Live 26 Nov 1996 version
[Spoken intro:] Big Danny Gallagher! (chuckles) He was kind enough to... He lent me his floor, we got dumped, we got evicted from our apartment on Cookman and Main and I walked past his house and he was sitting out on the porch, and I said, "Man," I said, "I just got thrown out of my place," he says, "Hey, well, you can sleep here," you know? (chuckles) So it was me and my sleeping bag, over on Webb there. Good to see the man, he looks good! (chuckles) Whoa! Where are you, baby? Are you out there, that's what I want to know.
Well, there's a little café [chuckles]
On the other side of the border
She was sitting there giving me food to make my mouth water
Ooh!
Come, now!
Spread out now, Rosie, doctor come cut loose her mama reins
You know playin' blind man's bluff is a little baby's game
You pick up Little Dynamite, I'm gonna pick up Little Gun
Together we're gonna go out tonight, make that highway run
Well, 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
Rosie, you're the one!
Well, 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, you know we ain't gonna come
I ain't here on business, baby, only here for fun
You're the one, hey!
Oh, Rosalita, jump a little lighter
Senorita, come sit by my fire
I just want to be your love, ain't no liar
Rosie, you're my stone desire, yeah, yeah!
Jack the Rabbit and Weak Knees Willie, well, you know they're gonna be there
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, now
Yeah, Rosie, come out tonight, baby, come out tonight
Well, windows are for cheaters, chimneys for the poor
Closets are for hangers, winners use the door
Use it Rosie, that's what it's there for, 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, say, yeah, yeah, yeah!
I know your mama, she don't like me 'cause I play in a rock and roll band
Whoa!
I know your daddy don't dig me, he never did understand
Papa lowered the boom and locked you in your room
I'm coming to lend a hand
I want to liberate you, confiscate you, I want to be your man
Someday we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny
Yeah, but now you're sad and mama's mad
Papa says he knows that I don't have any money
Papa says he knows that I don't have any (money)
Well, 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
The record company, Rosie, they just gave me a big advance, yeah!
But my tires were slashed and I almost crashed, but 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, well, I'll hold you in my arms
I know a pretty little place in Southern California down San Diego way
There's a little café, play guitars all night and day
You hear 'em in the back room strummin'
Hold tight, baby, don't you know daddy's coming
Everybody say!
Ohhh, ohhh, ohhh, ohhh!
Whoa!
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
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Whoa, yeah, yeah!
Come on, Stevie!
(Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!)
Whoa!
Rosie, come out tonight
[Spoken outro:] Thank you! We love you! Thank you.
The above lyrics are for the live 26 Nov 1996 performance of ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT) at Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, NJ, during The Ghost Of Tom Joad Solo Acoustic Tour. The song was played in an acoustic arrangement with Springsteen on guitar plus guests Danny Federici on accordion, Soozie Tyrell on violin and backing vocals, Vini Lopez on drums and backing vocals, Steve Van Zandt on acoustic guitar and backing vocals, and Richard Blackwell on congas. This performance of the song also also included a snippet of Jay And The Americans' COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER as an introduction.
This was the last of a three-night stand at Paramount Theatre.
Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake) for the lyrics help.
List of available versions of ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT) on this website:
ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT) [Album version]