ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT)

Live 01 Nov 1980 version

[Clarence Clemons:] The night was black and the moon was yellow
[Clarence Clemons:] And the leaves came tumbling down

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

Dynamite's in the belfry, babe, playing with the bats
Little Gun's downtown in front of Woolworth's, trying out his attitude on all the cats
Papa's on the corner, waiting for the bus
Mama's home in the window, waitin' up there for us
She'll be there in that chair 'til they wrestle her upstairs, you know we ain't gonna come
I ain't here on business, only here for fun!
Whoa!
Hey!

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

Jack the Rabbit, Weak Knees Willie, you know they're gonna be there
Gonna be Sloppy Sue and Big Bones Billy, they'll be comin' up for air
Say!
We're gonna
[Crowd:] Play some pool
Yeah?
[Crowd:] Skip some school
Who said?
[Crowd:] Act real cool
Who said?
[Crowd:] Stay out all night
[Crowd:] It's gonna feel all right
Ro-ro-ro-ro-ro-ro-rosie, she'll come out tonight
Windows are for cheaters, chimneys for the poor
Closets are for hangers, winners, winners, use the door!

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

[Spoken:] We got with us, far left of the stage, on the piano, Professor Roy Bittan! On the guitar, Poet of the Soul, Master of Rock and Roll, Miami Steve Van Zandt! On the bass guitar, Mr. Garry W. Tallent! On the drums, the mighty Max Weinberg! On the organ, Phantom Dan Federici! Now last but not least... How can I say it? King of the World... Master of All Things... Now come next Tuesday, I think it's time we put a big man in the White House! On the rock and roll, improve the economy, and save your soul ticket, Mr. Clarence Clemons on the saxophone, the next president of the United States! [Roy Bittan plays a snippet of "Hail To The Chief"]

Bring it up!

Well, I know your mama, she don't like me 'cause I play in a rock and roll band
I know your papa don't dig me, he never did understand
Papa lowered the boom, locked you in your room
I'm coming to lend a hand
I'm riding to liberate you, I want to confiscate you, I want to be your man
Someday we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny
But now your mama's mad, mama's mad
(Your papa says he knows that I don't have any money)
Oh yeah?
(Papa says he knows that I don't have any money)
Oh yeah?
(Papa says he knows that I don't have any money)

Well, tell him this is his last chance to get his daughter to have some fun
'Cause my new record, Rosie, is gonna be number one, one, one, one!
My tires were slashed, I almost crashed, the Lord had mercy
My machine, she's a dud, out stuck in the mud somewhere in the swamps of Jersey
Hold on tight, stay up all night, 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
A little café, they play guitars all night and day
Hear 'em in the back room strumming
Hold tight, baby, don't you know I'm coming
Everybody say
(Ohhhh!)
Come on, now!
Come on, now!
Come on, now!
Whoa!

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

(Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!)

I know you're out there! Come out tonight! Oh!

[Spoken outro:] Yeah! Thank you!

Info

The above lyrics are for the live 01 Nov 1980 performance of ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT) at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, CA, during The River Tour. The song was played in a full-band arrangement and features band introductions. Clarence Clemons sang a snippet of the traditional song STAGGER LEE sung as an introduction and Roy Bittan played an instrumental snippet of the United States presidential anthem HAIL TO THE CHIEF during the band introductions. In this version, Springsteen replaced the "This is his last chance to get his daughter in a fine romance / The record company, Rosie, gave me a big advance" lines with "Well, tell him this is his last chance to get his daughter to have some fun / 'Cause my new record, Rosie, is gonna be number one, one, one, one!" — this is a reference to Springsteen's The River album which just debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 chart; the album would reach number one the following week and keep that top position for four weeks.

This was the third concert in a four-night residency at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.

Promotional poster for the 1980 four-night stand at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, CA
(Taken from Brucebase)

Credits

Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake) for the lyrics help.

Available Versions

List of available versions of ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT) on this website:

Page last updated: 14 Apr 2012