Jelly Roll‘s growing catalog of love songs for his wife Bunnie Xo typically acknowledges the hard road that led to their happy ending. His newest song for her, “Thorns,” is no different.
But “Thorns” might be smoother and more tender than any love song we’ve heard from Jelly before.
What is Jelly Roll’s New Song “Thorns” About?
This song has been heavily tied to Bunnie ever since fans heard the first tease, which Jelly posted on his wife’s birthday.
Read More: How Bunnie Xo Changed Everything For Jelly Roll + His Daughter
He dropped the full song on Valentine’s Day, calling her his “rose” in an Instagram post that celebrated both the holiday and the song release.
The message of this song is simple: Jelly wouldn’t be the man he is without Bunnie by his side, and in fact, he probably wouldn’t even be alive. He sings about the dark past that dominated his life for so long, inverting the cliche that says “every rose has its thorn” to emphasize that her love was a surprising blessing in a life trajectory he thought was probably hopeless.
Sonically, “Thorns” is gentler some of the harder rock-leaning material we’ve heard from Jelly in the past.
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He uses his upper register to its fullest extent in this song. Fans have known that Jelly’s a crooner ever since he released “Son of a Sinner,” but he reminded us again with “Thorns.”
Jelly co-wrote the song with Rocky Block, Ryan Vojtesak, Ilsey Juber and Taylor Philips. Charlie Handsome and Ben Johnson, two of the 15 producers that had a hand in his Beautifully Broken album, produced this song.
Does “Thorns” Mean New a Jelly Roll Album on the Way?
Maybe. This song isn’t tied to any album, and it’s the first he’s released since Beautifully Broken that’s not connected to another artist or featured project.
Beautifully Broken (including a deluxe version) came out in late 2024, and it’s his most recent full studio project to date. In the meantime, he’s done a handful of collaborative singles with other artists, and released a song called “I’m Good” as part of the Goat soundtrack.
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Since his last album release, Jelly’s also spent significant time on his health, undergoing a dramatic weight loss journey that shaved off nearly 300 lbs.
But Jelly is typically a pretty prolific artist. Beautifully Broken came out just one calendar year after its predecessor, Whitsitt Chapel. So it’s a pretty good bet that the singer has his eye on his next musical era.
Jelly Roll, “Thorns” Lyrics:
I was down, broke down in shambles / Burned the wick at both ends of the candle / You were grace, you were mercy / The one thing I let close that didn’t burn me / And ooh, you showed me why
Chorus
Every thorn has its rose / Every rough has its diamond / Every cloud I’ve ever known had the sun somewhere behind it / Every lost has a found / Look at me, girl, standing next to you right now / Thought I’d always be alone / But every thorn has its rose
You rolled the dice, you took the chance / And turned a 7-2 off suit into a winning hand / And you say I was never broken / Just missing half my heart and I didn’t know it / And ooh, you saved my life
Repeat Chorus
And ooh, you showed me why
Repeat Chorus
20 Totally Adorable Pictures of Jelly Roll and His Wife, Bunnie Xo
Jelly Roll and his wife, Bunnie Xo, never shy away from public displays of affection. The pair have shared numerous photos together sneaking kisses or engaged in deep belly laughs. Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo married in 2016 and are closer than ever today.
