Roseanne "Rosie" Vela was born in the gulf coast city of Galveston, Texas. … Read Full Bio ↴Roseanne "Rosie" Vela was born in the gulf coast city of Galveston, Texas. Musically inclined from an early age, she started playing piano at age six and studied opera singing as a young teenager. Once she discovered rock'n'roll, Rosie immersed herself in the late '60s Galveston psychedelic music scene and soon began singing in a local band called Purple Haze.

When Rosie was 16, she moved with her family to Little Rock, Arkansas. After graduating from high school, she enrolled in the University of Arkansas, where she studied art and music and dabbled in modeling. Also while there, Rosie met and fell in love with a musician named Jimmy Roberts. Rosie and Jimmy married, but sadly Jimmy died of cancer a few months later. Shortly after Jimmy's tragic death, Rosie left the university and moved to New York to pursue what would turn out to be a very successful modeling career.

In the mid '80s, Rosie decided to put her career on hold so that she could pursue her musical ambitions. She signed with A&M Records in 1986 and recorded and released her debut album, "Zazu", that year. This haunting collection of songs features unique jazzy melodies, dreamy vocals, and clever, idiosyncratic lyrics about lost love. You might remember the singles "Magic Smile", "Interlude", and "Fool's Paradise", which got some minor radio and video airplay. During 1987 Rosie toured briefly in support of "Zazu", opening up shows for The Fixx and Andy Summers in the USA.

In addition to its own musical virtue, "Zazu" marked the first time in years that Walter Becker and Donald Fagen of Steely Dan came together in a studio. Fortunately for Rosie, her album was being produced by long-time Steely Dan producer Gary Katz, and Walter happened to drop by the studio one day for a listen. Gary also played some of Rosie's tracks for Donald. Funnily enough, both Walter and Donald each independently asked to play on "Interlude". This song and several of Zazu's others feature Donald on synthesizer and Walter on guitar.

Soon after the release of "Zazu", Rosie sang backup vocals along with Joni Mitchell on Don Henley's song "Who Owns This Place"? from the soundtrack to the movie "The Color of Money." Rosie's next musical endeavor took place in the 1991 movie "Inside Edge." Starring as a nightclub singer, she performed the bluesy ballads "Can't Walk Away from Your Love" and "Heavy Rain".

In 1990, Rosie completed a second album of 10 songs titled "Sun Across the Altar". Sadly, it was never released. That year her record company, A&M, was bought out by Polydor. Thinking Rosie's music wasn't commercial enough, Polydor tried to get her to rap on one of the songs and then wanted her to rework the album with a heavy metal producer. Since Rosie understandably felt misunderstood by Polydor, she parted ways with them in 1991. It's sad that the world hasn't heard this fine recording. In the May 1994 issue of the now-defunct Steely Dan fan mag Metal Leg, guitarist Rick Derringer (who played on both of Rosie's albums) is quoted as saying that Rosie's second album "is excellent...the music, lyrics, songs, and singing exceed the quality of 'Zazu'".

In the early '90s, Rosie began working on a third album of songs. Sessions for this new recording were unfortunately postponed in 1994 when Rosie took time off to recover from an automobile accident. Once Rosie got back on her feet, she resumed recording and completed several songs. Some of them were produced by Jeff Lynne.

The album was again put on hold when Rosie began working with Jeff Lynne on new projects for his band, the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). In the late '90s, Rosie co-wrote a heavy rocker called "A Woman Like That" with Lynne for a British movie called "Still Crazy." She helped him compile and remaster songs for "Flashback," a three-CD retrospective of ELO's music, and she later did some work on ELO's album, "Zoom", which was released in 2001. Rosie's contributions to "Zoom" consisted of singing backup vocals on "Alright" and "All She Wanted", speaking some lines in Spanish on "Stranger on a Quiet Street", and assisting with the string arrangement on that same tune. Once the album was completed, Rosie performed with ELO as a vocalist during the band's first concerts in 15 years.

To read a fact-filled, insightful Rosie Vela interview, check out this article, by Eric Pooley, from the November 3, 1986, issue of New York Magazine.

Hopefully one day Polydor will release "Sun Across the Altar", Rosie will finish her third album, and the world will give Rosie's music the attention it so richly deserves.

Sunday
Rosie Vela Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There was something about a face.
There was something in her eyes
Would not be there tomorrow.
If only things could change.
Well I know I have to let you know. It's my embrace.
My heart can't wait.

Well I am just another friend

Who's caught up in the madness.
Hold my head to my...come back...come back tomorrow.
I was there from the start
And I'll be there to guide you. All that you need.
A love like yours is hard to leave.
But a love like mine is hard to find. Come back...
Come back tomorrow. I can only sigh.

It must be love. Must be love. Must be love.
It must be love. Love.

How could I backtrack in time
Muk an a say. Do da ba.
I sent you my Head On.
Ka vin you co da vin. An in a.

Sideshowed a bad chat. A muk an a say.
Do da ba a Zen. Jive coulda Calvin you wussie.

I'm just goin' wild. When I look in your eyes.
But I only see a photo. Only just a child.
Well I know I have to let you go.
It's much too late. My heart can't break.

Well I am just another friend
Who's caught up in the madness.
Hold my head to my...come back...come back tomorrow.
I was there from the start
And I'll be there to love you. Always you see.
A love like yours is hard to leave.
But a love like mine is hard to find. Come back...
Come back tomorrow. I can only try.

It must be love. Must be love. Must be love.
It must be love. Love.

There was something about a face.
It must be love.
There was something in her eyes.
Or my imagination. I know.
There was something about a face.
It must be love.
There was something in her eyes.
Or my imagination. Well I know.
And I can't shin-da shin-da
And I can't live without your love. Oh no.

There was something about a face.
It must be love.
There was something in her eyes.
Or my imagination. I know.
There was something about a face.
It must be love.

There was something in her eyes.
Or my imagination. I know.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Rosie Vela's "Sunday" seem to describe a love triangle, with the singer being a friend who is secretly in love with the object of the other person's affection. The song starts with the singer noticing something different in the person's face and eyes, which suggests that she is about to leave. He wishes that things could change and that he could confess his love before it's too late. The singer knows he has to let her know about his feelings, but it seems like he's too late.

The second verse of the song expresses the singer's frustration and despair about being just another friend who's caught up in the madness of unrequited love. He recollects being there from the start and offering guidance to the person he loves, believing that his love is hard to find. However, he acknowledges that the love of the other person is hard to leave. The chorus appears as a desperate plea for love, where the singer repeats that it must be love.

The bridge is a bit puzzling, as it seems like the singer is talking in gibberish, which might indicate his confusion and desperation. The last verse repeats the first verse's effect, emphasizing the singer's love for the person, but it seems like it's too late to confess now. The song ends with the singer admitting that he can't live without her love, underscoring his feelings of love and obsession.

Line by Line Meaning

There was something about a face.
She was drawn to the person's appearance in some unexplainable way.

There was something in her eyes
The person's eyes conveyed an emotion or message that she can't quite understand.

Would not be there tomorrow.
The feeling or emotion she's currently experiencing is fleeting and won't last forever.

If only things could change.
She wishes things could be different or if she had the power to change things.

Well I know I have to let you know. It's my embrace. My heart can't wait.
She has to tell the person how she feels and can't keep it inside any longer. Her heart is bursting with emotion.

Well I am just another friend Who's caught up in the madness.
She feels stuck in the middle of conflicting emotions and unsure what to do or how to proceed.

Hold my head to my...come back...come back tomorrow.
She's longing for the person to return and is imagining scenarios where they meet again.

I was there from the start And I'll be there to guide you. All that you need.
She's been there for the person since the beginning and will continue to be a support for them in any way necessary.

A love like yours is hard to leave. But a love like mine is hard to find.
She acknowledges that the person's love is valuable, but wants them to know that her love is also rare and special.

Come back... Come back tomorrow. I can only sigh.
She's still hoping for the person's return, but can't help feeling disappointed and letting out a sigh as a result.

It must be love. Must be love. Must be love. It must be love. Love.
She's affirming her feelings and desires for the person as genuine and true love.

How could I backtrack in time Muk an a say. Do da ba. I sent you my Head On. Ka vin you co da vin. An in a.
This line is difficult to interpret and may be non sequitur or meaningless.

Sideshowed a bad chat. A muk an a say. Do da ba a Zen. Jive coulda Calvin you wussie.
This line is difficult to interpret and may be non sequitur or meaningless.

I'm just goin' wild. When I look in your eyes. But I only see a photo. Only just a child.
She's fantasizing and obsessing over the person she's attracted to, but only has a photo to remember them by. She's also acknowledging that the person may be much younger or immature than she is.

Well I know I have to let you go. It's much too late. My heart can't break.
She's come to a realization that it's not feasible or proper for her to pursue this person anymore, and it's best for her to let them go. She's also acknowledging how tough this decision is for her, but she can't keep holding on and risking heartbreak.

Who's caught up in the madness. Hold my head to my...come back...come back tomorrow.
She's acknowledging that her feelings and desires have taken over her rational thinking, and she's still hoping for the person's return.

And I'll be there to love you. Always you see. A love like yours is hard to leave. But a love like mine is hard to find. Come back... Come back tomorrow. I can only try.
She's promising to always love and support the person, but also feels the need to remind them of how valuable her love is. She's still hoping they'll come back and continue their relationship.

And I can't shin-da shin-da And I can't live without your love. Oh no.
She's admitting that she's completely smitten and can't stand the thought of losing the person she loves.

There was something about a face. It must be love. There was something in her eyes. Or my imagination. I know.
The song concludes with a repetition of the first verse, suggesting that these feelings of attraction and mystery haven't gone away and may be love after all.

Contributed by Isaac Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS