Ro Ro Rosey

"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"
Released1967
Recorded28 March 1967
StudioA & R, New York City
GenreRock, R&B
Length2:58
Label
Songwriter(s)Van Morrison
Producer(s)Bert Berns
Van Morrison singles chronology
"Brown Eyed Girl"
(1967)		 "Ro Ro Rosey"
(1967)		 "Spanish Rose"
(1967)

Writing and recording

"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

The 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

Rolling Stone Magazine critic Dave Marsh described "Ro Ro Rosey" as being "remarkably erotic in the best blues tradition.[6] 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
  1. Hinton, Brian (1997). Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison. Sanctuary. pp. 76–77. ISBN 186074169X.
  2. Rogan, Johnny (2006). Van Morrison: No Surrender. Random House. pp. 204, 207. ISBN 978-0099431831.
  3. Heylin, Clinton (2004). Can You Feel the Silence?. Chicago Review Press. p. 139–140, 161. ISBN 978-1556525421.
  4. Greenwald, Matthew. "Ro Ro Rosey". Allmusic. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
  5. Hage, Erik (2009). The Words and Music of Van Morrison. Praeger. p. 33. ISBN 978-0313358623.
  6. Marsh, Dave (1983). Marsh, Dave; Swenson, John (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Record Guide (2nd ed.). Rolling Stone Press. p. 345. ISBN 0394721071.
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