Rose Tattoo formed in Sydney in 1976 by Pete Wells who wanted a tough slide guitar based band.

[1][5] To cover Rilen's departure, Cocks switched to bass guitar, then Chris Turner (ex-Buffalo) was brought in.

[1] Anderson's one-time bandmate, bass guitarist Geordie Leach was recruited to replace Turner and record their self-titled debut LP, Rose Tattoo, which reached the top 40 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart in November 1978.

[1][5] Leach left the band in May 1979 to be replaced in October by guitarist Lobby Loyde (Purple Hearts, Wild Cherries).

Three years after their debut the band issued the follow-up album, Assault & Battery in September, which reached the top 30 in Australia.

American singer Helen Schneider also released a version of the song, retitled "Rock & Roll Gypsy", which went all the way to #1 on the Swiss singles charts and made it to #6 in Germany in 1981.