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

Track duration: 03:41

"Rosie" 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
Add your thoughts

24 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment:Wow I will never again look up the meanings to the lyrics of a song again. I am sure glad I didn't ask my brother who I usually ask about music because he usually knows.
    Flag janismileson March 24, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:When my husband and I married, he had this record (yes, LP album) and played it for me. I had heard Jackson Brown before, but never this song. When I heard it I said to him, "You realize that Rosie in this song is Rosie Palm, right?" And he said that he had never realized it. He thought that Rosie was the guy's girlfriend, but once I pointed it out to him, he got it.

    I love the song. I think it is hilarious that it is an ode to jacking off, but it is still a great song. The melancholy and the loneliness are very meaningful.
    Flag rainbowjaneon November 07, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think all of this is funny. I saw him in concert in 94? on his Looking East tour here at the Majestic Theater in San Antonio, when I was about 14. Someone called out their "Rosie!" request... he just laughed and said, "I think it's a little too early in the night for Rosie... " then he stopped and corrected... "a little too early in the tour." My dad, with a very held back laugh, told me a few weeks before what it was about... so when Jackson said that it made sense.

    It's definitely about masturbation. But there is a true story about it. The sound guy at one of his shows was working a girl over, got her in to see the show, she ended up walking off with the drummer even after putting in all the leg work. Turns out, that night, a disgruntled sound guy put push-pins around the drummers hotel door frame, locking the drummer and that girl in.

    ...that's when he retires and so eloquently jerks it.
    Flag Cruzasauruson September 14, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It is about masturbation, but there's more to it than that. It's about the feeling of loneliness and emptiness that accompanies an act of self-loving after being rejected. I'm sure all the guys out there know what I'm talking about...
    Flag Lesyeuxdeserpenton February 19, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The chorus is, of course, about him lovin self.
    But the verses are just shy of self loathing!
    Proms, wives, girlfriends, HAH! "Load in" is not a prom entrance!! Why would she be there so early, sniffin 'round for an opportunity? Does it need to be spelled out? OK - M U S I C I A N S...

    She was standin there waiting for the band hours before they were even scheduled to arrive. She wanted to be first in line~~~ The roadies got off that truck and thought "YeeHaw". But right from the start, "She'd come for a star." That roadie never even had a good chance, but took a shot.
    The sound man was hopin' to win her over with passes to the show, beer, and his Sparkling Personality, but the only real chance he ever had, was to hope the band's wives all showed up! As the night went on, he made the band "sound" incredible, which is REAL loyalty, since she"s sittin there lookin over what her options are with the lead... and to lose out to the drummer is just adding insult to injury, since they are usually the sweatiest AND the ugliest member of the band! I love Jack's sense of humor! He is the man!!!!
    Flag groovyleeon August 20, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The masturbation plot works out but I always saw it to be about a man whose now settling for Rosie who is alright, but not the groupie who left him for the drummer. Maybe Rosie is masturbation and he's settling for that? Jackson has said that this happened to a friend of his.
    Flag OldSoul1on May 22, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:OMG, peeps! You know that JB loves his double-entendres. First, Rosie is the in-heat half-grown female pup (GROUPIE!) trying to get into the gig backstage. The sound guy tries to set her up for himself, but she takes opportunity to "upgrade" and get a real BAND MEMBER...not the sound guy.

    The more I watched her watch them play
    The less I thought of to say
    And when they walked off stage the drummer swept that girl away

    AND

    Well, I guess I might have known from the start
    She'd come for a star
    Might have told my imagination not to run too far
    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


    Instead of "Rosie" the groupie, he's left with Rosie Palm (and her four sisters). Geez, I'm a chick and I know that this song is about a wanker.


    Recently in Philadelphia, a guy in the crowd yelled out "ROSIE!" and JB said that it's always a guy who calls out for Rosie... and not just that... but with so much....................................
    .....................................................................................................................................................................................CONGESTION!!!!

    The guy is backed up and needs a release. This is about jerking off, plain and simple. For Pete's sake. Or Bob. Or Tom. or David... or Jackson???? hehe
    Flag phxvalleygirlon September 17, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It is undoubtedly about masturbation. Rosie is not the girl/groupie mentioned in the song, if you pay attention she ditched him fro the drummer. Rosie = "rosy palm"; it's basically a love song to his hand.

    After the drummer swept the girl away, he's left alone with with Rosie.

    For the guy who says "there is more to a song than the chorus", sure. There is. If you pay attention to them, Rosie can't possibly be the girl mentioned in the somg, because she split with the drummer so it wouldn't be "me and you again tonight". Besides he just met the girl so "again" wouldn't fit. He wasn't trying to make anyone happy but himself, but he got burned by the drummer and the groupie running off together. So he settles for "Rosie" who is always there in time of need, right at the end of his arm.

    There are tongue-in-cheek double-entendre clues buried in every single line of the chorus.

    "Rosie you're all right, You wear my ring" - On what part of your body do you wear a ring? On your hand.
    "When you hold me tight, Rosie that's my thing" - Really? The innuendo there shouldn't need any explanation.
    "When you turn out the light..." - What part of your body do you typically use to operate a light-switch? Your hand, of course.
    "I've got to HAND it to ME" - Oh come on, now. Clever lyrics aside, I don't see any other plausible explanation at this point.

    "Looks like it's me and you again tonight, Rosie" - As so many times before.
    Flag Volponion September 07, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Yup, 'Rosie' is an American truckers term for masturbating. It's a beautiful song, and for so many reasons, but without a shadow of a doubt refers explicitly to bashing one out after an unsuccesful night with the ladies.
    Flag croakditchon February 01, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Yup, 'Rosie' is an American truckers term for masturbating. It's a beautiful song, and for so many reasons, but without a shadow of a doubt refers explicitly to bashing one out after an unsuccesful night with the ladies.
    Flag croakditchon February 01, 2009   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain