Whole Lotta Rosie
Encyclopedia
"Whole Lotta Rosie" is a song by Australia
n hard rock
band AC/DC
. It is the eighth and final track on the band's fourth Australian album, Let There Be Rock, released in Australia in March 1977
, and was written by Angus Young
, Malcolm Young
, and Bon Scott
. It is also the eighth and final track on the international version of the album, released in June the same year.
It was also released as a single in 1978, with a live version of the Let There Be Rock album track "Dog Eat Dog
" as the B-side
, which had been recorded in concert in Glasgow on 30 April 1978.
The song's first verse reveals Rosie's substantial physical measurements (42"-39"-56"), and that she weighs nineteen stone
(266 pounds/approximately 120 kilograms). On the Live from the Atlantic Studios
disc, however, Scott describes the titular woman as "... a Tasmanian devil ... weighs 305 pounds ...," a measurement that differs from the "19 stone" lyric (21 st 11 lb).
, part of the Bonfire
box set. "Dirty Eyes" features a different chord progression in the chorus, as well as a slower tempo than "Rosie".
In late summer of 1976, "Dirty Eyes" was first recorded by AC/DC, along with "Carry Me Home" and "Love At First Feel" for a possible EP. This recording is possibly the version that was later issued on the Bonfire boxed set. The EP was scrapped, leaving "Love At First Feel" as a fill-in for the upcoming Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap album and "Carry Me Home" as a b-side. In the following months, Dirty Eyes was recrafted into "Whole Lotta Rosie," and recorded during the Let There Be Rock sessions of January–February 1977.
, Live from the Atlantic Studios
, Let There Be Rock: The Movie – Live in Paris, the latter two released in 1997 as part of the Bonfire
box set), and also three with Brian Johnson (released on Live
, Live: 2 CD Collector's Edition, and also the tour edition of Stiff Upper Lip
). The only other song that appears on all five of these releases is "The Jack
". A live video of "Whole Lotta Rosie" is also featured on the DVD Family Jewels, from a 1978 performance on the BBC
's TV concert series Rock Goes to College
, on which Scott refers to Rosie as the "biggest, fattest woman who ever fornicated
." When the song is performed live, the crowd will usually shout 'Angus!' in between each of the opening riffs.
Current live performances of "Whole Lotta Rosie" are accompanied by a giant, inflatable "Rosie" as seen on the Live at Donington
video. In March 2005, Q magazine
placed the live version from If You Want Blood ... at number 16 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.
Rosie was seen (at the same table as Brian Johnson
) during the cartoon intro video that was played on the Black Ice World Tour
. The song was also used in Brian Johnson
's audition as Scott's successor.
1978 7-inch single (Belgium: Atlantic 109 92)
1980 7-inch single (UK: Atlantic HM 4)
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
. It is the eighth and final track on the band's fourth Australian album, Let There Be Rock, released in Australia in March 1977
1977 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1977.-January–February:*January 1 – The Clash headline the gala opening of the London music club, The Roxy....
, and was written by Angus Young
Angus Young
Angus McKinnon Young is a Scottish-born Australian musician, and the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the rock and roll band AC/DC. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other members of AC/DC in 2003 and is known for his energetic performances,...
, Malcolm Young
Malcolm Young
Malcolm Young is a Scottish-born Australian guitarist, best known as a founding member, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter for the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. Young was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, along with the other members of AC/DC...
, and Bon Scott
Bon Scott
Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980...
. It is also the eighth and final track on the international version of the album, released in June the same year.
It was also released as a single in 1978, with a live version of the Let There Be Rock album track "Dog Eat Dog
Dog Eat Dog (song)
"Dog Eat Dog" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the second track of their album Let There Be Rock, released in 1977, and was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Bon Scott....
" as the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
, which had been recorded in concert in Glasgow on 30 April 1978.
Composition
The song is about an obese Tasmanian woman, Rosie, with whom the singer (Bon Scott) had a one night stand at the Freeway Gardens Motel in North Melbourne. In addition to pointing out the woman's size, the singer finds her to be one of the most talented lovers he's ever experienced.The song's first verse reveals Rosie's substantial physical measurements (42"-39"-56"), and that she weighs nineteen stone
Stone (weight)
The stone is a units of measurement that was used in many North European countries until the advent of metrication. It value, which ranged from 3 kg to 12 kg, varied from city to city and also often from commodity to commodity...
(266 pounds/approximately 120 kilograms). On the Live from the Atlantic Studios
Live from the Atlantic Studios
Live From the Atlantic Studios is a live album by AC/DC released on the Bonfire box set. The album was recorded live at the Atlantic Recording Studios in New York, on 7 December 1977 and all tracks were remixed by George Young. This was an official Radio Station/Promo release by Atlantic Records....
disc, however, Scott describes the titular woman as "... a Tasmanian devil ... weighs 305 pounds ...," a measurement that differs from the "19 stone" lyric (21 st 11 lb).
Early version
The song's main riff was also featured on an earlier recording with different lyrics, titled "Dirty Eyes", which saw official release on VoltsVolts (album)
Volts is an album by AC/DC released as a part named "Disc Four" on the Bonfire box set. Released in November 1997, the album is a compilation of some alternate versions of songs recorded for Let There Be Rock and Highway to Hell albums, and some songs previously released.A hidden track containing...
, part of the Bonfire
Bonfire (album)
-Let There Be Rock: The Movie - Live in Paris:-Volts:-Back in Black :-AC/DC: Let There Be Rock :-Volts :-References:...
box set. "Dirty Eyes" features a different chord progression in the chorus, as well as a slower tempo than "Rosie".
In late summer of 1976, "Dirty Eyes" was first recorded by AC/DC, along with "Carry Me Home" and "Love At First Feel" for a possible EP. This recording is possibly the version that was later issued on the Bonfire boxed set. The EP was scrapped, leaving "Love At First Feel" as a fill-in for the upcoming Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap album and "Carry Me Home" as a b-side. In the following months, Dirty Eyes was recrafted into "Whole Lotta Rosie," and recorded during the Let There Be Rock sessions of January–February 1977.
Live recordings and performances
One of AC/DC's most popular songs, "Whole Lotta Rosie" has been included on each of the band's official live albums: three with Scott (If You Want Blood You've Got ItIf You Want Blood You've Got It
If You Want Blood You've Got It is the first live album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, originally released in the US on 21 November 1978...
, Live from the Atlantic Studios
Live from the Atlantic Studios
Live From the Atlantic Studios is a live album by AC/DC released on the Bonfire box set. The album was recorded live at the Atlantic Recording Studios in New York, on 7 December 1977 and all tracks were remixed by George Young. This was an official Radio Station/Promo release by Atlantic Records....
, Let There Be Rock: The Movie – Live in Paris, the latter two released in 1997 as part of the Bonfire
Bonfire (album)
-Let There Be Rock: The Movie - Live in Paris:-Volts:-Back in Black :-AC/DC: Let There Be Rock :-Volts :-References:...
box set), and also three with Brian Johnson (released on Live
AC/DC Live
AC/DC Live is a 1992 live album by Australian hard rock band, AC/DC. It was released both as a single album and as a double album...
, Live: 2 CD Collector's Edition, and also the tour edition of Stiff Upper Lip
Stiff Upper Lip
Stiff Upper Lip is the 14th Australian and 13th international studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC; it was released in 2000. The album was recorded at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, British Columbia and mastered at Sterling Sound in New York City. The album was produced by George...
). The only other song that appears on all five of these releases is "The Jack
T.N.T. (album)
T.N.T. is the second studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in December 1975. Seven of the album's nine songs were written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott...
". A live video of "Whole Lotta Rosie" is also featured on the DVD Family Jewels, from a 1978 performance on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's TV concert series Rock Goes to College
Rock goes to College
Rock Goes To College was a BBC series that ran between 1978 and 1981 on British television. A variety of up-coming rock oriented bands were showcased live from small venues and broadcast simultaneously on television and radio during a 40-50 minute live performance.It was a follow-on to the...
, on which Scott refers to Rosie as the "biggest, fattest woman who ever fornicated
Fornication
Fornication typically refers to consensual sexual intercourse between two people not married to each other. For many people, the term carries a moral or religious association, but the significance of sexual acts to which the term is applied varies between religions, societies and cultures. The...
." When the song is performed live, the crowd will usually shout 'Angus!' in between each of the opening riffs.
Current live performances of "Whole Lotta Rosie" are accompanied by a giant, inflatable "Rosie" as seen on the Live at Donington
Live at Donington (AC/DC)
Live at Donington is the DVD recording of the AC/DC show at Donington Park on 17 August 1991, and it was the band's third "Monsters of Rock" festival. The two hour show was performed before 72,500 spectators and included real cannons, the Hells Bell, an inflatable Rosie and an inflatable Angus...
video. In March 2005, Q magazine
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
placed the live version from If You Want Blood ... at number 16 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.
Rosie was seen (at the same table as Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson is an English singer and lyricist who has been the lead singer for the rock band AC/DC since 1980. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 along with the other members of the band....
) during the cartoon intro video that was played on the Black Ice World Tour
Black Ice World Tour
Black Ice World Tour was a 2008/2009/2010 concert tour by Australian rock band AC/DC in support of the group's 15th studio album, Black Ice, which was released in October 2008. The tour was the band's first since the Stiff Upper Lip World Tour in 2000/2001.The jaunt began in Wilkes-Barre,...
. The song was also used in Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson is an English singer and lyricist who has been the lead singer for the rock band AC/DC since 1980. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 along with the other members of the band....
's audition as Scott's successor.
In other media
A live version of this song is included on AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack.Track listing
1977 7-inch single (Netherlands: Atlantic ATL 109 92)- "Whole Lotta Rosie" (Young, Young, Scott) – 5:20
- "Dog Eat Dog" (Young, Young, Scott) – 3:35
1978 7-inch single (Belgium: Atlantic 109 92)
- "Whole Lotta Rosie" (Young, Young, Scott) – 5:20
- "Dog Eat Dog" (Young, Young, Scott) – 3:35
1980 7-inch single (UK: Atlantic HM 4)
- "Whole Lotta Rosie" (Young, Young, Scott) – 5:20
- "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be" (Young, Young, Scott) – 4:21
Personnel
- Bon ScottBon ScottRonald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980...
– lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Angus YoungAngus YoungAngus McKinnon Young is a Scottish-born Australian musician, and the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the rock and roll band AC/DC. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other members of AC/DC in 2003 and is known for his energetic performances,...
– lead guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Malcolm YoungMalcolm YoungMalcolm Young is a Scottish-born Australian guitarist, best known as a founding member, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter for the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. Young was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, along with the other members of AC/DC...
– rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Mark EvansMark Evans (musician)Mark Whitmore Evans is an Australian bass guitarist who was an early member of hard rock band AC/DC from March 1975 to June 1977. His playing featured on their albums T.N.T, High Voltage, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Let There Be Rock and 74 Jailbreak...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Phil RuddPhil RuddPhillip Hugh Norman Rudd is an Australian drummer. He is best known for his membership of rock band AC/DC from 1975 until 1983, and again from 1994 to present. After the 1977 departure of bass guitarist Mark Evans, he became the only Australian-born member of the band...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Producers: Harry VandaHarry VandaHarry Vanda , is a Dutch-born Australian popular music singer, guitarist, songwriter and record producer.-Career:...
, George Young
Chart positions
| Chart (1978) | Position |
|---|---|
| Dutch Singles Chart Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
5 |
| Chart (1980) | Position |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
36 |
External links
- [ Review of "Whole Lotta Rosie" by Allmusic]