The song was inspired by the story of the indigenous people of Australia, where women in the community pooled their money to buy a man for a time to be a communal husband. Neil Diamond, impressed by this story during his tour in Australia, wrote the song as a fanciful take on that narrative.
Key: C
C
Cracklin' Rosie, get on board
F
We're gonna ride till there ain't no more to go Taking it slow, Lord don't you know
Dm
G7
Have me a time with a poor man's lady
C
Hitchin' on a twilight train
F
Ain't nothing there that I care to take along Maybe a song, to sing when I want
Dm
G7
C
Don't need to say please to no man for a happy tune
C
F
G
C
Oh, I love my Rosie child
C
F
G
C
She got the way to make me happy
C
F
G
C
You and me, we go in style
Dm
Cracklin' Rosie you're a store-bought woman You make me sing like a guitar hummin'
G
Our song keeps runnin' on Play it now
C
Cracklin' Rosie, make me a smile
F
Girl if it lasts for an hour, that's all right We got all night to set the world right
Dm
G7
C
Find us a dream that don't ask no questions, yeah
C
F
G
C
Oh, I love my Rosie child
C
F
G
C
She got the way to make me happy
C
F
G
C
You and me, we go in style
Dm
Cracklin' Rosie, you're a store-bought woman You make me sing like a guitar hummin'