his crew to ride with him to the school.

André 3000 is shown to be heading a musical on stage, where he sings the song and parodying Caroline, though Caroline herself is oblivious to the parody. During this time, Big Boi’s crew, Speakerboxx, drives to the school, performing acts of vandalism such as knocking mailboxes off. When Big Boi crashes the auditorium where the play is being held, Speakerboxx announces their arrival, which is followed by the men on the stage announcing themselves as The Love Below.

Despite the pleas of the principal for no fighting, the two groups confront each other in the middle of the auditorium and start a large fight. Most of the students wind up in the fight, including the principal himself (played by Kevin McDonald). Big Boi moves away from the fight and directs his rap to an uncaring Caroline. In the end, an effeminate man (played by Katt Williams) convinces Caroline to “take one last look at the past” before walking off with him. André 3000 himself is carried off, and the scene goes back to the yearbook, where the reader (presumably director, Bryan Barber) falls asleep after getting to “The End”.

Formats and track listings

;CD maxi single
# "Roses" (radio edit) – 4:14
# "Roses" (album version) – 6:09
# "Roses" (instrumental) – 4:43
# "Roses" (video)

;American 12" vinyl single
# "Roses" (radio edit) – 4:14
# "Roses" (instrumental) – 4:43
# "Roses" (club mix) – 6:14
# "Roses" (a cappella) – 5:25

;European CD single
# "Roses" (radio edit) – 4:14
# "Roses" (instrumental) – 4:43

Charts

Covers

Hayseed Dixie featured a cover of this on their album "A Hot Piece of Grass."

The Twilight Singers cover Roses on their Live in Kentucky Bootleg DVD.

References