"Rose Tattoo" is a song by American Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys. It was originally released as the lead single from the band's eighth studio album Signed and Sealed in Blood on November 7, 2012. It was re-recorded with featured vocals from Bruce Springsteen and re-released on May 14, 2013 as part of the Rose Tattoo: For Boston Charity EP, which was released shortly after the Boston Marathon bombing in April 2013. A music video for the original version of the song was uploaded on November 8, 2012 to the band's official YouTube channel. The version featuring Springsteen peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart.
| "Rose Tattoo" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cover art for the Rose Tattoo: For Boston Charity EP | ||||
| Single by Dropkick Murphys | ||||
| from the album Signed and Sealed in Blood | ||||
| Released | November 7, 2012 | |||
| Recorded | May – July 2012 at Q Division Studios (Somerville, Massachusetts) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Born & Bred | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Dropkick Murphys | |||
| Producer(s) | Ted Hutt | |||
| Dropkick Murphys chronology | ||||
| ||||
Meaning
editThe song is about one man's tattoos in general, including a specifically mentioned rose tattoo. The rose tattoo itself is one of Casey's own tattoos, featured on his arm, and is a memorial to his grandfather, who raised Casey after his father died.
"He taught me most things that make me who I am today," Casey says. "He was a big union guy in Boston. It's in a visible place for me, and I look down and I see it a lot. He was such an inspiring man that it inspires me. Oftentimes, I just catch it out of the corner of my eye and it literally changes my mood when I think of him and what a strong individual he was."
Music video
editThe official music video for the song, lasting five minutes and twenty-six seconds, was uploaded on November 8, 2012 to the band's official YouTube channel.[1]
Track listing
editOriginal single
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rose Tattoo" | 5:06 |
Rose Tattoo: For Boston Charity EP
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rose Tattoo" (featuring Bruce Springsteen) | 3:39 |
| 2. | "Don't Tear Us Apart" (Live Acoustic) | 3:50 |
| 3. | "Jimmy Collins' Wake" (Live Acoustic) | 3:50 |
| Total length: | 11:19 | |
Charts
edit| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[2] | 25 |
Release history
edit| Region | Date | Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
 United States
|
November 7, 2012 | Born & Bred | Digital download (single) |
| May 14, 2013 | Digital download (EP) |
References
edit- ^ "Dropkick Murphys - "Rose Tattoo" (Video)". YouTube. November 8, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
- ^ "Dropkick Murphys Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2015.