A self-taught musician, primarily a keyboard player, he was educated at Jarrow Grammar School, South Tyneside, and was a founding member of the Tyneside group The Alan Price Rhythm and Blues Combo, then renamed The Animals. His playing on their international hit "House of the Rising Sun" and other tracks was a key element in the Animals' success. His arrangement of "House of the Rising Sun," a traditional folk song, has become more recognisable than previous incarnations.
He left the band in May 1965, to form the highly successful Alan Price Set. In the same year, he appeared in the film Dont Look Back, which followed Bob Dylan on tour. In 1967, he enjoyed singles success with the Randy Newman song "Simon Smith And His Amazing Dancing Bear" and "The House That Jack Built", following it up in 1968 with the jazzy "Don't Stop The Carnival". A partnership with Georgie Fame resulted in a Top 20 single in 1971, "Rosetta", and an album "Fame and Price, Price and Fame Together", as well as a regular slot in one series of "The Two Ronnies" on BBC television.
In 1973, he wrote the music for the Lindsay Anderson film O Lucky Man!; he performs on screen in the film and appears in walk-on parts as himself.
Price produced the autobiographical album Between Today and Yesterday in 1974, a track from which, "Jarrow Song", returned him to the singles chart.
He participated in two attempts to reunite The Animals in 1977 and 1983. He also made several recordings with his friend, Georgie Fame.
He acted in Alfie Darling, a less than stellar sequel to the film Alfie, in the course of which he became romantically involved with his co-star, Jill Townsend. He has written music for stage plays and films, including The Whales of August.
For the past 20 years Alan Price has continued to regularly tour the UK, both on his own, and sometimes in 60's revues with groups such as Manfred Mann, The Searchers and The Hollies.
Rosetta
Alan Price Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You let her loose for a Friday night
You know it's gonna end in a fight
Rosetta drinks her whisky neat
She gets in a fight and she might get beat
So I go round on the Saturday night and ask her if she feels alright
Rosetta are you better, are you well, well, well
Rosetta are you better, are you well, well, well
When Friday comes she's fine again so we go to a club where we got friends
Knocked on the door but we couldn't get in cause the boss don't want no fuss
So we went up town and we drank around and Rosie ended on the ground
I took her home and I put her to bed and you can guess what I said
Rosetta are you better, are you well, well, well
Rosetta are you better, are you well, well, well
Well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well
Rosetta are you better, are you well, well, well
Rosetta are you better, are you well, well, well
Well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well
Well, my little girl is a sweet little girl but she does things, makes your eyebrows curl
You let her loose on a Friday night
You know it's gonna end in a fight
Rosetta are you better, are you well, well, well
Rosetta are you better, are you well, well, well
Well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well
Well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well
You know it's alright, (Well, well, well) you hear what I say (Well, well, well), take it easy, baby
Well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well
Well, well, well, well, well, well
The song "Rosetta" by Alan Price tells the story of a girl named Rosetta who has a habit of getting into fights when she drinks whiskey on a Friday night. The singer, who is possibly her boyfriend, expresses concern for her and checks on her the next day. When Friday comes around again, they try to go to a club but are denied entry, so they end up drinking around town until Rosetta ends up on the ground. The singer takes her home and asks if she is feeling better. Throughout the song, the singer expresses a mix of frustration and concern for Rosetta's behavior and well-being.
The song addresses the issue of alcohol and its sometimes destructive effects on individuals and relationships. It also touches on the dynamic of wanting to have fun and let loose on a weekend but being mindful of the consequences that can come along with it. The repetition of the line "Rosetta are you better, are you well, well, well" emphasizes the singer's concern for Rosetta and her well-being.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, my little girl is a sweet little girl but she does things that make your eyebrows curl
Although my daughter is kind-hearted, her behavior can be unsettling.
You let her loose for a Friday night
When she has her freedom on a Friday night,
You know it's gonna end in a fight
I can already tell that a conflict will arise.
Rosetta drinks her whisky neat
Rosetta consumes her whisky neat (without any mixer).
She gets in a fight and she might get beat
She has a tendency to initiate conflicts and is at risk of losing them.
So I go round on the Saturday night and ask her if she feels alright
On Saturday night, I check on her well-being.
Rosetta are you better, are you well, well, well
I inquire about her health and condition.
When Friday comes she's fine again so we go to a club where we got friends
By the time Friday rolls around, she is well and ready to go to a club where we know people.
Knocked on the door but we couldn't get in cause the boss don't want no fuss
We attempted to enter the club but the manager refused us, wanting to avoid any trouble or commotion.
So we went up town and we drank around and Rosie ended on the ground
We went to another part of town, drinking along the way, and Rosetta ended up falling to the ground.
I took her home and I put her to bed and you can guess what I said
I brought her home, put her to bed, and proceeded to tell her off.
Well, my little girl is a sweet little girl but she does things, makes your eyebrows curl
Again, despite her sweet nature, Rosetta tends to engage in questionable behavior.
You let her loose on a Friday night
Giving her freedom on a Friday night leads to problems.
You know it's gonna end in a fight
A fight is a likely outcome.
Rosetta are you better, are you well, well, well
I ask about her well-being once again.
You know it's alright, (Well, well, well) you hear what I say (Well, well, well), take it easy, baby
It's alright, listen to what I'm saying, just relax, baby.
Contributed by Gavin E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.