The Night Rosalita Died
One might consider October 19th, 1984, to be “the night Rosalita died.” Ever since the song was written, almost every set at a Springsteen concert was closed off with an extended version of “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight).” But then one night in Tacoma, Washington, the song was dropped from the setlist. Springsteen biographer Dave Marsh explained why.
Clarence Clemons and Bruce Springsteen. Photo By Geoffrey Robinson/Shutterstock
Marsh wrote that taking the song out of the playlist was done to “disrupt the ritual expectations of the fanatic fans, establishing through a burst of creativity just who was boss. He’d liberated the show from an albatross, a song that was too long and had long since stopped breathing.” And that is why October 19th is the night Rosalita died.