Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin song)

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"Rock and Roll"
Rock & Roll45.jpg
West German picture sleeve
Single by Led Zeppelin
from the album Led Zeppelin IV
B-side "Four Sticks"
Released21 February 1972 (1972-02-21) (US)
RecordedJanuary–February 1971 [1]
Studio
Genre
Length3:40
Label Atlantic
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, released as the second track on their fourth studio album in 1971. The song contains a guest performance by original Rolling Stones' pianist and co-founder Ian Stewart.

Contents

Composition

The song is performed in the key of A at a relatively fast tempo of 170 beats per minute. [5] The main guitar riff performed by Jimmy Page has been described as "simple but incredibly effective" which "[leaves] space for Jones, and especially, the powerhouse drumming of Bonham to drive things along." The opening riff is double-tracked in stereo audio. A third, more distorted guitar track is panned to the center, contrasting Page's main guitar tracks with counter-chords. A fourth guitar track adds "rock & roll licks." The song also utilizes piano tracks performed by Ian Stewart. [6]

Background and recording

According to guitarist Jimmy Page, "Rock and Roll" developed from a spontaneous jam session that occurred after the band became frustrated while attempting to finish recording "Four Sticks" at the Headley Grange mansion they had rented in Hampshire, England. During a break, John Bonham began playing the drum intro to the 1957 song "Keep A-Knockin'" by Little Richard, to which Page added a Chuck Berry-style guitar riff. The rest of the band members reportedly joined in "one by one." Ian Stewart was also present at the session performing piano. Realizing the potential in the new idea, the band immediately put "Four Sticks" on the "back burner." The tapes were rolling, and after improvising the first section of the song, the basis of the rest of the song was completed in around fifteen minutes. [7] [8] [9] [6] [10]

Reception

In 1972, American music critic and journalist Robert Christgau called it "simply the most dynamic hard-rock song in the music." [11] Cash Box described it as a "rip-apart performance of one of best r&r revivalist tunes ever." [12] In 2019, Rolling Stone ranked the song number 9 on its list of the 40 greatest Led Zeppelin songs. [13]

Live performance

"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 opening lyric line of the song. [8] 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. [8]

Plant's vocal melodies on the track were so high that he often had to alter the melodies during live performances that he could manage more easily. [14]

Cadillac advertising

In 2001, "Rock and Roll" became the first Led Zeppelin song to be licensed for commercial use, when American car maker Cadillac featured it in television advertising. [15] Plant commented:

I think that's appropriate ... I don't know how people view it, but as far as a young generation goes, if you hear that music in as many possible places as you can outside of the normal home for it, then it can only be a good thing. [15]

As well as earning Led Zeppelin a large licensing fee, the advertising campaign increased Cadillac sales by 16 percent in 2002. [15]

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Rock and Roll"
Chart (1972)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [16] [ better source needed ]51
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [17] 38
US Billboard Hot 100 [18] 47
US Cash Box [19] 42
US Record World [20] 38
West Germany (GfK) [21] 13

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Rock and Roll"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [22] Silver200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Accolades

List of accolades
PublicationCountryAccoladeYearRank
Dave Marsh US"The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made" [23] 1989424
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame US"The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll" [24] 1994*
Radio Caroline UK"Top 500 Tracks" [25] 199921
VH1 US"The 100 Greatest Rock Songs of All Time" [26] 200066
Q UK"The 50 Most Exciting Tunes Ever.." [27] 200217
QUK"The 1001 Best Songs Ever" [28] 2003201

(*) designates unordered lists

Personnel

According to Jean-Michel Guesdon and Philippe Margotin: [1]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Guesdon & Margotin 2018, p. 250.
  2. ↑ 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
  3. ↑ "The 40 Greatest Led Zeppelin Songs of All Time – 'Rock and Roll' (1971)". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  4. 1 2 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."
  5. ↑ Led Zeppelin: Mothership – Authentic Guitar Tab Edition. Van Nuys, California: Alfred Publishing. 2008. pp. 103–113. ISBN   978-0-7390-5317-1.
  6. 1 2 Pilkington, Steve. On Track: Led Zeppelin. Sonic Bond Publishing. pp. 56–57.
  7. ↑ Schinder, Scott; Schwartz, Andy (2008). Icons of Rock. Vol. 2. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood. p. 390. ISBN   978-0-31333-845-8.
  8. 1 2 3 Lewis, Dave (1994). The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin. Omnibus Press. ISBN   0-7119-3528-9.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ "Triple J Music Specials – Led Zeppelin". Triple J (ABC Online). 7 December 2000. (first broadcast 12 July 2000). Archived from the original on 13 January 2010. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  11. ↑ Christgau, Robert (15 June 1972). "A Power Plant". Newsday . Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  12. ↑ "Singles Reviews > Picks of the Week" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXXIII, no. 37. 4 March 1972. p. 18. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  13. ↑ "The 40 Greatest Led Zeppelin Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone . 13 January 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  14. ↑ Akkerman, Gregg (2014). Experiencing Led Zeppelin: A Listener's Companion. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 50.
  15. 1 2 3 "Cadillac Sales Soar with Led Zeppelin". Blabbermouth.net . 29 January 2003. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  16. ↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  17. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 100211." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  18. ↑ "Led Zeppelin IV – Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 29 May 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  19. ↑ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending APRIL 22, 1972". Cash Box . Archived from the original on 8 September 2012.
  20. ↑ "The Singles Chart" (PDF). Record World . 22 April 1972. p. 23. ISSN   0034-1622 . Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  21. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Led Zeppelin – Rock and Roll" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 21 May 2014. To see peak chart position, click "TITEL VON Led Zeppelin"
  22. ↑ "British single certifications – Led Zeppelin – Rock and Roll". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  23. ↑ "The Heart of Rock and Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made – 1989". Da Capo Books. Archived from the original on 4 February 2002.
  24. ↑ "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.
  25. ↑ "The Chart Room – Radio Caroline Top 500 Tracks 1999". Radio Caroline. Archived from the original on 8 October 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
  26. ↑ "It's Only a Riff, But We Like It". VH1. Archived from the original on 8 April 2009.
  27. ↑ "The 50 Most Exciting Tunes Ever.. – January 2002". Q . Retrieved 10 February 2009– via Rocklist.net.
  28. ↑ "Q – 1001 best songs ever (2003)". Q. Retrieved 10 February 2009– via Muzieklijstjes.nl.

Bibliography

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