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May 4, 1970 was the day of the Kent State Massacre. Shortly thereafter, CSN&Y recorded the powerful Neil Young song "Ohio". About a month after the shootings Bruce's early band, Steel Mill, played the String Factory in Richmond VA. Bruce presented this song with no backing from his band mates. It may be the only time he ever performed it. He was 20 years old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75UD5Xo01M4

Last edited by CrookedCrutch
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From Brucebase: 1970-06-19

One show, with Steel Mill the sole act on the bill. This venue had previously been owned and operated by Free University under the name "The Center" and Child/Steel Mill had played here several times (see listings). It was sold in March 1970 and re-opened, revamped and under private ownership, in May 1970 as "The String Factory". "Where Was Jesus In Ohio" is Springsteen's response to the May 4, 1970 massacre at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. Performed by Springsteen alone with an acoustic guitar, it's an early example of Springsteen moving away from his band, as his focus switches to solo material over the next few years. While this song was performed solo, the taper confirms this was a Steel Mill show; the band took a break while Springsteen played alone. We have placed this audio here since we understand it was recorded at The String Factory, but it may emanate from the next night, or potentially other unrecorded shows. Brucebase reader, Tom Eure, contacted us about a show at The String Factory he vividly recalled. He remembers Springsteen playing with nothing on but a pair of jeans, in hot, humid conditions while a massive thunderstorm raged outside. The audience were sat on the floor, watching mesmerized as the stage was periodically lit by flashes of lightning. The room was surrounded by large windows, making the light show all the more impressive. The unmistakable sounds of thunder can clearly be heard (as can the audience reaction) during the quiet sections of "Garden State Parkway Blues", suggesting this may be the show that made such an impression on Tom.

____________________________________

The SPL Rocks!

Prego che tu stia danzando con San Pietro alle porte perlacee del cielo





Pulled up to my house today
Came and took my little girl away!
Giants Stadium 8/28/03



Oats

Last edited by Oats

Oats...this is very interesting stuff! Thanks!

For the past week I've been trying to dig up the version of Rosalita that was first played in Richmond, VA back on 1973-02-14 with no luck, but in searching I keep finding all sorts of other interesting things.

For example, I stumbled across a Steel Mill cover, released by a Canadian band as a single in the 1970s.

For all we know about Bruce, there's lots we don't know. Or at least I don't, and I've been a fan forever!

Oats...this is very interesting stuff! Thanks!

For the past week I've been trying to dig up the version of Rosalita that was first played in Richmond, VA back on 1973-02-14 with no luck, but in searching I keep finding all sorts of other interesting things.



You mean this one:  1973-02-14 Rosalita-Fun Fun Fun

____________________________________

The SPL Rocks!

Prego che tu stia danzando con San Pietro alle porte perlacee del cielo





Pulled up to my house today
Came and took my little girl away!
Giants Stadium 8/28/03



Oats

Damn!

She's the one!

Thanks so much!

I can sleep now!

This appears to be the first version we have a recording of.

This may make you sleep even easier, From SpringsteenLyrics.com:

ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT)

Live 14 Feb 1973 version




Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Spread out now, Rosie, doctor come cut loose her chiffon reins
You know playin' blind man's bluff is a little baby's game
You pick up Little Dynamite, I'm gonna pick up Little Gun
And together we're gonna go out tonight and make that highway run
You don't have to call me lieutenant and I don't want to be your son
The only lover I'm ever gonna need's your soft sweet samurai tongue
Rosie, you're the one!

Oh, Dynamite's in the belfry, baby, playin' with the bats
Little Gun's downtown in front of Woolworth's, tryin' out his attitude on all the cats
Papa's on the corner, waiting for the bus
Mama, she's home in the window, waitin' up for us
We'll be there in that chair when they wrestle her upstairs, 'cause you know we ain't gonna come
I'm not here on business, I'm only here for fun
Rosie, you're the one!

Rosalita, jump a little lighter
Senorita, come sit by my fire
I just want to be your lover, not no liar
Rosalita, you're my stone desire

Jack the Rabbit and Weak Knee Willie, don't you know they're gonna be there
Sloppy Sue and Big Bones Billy, they'll be comin' up for air
We're gonna play some pool, skip some school, act real cool
Stay out all night, it's gonna feel all right
So, Rosie, come out tonight, Rosie, come out tonight
Windows are for cheaters, chimneys for the poor
Closets are for hangers, winners use the doors
So use 'em!

Rosalita, jump a little lighter
Senorita, come sit by my fire
I just want to be your lover, not no liar
Rosalita, you're my stone desire

Oh, yeah

[Spoken:] There I was. I was eight years old. There, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I'd been hitchhiking around the country for five years. Oh, yeah. I, I was something else. And just by coincidence, I got arrested for loitering, and they put me in the same cell, by sheer coincidence, as was James Brown. It was, uh, it was amazing, it was, here I was, eight years old, with James Brown coming to me and he looked me in the face, and he said, "Uh, ah, uh, ain't it fun?" And the next time he opened his mouth to say something, it was the funniest thing, the next time he opened his mouth, out came:

[band plays some James Brown-style music]

[Spoken:] Then he walked away. Just by sheer coincidence, in the very next cell, sitting there with his surfboard, was Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys. I said, "Dennis, what are you doing in, uh, that cell with a surfboard?" So, he said he was looking for the perfect wave. Right, right. All right. He came up to me, looked me in the face, and said:

Well, we got her daddy's car and we drove to the hamburger stand, now
We forgot all about the library like she told her old man, now
And with the radio blastin' we went cruisin' just as fast as she can, now
And we'll have fun, fun, fun 'til her daddy takes the T-bird away
(Fun, fun, fun, 'til her daddy takes the T-bird away)

Well, the girls don't like her 'cause she walks, looks, and drives like an ace, now (walk like an ace, now, you walk like an ace)
She makes the Indy 500 look like the Roman chariot race, now (chariot race, now, chariot race)
And when the guys try to catch her, she leads 'em on a wild goose chase, now (wild goose chase, now, wild goose chase)
And we'll have fun, fun, fun 'til her daddy takes the T-bird away
(Fun, fun, fun, 'til her daddy takes the T-bird away)

Well, you shouldn't have lied, because your daddy's getting wise to you, now (shouldn't have lied, now, shouldn't have lied)
And since he took your set of keys, you been thinkin' that your fun is all through now (shouldn't have lied, now, shouldn't have lied)
But you can come along with me, 'cause we got a lot of things to do now (you shouldn't have lied, now, you shouldn't have lied)
And we'll have fun, fun, fun 'til her daddy takes the T-bird away
(Fun, fun, fun, 'til her daddy takes the T-bird away)
We'll have fun, fun, fun 'til her daddy takes the T-bird away
(Fun, fun, fun, 'til her daddy takes the T-bird away)
Oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, ooh
Whoa, whoa, oh, ooh
Whoa, whoa, ooh
Whoa, whoa, ooh

[Spoken:] Then he split. By sheer coincidence, with a cop — with a policeman on both sides, they, uh, they brought in Wilson Pickett, for being, uh, too funky or something, I forget, I forget the exact charge, but, uh, he came up to me, said, "Son?" I looked up, I said, "Yes, Mr. Pickett?" He said, "if you're ever in trouble, all you got to do is" — and then he showed me this.

[P]One, two, three, four!

[Spoken:] Now far on the right, Mr. Danny Federici, from Asbury Park, New Jersey. Danny used to play with me a few years ago with Steel Mill. Over on my left, Mr. Garry Tallent, on the bass, from Marlboro. On the right here, Mad Dog Vincent Lopez, our drumming member, is on drums. And on the left, you see Clarence Clemons on the saxophone!

Now, I know your mama, she don't like me 'cause I play in a rock and roll band
And I know your daddy, he don't dig me, but he never did understand
Papa lowered the boom and locked you in your room
I'm coming to lend a hand
I'm riding for liberation, confiscation, I want to be your man
Someday we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny, da, da, da, da
But now you're sad, your mama's mad
And your papa says he knows that I don't have any money
Your papa says he knows that I don't have any money
So your papa says he knows that I don't have any money

Tell him this is his last chance to get his daughter in a fine romance
The record company, Rosie, just gave me an advance!
My tires were slashed and I almost crashed, but the Lord had mercy
My machine, she's a dud, out stuck in the mud somewhere in the swamps of Jersey
Hold on tight, stay up all night, Rosie, I'm comin' on
By the time we meet the morning light, I will hold you in my arms
I know a pretty little place in Southern California down San Diego way
There's a little café, where they play it all night and all day
You can hear them guitar strummin'
Outside my baby dances, hummin'
And everybody says:
Ohhhh!

Rosalita, jump a little lighter
Senorita, come sit by my fire
I just want to be your lover, not no liar
Rosalita, you're my stone desire[/P]

Info

The above lyrics are for the live 14 Feb 1973 performance of ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT) at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, during what is considered the Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. Tour. The song was played in a full-band arrangement and featured early lyrics ("chiffon reins" and "samurai tongue") that can be found on Springsteen's 1972 handwritten lyrics for ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT). This version also featured a spoken midsection (including band introductions) and a full performance of The Beach Boys' FUN FUN FUN in the middle. This is the earliest known performance of ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT).

This was a double-bill show with Bruce Springsteen and the band opening and Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks headlining. The show was held at the university's new gymnasium. Springsteen was allowed to present a headliner-length performance of nearly 90 minutes. The show's complete setlist is known from a newspaper review in conjunction with a circulating (but very poor quality) 45-minute audience recording encompassing five of the show's nine songs.

Promotional ad for the 14 Feb 1973 show at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Promotional ad for the 14 Feb 1973 show at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

____________________________________

The SPL Rocks!

Prego che tu stia danzando con San Pietro alle porte perlacee del cielo





Pulled up to my house today
Came and took my little girl away!
Giants Stadium 8/28/03



Oats

Holy moly!

In many ways, that might be the best version of Rosie ever! Crazy good!

Too bad that wasn't played at MSG in '78 with pristine audio.

Imagine that on a NUGS release?

My other thought is, man oh man, if this is indeed the song's first ever performance, the band sure are taking it on at a breakneck pace.

Not sure when or where, but I heard this version ages ago. I might have saved it and lost it. I'm glad to have it back again.

Oats, thanks so much for taking the time to send it to me. Means a lot.

I've never uploaded a single thing in my lifetime, but I download lots. I collect, I organize, I create my own playlists and stuff. Date everything. I get great enjoyment from what I've assembled, and this was one of those holy grail things!

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