"I Love Rock 'n' Roll" is a
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
song written by
Alan Merrill
Alan Merrill (born Allan Preston Sachs; February 19, 1951 – March 29, 2020) was an American vocalist, guitarist and songwriter. In the early 1970s, he was one of the few resident foreigners to achieve pop star status in Japan. He was the write ...
and
Jake Hooker and first recorded by the
Arrows, a British rock band, in 1975. A 1981 cover version by
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin, September 22, 1958) is an American singer, guitarist, record producer, and actress. Jett is best known for her work as the frontwoman of her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and for earlier founding and per ...
, released as the first single from her
album of the same name, became Jett's highest-charting hit, reaching number one on the ''Billboard''
Hot 100 and becoming the
No. 3 song for 1982. The single was certified platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America, representing two million units shipped to stores. Jett's version was inducted into the
Grammy Hall of Fame
The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...
in 2016.
Arrows original version
The song was originally recorded and
released by
Arrows in 1975 on
Rak Records, with Merrill on lead vocals and guitar and
Mickie Most producing. Merrill wrote both the music and lyrics, whilst living in London at
Nell Gwynn House
Nell Gwynn House is a ten-storey residential building in Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, designed in the Art Deco style by G. Kay Green. Completed in 1937, it stands next to the same architect's Sloane Avenue Mansions, built a few years earlier.
...
in Chelsea. He gave a co-writer credit to Hooker as part of settling a debt. In an interview with Songfacts, Merrill said he wrote the song as "a knee-jerk response to
the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...
' '
It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)
"It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)" is the lead single from English rock band the Rolling Stones' 1974 album ''It's Only Rock 'n Roll''. Writing is credited to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and the single reached the top ten in the UK chart ...
'."
This version was first released as a
B-side, but was soon re-recorded and flipped to
A-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...
status on a subsequent pressing of the record. Arrows performed the song in 1975 on the
Muriel Young
Muriel Young (19 June 1923 – 24 March 2001) was an English television continuity announcer, presenter and producer.
Early life
Young was born in 1923 in Bishop Middleham near Sedgefield, County Durham. As a child, she lived with her family ...
-produced show ''45'', after which Young offered Arrows a weekly UK television series, ''
Arrows'', which was broadcast on
ITV starting in March 1976.
["Ten hits you may not know were cover versions"](_blank)
BBC News. Retrieved 14 October 2014
Joan Jett version
Joan Jett
Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin, September 22, 1958) is an American singer, guitarist, record producer, and actress. Jett is best known for her work as the frontwoman of her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and for earlier founding and per ...
saw the
Arrows perform "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" on their weekly UK television series ''
Arrows''
while she was touring England with
the Runaways
The Runaways were an all-female American rock band who recorded and performed from 1975 to 1979. The band released four studio albums and one live album during its run. Among their best-known songs are " Cherry Bomb", "Hollywood", "Queens of ...
in 1976.
She first recorded the song in 1979 with two of the
Sex Pistols,
Steve Jones and
Paul Cook
Paul Thomas Cook (born 20 July 1956) is an English drummer and member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He was also called "Cookie" by his friends on the punk music scene.
Early life and career
Cook was raised in Hammersmith and atte ...
. This first version was released on vinyl in 1979 on Vertigo records as a B-side to "
You Don't Own Me
"You Don't Own Me" is a popular song written by Philadelphia songwriters John Madara and David White and recorded by Lesley Gore in 1963, when Gore was 17 years old. The song was Gore's second most successful recording and her last top-t ...
". In 1981, Jett re-recorded the song, this time with her band,
the Blackhearts
Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin, September 22, 1958) is an American singer, guitarist, record producer, and actress. Jett is best known for her work as the frontwoman of her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and for earlier founding and per ...
. This recording became a US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 number-one single for seven weeks, being the only one for the band.
Music video
The
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
for "I Love Rock 'n Roll" received heavy play by the fledgling
MTV network. It featured Jett and the Blackhearts traveling to a small, dingy bar and then exciting the drunken crowd by performing the song and yelling out its
chorus. A snippet of Jett's 1981 hit "
Bad Reputation" can be heard at the beginning of the video. The video was originally in color, but it was converted to black and white because Jett hated the look of her red leather jumpsuit in color.
In 1993 Joan Jett & the Blackhearts made another music video for the song as part of the ''
Wayne's World 2
''Wayne's World 2'' is a 1993 American comedy film directed by Stephen Surjik and starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as hosts of a public-access television cable television show in Aurora, Illinois. The film is the sequel to ''Wayne's World'' ( ...
'' soundtrack. The video consisted of scenes from the movie, with
Mike Myers
Michael John Myers OC (born May 25, 1963) is a Canadian actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. His accolades include seven MTV Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2002, he was awarded a star on the Hollywoo ...
and
Dana Carvey
Dana Thomas Carvey (born June 2, 1955) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, impressionist, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his seven seasons as a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1986 to 1993, which earned him fiv ...
, mixed with footage of Jett and her band in a faux concert filmed at
Irving Plaza
Irving Plaza (known through sponsorship as Irving Plaza, powered by Klipsch and formerly known as the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza) is a ballroom-style music venue located within the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. ...
in
NYC
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. At one point during the filming, one person was introduced to the crowd as having been in the original video as he set up to
stage dive for that take. The song was again released as a single by Warner/Reprise with "Activity Grrrl" as the B-side.
Popularity
Jett's version has received many rankings, including:
* No. 85 in
''Q'' magazine's March 2005 "100 Greatest Guitar Tracks Ever!" list.
* No. 491 in ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
s "
500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring survey compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2004 in ...
" (2010) and No. 484 (2004).
* No. 56 in ''
Billboard''s "Greatest Songs of All Time".
Personnel
*
Joan Jett
Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin, September 22, 1958) is an American singer, guitarist, record producer, and actress. Jett is best known for her work as the frontwoman of her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and for earlier founding and per ...
– lead vocals, rhythm guitar
*
Ricky Byrd – lead guitar, backing vocals
* Gary Ryan – bass, backing vocals
* Lee Crystal – drums, backing vocals
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
All-time charts
Certifications
Britney Spears version
Background, release and composition
"I Love Rock 'n' Roll" is the fourth European single from American
pop singer
Britney Spears' third studio album, ''
Britney'' (2001), released on 27 May 2002. The song was used in her 2002 film ''
Crossroads
Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to:
* Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet
Film and television Films
* ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa
* ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...
'', in which Spears' character Lucy performs it in a karaoke bar. Spears said of the song, "They asked me to sing karaoke in the movie ''Crossroads'' and I've actually sung 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll' in a lot of clubs that I've been to." Spears has publicly stated that the original song is one of her favorites. She listened to the original Arrows Mickie Most-produced version just before she recorded the song, according to
Jive A&R representative Steve Lunt. The scratches performed on this version were performed by Corey Chase at The Hit Factory Criteria studios in Miami. When promoting the single's release, Spears mistakenly attributed the hit version of the song to
Pat Benatar
Patricia Mae Giraldo ('' née'' Andrzejewski, formerly Benatar; born January 10, 1953), known professionally as Pat Benatar, is an American rock singer and songwriter. In the United States, she has had two multi-platinum albums, five platinum al ...
instead of Joan Jett.
Critical reception
Spears' cover was met with mostly favorable reviews. ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
''s Ted Kessler wrote that she "still works best when making a good pop cheese and dance sandwich: there's the ace
Rodney Jerkins-produced version of
Joan Jett
Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin, September 22, 1958) is an American singer, guitarist, record producer, and actress. Jett is best known for her work as the frontwoman of her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and for earlier founding and per ...
's 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll', which does exactly what it says on the tin." ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
''s Barry Walters wrote that "producer Rodney Jerkins' hip-hop blaspheming of Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" doesn't go as far as it should (is a
Limp Bizkit remix in its future?), but it certainly beats what her earlier studio architects did to those
Sonny and Cher
Sonny & Cher were an American pop and entertainment duo in the 1960s and 1970s, made up of husband and wife Sonny Bono and Cher. The couple started their career in the mid-1960s as R&B backing singers for record producer Phil Spector.
The pair f ...
("
The Beat Goes On" on ''
...Baby One More Time'') and
Stones ("
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" on ''
Oops!... I Did It Again'') songs."
Another positive reception came from
PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
's editor Nikki Tranter, who enjoyed that the song is "different from the average run-of-the-mill pop offering," and praised that "she does strange justice to the tune, vamping up her vocals and turning out something, that while silly and camp, is actually a fun listen." In contrast, David Browne wrote for ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
'' that "her remake is neither imaginative (it simply xeroxes Joan Jett's arrangement) nor all that believable."
Chart performance
"I Love Rock 'n' Roll" charted moderately upon release, reaching the top 20 in most regions. The song was moderately successful in the UK, where it peaked at number 13 (which, at the time, was Spears' lowest peak for a single released there, until "
Radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...
" only managed to reach number 46 in 2009, and then "
I Wanna Go
"I Wanna Go" is a song by American singer Britney Spears from her seventh studio album, ''Femme Fatale'' (2011). It was written and produced by Max Martin and Shellback, with additional writing by Savan Kotecha. Spears first posted on her Twitt ...
", which peaked at number 111 in 2011). It was certified gold in Australia.
Promotion
Directed by
Chris Applebaum, the music video for "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" shows Spears with her own band, a stack of speakers and flashing lights. The video begins in
black and white and switches to and from color throughout. It was shot at The Inn, a bar in Long Beach, New York. The video was ranked at number two on the 100 Best Videos of 2002 list during
MTV Latin America
MTV is a Latin American pay television network that was launched on 1 October 1993 as the Hispanic American version of MTV. It is owned by Paramount Networks Americas, a subsidiary of Paramount Global.
The channel broadcasts music videos as wel ...
's countdown. A director's cut version of the video was later leaked, containing previously unseen scenes.
The song was performed live during Spears'
Dream Within a Dream Tour
The Dream Within a Dream Tour was the fourth concert tour by American entertainer Britney Spears. It was launched in support of her third studio album, '' Britney'' (2001). The tour was promoted by Concerts West, marking the first time Spears di ...
(2001–02). In 2016, it was added to the revamped set list of her
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
residency show,
Britney: Piece of Me (2016–17), marking the first time Spears performed the song in 14 years. During the performance, Spears rode a mechanical electric guitar, which simulated a mechanical bull, as it rotated on stage. The same prop electric guitar had been used during her
Femme Fatale Tour
The Femme Fatale Tour was the eighth concert tour by American entertainer Britney Spears. It was launched in support of her seventh studio album, ''Femme Fatale'' (2011). It was officially announced in March 2011, with dates for North American v ...
(2011) for a segment in which she covered the song "
Burning Up" by
Madonna. At the
2016 ''Billboard'' Music Awards, the song was performed as part of a medley.
Track listings
*European 2-track CD single
# "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Album Version) – 3:06
# "
Overprotected" (
Darkchild
Rodney Roy Jerkins (born July 29, 1977), also known by his stage name Darkchild, is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has collaborated with a broad range of popular artists.
Jerkins has won multiple Grammy Awards. Among hi ...
Remix) – 3:18
*European/Australian CD single
# "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Album Version) – 3:08
# "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Karaoke Version) – 3:06
# "Overprotected" (Darkchild Remix) – 3:20
# "
I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman
"I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" is a song by American singer Britney Spears from her third studio album, '' Britney'' (2001). It was written and produced by Max Martin and Rami, with additional writing from Dido. The song was released as the ...
" (Metro Remix) – 5:26
*German 2 tracks CD single
# "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Album Version) – 3:07
# "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Karaoke Version) – 3:05
*German CD single
# "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Album Version) – 3:07
# "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Karaoke Version) – 3:05
# "Overprotected" (Riprock 'N Alex G Remix) – 3:25
# "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" (Metro Remix) – 5:24
*Japanese CD maxi single
# "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Album Version) – 3:06
# "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Karaoke Version) – 3:04
# "Overprotected" (Darkchild Remix) – 3:20
# "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" (Metro Remix) – 5:25
# "
I'm a Slave 4 U" (
Thunderpuss
Thunderpuss is the (mainly dance) remix/production team of Los Angeles-based music producers Barry Harris and Chris Cox. Harris had previously worked as part of several music groups including Kon Kan, Top Kat, Killer Bunnies and Outta Cont ...
Radio Mix) – 3:18
# "I'm a Slave 4 U" (
Miguel Migs Petalpusher Vocal) – 5:30
# "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" (Spanish Fly Dub Mix) – 5:55
*UK CD maxi single
# "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Album Version) – 3:06
# "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Karaoke Version) – 3:04
# "Overprotected (Darkchild Remix Radio Edit)" – 3:06
# "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Video) – 3:06
*Cassette single
# "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Album Version) – 3:06
# "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Karaoke Version) – 3:04
# "Overprotected" (Darkchild Remix Edit) – 3:06
*Digital download (Digital 45)
# "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" – 3:07
# "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" (Metro Remix Radio Edit) – 3:29
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
Alex Gaudino and Jason Rooney version
A cover version by
Alex Gaudino
Alessandro Alfonso Fortunato Gaudino (; born 23 January 1970 in Salerno, Campania), better known by his stage name Alex Gaudino, is an Italian DJ and record producer.
Biography Early career (1993–2006)
Alessandro Alfonso Fortunato Gaudino was ...
and Jason Rooney was released in 2008.
Track listing
;Credits and personnel
* Lead
vocals
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...
– Alex Gaudino
* Music – Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker
*
Lyrics
Lyrics are words that make up a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist. The words to an extended musical composition such as an opera are, however, usually known as a " libretto" and their writer, ...
– Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker
* Scratches – Corey Chase
*
Label
A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item. Information printed ...
: 541/NEWS
Chart performance
Release history
LadBaby version
In December 2019, English blogger
LadBaby
Mark Ian Hoyle (born 12 April 1987), better known by his online pseudonym LadBaby, is an English YouTuber, musician, and blogger. His content focuses on his experiences as a father and is usually filmed in collaboration with his wife, Roxanne. T ...
released a comedy version of the song with a
sausage roll
A sausage roll is a savoury pastry snack, popular in current and former Commonwealth nations, consisting of sausage meat wrapped in puffed pastry. Sausage rolls are sold at retail outlets and are also available from bakeries as a take-away food ...
theme as a charity single whose profits went to
The Trussell Trust
The Trussell Trust is an NGO and charity that works to end the need for food banks in the United Kingdom. It supports a network of over 1,200 food bank centres to provide emergency food and compassionate, practical support to people in crisis, wh ...
. The single's cover is based on ''
Abbey Road
''Abbey Road'' is the eleventh studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. It is the last album the group started recording, although '' Let It Be'' was the last album completed before the band's break-up in April 1970. It was mostly ...
s cover. The song peaked at number one on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
and in Scotland.
Background
In December 2019, LadBaby announced his bid for the Official Christmas Number one. As with their last release "
We Built This City
"We Built This City" is a 1985 song by American rock band Starship. It was released as their debut single on their album '' Knee Deep in the Hoopla''. It was written by English musicians Martin Page and Bernie Taupin, who were both living in Lo ...
", all proceeds from the single went to
The Trussell Trust
The Trussell Trust is an NGO and charity that works to end the need for food banks in the United Kingdom. It supports a network of over 1,200 food bank centres to provide emergency food and compassionate, practical support to people in crisis, wh ...
. He said, "We were blown away by the support we received on our Christmas Number 1 single last year and how far that money has gone into changing the lives of families living in poverty across the UK. We're continually looking for ways we can support food bank charity the Trussell Trust further as the size of the problem still facing so many adults (and children) is huge and we ALL need to do whatever we can to say goodbye to poverty once and for all in the UK! If we can use our social media presence for good by singing about sausage rolls, giving people something to smile about and helping families eat this year, then why wouldn’t we. Officially, the most unanticipated single of the decade...AGAIN!"
Charts
On 20 December 2019, the song entered the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
at number one, claiming the
Christmas number one
In the United Kingdom, Christmas number ones are singles that top the UK Singles Chart in the week in which Christmas Day falls. The singles have often been novelty songs, charity songs or songs with a Christmas theme. Historically, the volume ...
with 93,000 chart sales and with 85,000 of that total coming via downloads. It was also the fastest-selling download since Artists for Grenfell version of "
Bridge over Troubled Water" in June 2017. LadBaby became the third act to have two consecutive Christmas number one singles and the first to have two successive novelty Christmas number ones in the UK. After reaching number one, LadBaby said, "How have we done this again? It’s the best feeling in the world - it's a Christmas miracle yet again! Thank you everybody for supporting us once again, and all for an amazing cause. It's going to the Trussell Trust – to the 14 million people living in poverty in the UK. Who doesn’t love a sausage roll at Christmas?"
Other notable cover versions
*
"Weird Al" Yankovic parodied the song as "
I Love Rocky Road
"I Love Rocky Road" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic about a man's obsession with rocky road ice cream. It is a parody of the 1981 Joan Jett and the Blackhearts' cover version of the British band Arrows' 1975 song, " I Love Rock 'n' Roll", orig ...
".
*
Apologetix
ApologetiX is an American Christian parody band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band was founded in 1990, and since then, has played in almost all 50 states, released 40 studio albums, and built up a fan club that includes over 65,000 peopl ...
parodied the song in 2000 as "
I Love Apostle Paul".
* Forever Young reached #27 in France in 2003 with their cover version.
See also
*
List of ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number ones of 1982
References
External links
History of the songBill Harry's Merseybeat article
{{DEFAULTSORT:I Love Rock N Roll
1975 songs
1975 singles
1982 singles
2002 singles
2008 singles
Arrows (British band) songs
Jive Records singles
RAK Records singles
Joan Jett songs
Britney Spears songs
Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Cashbox number-one singles
Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
RPM Top Singles number-one singles
Number-one singles in South Africa
Number-one singles in Sweden
Music videos directed by Chris Applebaum
Song recordings produced by Mickie Most
Song recordings produced by Rodney Jerkins
Songs about rock music
Number-one singles in Australia
Number-one singles in New Zealand
Black-and-white music videos