Live 21 Aug 1978 version
[Spoken intro:] Wherever you are, 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 and I'm gonna pick up Little Gun
Together we're gonna go out tonight, 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, 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'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
Rosalita, jump a little lighter
Senorita, come sit by my fire
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
There's gonna be Sloppy Sue, Big Bones Billy, they're comin' up for air
Say it!
We're gonna (play some pool!)
[Crowd:] Skip some school, act real cool
[Crowd:] Stay out all night, it's gonna feel all right
Rosie, come out tonight, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, come out tonight
Windows are for cheaters, chimneys for the poor
Closets are for hangin', 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:] On the piano, Roy Bittan! On the guitar, Miami Steve Van Zandt! On the bass guitar, Garry W. Tallent! On the drums, the mighty Max Weinberg! On the organ, Dan Federici! And last but not least, The Big Man himself on the saxophone, Clarence Clemons!
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 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 liberate you, confiscate you, I want to be your man
Someday we'll look back on this, it will all seem funny, la, la, la
Now you're sad, mama's mad
Papa says he knows (that I don't have any money)
Say what?
(Papa says he knows that I don't have any money)
Say what?
(Papa says he knows that I don't have any money)
Well, his is his last chance, 'cause, baby, I'm almost grown
Tell him I'm a big deal now—I got my picture on the cover of Rolling Stone!
My tires were slashed, 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, where they play guitars all night and day
You hear 'em in the back room strummin'
Hold tight, baby, don't you know I'm coming
Everybody sing
New York City! (Ohhhh!)
(Ohhhh!)
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
Big Man!
(Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!)
Hey, you! You! I'm talking to you!
[Spoken outro:] Big Man! The boys, The E Street Band, come on, come on! Say, this is the big time!
The above lyrics are for the live 21 Aug 1978 performance of ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT) at Madison Square Garden in New York City, 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. In this and all versions that week, 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]