Live 03 Jun 1978 version
[Spoken intro:] Wherever you are, Rosie, come out tonight!
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, well, I'm gonna pick up Little Gun
Together we're gonna go out tonight, we'll make that highway run
You don't have to call me lieutenant, Rosie, oh, 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, 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, she's waitin' up there for us
She'll be there in that chair when they wrestle her upstairs, you know we ain't gonna come
I ain't here on business, only here for fun
So what's the big deal?
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, well, you know they're gonna be there
There's gonna be 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
Well, Rosie, come out tonight, come out tonight
Windows are for cheaters, chimneys for the poor
Closets are for hangers, winners use the door
Use it, Rosie!
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
Ah, let's talk straight!
[Spoken:] On the piano, Professor Roy Bittan! On the guitar, Miami Steve Van Zandt! On the bass guitar, Mr. Garry W. Tallent! On the drums, The Mighty Max! On the organ, Phantom Dan Federici! Here we go! Say it!
Lum dee lum dee li (lum dee lum dee li)
Lum dee lum dee li (lum dee lum dee li)
Lum dee lum dee li (lum dee lum dee li)
Ah, lum dee lum dee li (lum dee lum dee li)
Yeah!
[Spoken:] On the saxophone, The Big Man, Clarence Clemons!
Bring it up!
I know your mama, she don't like me 'cause I play in a rock and roll band
I know your pop don't dig me, he never did understand
Papa lowered the boom, locked you in your room
Coming to lend a hand
Riding to come and fool you, sock it to you, I want to be your man
(Someday we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny)
La, la, la
Now you're sad, mama's mad
And your (papa says he knows that I don't have any money)
(Papa says he knows that I don't have any money)
(Papa says he knows that I don't have any money)
Well, this is his last chance, tell him, Rosie, I ain't no freak
'Cause I got my picture on the cover of Time and Newsweek!
My tires were slashed, I almost crashed, the Lord had mercy
My machine, she's a dud, stuck in the mud somewhere in the swamps of Jersey
Well, 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, Rosie, don't you know I'm coming
Everybody sing
Let me hear it!
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
(Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!)
Wherever you are, come on out!
[Spoken outro:] One time!
The above lyrics are for the live 03 Jun 1978 performance of ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT) at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, NY, during the Darkness On The Edge Of Town Tour. The song was played in a full-band arrangement and featured band introductions in the midsection with a snippet of The Miracles' MICKEY'S MONKEY thrown in. In this and all versions from the first couple months of the tour, 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 "This is his last chance, tell him, Rosie, I ain't no freak / 'Cause I got my picture on the cover of Time and Newsweek!" — this is a reference to his appearance on the covers of both Time and Newsweek magazines in the same week, on 27 Oct 1975.
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]