Ealasaid's Foresite: Annotated Lyrics

Rosty Man

This is a great takeoff on both Representative Dan Rostenkowski (D, Illinois) and the whole Rastafarian/Jamaican stereotype.

[Roy speaks]
There are folk songs everywhere celebrating the adventures of outlaws, highwaymen, and all manner of organized criminals, so let's turn out attention for a moment to the halls of Congress. I can't even begin to list the number of folk songs about the kind of people Roy means. Outlaws are a major subject for folk songs.

Rosty man
Rosty man
He came from one of those political machines
A big meat eater but he loved those greens
He's used to getting his ways by any means
He's a Rosty Man

Possibly a reference to the Ways and Means committee, of which Rosty Man was chairman at one point.

He is a man of many old school charms
He's bendin' elbows and he's twistin' arms
A little subtler than most car alarms
He's the Rosty Man.

Now he shakes his head and says "Why did
I have to be indicted?"

Rosty man
They call you Mr. Rostenkowski
Rosty man
They wanna take away your house key.
Hey, that's the guy's name.

i.e., lock him up.

Allegedly he done a terrible crime,
Allegedly he pocketed the government dime,
Allegedly he puts his pants on one leg at a time,
He's a Rosty Man. This verse always makes me howl. Point to remember: most people (if not all) put their pants on one leg at a time. This gives a really sarcastic tone to the "allegedly" before the accusations against Rosty Man.

He bought more cars than anyone can recall,
He sold more stamps than the postmaster general,
And now his picture's on the post office wall,
He's a Rosty Man. Rostenkowski used the funds he acquired illegally to buy cars; he acquired the funds by (among other things) selling massive quantities of stamps, something only the post office is allowed to do. And, of course, the post office wall is where "Wanted" posters are put up.

Now they tell me he feels so bad he
Hired another caddy A caddy is a guy who carries your golf clubs for you; I guess we're to infer he's ignoring the charges?

Rosty man
They wanna change your address, brother
Rosty man
From one big house to another
The "big house" is another name for prison; as a rich government guy, Rostenkowski had enough money to own a large home prior to his conviction.

Rosty man
You got your troubles, yesiree bob
Rosty man
It could be worse, mon, you could be Bob Packwood.

Check out Packwood's bio at this site. He, like Rosty Man, messed up.

Back to Annotated Lyrics

[Roy speaks] There are folk songs everywhere celebrating the adventures of outlaws, highwaymen, and all manner of organized criminals, so let's turn out attention for a moment to the halls of Congress.	I can't even begin to list the number of folk songs about the kind of people Roy means. Outlaws are a major subject for folk songs.
Rosty man Rosty man He came from one of those political machines A big meat eater but he loved those greens He's used to getting his ways by any means He's a Rosty Man	Possibly a reference to the Ways and Means committee, of which Rosty Man was chairman at one point.
He is a man of many old school charms He's bendin' elbows and he's twistin' arms A little subtler than most car alarms He's the Rosty Man.
Now he shakes his head and says "Why did I have to be indicted?"
Rosty man They call you Mr. Rostenkowski Rosty man They wanna take away your house key.	Hey, that's the guy's name. i.e., lock him up.
Allegedly he done a terrible crime, Allegedly he pocketed the government dime, Allegedly he puts his pants on one leg at a time, He's a Rosty Man.	This verse always makes me howl. Point to remember: most people (if not all) put their pants on one leg at a time. This gives a really sarcastic tone to the "allegedly" before the accusations against Rosty Man.
He bought more cars than anyone can recall, He sold more stamps than the postmaster general, And now his picture's on the post office wall, He's a Rosty Man.	Rostenkowski used the funds he acquired illegally to buy cars; he acquired the funds by (among other things) selling massive quantities of stamps, something only the post office is allowed to do. And, of course, the post office wall is where "Wanted" posters are put up.
Now they tell me he feels so bad he Hired another caddy	A caddy is a guy who carries your golf clubs for you; I guess we're to infer he's ignoring the charges?
Rosty man They wanna change your address, brother Rosty man From one big house to another	The "big house" is another name for prison; as a rich government guy, Rostenkowski had enough money to own a large home prior to his conviction.
Rosty man You got your troubles, yesiree bob Rosty man It could be worse, mon, you could be Bob Packwood.	Check out Packwood's bio at this site. He, like Rosty Man, messed up.