Stop and Smell the Roses (song)
Encyclopedia
"Stop and Smell the Roses" is the title of a 1974 song (see 1974 in music
) by the American
singer-songwriter
Mac Davis
. The song was written by Davis and the noted bandleader
and trumpeter Doc Severinsen
.
Released as a single
from his album of the same name (not to be confused with the album
released in 1981 by Ringo Starr
), the song "Stop and Smell the Roses" became Davis' second Top 10 hit on the U.S. pop chart
, where it peaked at #9 in the fall of 1974. The song remained in the Top 40 for ten weeks. On the U.S. adult contemporary chart
, "Stop and Smell the Roses" became the singer's second #1 hit, following "Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me
". On the U.S. country music chart
, where Davis has enjoyed considerable success, the song reached #40. Also that year, Henson Cargill
took a rendition to #29 on the same chart.
Severinsen was best known as the bandleader on the NBC
late-night talk show The Tonight Show
. Davis was an occasional guest on the show, and during this time the two became acquainted. Following an appearance on the show, Severinsen approached Davis with the idea of recording a song that included the phrase "stop and smell the roses", since he had recently heard the phrase from a physician. Soon after, Davis vacationed in Hawaii
and wrote the song, crediting Severinsen as a co-writer for giving him the idea. Severinsen was quoted as saying that Davis "could have gone ahead and written the song and not done that."
The lyrics to the song advise that while it is often necessary to forsake family obligations and pleasurable activities in order to succeed professionally, everyone should make sure that they take some time to "stop and smell the roses along the way".
1974 in music
-January–April:*January 3 – Bob Dylan and The Band kick off their 40-date concert tour at Chicago Stadium. It's Dylan's first time on the road since 1966.*January 17...
) by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Mac Davis
Mac Davis
Mac Davis is a country music singer, songwriter, and actor originally from Lubbock, Texas who has enjoyed much crossover success...
. The song was written by Davis and the noted bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
and trumpeter Doc Severinsen
Doc Severinsen
Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen is an American pop and jazz trumpeter. He is best known for leading the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.-Early life:...
.
Released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from his album of the same name (not to be confused with the album
Stop and Smell the Roses
Stop and Smell the Roses is the eighth studio album by Ringo Starr, released in 1981 following the twin commercial disasters of Ringo the 4th and Bad Boy .-History:...
released in 1981 by Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
), the song "Stop and Smell the Roses" became Davis' second Top 10 hit on the U.S. pop chart
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, where it peaked at #9 in the fall of 1974. The song remained in the Top 40 for ten weeks. On the U.S. adult contemporary chart
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
, "Stop and Smell the Roses" became the singer's second #1 hit, following "Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me
Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me
"Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me" is a hit song by country and pop singer-songwriter Mac Davis. From his breakthrough album of the same name, the song reached number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Easy Listening charts in September 1972, spending three weeks atop each chart...
". On the U.S. country music chart
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
, where Davis has enjoyed considerable success, the song reached #40. Also that year, Henson Cargill
Henson Cargill
Henson Cargill was an American country music singer best known for the 1968 No. 1 hit, "Skip a Rope". His music career began in Oklahoma in clubs around Oklahoma City and Tulsa...
took a rendition to #29 on the same chart.
Severinsen was best known as the bandleader on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
late-night talk show The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night....
. Davis was an occasional guest on the show, and during this time the two became acquainted. Following an appearance on the show, Severinsen approached Davis with the idea of recording a song that included the phrase "stop and smell the roses", since he had recently heard the phrase from a physician. Soon after, Davis vacationed in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and wrote the song, crediting Severinsen as a co-writer for giving him the idea. Severinsen was quoted as saying that Davis "could have gone ahead and written the song and not done that."
The lyrics to the song advise that while it is often necessary to forsake family obligations and pleasurable activities in order to succeed professionally, everyone should make sure that they take some time to "stop and smell the roses along the way".
Chart performance
| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 9 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 40 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 3 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 5 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 11 |