Rosie

Jackson Browne

She was standing at the load-in
When the trucks rolled up
She was sniffin' all around
Like a half-grown female pup
She wasn't hard to talk to
Looked like she had nowhere to go
So I gave her a pass
So she could get in and see the show
Well, I sat her down right next to me
And I got her a beer
While I mixed that sound on the stage
So the band could hear
The more I watched her watch them play
The less I thought of to say
And when they walked off stage
You know, the drummer swept that girl away

But Rosie, you're all right
(You wear my ring)
When you hold me tight
(Rosie, that's my thing)
When you turn out the light
(I got to hand it to me)
Looks like it's me and you again tonight, Rosie

Well I guess I might have known from the start
She'd come for a star
Well I told my imagination not to run too far
Of all the times that I've been burned
By now you think I'd've learned
That it's who you look like,
Not who you are
(You all keep that in mind)

Rosie, you're all right
(You wear my ring)
When you hold me tight
(Rosie, that's my thing)
When you turn out the light
(I got to hand it to me)
It looks like it's me and you again tonight, Rosie
It looks like it's me and you again tonight,
It looks like it's me and you again tonight, Rosie
Rosie, Rosie, Rosie, Rosie


Lyrics submitted by Eamon

Rosie Lyrics as written by Jackson Browne Donald Miller

Lyrics © Jackson Browne/Swallow Turn Music/Night Kitchen Music/Open Window Music

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Rosie song meanings
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26 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment
    This is, without a doubt, the all-time greatest piano ballad about a gopher-pulling roadie.
    Eamonon September 30, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    this is about materbation right? liek alll good songs.... i mean , you wear my ring, his ring is on his hand, holding himself tight and all, im not just crazy
    intoodeepon October 24, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    Its a beautiful song. if you watch the video during one of his concerts he says its about a guy who was the sound guy for the band. love this line cause she basically went for the drummer instead of him: "That it's who you look like Not who you are"
    Jevans24on August 22, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Ever heard the joke about rosie palm and her five sisters. That's why he chose the name Rosie.
    Tmo2199on September 13, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    "When you turn out the light I've got to hand it to me" O_O This song is about jacking off, plain and simple.
    HoboSpartan7on March 10, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I'm 99% sure its about jacking off, because when I saw Jackson Browne live in Sydney, he played this song as the last song of his final encore, and he was telling the audience that "Its odd for a girl to be calling out for this song" as he was listening to audience requests for songs to be played, after that he also added that, "This is an awkward song to end the night with" and started laughing. I'm guessing he felt funny signing off by singing a song about jerking off !
    smallgarlicon May 14, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Masturbation....no question. Cute, your wrong. If you read the lyrics correctly, the drummer 'swept that girl away.' So what did he do??? Yeah, you know. Remember - "it's who you look like, not who you are."
    GreatRedSharkon May 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    masturbation. period . end of story.
    peacefrogxon October 10, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Yup, according to Jackson it's about his sound man who mixed the sound for his monitors. Listen to the freakin' song. And, yes, it's a song about masturbation...and much more.
    johnyringoon March 21, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    there is more to a song than the chorus maybe this chorus is about masturbating ask Jackson Browne. This is a song about him trying his best to please a girl (I don't think the "wear my ring" part is too relevant) be it someone he cheated on his wife with or a girlfriend before or after his wife then the girl left him after all his hard work for the drummer then says he " Of all the times that I've been burned by now you'd think I'd have learned that it's who you look like not who you are". To me it seems like he is saying he keeps trying to make other people happy and keeps getting his heart broken over and over.
    mh59on May 17, 2008   Link

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