Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)

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"Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)"
Single by Reunion
Released 1974
Format 7"
Recorded 1974
Genre Pop
Length 2:54
Label RCA Victor
Writer(s) Norman Dolph
Producer Norman Dolph
Reunion singles chronology
"Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)"
(1974)		 "Disco-tekin"
(1975)

"Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)" is a 1974 song by an ad hoc group of studio musicians called Reunion, with Joey Levine (bubblegum music pioneer with "Chewy Chewy" and "Yummy Yummy Yummy" to his credit) as the lead singer. The song was written by Paul DiFranco (music) and Norman Dolph (lyrics). The lyrics are a fast patter of '50s, '60s, and '70s disc jockeys, musicians, songwriters, record labels, song titles and lyrics, and (incongruously) Jack the Ripper, broken only by the chorus. Perhaps the earliest recorded rap song, although Tommy Facenda's multi-versioned "High School U.S.A." was fifteen years earlier.

Given the various musical icons on the laundry list, the Jack the Ripper mention may be a reference to Link Wray, often called the inventor of the power chord. His 1961 instrumental called "Jack the Ripper" was also covered by The Raybeats who made an early music video to go with it.

The harmony used during the latter part of the record is based on the tune of "Soothe Me" by Sam & Dave.

Joey Levine in concert. Taken on May 17, 2008.

It went as high as #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached #33 in the UK. The track was later covered by Tracey Ullman in 1984 and was featured in her album, You Broke My Heart in 17 Places.

[edit] References in popular culture

The song is mentioned by the character named Spider in the Neil Gaiman novel, Anansi Boys. In response to another character, who speaks almost entirely in cliches, Spider says, "Life is a rock but the radio rolled me," to which the other character replies, "Whatever."

The song appears in the dance scene in the film The Specials.

The song's melody was interpolated in the "McDonald's Menu Song" in 1988.

Tysons Corner Center has used the names of its stores sung to the tune of this song for television and radio advertisements in the Northern Virginia area.

This song was remade by Randy Crenshaw and released on the 2001 Disney album Mickey's Dance Party under the name "Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me...Again!)" The remake includes references not just to current and past music groups, but also to TV shows and internet slang.

A "customized" version of the song, "Life is a Rock, but 'CFL Rolled Me" was the last rock 'n roll song played on the Larry Lujack show on WCFL in Chicago[1] on 15 March 1976 before the station switched from top 40 to a beautiful music format. Rival AM station WLS had their own version ("Life Is a Rock, WLS Rolled Me") as well. This latter version is still played from time to time on WLS-FM, now airing an oldies format.

In 1974, radio station KFRC in San Francisco also aired a "customized" version of the song, titled "Life Is a Rock (But KFRC Rolled Me)," with an extra verse naming all of the station's personalities at the time. The verse was sung by KFRC's afternoon personality, Chuck Buell.[2]

The song is used during the first dream sequence of the series finale of Life on Mars, the U.S. spin on a popular U.K. series, in the episode entitled "Life Is a Rock".

[edit] Name checks

The 45-rpm single version fades out here. The extended album version continues, with the following references:

Performed as medley or spoken over the fade-out:

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Tom Konard's Aircheck Factory Collection at Reelradio.com
  2. ^ Bay Area Radio Museum: The KFRC Collection
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