Old Time Rock and Roll
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Old Time Rock and Roll" | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single by Bob Seger | ||
| from the album Stranger in Town | ||
| Released | 1979 | |
| Genre | Rock n' Roll | |
| Length | 3:12 | |
| Label | Capitol | |
| Writer(s) | George Jackson, Thomas E. Jones III |
|
| Producer | Bob Seger, Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section | |
"Old Time Rock and Roll" is a song made famous by Bob Seger and featured in his 1978 album Stranger in Town. It is a nostalgic look at the music of a previous generation. The song was featured in the Tom Cruise film Risky Business and gained widespread notoriety because of its inclusion. The track was also featured on WKRP in Cincinnati on the episode "Pilot: Part Two", shortly after its initial release. The song was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL. The famous piano "false start" at the beginning of the song was actually an error caused by the tape operator at the recording studio. Seger and his management, however, liked how the "mistake" sounded and kept it in the final mix.
Bob Seger's version is actually quite different from the original. He said in 2006 (and also on the "Stranger in Town" episode of the US radio show In the Studio with Redbeard a few years earlier):
All I kept from the original was: "Old time rock and roll, that kind of music just soothes the soul, I reminisce about the days of old with that old time rock and roll". I rewrote the verses and I never took credit. That was the dumbest thing I ever did. And Tom Jones (Thomas E. Jones) and George Jackson know it too. But I just wanted to finish the record [Stranger in Town]. I rewrote every verse you hear except for the choruses. I didn't ask for credit. My manager said: "You should ask for a third of the credit." And I said: "Nah. Nobody's gonna like it." I'm not credited on it so I couldn't control the copyright either. Meanwhile it became a Wendy's commercial because I couldn't control it. Oh my God, it was awful![1]
"Old Time Rock and Roll" achieved substantial album-oriented rock radio airplay and as the fourth single from Stranger in Town, it reached number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979. It was re-released in 1983 after its inclusion in the film Risky Business and reached number 48 on the Billboard singles chart. The song remains a staple on classic rock radio. In 1996, it was ranked #2 among the Top 40 Jukebox Singles of All Time by the Amusement & Music Operators Association.[2]
In Australia, the song was released twice and charted for a total of 55 weeks. The first run was in 1983 after its use in the film "Risky Business". The second run saw it reach #3 in late 1987.
[edit] Pop Culture
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Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (December 2008) |
- In 1986, it was featured in a very popular scene in ALF. using a Bob Seger Sound-alike[1]
- In 1994, it appeared in the episode "The Philadelphia Story" of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as Geoffrey danced through the Bank's living room.
- A version of the song was released as a single in 2000 by Status Quo and featured on their Famous in the Last Century album.
- In 2001 the song was chosen by RIAA as one of the Songs of the Century.
- On November 30, 2006, the song was featured on the BBC soap EastEnders with Gary and Minty dancing to the song on the radio.
- It was featured in a commercial for Guitar Hero on Tour: Decades, Guitar Hero World Tour, and recently Guitar Hero: Metallica. It was recently released for Guitar Hero World Tour as part of a Bob Seger downloadable track pack released on February 26, 2009.
- In perhaps one of the most memorable moments in the the show, The Nanny, The butler portrayed by Daniel Davis, performs the sequence
- The song is featured in the South Park episode The Wacky Molestation Adventure, in which all kids dance to the song after getting rid of their parents.
- In the episode "My Identity Crisis" of "Scrubs," a parody of this sequence is performed.
[edit] External links
[edit] Notes
- ^ Sharp, K.: Classic Rock, Issue 102, page 59. Future Publishing, 2007.
- ^ Kreck, Dick. "Jukebox goes modern, but play list stands the test of time" Denver Post December 16, 1996: A-02
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