Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin song)
"Rock and Roll" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Led Zeppelin | ||||
from the album Led Zeppelin IV | ||||
B-side | "Four Sticks" | |||
Released | 21 February 1972 | (US)|||
Recorded | January–February 1971[1] | |||
Studio |
| |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:40 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Jimmy Page | |||
Led Zeppelin singles chronology | ||||
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"Rock and Roll" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released as the second track on their fourth studio album in 1971. The song contains a guest performance by original Rolling Stones' pianist and co-founder Ian Stewart. In 1972, American music critic and journalist Robert Christgau called it "simply the most dynamic hard-rock song in the music."[5]
Background and recording
[edit]According to guitarist Jimmy Page, "Rock and Roll" developed from a spontaneous jam session, while the band were trying to finish recording "Four Sticks", at the Headley Grange mansion they had rented in Hampshire, England.[6] John Bonham began playing the drum intro to the 1957 song "Keep A-Knockin'" by Little Richard, to which Page added a Chuck Berry-style guitar riff.[7][8] The tapes were rolling and fifteen minutes later the basis of the song was completed.[9] The song is performed in the key of A at a relatively fast tempo of 170 beats per minute.[10]
Reception
[edit]Cash Box described it as a "rip-apart performance of one of best r&r revivalist tunes ever."[11] In 2019, Rolling Stone ranked the song number 9 on its list of the 40 greatest Led Zeppelin songs.[12]
Live performance
[edit]"Rock and Roll" was a key component of the band's setlist at Led Zeppelin concerts from 1971 on. Initially, Plant referred to it on stage as "It's Been A Long Time", which is the opening lyric line of the song.[8] In 1972, it was elevated to the opening number of all concert performances and it retained this status until 1975. For the band's 1977 North American tour, it became part of a medley encore with "Whole Lotta Love", and during 1979 and 1980 it became an encore in its own right.[8]
Plant's vocal melodies on the track were so high that he often had to alter the melodies during live performances that he could manage more easily.[13]
Cadillac advertising
[edit]In 2001, "Rock and Roll" became the first Led Zeppelin song to be licensed for commercial use, when American car maker Cadillac featured it in television advertising.[14] Plant commented:
I think that's appropriate ... I don't know how people view it, but as far as a young generation goes, if you hear that music in as many possible places as you can outside of the normal home for it, then it can only be a good thing.[14]
As well as earning Led Zeppelin a large licensing fee, the advertising campaign increased Cadillac sales by 16 percent in 2002.[14]
Charts
[edit]Chart (1972) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[15][better source needed] | 51 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[16] | 38 |
US Billboard Hot 100[17] | 47 |
US Cash Box[18] | 42 |
US Record World[19] | 38 |
West Germany (GfK)[20] | 13 |
Certifications
[edit]Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Accolades
[edit]Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dave Marsh | US | "The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made"[22] | 1989 | 424 |
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame | US | "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll"[23] | 1994 | * |
Radio Caroline | UK | "Top 500 Tracks"[24] | 1999 | 21 |
VH1 | US | "The 100 Greatest Rock Songs of All Time"[25] | 2000 | 66 |
Q | UK | "The 50 Most Exciting Tunes Ever.."[26] | 2002 | 17 |
Q | UK | "The 1001 Best Songs Ever"[27] | 2003 | 201 |
(*) designates unordered lists
Personnel
[edit]According to Jean-Michel Guesdon and Philippe Margotin:[1]
- Robert Plant – vocals
- Jimmy Page – guitars
- John Paul Jones – bass
- John Bonham – drums
- Ian Stewart – piano
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Guesdon & Margotin 2018, p. 250.
- ^ Bashe, Philip (1985). Heavy Metal Thunder: The Music, Its History, Its Heroes. Doubleday. ISBN 978-0-385-19797-7.
Besides his inspired phrasing and his extemporaneous howls and asides, Plant could convincingly convey slow blues ("You Shook Me"), gutbucket rock & roll ("Rock and Roll"), and even folk ballads ("Going to California"), in a strong, cutting voice
- ^ "The 40 Greatest Led Zeppelin Songs of All Time – 'Rock and Roll' (1971)". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
- ^ a b Schuman, Michael A. (2009). Led Zeppelin: Legendary Rock Band. Enslow Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7660-3026-8.
The fourth album also has its share of hard rock tracks. Three that received a lot of radio airplay are "Black Dog," "Misty Mountain Hop," and the appropriately named "Rock and Roll."
- ^ Christgau, Robert (15 June 1972). "A Power Plant". Newsday. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
- ^ Jackson, James (8 January 2010). "Jimmy Page on Led Zeppelin IV, the band's peak and their reunion". The Times. Archived from the original on 9 August 2011.
- ^ Schinder, Scott; Schwartz, Andy (2008). Icons of Rock. Vol. 2. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood. p. 390. ISBN 978-0-31333-845-8.
- ^ a b c Lewis, Dave (1994). The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin. Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.
- ^ "Triple J Music Specials – Led Zeppelin". Triple J (ABC Online). 7 December 2000. (first broadcast 12 July 2000). Archived from the original on 13 January 2010. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
- ^ Led Zeppelin: Mothership – Authentic Guitar Tab Edition. Van Nuys, California: Alfred Publishing. 2008. pp. 103–113. ISBN 978-0-7390-5317-1.
- ^ "Singles Reviews > Picks of the Week" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXXIII, no. 37. 4 March 1972. p. 18. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "The 40 Greatest Led Zeppelin Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 13 January 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- ^ Akkerman, Gregg (2014). Experiencing Led Zeppelin: A Listener's Companion. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 50.
- ^ a b c "Cadillac Sales Soar with Led Zeppelin". Blabbermouth.net. 29 January 2003. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ^ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 100211." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
- ^ "Led Zeppelin IV – Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 29 May 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
- ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending APRIL 22, 1972". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012.
- ^ "The Singles Chart" (PDF). Record World. 22 April 1972. p. 23. ISSN 0034-1622. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Led Zeppelin – Rock and Roll" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 21 May 2014. To see peak chart position, click "TITEL VON Led Zeppelin"
- ^ "British single certifications – Led Zeppelin – Rock and Roll". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
- ^ "The Heart of Rock and Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made – 1989". Da Capo Books. Archived from the original on 4 February 2002.
- ^ "Experience The Music: One Hit Wonders and the Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
- ^ "The Chart Room – Radio Caroline Top 500 Tracks 1999". Radio Caroline. Archived from the original on 8 October 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
- ^ "It's Only a Riff, But We Like It". VH1. Archived from the original on 8 April 2009.
- ^ "The 50 Most Exciting Tunes Ever.. – January 2002". Q. Retrieved 10 February 2009 – via Rocklist.net.
- ^ "Q – 1001 best songs ever (2003)". Q. Retrieved 10 February 2009 – via Muzieklijstjes.nl.
Bibliography
[edit]- Guesdon, Jean-Michel; Margotin, Philippe (2018). Led Zeppelin All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. Running Press. ISBN 978-0-316-448-67-3.