Joe South, Who Penned "Rose Garden," Dead at 72

He was known for his confrontational lyrics, and for writing songs your parents liked

Joe South, a singer-songwriter who wove confrontational lyrics into bouncy pop hits of the late 1960s and early '70s, including "Games People Play," "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" and "(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden," died on Wednesday at home in Flowery Branch, Ga., north of Atlanta. He was 72.

The cause was apparently a heart attack, said Judy Thompson, a longtime friend.