Cracklin' Rosie

"Cracklin' Rosie" is a song written and recorded by Neil Diamond in 1970, with instrumental backing by Los Angeles session musicians from the Wrecking Crew, including Hal Blaine on drums, Larry Knechtel on keyboards, Joe Osborn on bass, Al Casey on guitar and Gene Estes on percussion – arranged by Don Randi. The song was included on Diamond's album Tap Root Manuscript. In October 1970 the song became Diamond's first American No. 1 hit within the Billboard Hot 100, and his third to sell a million copies. It was his breakthrough single on the UK Singles Chart, reaching No. 3 for four weeks in November and December. Billboard ranked the record as the No. 17 song of 1970. It also reached No. 2 in both the Australian Singles Chart and the Irish Singles Chart. Its best performance was in New Zealand, where it stayed at No. 1 for five weeks at the end of the year.

The single version released by Uni Records was in mono, while the album version from Tap Root Manuscript was in stereo.

Song meaning

Married to a catchy and dynamic melody and arrangement, the lyrics suggested to some a devotion to a woman of the night:

Oh, I love my Rosie child —
You got the way to make me happy.
You and me, we go in style...
Cracklin' Rose, you're a store-bought woman
But you make me sing like a guitar hummin' ...

The stories about how Diamond was inspired to write the song are apocryphal. "Crackling Rosé" is the name of an inexpensive sparkling wine once produced by Andres Wines of British Columbia, Canada, which was popular among the Indigenous population. One story suggests that Diamond heard a story about a native Canadian tribe while interviewing in Toronto, Canada—the tribe had more men than women, so the lonely men of the tribe would sit around the fire and drink their wine together—which inspired him to write the song.

Reception

Record World said that it "has the sound of a classic like 'Sweet Caroline'" and "an excellent chance for quick gold." Billboard called it a "clever rhythm item that has it to hit with all the potent sales of another 'Sweet Caroline' or 'Holly Holy.'"

Charts

Weekly charts

Template:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chart

Chart (1970–71)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	2
Template:Singlechart
New Zealand (Listener)	1
South Africa (Springbok)	1
US Easy Listening (Billboard)	2
US Cash Box Top 100	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1970)	Rank
Australia	29
Canada	8
Netherlands	62
South Africa	5
US Billboard Hot 100	17
US Cash Box	14

Cover versions

Mexican singer Roberto Jordán recorded a Spanish language version of the song, titled "Rosa marchita" (Which Means "Withered rose"). The lyrics of this version depart from the original Neil Diamond lyrics, instead telling a story about a lost love. This version topped the charts in Mexico in 1971.