Tuesday, September 11, 1973

Bruce Springsteen “Rosalita” released on his second album

Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)

Bruce Springsteen

Writer(s): Bruce Springsteen (see lyrics here)


Released: September 11, 1973 (as album cut)


First Charted: --


Peak: 4 CL, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.)


Sales (in millions): 0.5 US


Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 5.7 video, -- streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

Bruce Springsteen released his sophomore album, The Wild, the Innocent, & the E Street Shuffle , just weeks before his 24th birthday. His first album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., had come out just eight months earlier. Nothing from that album hit the charts, although “Blinded by the Light” became a #1 song for Manfred Mann’s Earth Band in 1976.

E Street Shuffle didn’t do any better than its predecessor, selling so poorly that Columbia Records planned to drop him if his next album (which ended up being the blockbuster Born to Run) didn’t sell. Over time, “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)” which became a classic rock staple and concert favorite, used as the last song before the encore for most of his shows from 1974 to 1984. SF

The song spins the tale of a singer who is love with the titular character but her parents disapprove. Songfacts.com called it “Springsteen’s musical autobiography” SF because the protagonist shuts down his naysayers when he signs a record deal. Rolling Stone’s Ken Emerson lauded it as “a raucous celebration of desire.” WK It may have been a bit more. Springsteen claimed that when he was 17 he had to see his love interest on the sly because her mom had a court order against him. SF He has called it the best love song he ever wrote. SF

George P. Pelecanos of Uncut magazine called it “one of the great rock ‘n’ roll performances, and as close to a perfect song as anyone’s ever recorded.” WK Chris-T-T went so far as to say, “Never mind the Beatles or the Rolling Stones, this is the best rock ‘n’ roll track of all time.” WK


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First posted 2/19/2023; last updated 4/3/2023.

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