Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton, from her 1970 debut album Come to My Garden.
Will somebody wear me to the fair?
(To the morning, sings the lovely flower)
Will a lady pin me in her hair?
(Mmh, mmh-mmh, mmh)
Will a child find me by a stream?
(Gaily laughing in a sundream shower)
Ooh, kiss my petals, weave me through a dream
It opens quiet and pastoral, then the strings and horns rise, a choir comes in, and Minnie’s voice cuts through all of it without ever seeming to strain. The whole thing is sung from the point of view of a flower, which shouldn’t work and absolutely does. She was 22 when she recorded it. Twenty-two. This is beautify.
If you’ve never heard it, do yourself a favour. And if you’ve got a song on constant repeat this week, tell me what it is.
Credit for this one goes to Owen Cutts, who put it on my radar – and it hasn’t left the speakers since.
Enjoy,
S x
