Paper Roses - Marie Osmond Version

Marie Osmond Version

In 1973, Olive Marie Osmond's brothers, The Osmonds, were already well-established as stars in the pop music world and as teen idols (especially Donny). The Osmonds' management convinced Marie to try her hand at singing as well, and soon she was performing with her brothers on tour, but not officially a member. When Marie began to record, she took a different tack from her brothers musically: she decided to try to make it big in country music. She was soon signed to MGM Records in Los Angeles, California.

Mike Curb, who had overseen Donny Osmond's solo hit covers of oldies like "Go Away Little Girl," "Puppy Love," "Sweet and Innocent," and "Hey Girl," used the same approach with Marie. According to Curb in the book Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits by Fred Bronson, when Curb was looking for country songs for Marie to record for her first album, Sonny James suggested that Marie sing "Paper Roses."

"Paper Roses" was the first song recorded by Marie, and also her first single release. The single was released in August 1973. MGM promoted the single first to country radio, and received a favorable reaction to the song from radio stations and disc jockeys. Soon the song became a hit for Osmond, going all the way to number one on the country charts. Before long, the song crossed over to pop radio as well, becoming a #5 Pop and #1 Easy Listening singles hit. The album and single both received Gold certifications in the United States.

In the United Kingdom, where Osmond-mania was just as strong as (if not stronger than) in the United States, "Paper Roses" climbed all the way to #2 on the UK Singles Chart.

Marie followed up the success of "Paper Roses" with a cover of another Anita Bryant hit from 1960, "In My Little Corner of the World," but it didn't fare as well, reaching only #33 on the country-music charts, and bubbling under the pop charts.

Marie re-recorded "Paper Roses" with the same producer and in the same studio for her 1990 The Best of Marie Osmond greatest hits album on Curb Records because her record label at the time did not have the rights to include the original recording.

Paper Roses has been adopted by fans of the Scottish football team Kilmarnock FC as the club's anthem and is played at major games throughout the season.