Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)

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"Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)"
Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life) - Kevin Johnson.jpg
Single by Kevin Johnson
from the album Rock 'N' Roll I Gave You the Best Years of My Life
B-side "Mohair Sam" (Australia)
"There's Nothing I'd Rather Do" (U.S.)
ReleasedNovember 1973
Recorded1973
Genre Soft rock
Length5:20
Label Nova Records, Good Thyme, Mainstream Records
Songwriter Kevin Johnson
Producer Kevin Johnson
Kevin Johnson singles chronology
"All Our Favourite Songs"
(1971)		"Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)"
(1973)		"Kedron Brook"
(1974)
Official audio
"Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)" on YouTube
"Rock 'N' Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)"
Rock 'N' Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life) - Mac Davis.jpg
Single by Mac Davis
from the album All the Love in the World
B-side "Emily Suzanne"
ReleasedDecember 1974
Length3:25
Label Columbia Records
Songwriter Kevin Johnson
Producer Gary Klein
Mac Davis singles chronology
"Stop and Smell the Roses"
(1974)		"Rock 'N' Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)"
(1974)		"(If You Add) All the Love in the World"
(1975)
"Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)"
Single by Terry Jacks
from the album Y' Don't Fight the Sea
B-side "The Love Game"
Released1975
Length3:39
Label Bell / Goldfish
Songwriter Kevin Johnson
Producer Terry Jacks
Terry Jacks singles chronology
"If You Go Away"
(1974)		"Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)"
(1975)		""Christina""
(1975)

"Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)" is a 1973 song written and originally performed by Australian singer Kevin Johnson, most famously covered by American singer Mac Davis.

Contents

Johnson's version reached number four in Australia. The guitar solo in Johnson's version was played by Rory O'Donoghue.
In Australia, Ireland and the United Kingdom, only Johnson's original version charted.

Mac Davis version

In the United States, it was Mac Davis who had the primary hit version in 1974, although three versions of the song became American chart hits. His version reached #15 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Rock 'N' Roll" is the first track on his sixth studio album All the Love in the World . The song was the lead single of two issued from the LP, the other being the title track, and both of which became hit records.[ citation needed ]

The Cats version

Dutch band the Cats released a version in the Netherlands in 1973 on EMI Nederland. The song reached #3 on both the Single Top 100 and Dutch Top 40.

Terry Jacks version

In Canada, Terry Jacks' version made the charts in 1975. It also reached number 97 on the Billboard Hot 100. His version appeared on the album Y' Don't Fight the Sea and was a bonus track appearing on Seasons in the Sun .

Other versions

New Zealand singer Craig Scott covered the song in 1974, reaching #13. [1] [2]

In 1977, Gary Glitter recorded a version on his album Silver Star .

In 1973, Joe Dassin recorded "Les plus belles années de ma vie" ("The Best Years of My Life"), a French cover.

In 1975, Peter Belli recorded a Danish cover, titled "Rock'N'Roll, jeg gav dig mine aller bedste År".

In 1976, Brimkló recorded an Icelandic cover, tited "Rock'n Roll, Öll mín bestu Ár".

In 1975, Esko Rahkonen recorded a Finnish cover, titled "Rock'n'Roll sen teit" ("Rock'n'Roll You Did It"). The same version was recorded also by Kai Hyttinen, also in 1975. The Finnish lyrics were written by Veikko 'Vexi' Salmi.

Chart history

Weekly charts

Kevin Johnson original
Chart (1973–74)Peak
position
Australia ( Go-Set )4
Germany [3] 47
Ireland (IRMA) [4] 8
UK (Official Charts Company) [1] 23
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [5] 73
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 43
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 [6] 90
Chart (1975)Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA) [4] 18
The Cats cover
Chart (1973–74)Peak
position
Belgium Flanders Top 30 (Belgium) 15
Netherlands Single Top 100 3
Netherlands Dutch Top 40 [7] 3
Craig Scott cover
Chart (1974)Peak
position
New Zealand [1] 13
Terry Jacks cover
Mac Davis cover

References

  1. 1 2 3 Pop Archives
  2. ↑ "Shazam". Shazam.com.
  3. ↑ "charts.nz - Kevin Johnson - Rock And Roll (I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life)". Charts.nz.
  4. 1 2 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Rock N' Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN   0-89820-089-X
  6. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 11/24/73". Tropicalglen.com.
  7. ↑ Top 40, Stichting Nederlandse. "The Cats - Rock & Roll (I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life)". Top40.nl.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1974-12-14. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
  9. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 12/14/74". Tropicalglen.com.
  10. ↑ Canada, Library and Archives (July 17, 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". Bac-lac.gc.ca.
  11. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1975-02-01. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
  12. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 72.
  13. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 99.
  14. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN   0-89820-142-X.
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