Rosalyn
David Bowie Lyrics

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Hey Rosalyn, tell me where you've been
Hey Rosalyn, tell me where you've been
All the night and all the day
Hide and seek's the game you play
Treat me as sure as sin

Oh Rosalyn, yeah Rosalyn
[VERSE]

Hey Rosalyn, you're the girl for me
Hey Rosalyn, you're the girl for me
When I'm holding you so tight
It's so hard to say goodnight
It's you that I love now can't you see?

[CHORUS]
Do you really love me, do you love me true
Do you really love me Rosalyn?
Yeah gotta know, yeah gotta know
Yeah gotta know Rosalyn

[VERSE]
[CHORUS]
Yeah gotta know, yeah gotta know
Yeah gotta know Rosalyn

Rosalyn
Yeah Rosalyn, Rosalyn, Rosalyn, Rosalyn, ooh-yeah, ah

Overall Meaning

The song "Rosalyn" by David Bowie is about a woman named Rosalyn. The lyrics focus on the singer's infatuation with her and his desire to know more about her. In the first verse, the singer asks Rosalyn where she has been and notes that she seems to play games with him. However, despite this, he is still drawn to her and says that she treats him "as sure as sin." The second verse reiterates the singer's love for Rosalyn and how hard it is for him to part from her. The chorus asks if Rosalyn really loves the singer and if she loves him truly. Finally, the song ends with a repetition of her name, emphasizing her importance to the singer.

The lyrics of "Rosalyn" could be interpreted as being about the thrill of a new relationship and the desire to know more about the other person. Rosalyn is portrayed as a mysterious figure who the singer cannot seem to resist, even though she plays games with him. The chorus suggests that the singer is unsure of her feelings towards him, highlighting the uncertainty that comes with a new relationship. However, the repetition of her name at the end of the song suggests that the singer is still drawn to her, regardless of her feelings towards him.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey Rosalyn, tell me where you've been
Addressing Rosalyn and asking her about her whereabouts

All the night and all the day
She is missing, absent and can't be found either day or night

Hide and seek's the game you play
She's playing games and hiding from the singer

Treat me as sure as sin
She treats the artist badly, like a sin

Hey Rosalyn, you're the girl for me
The artist is expressing his affection to Rosalyn

When I'm holding you so tight
The singer is physically close to Rosalyn

It's so hard to say goodnight
The singer doesn't want to say goodbye to her

It's you that I love now can't you see?
The artist is telling Rosalyn that he loves her

Do you really love me, do you love me true
The artist is questioning if Rosalyn's love for him is real

Yeah gotta know, yeah gotta know
He has to know the true nature of her feelings

Rosalyn, Rosalyn, Rosalyn, Rosalyn, ooh-yeah, ah
Repetition of her name, possibly indicating the extent of the singer's infatuation