Rock the Bells (song)
| "Rock the Bells" | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Single by LL Cool J | |||||||||||||||||||
| from the album Radio | |||||||||||||||||||
| B-side | EL Shabazz | ||||||||||||||||||
| Released | September 13, 1986 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Format | Vinyl Single | ||||||||||||||||||
| Recorded | 1985 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Genre | Hip hop | ||||||||||||||||||
| Length | 4:00 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Label | Def Jam/Columbia/CBS Records | ||||||||||||||||||
| Writer(s) | James Todd Smith Rick Rubin |
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| Producer | Rick Rubin, LL Cool J | ||||||||||||||||||
| LL Cool J singles chronology | |||||||||||||||||||
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Rock the Bells is the third single from LL Cool J's debut album, Radio. It was released in 1985 for Def Jam Recordings, was written by LL Cool J and produced by Rick Rubin. It was the follow-up to I Can Give You More. Rock the Bells peaked at #17 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Despite the song's title, no bells can be heard in the album recording. The Original version released on 12 inch vinyl only contains a 7 minute 11 second version of the song with riddled with bells of various types including a cowbell.
The song was later sampled by LL Cool J himself for his song "Mama Said Knock You Out", from his album of the same name. The intro was famously parodied by English footballer John Barnes for his 1988 single "Anfield Rap". The song also featured in the 2002 video game Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 and the 2008 video game Skate It. The song was also used in the video game DJ Hero in which it was mixed with The Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony".
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
[edit] A-Side
- "Rock the Bells"- 4:00
[edit] B-Side
- "El Shabazz"- 3:24
[edit] 12" Version
[edit] A-Side
- "Rock the Bells"- 4:00
[edit] B-Side
- "Rock the Bells(original version)"- 7:11
[edit] Legacy
The song is widely regarded as a classic by many in the hip hop community. Eminem, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and The Roots performed “Rock the Bells” on VH1 Hip Hop Honors as a tribute to Def Jam Recordings, and several artists, including Eminem and Goodie Mob have referenced the song in their own songs.
The quality of the final mixdown is critically referenced as an example in Del The Funky Homosapien's "Don't Forget The Bass": "Listening to 'Rock The Bells' / You can barely hear the vocals / Mixing is important, getting the public into chokeholds"
