Whole Lotta Rosie
"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.
Not to be confused with Whole Lotta Love."Whole Lotta Rosie"
1977
5:20
It was released as a single in a few countries in 1977, backed by "Dog Eat Dog". In 1978, the live version from If You Want Blood You've Got It, which had been recorded in Glasgow on 30 April 1978, was also released as a single in October 1978.[3]
Early version[edit]
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 September 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 International 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.[8]
When the song was released as a single in 1978 it was heavily edited, making the song considerably shorter. A big part of the guitar solo was left out as well as the characteristic guitar-band duel.
Covers[edit]
"Whole Lotta Rosie" was covered by Guns N' Roses, who included it on the 1987 UK vinyl singles of "Welcome to the Jungle" and the 1988 Live from the Jungle album. It has also been played as part of Guns N' Roses' concerts.[10]
Australian psychedelic band Electric Hippies recorded a cover in 1995 for the Fuse Box alternative tribute album.
It was also covered by W.A.S.P. on the American version of the 1996 Still Not Black Enough album.
The Japanese power metal band Galneryus released a cover of it, on their 2007 Voices from the Past EP, which is an EP of 5 cover songs.
Another cover version, by Steel Panther, was released in 2010 on The Metal Forge Volume Two (A Tribute To AC/DC) by Metal Hammer.
Bullet for My Valentine also released a cover of the song as a bonus track on their 2013 album Temper Temper.
In other media[edit]
A live version of this song is included on AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack.