Released 28 October 1966 Label Pye Producer(s) Shel Talmy | Genre Baroque pop Composer(s) Ray Davies | |
Recorded 23 October 1965 – 21 June 1966 at Pye Studios, London | ||
"Rosie Won't You Please Come Home" is a song by the British rock band The Kinks. The song appeared on the band's album, Face to Face, and, like all the other songs on said album, it was written by Ray Davies.
Contents
Background
"Rosie Won't You Please Come Home" was mainly inspired by Ray and Dave Davies's sister, Rosie. She, along with her husband, Arthur Anning, had moved to Australia in 1964, which devastated Ray to a great extent. On the day that they moved, Ray Davies broke down on the beach after a gig. "I started screaming. A part of my family had left, possibly forever...I collapsed in a heap on the sandy beach and wept like a pathetic child." Ray Davies said on the incident. Dave Davies added, "All of a sudden, the fact that they were really leaving finally hit Ray. He ran to the sea screaming and crying." Rosie and Arthur's departure later inspired the premise for The Kinks' 1969 concept album, Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire).
Release and reception
"Rosie Won't You Please Come Home" appeared as the second track on the album Face to Face in October 1966. That same month, the song made an appearance on the French EP Dandy, which also featured "Dandy", "Party Line", and "Fancy". The song also appeared on the compilation album Picture Book.
AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine called the track a "classic" and cited the song as a highlight from Face to Face.