"Rosealia" is a song by American alternative rock group
Better Than Ezra
Better Than Ezra is an American alternative rock band based in New Orleans, Louisiana, and signed with The End Records. The band formed in 1988 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and consists of Kevin Griffin (vocals and guitar), Tom Drummond (bass g ...
. It was released in November 1995 as the third single from their debut album, ''
Deluxe''.
Content
The song is about a woman in an
abusive relationship
Relational aggression or alternative aggressionSimmons, Rachel (2002). ''Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls''. New York, New York: Mariner Books. pp. 8–9. . Retrieved 2016-11-02. is a type of aggression in which harm is cause ...
.
Background and writing
During a concert in
Albuquerque
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
on Monday, September 21, 2009,
Kevin Griffin
Kevin Michael Griffin (born October 1, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Better Than Ezra.
His songs have been performed and recorded by artists such as Taylor ...
explained to the audience that while living for a short time in
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe ( ; , Spanish for 'Holy Faith'; tew, Oghá P'o'oge, Tewa for 'white shell water place'; tiw, Hulp'ó'ona, label=Tiwa language, Northern Tiwa; nv, Yootó, Navajo for 'bead + water place') is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. ...
, he had a job waiting tables at The Pink Adobe restaurant. The restaurant's owner was a woman named Rosalea Murphy, and he wrote this song as a tribute to her.
Reception
The single peaked at No. 71 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100.
[ Chart data from AllMusicGuide/ref> ''Rosealia'' spent eleven weeks on the '']Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-played ...
chart, peaking at No. 24.
Charts
References
1993 songs
1995 singles
Better Than Ezra songs
Songs written by Kevin Griffin
Elektra Records singles
{{1990s-rock-song-stub