Bands are marching past the palm trees
Under Pasadena's blue sky
Crowds are shivering, cheering and waving
Where Colorado Boulevard lies
The Queen rides with her entourage
And the band behind her plays "Gold" *
But a cheerleader watches wistfully
Her team didn't make the Rose Bowl.

Flowers abound in Pasadena
In the cool of the morning sunlight
Roses all 'round Pasadena
But the colors just don't seem right
The flowers will fade after New Year's Day
January gets stormy and cold
The roses that live in her memory
Were roses in cardinal and gold.

Another parade has ended
That behemoth couldn't get through
Street sweepers are rolling down the boulevard
Cleaning up all the horsie poo
She watches the road 'neath the palm trees
Where the Trojans marched lively and proud
She knows the band with their cool uniforms
Will be playing their theme song out loud.

Flowers abound in Pasadena
In the cool of the morning sunlight
Roses all 'round Pasadena
And next year they'll get it just right
Flowers will bloom for New Year's Day
In spite of the midwinter cold
But the roses that bloom for New Year's Day
Will be roses in cardinal and gold.