The Pretty Things was preceded by Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys which consisted of Dick Taylor, fellow Sidcup Art College student Keith Richards, and Mick Jagger. When Brian Jones joined Little Boy Blue and the Blues Boys as guitarist, Taylor was pushed from playing guitar to bass and the Rolling Stones were formed.
Several months later Dick Taylor (born Richard Clifford Taylor, 28 January 1943, in Dartford, Kent) quit the newly formed Rolling Stones to pursue his schooling when he was accepted at London Central School of Art, where he met up with Phil May (born Phillip Arthur Dennis Kattner, on 9 November 1944, in Dartford, Kent: died 15 May 2020) and they formed Pretty Things.
Taylor was once again playing his preferred guitar with May singing and playing harmonica. They recruited Brian Pendleton (born 13 April 1944 in Wolverhampton–died 16 May 2001 in Maidstone, Kent) on rhythm guitar; John Stax (born John Edward Lee Fullegar, 6 April 1944 in Crayford, Kent) on bass; and, after trying a couple of different drummers, including Pete Kitley and Viv Andrews, stuck with Viv Prince (born Vivian St John Prince, 9 August 1944, in Loughborough, Leices).
Early career
They caused a sensation in England, and their first three singles — "Rosalyn" #41, "Don't Bring Me Down" #10, and the self-penned "Honey I Need" at #13 — appeared in the UK singles chart in 1964-1965. They never had a hit in the United States, but had considerable success in their native United Kingdom and in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and the Netherlands in the middle of the decade. However, in the U.S. they, along with The Yardbirds and Van Morrison's Them, were a huge influence on hundreds of garage bands, including the MC5 and The Seeds.
Their early material was hard-edged blues-rock influenced by Bo Diddley (they took their name from Diddley's 1955 song "Pretty Thing" in humorous contrast to their unkempt long-haired appearance) and Jimmy Reed, much like that of their contemporaries The Stones and The Yardbirds. They were known for wild "rock and roll" behaviour and shocking the establishment; their song "Midnight to Six Man" defined the mod lifestyle. Around this time, the first of what would be many personnel changes over the years also began, with Prince the first to go late in 1965. He was replaced by Skip Alan. Pendleton left late in 1966, and was not initially replaced. Then, Stax quit early in 1967 and Jon Povey and Wally Waller joined to make the band a five piece once again.
After an uncomfortable flirtation with mainstream pop on the Emotions album in 1967, they embraced psychedelia, producing the groundbreaking concept album S.F. Sorrow during 1967-68. This album, released in late 1968, is arguably one of the first rock operas, preceding The Who's Tommy by about a year. It was recorded in the legendary Abbey Road Studios six months after The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Pink Floyd's The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Each album shares a similar forward-thinking late-1960s psychedelic sound (as well as sharing the same record producer, Norman Smith, as the Floyd). S.F. Sorrow was followed by the highly-acclaimed record album Parachute, which continued the psychedelic sound and was named "Album of the Year" in 1970 by Rolling Stone Magazine. During this period they also recorded an album for a young French millionaire, Philippe DeBarge, which was intended only to be circulated among the man's social circle. The acetate has since been bootlegged.
Later career
From this point on, the group enjoyed less in the way of commercial success, but the devotion of a strong cult following, especially with critics and other rock musicians. Their material in the early 1970s tended towards more the hard rock and early heavy metal end of the spectrum, although still blues-based, on albums like Silk Torpedo. 1980's Cross Talk saw them incorporating influences of punk and New Wave into their hard rock sound; like most of their records, it was an artistic but not a commercial success.
With a new manager, Mark St John, they gigged sporadically during the 1980s. By the end of the decade their profile had almost disappeared, when founder members Phil May and Dick Taylor reformed the band for a successful European blues tour in late 1990 with Stan Webb's Chicken Shack and Luther Allison. This gigging outfit included drummer Hans Waterman (formerly of Dutch rock group Solution), bassist Roelf ter Velt and guitarist/keyboardist Barkley McKay (Waco Brothers and Pine Valley Cosmonaut's with Jon Langford of Mekon Fame). This line up regularly toured the European mainland playing a revitalised set that show cased their earlier, rootsy blues and r'n'b materiel, until late 1994. By 1995, they reformed the Cross Talk line-up and added Frank Holland on guitar in place of Peter Tolson. Their label, Snapper Music, issued remastered CDs with many bonus tracks, plus a DVD of a re-recording of S.F. Sorrow at Abbey Road Studios (with Dave Gilmour & Arthur Brown guesting). They toured more frequently, including a tour of the U.S. for the first time in decades
Original rhythm guitarist Brian Pendleton died of lung cancer on May 16, 2001.
In the early 2000's, they released new recordings, including a live album and the studio album Rage Before Beauty.
In 2003, Alan Lakey's biography of the band, Growing Old Disgracefully, was published by Firefly. The book dealt with the long and involved history of the band, and paid special attention to the legal proceedings issued against EMI in the 1990s.
The band did their final tour in 2018.
Rosalyn
The Pretty Things Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
The song "Rosalyn" by The Pretty Things captures the longing of a man for a woman who seems to constantly elude him. The lyrics express a plea from the man to Rosalyn to tell him where she has been “all the night and all the day”. The game of hide and seek that Rosalyn plays with the man is likened to a sin in the lyrics “Treat me as sure as sin”. The repetition of Rosalyn’s name throughout the song seems to indicate that she is always at the forefront of the man’s thoughts and he cannot escape her hold on him.
The second verse of the song reveals the man’s deep affection for Rosalyn. He declares her to be the girl for him, and when he holds her tight, it’s difficult to say goodnight. He implores her to see that it is her he loves. The chorus is a series of questions directed at Rosalyn, as he asks her if she really loves him and if her love is true. His desire to know seems to stem from the uncertainty and elusiveness of Rosalyn.
Overall, the song captures the mix of passion and frustration that can come with the gradual unfolding of a romantic relationship. The Pretty Things have created a tune that is both catchy and engaging, with lyrics that are both heartfelt and relatable.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey Rosalyn, tell me where you've been
Addressing Rosalyn, ask her to reveal her whereabouts
All the night and all the day
Without any break, day and night
Hide and seek's the game you play
Playing the game of hiding and seeking
Treat me as sure as sin
Treating me like a committed wrongdoing
Hey Rosalyn, you're the girl for me
Hey Rosalyn, you are the only girl I want
When I'm holding you so tight
When I am embracing you firmly
It's so hard to say goodnight
It is difficult to say farewell to you
It's you that I love now can't you see?
I only love you, do you realize that?
Do you really love me, do you love me true
Questioning if Rosalyn truly loves him
Yeah gotta know, yeah gotta know
Yes, I need to know the truth
Rosalyn
Repeatedly calling out her name
Contributed by Austin C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Shamash Gökturk
Yeah Rosalyn, tell me where you've been
Oh Rosalyn, tell me where you've been
Every night and every day
Hide and seek's the game you play
Treat me as sure as sin
Oh Rosalyn, yeah Rosalyn
Oh Rosalyn, you're the girl for me
Yeah Rosalyn, you're the girl for me
When I'm holding you so tight
I don't wanna say goodnight
It's you I love now can't you see?
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
Oh Rosalyn, you're the girl for me
Yeah Rosalyn, you're the girl for me
Now I'm holding you so tight
I don't wanna say goodnight
It's you I love now can't you see?
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
Yeah gotta know, yeah gotta know
Yeah gotta know Rosalyn
Yeah Rosalyn
Yeah Rosalyn
Giulio Luzzardi
This deserves more plays, 1964 punk band!
Juddson Toski
RIP Phil May. His vocals on this song are incredible!
Matteo Bocci
The whole song is incredible!
Swichtie Harsent
Wicked voice wicked band
Arminius Hermann
Thank you Dad for giving them old timers a surprised look on their face, that I knew more bands and songs from this era of music and also In which I knew what band members left what bands to join others at such a young age. Thanks to your huge record collection they couldn't believe a young boy could know all this. And most certainly thank you Dad for leaving me your huge collection rather then my 5 brothers and sisters; love you guys but this music is mine, it's a testament to the memories of me an my dad enjoying great music together along with enjoying a few other things as well together. Sorry for the rant but this little memory holds great value in my heart.
Ken Lee
My favourite record. Terrific drums.
Wayne Fontanz
Loved this song in my teenage years which brings back vivid happy unforgettable memories of those times. Remember meeting a pretty girl named Rosalyn when this song hit the charts. Still love the song today and the memories that go along with it.
Kev O'Carroll
Best RnB band ever, with one of the most charismatic "bad boy" front men as well. The world just aint the same without Phil.
Miyuki Shijisha
R.I.P Phil May...great song, great group.
shelley Ganz
AMAZING!! R. I. P. Phil...We'll miss you...