The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Rosanna's daddy had a car she loved to drive
Stole the keys one night and took me for a ride
Turned up the music just as loud as it could go
Blew out the speakers in her daddy's radio
She was shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
Snappin' her fingers (oh oh ooh oh)
She was movin' round and round (oh oh ooh oh)
That girl was shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
We started drinkin', wasn't thinkin' too straight
She was doin' 80 and she slammed on the brakes
Got so high we had to pull to the side
We did some shakin til the middle of the night
Shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
Snappin' her fingers (oh oh ooh oh)
She was up and down and round and round
Shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
Shakin' (oh oh ooh oh) (oh oh ooh oh)
(Oh oh ooh oh) (oh oh ooh oh)
I got a little nervous
When she took her coat off
She looked so pretty
Ahh yeah
I'm always talkin' baby, talkin' too much
I love that little girl and I just can't get enough
It takes a lonely night with nowhere to go
Just call Rosanna, it's a hell of a show
And she's shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
Snappin' her fingers (oh oh ooh oh)
She'll be movin' round and round (oh oh ooh oh)
Oh she's shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
Shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
Snappin' her fingers (oh oh ooh oh)
She'll be movin' up and down (oh oh oo oh)
Round and round and round (oh oh ooh oh)
And shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
Sha sha sha sha sha she was shakin'
Sha sha sha sha sha she was shakin'
Sha sha sha sha sha she was shakin'
Sha sha sha sha sha she was shakin'
Stole the keys one night and took me for a ride
Turned up the music just as loud as it could go
Blew out the speakers in her daddy's radio
She was shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
Snappin' her fingers (oh oh ooh oh)
She was movin' round and round (oh oh ooh oh)
That girl was shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
We started drinkin', wasn't thinkin' too straight
She was doin' 80 and she slammed on the brakes
Got so high we had to pull to the side
We did some shakin til the middle of the night
Shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
Snappin' her fingers (oh oh ooh oh)
She was up and down and round and round
Shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
Shakin' (oh oh ooh oh) (oh oh ooh oh)
(Oh oh ooh oh) (oh oh ooh oh)
I got a little nervous
When she took her coat off
She looked so pretty
Ahh yeah
I'm always talkin' baby, talkin' too much
I love that little girl and I just can't get enough
It takes a lonely night with nowhere to go
Just call Rosanna, it's a hell of a show
And she's shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
Snappin' her fingers (oh oh ooh oh)
She'll be movin' round and round (oh oh ooh oh)
Oh she's shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
Shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
Snappin' her fingers (oh oh ooh oh)
She'll be movin' up and down (oh oh oo oh)
Round and round and round (oh oh ooh oh)
And shakin' (oh oh ooh oh)
Sha sha sha sha sha she was shakin'
Sha sha sha sha sha she was shakin'
Sha sha sha sha sha she was shakin'
Sha sha sha sha sha she was shakin'
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Shakin' Lyrics as written by Ralph Carter Eddie Money
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
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