This song is pretty straightforward. It is about the nostalgia and bittersweet happiness of an admiral retiring after World War II. In the liner notes to the Bars/Beaches/Boats/Ballads Box set, Buffett said that the ideas to this song came to him while laid up with his third broken leg, watching (in a painkiller haze) the movie The Gallant Hours with James Cagney as Admiral "Bull" Halsey. He kept flashing between the movie and memories of his grandfather and the Officers Club at Pearl Harbor.
I would love to know exactly who Rosa Lee is suppposed to be, though. Somebody from the movie maybe?
@rpresser Also thanks for some of the background info for this song. Reminds me of my grandfather who was a gunners mate in the US Navy. I love a song that tells a story.
@rpresser Also thanks for some of the background info for this song. Reminds me of my grandfather who was a gunners mate in the US Navy. I love a song that tells a story.
@rpresser My grandfather was a gunnersmate in Ww2 and my father was a gunnersmate in the Vietnam era though the war ended before he had to go over there he was training for it. He said they had him on a pt boat blowing up drums on Lake michigan. And his number was coming up, but then the war ended.
@rpresser My grandfather was a gunnersmate in Ww2 and my father was a gunnersmate in the Vietnam era though the war ended before he had to go over there he was training for it. He said they had him on a pt boat blowing up drums on Lake michigan. And his number was coming up, but then the war ended.
@rpresser Rosa Lee was likely the name he gave to his aircraft, or his rifle. It was very common for young pilots to stencil the name of their wives, girlfriends or even just a fictional crush on the nose of their planes for good luck, just as sailors do their boats. Being Buffett is both sailor and pilot, I can see this being a strong possiblility.
@rpresser Rosa Lee was likely the name he gave to his aircraft, or his rifle. It was very common for young pilots to stencil the name of their wives, girlfriends or even just a fictional crush on the nose of their planes for good luck, just as sailors do their boats. Being Buffett is both sailor and pilot, I can see this being a strong possiblility.
This song is pretty straightforward. It is about the nostalgia and bittersweet happiness of an admiral retiring after World War II. In the liner notes to the Bars/Beaches/Boats/Ballads Box set, Buffett said that the ideas to this song came to him while laid up with his third broken leg, watching (in a painkiller haze) the movie The Gallant Hours with James Cagney as Admiral "Bull" Halsey. He kept flashing between the movie and memories of his grandfather and the Officers Club at Pearl Harbor.
I would love to know exactly who Rosa Lee is suppposed to be, though. Somebody from the movie maybe?
@rpresser Rosa Lee possibly the nickname he had for the ship he was on.
@rpresser Rosa Lee possibly the nickname he had for the ship he was on.
@rpresser Also thanks for some of the background info for this song. Reminds me of my grandfather who was a gunners mate in the US Navy. I love a song that tells a story.
@rpresser Also thanks for some of the background info for this song. Reminds me of my grandfather who was a gunners mate in the US Navy. I love a song that tells a story.
@rpresser My grandfather was a gunnersmate in Ww2 and my father was a gunnersmate in the Vietnam era though the war ended before he had to go over there he was training for it. He said they had him on a pt boat blowing up drums on Lake michigan. And his number was coming up, but then the war ended.
@rpresser My grandfather was a gunnersmate in Ww2 and my father was a gunnersmate in the Vietnam era though the war ended before he had to go over there he was training for it. He said they had him on a pt boat blowing up drums on Lake michigan. And his number was coming up, but then the war ended.
@rpresser Rosa Lee was likely the name he gave to his aircraft, or his rifle. It was very common for young pilots to stencil the name of their wives, girlfriends or even just a fictional crush on the nose of their planes for good luck, just as sailors do their boats. Being Buffett is both sailor and pilot, I can see this being a strong possiblility.
@rpresser Rosa Lee was likely the name he gave to his aircraft, or his rifle. It was very common for young pilots to stencil the name of their wives, girlfriends or even just a fictional crush on the nose of their planes for good luck, just as sailors do their boats. Being Buffett is both sailor and pilot, I can see this being a strong possiblility.