"Ro Ro Rosey" is a song written by Van Morrison that was written and recorded for Bang Records owner and producer Bert Berns and released on his 1967 album Blowin' Your Mind!. It was also released as the follow-up single to "Brown Eyed Girl."
| "Ro Ro Rosey" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Netherlands single cover | ||||
| Single by Van Morrison | ||||
| from the album Blowin' Your Mind! | ||||
| B-side | "Chick-A-Boom" | |||
| Released | 1967 | |||
| Recorded | 28 March 1967 | |||
| Studio | A & R, New York City | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:58 | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Songwriter(s) | Van Morrison | |||
| Producer(s) | Bert Berns | |||
| Van Morrison singles chronology | ||||
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Writing and recording
edit"Ro Ro Rosey" was written and recorded for Bang Records owner and producer Bert Berns on 28 March 1967 using the same musicians who recorded "Brown Eyed Girl."[1]
Lyrics and music
editThe subject of the lyrics of "Ro Ro Rosey" is a 16 year old girl.[2][3] Morrison biographer Clinton Heylin believes that this is the same teenage girl who is idealized in other of Morrison's 1960s songs such as "Cyprus Avenue."[3] In this song, the singer can remember when she was "the apple of [his] eye" but he no longer can see her much as she now lives "way up on the avenue of trees."[3] When he now does get a chance to see her he becomes tongue-tied, only able to say "oh uh uh uh uh."[3]
The music uses a three chord structure and has a Latin music feel, similar to other songs Morrison recorded for Berns.[4] Allmusic critic Matthew Greenwald believes that the riff imitates that of Ritchie Valens' hit single "La Bamba."[4] Morrison biographer Erik Hage describes the song as incorporating "psychedelic fuzz guitar."[5] Morrison also plays harmonica on the song.[5]
Reception
editBillboard described the single as "an infectious folk rocker that should spiral up the charts in short order."[6] Cash Box said that it's a "potent, funky foot-stomper" that should be "another winning item" for Morrison after the success of "Brown Eyed Girl."[7] Record World said "A diddley beat rolls here as Van goes for another click, and he'll make it—big."[8] Rolling Stone critic Dave Marsh described "Ro Ro Rosey" as being "remarkably erotic in the best blues tradition.[9] On the other hand, Hage describes it as being "an unremarkable rocker brimming with sexual double entendres."[5] Greenwald describes it as a "fun track" but states that it is obvious that Morrison was already capable of writing better ones.[4] Music critic Johnny Rogan describes it as an "innocuous rock-blues piece."[2]
The song was released as the follow-up single to Morrison's hit "Brown Eyed Girl."[2][3][5] The b-side of the single was a track that was not included on Blowin' Your Mind called "Chick-A-Boom," which Morrison biographer Clinton Heylin disparaged for silly lyrics such as "I'm going away but I'm coming back/With a ginger cat/What d'ya think of that."[3] The single version of "Ro Ro Rosey" differed from the album version by overdubbing female singers.[3] The "Ro Ro Rosey" single did not replicate the chart success of "Brown Eyed Girl."[2][3][5] The song has been re-released on many of Morrison's compilation albums, particularly those documenting his Bang Records recording sessions.[4]
References
edit- ^ Hinton, Brian (1997). Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison. Sanctuary. pp. 76–77. ISBN 186074169X.
- ^ a b c d Rogan, Johnny (2006). Van Morrison: No Surrender. Random House. pp. 204, 207. ISBN 978-0099431831.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Heylin, Clinton (2004). Can You Feel the Silence?. Chicago Review Press. pp. 139–140, 161. ISBN 978-1556525421.
- ^ a b c d Greenwald, Matthew. "Ro Ro Rosey". Allmusic. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
- ^ a b c d e Hage, Erik (2009). The Words and Music of Van Morrison. Praeger. p. 33. ISBN 978-0313358623.
- ^ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. October 21, 1967. p. 12. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 21, 1967. p. 46. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
- ^ "Single Reviews" (PDF). Record World. October 21, 1967. p. 98. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ Marsh, Dave (1983). Marsh, Dave; Swenson, John (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Record Guide (2nd ed.). Rolling Stone Press. p. 345. ISBN 0394721071.