This song’s lyrics reference the novel Rosemary’s Baby written in 1967 by Ira Levin, in which the titular Rosemary gives birth to the devil’s offspring.
[Intro]
[Verse 1]
There's a black hill, we had to climb
Everything I need but nothing's mine
Satan's world, how 'bout a kill?
Why didn't Rosemary ever take the pill?
Laying there waiting, waiting for the kill
Oh, man won't do it but the devil will
[Verse 2]
I'm losing time and my mind
Why can't I have what's naturally mine?
I got life and the thing that goes with it
If there's something else, where can i get it?
Laying there waiting, waiting for the kill
Oh, man won't do it but the devil will
[Organ Solo]
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 3]
Well here's my views, I always lose
Things I want to do are yesterday's news
Say life's a ball, I've had it all
All out there in another dance hall
Laying there waiting, waiting for the kill
Oh, man won't do it but the devil will
[Verse 4]
Take me as I am, excuse for a man
Wherever I push someone stops my hand
As a matter of interest, tell me if you will
Why didn't Rosemary ever take the pill?
Laying there waiting, waiting for the kill
Oh, man won't do it but the devil will, yeah
[Outro]
Oh, why won't Rosemary take the pill?
Oh no
Why didn't Rosemary ever take the pill the first day?
Oh, lying there waiting, waiting for the kill
I said, " Why didn't Rosemary ever take the pill?"
Why Didn’t Rosemary was written by Nick Simper & Rod Evans & Ritchie Blackmore & Jon Lord & Ian Paice.
Why Didn’t Rosemary was produced by Derek Lawrence.
Deep Purple released Why Didn’t Rosemary on Sat Jun 21 1969.
Liner note by Deep Purple:
Vaguely inspired by an Otis Spann number, and again it’s an attempt to widen the scope of a plain 12-bar sequence; in fact the verses are 14-bars-long and the guitar solo verses are 17-bars-long. Interesting words from Rod.