Tracks:
Flowers of Romance (mix) / Flowers of Romance (Instrumental) / Home is Where the Heart is

Release Date:
27.3.81

Label & Catalogue Number:
Virgin. VS 39712

Highest UK Chart Position:
24

Personnel:
Vox - John Lydon
Instruments - Keith Levene / John Lydon
Drums - Martin Atkins

Format Info:
Picture Sleeve. With track info sticker. 'Home is Where the Heart is' plays at 33rpm.

Track Info:
This 7"/12" version of 'Flowers of Romance' is a slightly different mix than the album version; with extra drums, and better production. It was later included on 'Plastic Box'.

When the single was originally released, the B-side, 'Home is Where the Heart is' was credited to Lydon/Levene/Wobble & Jim Walker. However, it was simply a publishing mistake and should be credited to Martin Atkins; who played on the completed track.

The track is reported to be an unfinished Metal Box outtake dating back to1979 completed in 1981 (at the beginning of the 'Flowers' sessions) with Wobble's bass overdubbded by Levene as a tape loop after his departure. Atkins also re-records the drums (his first duty on being re-hired for 'Flowers...').

'Home is Where the Heart is' & 'Flowers of Romance (instrumental)' appeared for the first time on CD as bonus tracks on the 'Flowers of Romance' re-issue in 1990.

Trivia:
"Flowers of Romance" was the name of the – almost mythical – 1976 band featuring Sid Vicious, Palmolive, Viv Albertine & Keith Levene; among others. Apparently John Lydon gave them their name.

No promo video is known to have been shot for the single. However, Lydon, Levene & Lee did appear on 'Top of the Pops' to promote the single.

Producer:
Produced by 'Public Image Ltd'
Engineered by Nick Launay
(launay.com snippet)

Studio:
The Manor, Oxfordshire / Town House, London

Sleeve Design:
Unknown. However, the front cover pic is a Polaroid taken by Jeannette Lee. So it possible she helped design the sleeve.

Quotes:
The song 'Flowers of Romance' is absolutely not a love song. It's more about the attitude that still seemed prevalent. I don't want anything different. Which is where the line "I gave you flowers you wanted chocolates instead", comes from. The romance referred to is not being romantic but alludes to people romancing over past events...
- John Lydon, 'Plastic Box' sleevenotes 1999

The single has no guitar on it, it's just a cello'd bass, all drums. With stuff, like 'Flowers of Romance', we'd put the backing track together and we were getting into computer mixes, which was keeping John interested. He did a sax solo on it, he didn't know how to play but that's what came out. It was very experimental like that. My outlook was that a child's painting can be as far-out as a Van Gough.
- Keith Levene, Perfect Sound Forever 2001

Lyrics:
Flowers of Romance
Home is Where the Heart is

Press Reviews:
NME, 28th March 1981