Rosalita (Come out Tonight)

Bruce Springsteen

About Rosalita (Come out Tonight)

"Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" is a 1973 song by Bruce Springsteen, from his The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle album, and is especially famed as a concert number for Springsteen and The E Street Band. The song, which clocks in at just over seven minutes, is a story of forbidden love between the singer and the titular Rosalita, whose parents disapprove of his life in a rock and roll band. It is included on the compilation albums The Essential Bruce Springsteen and Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Greatest Hits.  


Year:
2010
9:51

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Spread out now Rosie, doctor come cut loose her mama's reins
You know playin' blind man's bluff is a little baby's game
You pick up little dynamite, I'll pick up little gun
And together we're gonna go out tonight and make that highway run
You don't have to call me lieutenant, Rosie, and I don't want to be your son
The only lover I'm ever gonna need's your soft, sweet, little girl's tongue
And Rosie, you're the one

Dynamite's in the belfry, baby, playin' with the bats
Little gun's downtown in front of Woolworth's tryin' out his attitude on all the cats
Papa's on the corner, waitin' for the bus
Mama, she's home in the window, waitin' up for us
She'll be there in that chair when they wrestle her upstairs
'Cause you know we ain't gonna come
I ain't here on business, baby, I'm only here for fun
And Rosie, you're the one

Rosalita, jump a little higher
Senorita, come sit by my fire
I just want to be your lover, ain't no liar
Rosalita, you're my stone desire

Jack the Rabbit and Weak Knee Willie, don't you know they're gonna be there
Ah Sloppy Sue and Big Bone Billy, they'll be coming up for air
We're gonna play some pool, skip some school
Act real cool, stay out all night, it's gonna feel alright
So Rosie, come out tonight, little baby, come out tonight
Windows are for cheaters, chimneys for the poor
Oh, closets are for hangers, winners use the door
So use it, Rosie, that's what it's there for

Rosalita, jump a little higher
Senorita, come sit by my fire
I just want to be your lover, ain't no liar
Rosalita, you're my stone desire, alright

Now, I know your mama, she don't like me, 'cause I play in a rock and roll band
And I know your daddy, he don't dig me, but he never did understand
Your papa lowered the boom, he locked you in your room, I'm comin' to lend a hand
I'm comin' to liberate you, confiscate you, I want to be your man
Someday we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny
But now you're sad, your mama's mad
And your papa says he knows that I don't have any money
Oh, your papa says he knows that I don't have any money
Oh, so your daddy says he knows that I don't have any money
Well, tell him this is his last chance to get his daughter in a fine romance
Because a record company, Rosie, just gave me a big advance

And my tires were slashed and I almost crashed, but the Lord had mercy
And my machine, she's a dud, out stuck in the mud somewhere in the swamps of Jersey
Well, hold on tight, stay up all night, 'cause Rosie, I'm comin' on strong
By the time we meet the morning light, I will hold you in my arms
I know a pretty little place in Southern California, down San Diego way
There's a little cafe, where they play guitars all night and all day
You can hear them in the back room strummin'
So hold tight, baby, 'cause don't you know daddy's comin'
Everybody sing

Rosalita, jump a little higher
Senorita, come sit by my fire
I just want to be your lover, ain't no liar
Rosalita, you're my stone desire

Hey hey hey hey 
Hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey 
Hey hey hey hey

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Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949), nicknamed "The Boss", is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who records and tours with the E Street Band. Springsteen is widely known for his brand of heartland rock, poetic lyrics, Americana sentiments centered on his native New Jersey and his lengthy and energetic stage performances, with concerts from the 1970s to the present decade running up to an uninterrupted 250 minutes in length. more »

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Written by: Bruce Springsteen

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


15 facts about this song

Release
"Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" is a song by Bruce Springsteen, from his 1973 album "The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle".
Live Performances
It has gone on to become one of Springsteen's most popular and particularly known for being a stomping live number with the E Street Band.
Song Theme
The song portrays a Romeo-and-Juliet-like situation wherein the parents of the female protagonist, Rosalita, disapprove of the male protagonist.
Music Video
The video for "Rosalita" was not released until 1984, 11 years after the song was initially released.
Commercial Success
Despite its popularity with Springsteen fans and concert audiences, "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" was never released as a single in the U.S.
Chart Performance
The song didn't make it to the Billboard charts until 1984 when it was released as a music video on MTV, peaking at No.14 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
Band History
The song's live performances were the first to feature Springsteen's now-famous "stage exit”.
Special Event
During a live performance of the song in 2013, Springsteen danced with his mother during the midsection of the song.
Song Interpretation
The song is seen by some as Springsteen's appeal to his girlfriend's parents to let them be together.
Other Artists' Cover
"Rosalita" has been covered live by other musicians, including Jesse Malin and Al Stewart.
End of Regular Performances
By the end of the 1970s, Springsteen retired “Rosalita” from regular performances.
Re-emergence
The song began reappearing in Springsteen’s live performances in the late 1980s due to persistent audience requests.
Song Recognition
In 2018, Rolling Stone magazine ranked "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" at number 13 in their list of "The 100 Greatest Bruce Springsteen Songs of All Time".
Live Recordings
Live recordings of "Rosalita" appear on both the "Live/1975–85" and "Live in New York City” albums from Springsteen & the E Street Band.
Influence
In the music-community, "Rosalita" has often been praised for its complex musical structure and energetic performance; it has significantly contributed to Springsteen's reputation as a skilled songwriter and bandleader.

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