ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT)

Live 09 Apr 1974 version

[Spoken intro:] All right, uh, okay, let's see how it goes (chuckles). E Key, that guitar, right? (laughs)

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 and I'm gonna 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
You're the one!

Whoa, 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, waiting for the bus
Mama, she's home in the window, waitin' up there for us
She'll be there in that chair 'til 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
You're the one! [chuckles]

Ah, here we say, now:
Rosalita, jump a little lighter
Senorita, come sit by my fire
I just want to be your love, ain't no lie
Oh, Rosie, you're my stone desire
All right

Yeah!
Jack the Rabbit and Weak Knees Willie, don't you know they're gonna be there
Ah, Sloppy Sue and Big Bones Billy, they'll be comin' up for air
We're gonna play some pool, skip some school, act real cool
Stay out all night, it's gonna feel all right
So, Rosie, come out tonight, baby, come out tonight
Whoa, the windows are for cheaters and chimneys for the poor
Closets are for hangers, winners use the door
Use 'em!

Ah, Rosalita, jump a little lighter
Senorita, come sit by my fire
I just want to be your love, ain't no lie
Rosie, you're my stone desire
All right

Percussion solo! [laughs]

[laughs]

[Spoken:] On the saxophone, we got Clarence Clemons, on the accordion Danny Federici, on the tambourine, Mr. Dave Sancious, and on the—let me hear the cowbell! On the cowbell, uh, Mr. Garry Tallent. (chuckles)

All right, um...

[laughs] This is the tough part, folks. [laughs]

[laughs]

Little imagination called for here! [laughs]

All right!

[laughs] Right.

[laughs] Here we go!
Now, I know your mama, she don't like me 'cause I play in a rock and roll band
I know your pop, he don't dig me, but he never did understand
Papa lowered the boom and locked you in your room
I'm coming to lend a hand
Riding to liberate you, confiscate you, I want to be your man
Someday we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny, na, na, na
But now you're sad, your mama's mad
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 papa says he knows that I don't have (any money)

Well, this is his last chance to get his daughter in a fine romance
The record company, Rosie, just gave me a big advance!
And my tires were slashed and I almost crashed, but the Lord had mercy
Oh, my machine, she's a dud, I'm stuck in the mud somewhere in the swamps of Jersey
So 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
There's a little café, they play guitars all night and day
You can hear 'em in the back room strummin'
Hold tight, baby, don't you know I'm coming
Everybody sing
Ohhhh!

Rosalita, jump a little lighter
Senorita, come sit by my fire
I just want to be your love, ain't no lie
Oh, Rosie, you're my stone desire
Brrr, check!

(Brrr!)

Ah! [laughs]

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

Brr! Ah!

Oh, oh, Rosie
(Aah)

[Spoken outro:] (laughs) Rosie, come out tonight! Ah, ah! (laughs) Oh! Oh, that took guts, that took guts.

Info

The above lyrics are for the live 09 Apr 1974 radio performance of ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT) as broadcast on Boston's WBCN-FM. The song was played in a unique full-band acoustic arrangement featuring band introductions.

The 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM Radio Performance

Bruce Springsteen's 09 Apr 1974 radio performance was broadcast live on Boston's WBCN-FM. The show took place at the radio station in Boston, MA. The complete performance was recorded off the airwaves and has since circulated in excellent quality among fans.

The 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast was commercially released in Europe. Since 2005 some enterprising record labels in Europe (mostly in the UK) have been releasing Bruce Springsteen radio and TV broadcasts (and some soundboard recordings) from the seventies, eighties, and nineties. Though these releases are not authorized by Bruce Springsteen or his record company, they are lawful due to a legal loophole in Europe.

Bruce Springsteen -- Live Sessions: Houston Boston Richmond

Digital album - Wyte Myce (no catalog number) - UK, 2015

This is a download-only digital album. It contains the 31 May 1973 WGOE-FM radio broadcast, part of the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast, and the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast.

Bruce Springsteen -- Acoustic Radio Broadcast Collection

2xCD - The Broadcast Archive (BSCD6047) - UK, 2017

This release contains the 09 Jan 1973 WBCN-FM radio broadcast, the 31 May 1973 WGOE-FM radio broadcast, the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast, and the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast. This is a repackaging of Good Ship Funke's Acoustic Radio 1973 and Acoustic Radio 1974.

Bruce Springsteen -- Acoustic Radio 1974

CD - Good Ship Funke (GS024) - UK, 2017

This release contains the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast and the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast. It was also released on CD exclusively as part of the Acoustic Radio Broadcast Collection package.

Bruce Springsteen -- The Acoustic Sessions

Digital album - Radioland (no catalog number) - Europe, 2017

This is a download-only digital album. It contains the 31 May 1973 WGOE-FM radio broadcast and the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast.

Bruce Springsteen -- The 1974 Acoustic Radio Sessions

2xLP - Big Car (unknown catalog number) - UK, 2018

This release contains the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast and the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Live In The Studio - WBCN-FM Studios Boston MA USA

Digital album - Altamont Productions / Studioville (no catalog number) - Europe, 2018

This is a download-only digital album. It contains the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast.

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: 15 Jan 2012