Dead Flowers

I think this explanation is best. She insults him over and over and he promises to return the favor.

I really agree w/ 99% of this, but I think that the 'dead flowers' (have you ever sent live flowers? you can't, once they are picked, they are dead) are not an insult, but the speaker's way of mocking the idea of courtly love. live is meant to be enjoyed, but Susie's notions of love consist of unimaginative gifts of flowers, rather than a living flower (herself)

@gretsch54 Yeah, i am inclined to agree with you. I have actually been in this position before, sans the needle and the spoon in favor of ones' olfactus, but very little else was different. Women and even friends or acquaintances such as this are a real drag to be around and I suspect he was trying to get that message out vis a vi his feelings for her. <br /> It seems as though his former, what I assume to be former, as it ain't much of a leap, is a snob, a real loud mouth, up the nose bore. He is telling her that as he has no doubt had his last dose of criticism from this woman and hopes never to see her darken his door again, a thought that he apparently deems rather pleasant judging by the upbeat tenor of the tune compared to, let's say, Star Fucker. <br /> Now that's one where a particular broad left a bad taste in somebody's mouth or mind or all of the above! It is however another superb Rolling Stones Song. Nobody makes music like the Stones and no one ever will, particularly if you throw in their longevity.<br /> In closing, I recall riding in my Dad's car and The Last Time came on the radio, my Dad was mighty cool, definitely not a radio nazi, however nor was he a rock and roller, and remember this is being played contemporaneously so it's roughly 1964, and my Dad says they're not too bad but they won't last, in two years you wont remember the name. I always kidded him about that, them being my favorite band my entire life, even when he was 93 years old in the hospital we joked about the day before he passed on. Good band, great Dad.

"Dead Flowers" actually has to do with Keith's buddy Gram Parsons' wife sending him flowers while he was in England. By the time they tracked him down, the flowers were, of course, dead. I remember reading this from perhaps the book by Rolling Stone editor and writer Ben Fong-Torres. Maybe another source? Anyway both Keith and Gram found it funny.<br /> <br /> SOURCE:<br /> songfacts.com/detail.php

Um, I know this is a 5 year old post, but it needs to be said, Little Susie/Brown-Eyes Susan are not terms associated with H. Neither is "roses". I think you're really stretching here. While yes, there is a common drug theme throughout the entire song, you cannot make up drug slang on the spot. First thing to remember, is this is a country song. It was written with the intention of being played as a straight country song. I think you'll have more luck finding a reason for "Susie" keeping that in mind. You didn't mention "another girl can take my pain away", which is a direct heroin reference (golden girl). <br /> <br /> Just listen to the song, the "too good" girl left the bad boy. She thought she was the queen of the underground, ie slumming it. She's gone, and the junkies are left self medicating like they always do. The lyrics don't seem full of hidden meaning, it seems straight forward, and (side note) I've definitely been in the same spot from which the narration comes... nonetheless, beautiful song.

I think it's quite straightforward too -though I'm not entirely sure that what I'm understanding is right- rather than it having a hidden meaning. <br /> But I have to say that to me it doesn't seem like she's left him rather he left her, otherwise, if he was so in love with her, why would he be saying "send me dead flowers to my wedding" and then "say it with dead flowers at my wedding", like she's pissed off at him? <br /> Although he does say he won't forget to put roses on her grave, to me it seems that what he's trying to say is that she will die before him because she's in deeper shit than he is. Also the red roses thing plus the "rich folk that you know" plus the "rose pink cadillac" make it sound like she's rich, an actress maybe. <br /> <br /> To me it sounds like they're both junkies, and he's going to marry someone else, which is why she's sending him dead flowers, as if she's really hurt about it and hates him for it. <br /> <br /> Again, I might be completely wrong about this, but it makes sense to me... If you think there's something I'm missing here please point it out; I would really like to know exactly what the song is about. And I agree, BEAUTIFUL song!

I don't think its meant to be sweet at all. Who would send their lover dead flowers? I agree with you, I think he is essentially saying that he is going to live a long, fulfilled life and return to place roses on her grave, which is a symbolic victory

@Marquez My aunt at ages 79 went to her first love to put some roses in his grave. He didn´t have a right closure. They got married have a family but she never forgot him. Til this year when she tried to look for him to have that closure, she realize he was dead since 20 years ago. She keep thinking on him almost her whole life. She was crying just there, I was next to her. So it doesn´t seem that it could have just one meaning. It depends on.

@81lowrider we always called it boy. And if asking for girl would get speed.

@81lowrider Could be that - but it also could be literal.