Flowers
1968 · Original Sound OS-84 · Hollywood, California
- Artist
- Ricky Dean
- Title
- Flowers
- Release
- Flowers / I'll Never Love Another
- Year
- 1968
- Label
- Original Sound # OS-84
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Hollywood, California, USA
- Songwriter
- P. Buff, R. Martinez
- Genre
- Pop · Psychedelic Pop
- Primary theme
- Home Front Perspective / Soldier's Perspective
Annotation
The song "Flowers" (Original Sound # OS-84) is a teen / psychedelic pop song which looked at the impact of the war on soldiers. The narrator is about to return home, his tour is finished: "I'm coming home, my time is done". However, he is killed in action before returning. This single was released in Hollywood, California, USA. Ricky Dean is a Mexican-American, born Rick Martinez.1 Composed by Paul Buff and Ricky Dean. Allison Buff is the female vocalist.Also featured in: • Vietnam War: Mexican-American Songs Sources1united-mutations.com: Ricky dean↩
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — Mexican-American / Hispanic Songs
The song "Flowers" (Original Sound # OS-84) is a teen / psychedelic pop song which looked at the impact of the war on soldiers. The narrator is about to return home, his tour is finished: "I'm coming home, my time is done". However, he is killed in action before returning. This single was released in Hollywood, California, USA. Ricky Dean is a Mexican-American, born Rick Martinez.1 Composed by Paul Buff and Ricky Dean. Allison Buff is the female vocalist. Sources1united-mutations.com: Ricky dean↩
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — US Combat Perspective Songs
The song "Flowers" (Original Sound # OS-84) is a teen / psychedelic pop song which looked at the impact of the war on soldiers. The narrator is about to return home, his tour is finished: "I'm coming home, my time is done". However, he is killed in action before returning. This single was released in Hollywood, California, USA. Ricky Dean is a Mexican-American, born Rick Martinez.1 Composed by Paul Buff and Ricky Dean. Allison Buff is the female vocalist.Sources1united-mutations.com: Ricky dean↩
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: The sun will warm her flowers / The April sky will bring them showers / In the darkness they will sleep, until the morning they will keep / While their sleeping she will weep / But not for long, I'm coming home, my time is done / I'll soon be leaving, this land so full of tears and grieving / In the morning I'll be gone / Someone else can carry on / I'll be coming home tomorrow, the lights are low, everyone, is sleeping / All the guns are quiet, everyone is sleeping / My sun will warm his flowers / The April sky will bring him showers / In the darkness he will sleep, till the morning I will weep
Notes
Original Sound OS-84 (or-171), 7120 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood 46, Calif., white "Promo Copy — Not for Sale" label marked "Plug Side", compatible mono/stereo; "Flowers" (P. Buff, R. Martinez), Drive-In Music (BMI), 2:31; produced by Paul Buff. [From the record sleeve and labels]
About the artist
Ricky Dean released "Flowers" b/w "I'll Never Love Another" on Original Sound (OS-84, 1968), produced by Paul Buff with backing vocals by Allison Buff; earlier singles "Blue Tears" / "Little Girl" appeared on Emmy/Donna in 1962. Collector accounts identify "Ricky Dean" as the stage name of Rick Martinez, a Mexican-American singer raised in Nebraska and Sacramento who served stateside as an Army radio operator at Fort Ord, and state that "Flowers" was dedicated to Vietnam veterans. [Source: Discogs; collector accounts]
Themes
Soldier's Perspective · Home Front Perspective · K.I.A. · Military
In collections
Mexican-American / Hispanic Songs · US Combat Perspective Songs [War Years] · US Military & Veteran Songs