Rock 'n' Roll - Front Cover | Rock 'n' Roll - Rear Cover |
Label | Apple | ||||||
Catalogue No. | PCS 7169 | ||||||
Release date | 21st February 1975 | ||||||
Total time | 39:39 | ||||||
U.K. Album Chart Detail : |
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Detail : | John's tenth solo album release, and first with no songs written by himself. Credited to John Lennon. Personnel : 1973 Sessions.John - Vocals and guitar1974 Sessions : Originally to be called "Oldies But Mouldies", recording started last quarter 1973 with Phil Spector in the producing chair. But, John and Phil constantly "disagreed" over the product, and the sessions fell apart. At this time Phil had the tapes, was then involved in a car accident and John was unable to get the tapes back from Phil. When eventually he did get them back, he decided that only four of the takes were acceptable, and decided to re-record the others. This was done just after the release of "Walls And Bridges" from 21st-25th October 1974, and so it was decided to hold back the release of the oldies album until April 1975. The next part of the interesting history of the release of this L.P. concerns "Come Together" ... Maurice Levy was the publisher of Chuck Berry's song catalogue and sued John for copyright infringement, claiming that "Come Together" was a plagiarised version of Chuck's "You Can't Catch Me". John agreed, out of court, to recompense by including some Chuck Berry songs for his next album, including the aforementioned problem tune. John gave Levy tapes from those first Spector sessions of the Chuck Berry songs, and Levy created an album which he advertised on U.S. T.V. and released 8th February 1975.
This album was called "John Lennon Sings The Great Rock & Roll Hits", and was sub-titled "Roots" (it's more familiar name).
It even added two tracks omitted from the official version, "Angel Baby" and "Be My Baby" (see
The Bootleg Single) It was the "Roots" release and furore that caused Apple to bring forward the "Rock 'n' Roll" issue date.
"Angel Baby" eventually surfaced legitamately on "Menlove Avenue".
The album is single sleeved, with no added gimmicks like in more recent releases. You should have been there - Dr. Winston O'Boogie
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Track | Composer | Recording Information | Time |
Be-Bop-A-Lula | Davis-Vincent | Recorded 21st-25th October 1974 Originally a hit single for Gene Vincent in 1958. |
2:36 |
Stand By Me | King-Glick | Recorded 21st-25th October 1974 A hit for Ben E.King in 1961. |
3:28 |
Medley: Rip It Up Ready Teddy |
Blackwell-Marascalco | Recorded 21st-25th October 1974 Both tracks were recorded by Little Richard in 1956, and released as two sides of one hit single. |
1:33 |
You Can't Catch Me | Berry | Recorded October-December 1973 Recorded by Chuck Berry in 1956. |
4:53 |
Ain't That A Shame | Domino-Bartholomew | Recorded 21st-25th October 1974 Oddly, first a hit for Pat Boone in 1955. |
2:30 |
Do You Want To Dance | Freeman | Recorded 21st-25th October 1974 Originally by Bobby Freeman in 1958, first a hit here by Cliff Richard in 1962. |
2:52 |
Sweet Little Sixteen | Berry | Recorded October-December 1973 Originally a hit for Chuck Berry in 1958. |
3:00 |
Track | Composer | Recording Information | Time |
Slippin' And Slidin' | Penniman-Bocage-Collins-Smith | Recorded 21st-25th October 1974 The Little Richard B-side to "Long Tall Sally in 1956. |
2:16 |
Peggy Sue | Holly-Allison-Petty | Recorded 21st-25th October 1974 Buddy Holly's 1957 smash. |
2:02 |
Medley: Bring It On Home To Me Send Me Some Lovin' |
Cooke Price-Marascalco |
Recorded 21st-25th October 1974 Bring It On Home To Me was originally by Sam Cooke in 1962, first a hit here for the Animals in 1965. Send Me Some Lovin' was Little Richard's B-side to "Lucille". |
3:40 |
Bony Moronie | Williams | Recorded October-December 1973 A 1957 hit for Larry Williams. |
3:47 |
Ya Ya | Robinson-Dorsey-Lewis | Recorded 21st-25th October 1974 Originally by Lee Dorsey in '61, it was first a hit here by Petula Clark in 1962. |
2:17 |
Just Because | Price | Recorded October-December 1973 Released originally by it's composer Lloyd Price in 1957. |
4:25 |
25th November 1981 - "Rock 'n' Roll" is re-issued on E.M.I.'s budget label, Music For Pleasure on MFP 50522 (+ TCMFP 50522).
26th May 1987 the C.D. was first issued on catalogue number CDP 7 46707 2 with no bonus tracks.
4th October 2010, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of John's birth a campaign was launched with all John's original albums remastered.
They were each available singularly or as part of the eleven c.d. boxset: The Signature Box
This album was issued with no extra tracks on EMI with a catalogue number of 906 5062
It failed to chart.