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Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin song)

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"Rock and Roll"
German single picture sleeve
Single by Led Zeppelin
from the album Led Zeppelin IV
B-side"Four Sticks"
Released21 February 1972 (1972-02-21) (US)
Recorded1971
StudioHeadley Grange, Headley, England
Genre
Length3:40
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Jimmy Page
Led Zeppelin singles chronology
"Black Dog"
(1971) 		"Rock and Roll"
(1972) 		"Over the Hills and Far Away"
(1973)

"Rock and Roll" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, which was first released as the second track from the band's fourth album in 1971. The song includes a guest appearance by the Rolling Stones pianist Ian Stewart. In 1972 Robert Christgau called it "simply the most dynamic hard-rock song in the music."[4]

Overview

Befitting its title, the song is based on one of the most popular structures in rock and roll, the three-chord song.[citation needed] It is performed in the key of A at a tempo of 170 beats per minute.[5]

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page explained that the song developed from a spontaneous jam session, whilst the band were trying (and failing) to finish the track "Four Sticks", at the Headley Grange mansion they had rented in Hampshire, England to record the track.[6][7] John Bonham began by playing the drum introduction from the Little Richard song "Keep A-Knockin'" to which Page added a Chuck Berry-style guitar riff.[8][9] The tapes were rolling and fifteen minutes later the basis of the song was completed.[10]

Live performances

"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 first line of the song.[9] 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.[9]

A live performance of the song from Madison Square Garden in July 1973 was recorded for the band's concert film The Song Remains the Same and accompanying soundtrack album. There is also a June 1972 live recording of "Rock and Roll" which has been captured on the album How the West Was Won.

In 1985 Page, Plant and Jones reunited and performed the song at the Live Aid concert at John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, as part of the Led Zeppelin set featuring drummers Tony Thompson and Phil Collins. "Rock and Roll" was also performed as the final encore at Led Zeppelin's reunion show at the O2 Arena, London on 10 December 2007, where, due to Robert Plant's ageing voice, it is played down a whole step.[11] On 7 June 2008, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones joined Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl and drummer Taylor Hawkins on stage at Wembley Stadium to perform "Rock and Roll," along with "Ramble On".

Charts

Chart (1972) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[12] 51
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[13] 38
Invalid chart entered Germany2 13
Japan (Oricon)[14] 34
Spain (AFE)[15] 14
US Billboard Hot 100[16] 47
US Cash Box[17] 42
US Record World[18] 38

Accolades

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Dave Marsh US "The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made"[19] 1989 424
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame US "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll"[20] 1994 *
Radio Caroline UK "Top 500 Tracks"[21] 1999 21
VH1 US "The 100 Greatest Rock Songs of All Time"[22] 2000 66
Q UK "The 50 Most Exciting Tunes Ever.."[23] 2002 17
Q UK "The 1001 Best Songs Ever"[24] 2003 201

(*) designates unordered lists

Cover versions

Main article: List of cover versions of Led Zeppelin songs

References

  1. ^ 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
  2. ^ "The 40 Greatest Led Zeppelin Songs of All Time – 'Rock and Roll' (1971)". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  3. ^ 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."
  4. ^ Christgau, Robert (15 June 1972). "A Power Plant". Newsday. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  5. ^ Led Zeppelin: Mothership – Authentic Guitar Tab Edition. Van Nuys, California: Alfred Publishing. 2008. pp. 103–113. ISBN 978-0-7390-5317-1.
  6. ^ "Classic Albums", "Led Zeppelin IV", first broadcast on BBC Radio 1, 1992.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Schinder, Scott; Schwartz, Andy (2008). Icons of Rock. Vol. 2. Westport, Conneticut: Greenwood. p. 390. ISBN 978-0-31333-845-8.
  9. ^ a b c Lewis, Dave (1994). The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin. Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.
  10. ^ "Triple J Music Specials – Led Zeppelin". Triple J. ABC Online. 7 December 2000. (first broadcast 12 July 2000). Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  11. ^ "Critiquing the Celebration Day Performance". 21 November 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  12. ^ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  13. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 100211." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  14. ^ "Top 100 Singles – 1 May 1972" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
  15. ^ "Top 50 Singles – June 1972". Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
  16. ^ "Led Zeppelin IV – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  17. ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending APRIL 22, 1972". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012.
  18. ^ "The Singles Chart" (PDF). Record World. 22 April 1972. p. 23. ISSN 0034-1622. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  19. ^ "The Heart of Rock and Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made – 1989". Da Capo Books. Archived from the original on 4 February 2002.
  20. ^ "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.
  21. ^ "THE CHART ROOM – Radio Caroline Top 500 Tracks 1999". Radio Caroline. Archived from the original on 27 August 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ "It's Only a Riff, But We Like It". VH1. Archived from the original on 8 April 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ "The 50 Most Exciting Tunes Ever.. – January 2002". Q. Rocklist.net. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
  24. ^ "Q – 1001 best songs ever (2003)". Q. Muzieklijstjes.nl. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
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