"Ramblin' Rose" is a popular song from 1962. It was written by brothers Noel Sherman and Joe Sherman. Nat King Cole made the song famous. His recording of the song reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1962.
Original song release
Cole's recording of the song was released on July 16, 1962, as a single by Capitol Records (catalog no. 4804; Side A; matrix no. 45-AA37861). It reached number two on both the Billboard and Cash Box charts, prevented from reaching number one by "Sherry" by The Four Seasons. The single sold more than a million copies. The song spent five weeks at number one on the Billboard Easy Listening chart and in Australia. On the R&B chart, it reached number seven. The song was released as a single from Cole's album with the same name. It was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category Record of the Year.
Covers and similar songs
The song has been recorded by many artists, especially those who perform country music.
There are four country versions of the song. Sonny James recorded it first in July 1968 and released it on the album The Gentleman from the South in 1973. Johnny Lee's version reached number 37 on the Billboard country music chart in 1977. The next year, Hank Snow's version reached number 93 on the same chart. In 1978, Johnny Rodriguez released a version of the song on the album Love Me with All Your Heart.
Petula Clark recorded a French version of the song in 1962, titled Les Beaux Jours. Her recording reached number 10 on the French music charts in 1963.
Other artists who recorded this version of the song include Charley Pride (1962), Roy Rogers (1962), Billy Vaughn, Louis Armstrong, Bobby Vinton, Engelbert Humperdinck, Paul Anka, Floyd Cramer, Sammy Davis Jr. (The Nat King Cole Songbook, 1965), Chuck Berry (1967), George Benson, the Mills Brothers, Dean Martin (1973), Marvin Gaye (1976), and Slim Whitman.
Two other songs have the same title as the Nat King Cole hit, but they are different songs and should not be confused with it.
- Ramblin' Rose, sometimes titled (Love Is Like A) Ramblin' Rose, was written by Marijohn Wilkin, Fred Burch, and Obey Wilson. Jerry Lee Lewis first recorded it in 1962 as a B-side. Other artists who recorded it include Ted Taylor, MC5, Primal Scream, and the Finnish punk band Pelle Miljoona & 1980.
- Rambling Rose, a pop song from 1948, was composed by Joe Burke with lyrics by Joseph McCarthy. Many singers recorded it, including Perry Como. Dean Martin recorded both of these songs.