Whole Lotta Rosie

"Whole Lotta Rosie"
Single by AC/DC
from the album Let There Be Rock
B-side	"Dog Eat Dog"
Released	1977
Format	CD
Recorded	1977
Genre	Hard rock, heavy metal
Length	5:20
Label	ATCO
Writer(s)	Angus Young, Bon Scott, Malcolm Young
Producer	Harry Vanda, George Young
AC/DC singles chronology
"Let There Be Rock" (1977) "Whole Lotta Rosie" (1978) "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" (1978)
Alternative cover Cover of AC/DC's 1978 single

"Whole Lotta Rosie"
Song by AC/DC from the album Let There Be Rock
Released	March 1977 (Australia) June 23, 1977 (worldwide)
Recorded	January–February 1977
Genre	Hard rock, heavy metal
Length	5:33
Label	ATCO
Producer	Harry Vanda, George Young
Let There Be Rock track listing
"Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be" (7) "Whole Lotta Rosie" (8) N/A

"Whole Lotta Rosie" is a song by Australian 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.

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 (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).

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 Volts, 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 recordings and performances

"Rosie" on the 2008 Black Ice Tour

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 It, 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.^{[citation needed]}

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.

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)

1. "Whole Lotta Rosie" (Young, Young, Scott) – 5:20
2. "Dog Eat Dog" (Young, Young, Scott) – 3:35

1978 7-inch single (Belgium: Atlantic 109 92)

1. "Whole Lotta Rosie" (Young, Young, Scott) – 5:20
2. "Dog Eat Dog" (Young, Young, Scott) – 3:35

1980 7-inch single (UK: Atlantic HM 4)

1. "Whole Lotta Rosie" (Young, Young, Scott) – 5:20
2. "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be" (Young, Young, Scott) – 4:21

Personnel

• Bon Scott – lead vocals
• Angus Young – lead guitar
• Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar
• Mark Evans – bass
• Phil Rudd – drums

• Producers: Harry Vanda, George Young

Chart positions

Chart (1978)	Position
Dutch Singles Chart	5
Chart (1980)	Position
UK Singles Chart	36

External links

• Review of "Whole Lotta Rosie" by Allmusic