Rock 'n' Roll
Studio album by John Lennon
Released 21 February 1975
Recorded A&M Studios, October Ð December 1973; Record Plant Studios (East), 21Ð25 October 1974
Genre Rock and roll
Length 40:03
Label Apple/EMI
Producer John Lennon
and Phil Spector
Professional reviews
* Allmusic 4/5 stars link
* Pitchfork Media (7.1/10) 11/10/04
* Robert Christgau (B-) link
* Rolling Stone (not rated) 5/22/75
Rock 'n' Roll is a 1975 album of late 1950s and early 1960s-era rock songs covered by John Lennon. The recording of the album spanned a year and its dramatic sessions have since entered into rock music folklore. Rock 'n' Roll became another hit for Lennon, reaching #6 in both the UK and US, where it soon went gold. The single "Stand by Me" also proved a US Top 20 hit that spring.
History
In 1969, Lennon composed the song "Come Together" for The Beatles album Abbey Road. Inspired by the Chuck Berry tune "You Can't Catch Me", it bore too much of a melodic resemblance to the originalÑand Lennon took the first line ("Here come old flat-top") for the new lyric. Publisher Morris Levy brought a lawsuit for infringement, and the case was due to be heard in a New York court in December 1973.
In the meanwhile, Lennon had split with Yoko Ono and was living in Los Angeles with his personal assistant, May Pang. Nostalgia was a popular trend on film with American Graffiti and television was readying a spinoff series, Happy Days (Lennon and Pang had even visited the set). To avoid having to return to New York, Lennon agreed to record an album of oldies as his next release (following Mind Games) and include at least three songs from Levy's publishing catalogue. In turn, Levy dropped the suit.
Lennon teamed up with producer Phil Spector to record the album. When news got around that Lennon was in Hollywood making a record, every musician wanted to be part of the sessions. Many of them were, as evidenced by the extensive lineup. But the sessions quickly fell into disarrayÑfueled by alcohol. Spector once showed up dressed in a surgeon's outfit and shot a gun in the ceiling of the studio, hurting Lennon's ears. On another occasion, a bottle of whiskey had spilled on the A&M Studio's mixing console causing future sessions to be banned from the facility. Then Spector disappeared with the session tapes and would not be heard from for several months. Spector made one cryptic call to Lennon, claiming to have the "John Dean tapes" from the recent Watergate scandal; Lennon deduced that Spector meant he had the album's master tapes. When an auto accident on March 31, 1974 allegedly left Spector in a coma, the project was put on indefinite hold.
In May 1974, Lennon returned to New York with Pang and began writing and recording a new album of original material, Walls and Bridges. Just as these sessions began, Al Coury, then-president of Capitol Records retrieved the Spector tapes for $90,000. Not wanting to break stride, Lennon shelved the tapes and completed work on Walls And Bridges.
With Walls and Bridges coming out first, Lennon had reneged on his deal with Levy. To add insult to injury, Lennon included a snippet of the Levy published "Ya Ya" on it (featuring son Julian on drums and the snide remark "Let's do sitting in the la la and get rid of that!" in the song's intro). This infuriated Levy and he threatened to refile his lawsuit. Lennon explained to Levy what had happened, and assured him that the covers album was indeed in the works. Lennon then recalled the session musicians from Walls and Bridges to complete the oldies tracks. Levy offered the use of his farm in upstate New York for the band to rehearse.
To assure him progress was being made, Lennon gave Levy a rough copy of the sessions to review. Levy offered to directly market the album via mail order, through his own record label, Adam VIII, bypassing Capitol and EMI, giving both Lennon and Levy a larger share of the album's profits. Lennon gave his assent, and even considered appearing in a TV commercial to promote the album, but knew he would need the approval of EMI, Capitol and Apple Corps for the deal. With so much money and time invested in Rock 'n' Roll, Capitol, EMI and Apple refused to give consent and insisted Lennon release it according to his recording contract. Feeling betrayed, Levy pressed his own version of the album called ROOTS: John Lennon Sings The Great Rock & Roll Hits, from the rough tapes Lennon had given him (see below), then proceeded to sue Lennon, EMI and Capitol for $42 million for breach of contract.
Lennon quickly finished work on his version of the album, leaving several songs out of the final selection. In February 1975, Capitol Records rush-released the official Rock 'n' Roll, at a slightly reduced retail price, but the delays had taken a toll on sales. The nostalgia wave had peaked, and other artists such as David Bowie and Bryan Ferry had already released oldies projects, making it less of a novelty.
Not long after the album appeared, Lennon reconciled with Yoko Ono, and she soon became pregnant. Determined not to lose another baby after three consecutive miscarriages, Lennon decided to halt his musical career for his family. Sean Lennon would be born that October (on his father's 35th birthday); following the release of Shaved Fish (a compilation album culled from Lennon's singles between 1969Ð1975), Lennon would not return with a new release until 1980.
A second single, "Ain't That A Shame" b/w "Slippin N Slidin" (Apple 1883) was announced, promotional copies were pressed, but was never released.
The album was briefly reissued in the UK by the budget label Music for Pleasure with an alternate cover. In the US, it was reissued in October 1980 to coincide with Lennon's 40th birthday.
In 2004, Yoko Ono supervised the remixing of Rock 'n' Roll for its reissue, including four bonus tracks from the ill-fated Spector sessions. Other leftovers from the sessions had already appeared, as part of Menlove Avenue (a 1986 collection of Lennon outtakes and demos) or the John Lennon Anthology box set.
Cover Art
Lennon planned to use some of his childhood drawings for the cover of his oldies album, and production had already begun when Lennon switched gears, so the artwork was used instead for Walls and Bridges.
In September 1974, May Pang attended the first Beatlefest convention at Lennon's behest, and met Jurgen Vollmer, an old friend of the Beatles from Hamburg, Germany, who had photographed the band from their Hamburg days. He was selling some striking portraits, and Pang immediately phoned Lennon to tell him of her find. Reuniting with Vollmer in New York, Lennon chose one of his photos for the covers album.
The photo depicts Lennon in a doorway with three blurry figures walking past him in the foreground. Those figures are Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Stu Sutcliffe.
The album's working title had been Oldies but Mouldies; no official title had been chosen until Lennon saw the neon sign prepared as cover art by John Uomoto, with Lennon's name and the words "ROCK 'N' ROLL" beneath. This struck Lennon in a positive way, and it became the album title.
Track listing
All tracks produced by John Lennon, except by Phil Spector.
1. "Be-Bop-A-Lula" (Tex Davis, Gene Vincent) Ð 2:39
* Lennon opened the album with the song he'd played the only time his mother Julia got to see him perform, and also the first time he met Paul McCartney.
2. "Stand by Me" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, Ben E. King) Ð 3:26
* The single's B-side, "Move Over Ms. L", was a non-album song written by Lennon, originally intended for Walls and Bridges.
3. "Medley: Rip It Up/Ready Teddy" (Robert 'Bumps' Blackwell, John Marascalco) Ð 1:33
* Two songs famously recorded by Little Richard, who had toured with the Beatles.
4. "You Can't Catch Me" (Chuck Berry) Ð 4:51
* The song at the heart of Levy's court case.
5. "Ain't That a Shame" (Fats Domino, Dave Bartholomew) Ð 2:38
* Lennon met Fats Domino during a Las Vegas visit late in 1973. Lennon learned "Ain't That a Shame" from his mother, who played banjo.
6. "Do You Wanna Dance?" (Bobby Freeman) Ð 3:15
* A reggae-flavoured remake.
7. "Sweet Little Sixteen" (Chuck Berry) Ð 3:01
8. "Slippin' and Slidin'" (Eddie Bocage, Albert Collins, Richard Wayne Penniman, James H. Smith) Ð 2:16
* Planned as the second single from the album (with "Ain't That A Shame" as the B-side), but cancelled before its release. In the video, he sends a message to son Julian.
9. "Peggy Sue" (Jerry Allison, Norman Petty, Buddy Holly) Ð 2:06
* Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison were Buddy Holly fans; McCartney purchased Holly's song copyrights in the late 1970s.
10. "Medley: Bring It On Home to Me/Send Me Some Lovin'" (Sam Cooke)/(John Marascalco, Lloyd Price) Ð 3:41
11. "Bony Moronie" (Larry Williams) Ð 3:47
12. "Ya Ya" (Lee Dorsey, Clarence Lewis, Morgan Robinson) Ð 2:17
13. "Just Because" (Lloyd Price) Ð 4:25
* Lennon speaks before the fadeout, in the style of a 1950s disc jockey closing out a radio program. "There's two basses in this, and I hope you appreciate it!" and adding "Good night from the Record Plant East, New York... Goodbye." He said in a later interview that he was subconsciously bidding farewell to the music business.
The following appear on the 2004 reissue
1. "Angel Baby" (Rosie Hamlin) - 3:44
2. "To Know Her is to Love Her" (Phil Spector) - 4:31
3. "Since My Baby Left Me" (Arthur Crudup) - 4:40
4. "Just Because (Reprise)" - 1:25
* Lennon adds "It's all down to Goodnight Vienna, I'd like to say hi to Ringo, Paul and, George... how are you? (and) Everybody back home, in England... what's cookin'?" Lennon was still unable to leave the United States, because of his immigration case, settled later in 1975.
Personnel
* John Lennon: Guitars, vocals
* Jesse Ed Davis: Guitar
* Jim Calvert: Guitar
* Eddie Mottau: Acoustic guitar
* JosŽ Feliciano: Acoustic guitar
* Michael Hazelwood: Acoustic Guitar
* Steve Cropper: Guitar
* Klaus Voormann: Bass guitar, answer vocal on "Bring It on Home to Me"
* Leon Russell: Keyboards
* Ken Ascher: Keyboards
* Jim Keltner: Drums
* Hal Blaine: Drums
* Gary Mallaber: Drums
* Arthur Jenkins: Percussion
* Nino Tempo: Saxophone
* Jeff Barry: Horn
* Barry Mann: Horn
* Bobby Keys: Horn
* Peter Jameson: Horn
* Joseph Temperley: Horn
* Dennis Morouse: Horn
* Frank Vicari: Horn
Roots
ROOTS: John Lennon Sings The Great Rock & Roll Hits is the rare mail-order album utilizing rough mixes of Lennon's Rock 'n' Roll album released by Morris Levy's Adam VIII label. It was available through television sale for three days in January, 1975 before Lennon and Apple/EMI pulled it off the market.
In June 1976, Lennon, EMI and Capitol prevailed in New York District Court. Levy was awarded a small settlement for the copyright infringement on "You Can't Catch Me", but had to pay EMI $109,700 in lost revenue, and $42,000 to Lennon for "damages to his reputation" -- from the inferior sound quality (besides the rough mixes, some of the songs were sped up to fit more tracks on the album) and the "horrible album cover."
Production and distribution of Roots was halted. With only 3000 copies of Roots reportedly pressed, original copies are rare and sought-after collector's items. Copies in mint condition have sold for US$2000. Lennon was disappointed at how poorly the mail order setup had actually worked, having ordered his own copy as follow-up and waiting almost a month to receive it.
Roots Track listing
All tracks produced by John Lennon, except by Phil Spector.
Side One
1. "Be-Bop-A -Lula" (Tex Davis/Gene Vincent) Ð 2:39
2. "Ain't That A Shame" (Fats Domino/Dave Bartholomew) Ð 2:34
* Contains a longer fadeout than the Rock 'n' Roll version
3. "Stand By Me" (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller/Ben E. King) Ð 3:26
* Without the strings added to the official release
4. "Sweet Little Sixteen" (Chuck Berry) Ð 3:01
5. "Rip It Up" (Blackwell/John Marascalco) Ð 1:33
6. "Angel Baby (Rosie Hamlin) Ð 3:42
* Not officially released until the 1986 compilation Menlove Ave.
7. "Do You Want To Dance" (Bobby Freeman) Ð 3:02
8. "You Can't Catch Me" (Chuck Berry) Ð 4:03
* The Rock 'n' Roll version was stretched to Ð 4:51 by repeating the first verse
Side Two
1. "Bony Moronie" (Larry Williams) Ð 3:47
2. "Peggy Sue" (Allison/Petty/Buddy Holly) Ð 2:06
3. "Bring It On Home To Me" (Sam Cooke)/(John Marascalco/Lloyd Price) Ð 3:41
4. "Slippin' & Slidin'" (Eddie Bocage/Albert Collins/Richard Wayne Penniman/James H. Smith) Ð 2:20
* Contains a longer fadeout than the Rock 'n' Roll version
5. "Be My Baby" (Phil Spector/Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich) Ð 4:34
* Not officially released until the 1998 John Lennon Anthology
6. "Ya Ya" (Lee Dorsey/Clarence Lewis/Morgan Robinson) Ð 2:17
7. "Just Because" (Lloyd Price) Ð 4:25
Released 21 February 1975
Recorded A&M Studios, October - December 1973; Record Plant Studios (East), 21-25 October 1974
Producer John Lennon and Phil Spector
* John Lennon: Guitars, vocals
* Jesse Ed Davis: Guitar
* Jim Calvert: Guitar
* Eddie Mottau: Acoustic guitar
* Jose Feliciano: Acoustic guitar
* Michael Hazelwood: Acoustic Guitar
* Steve Cropper: Guitar
* Klaus Voormann: Bass guitar, answer vocal on "Bring It on Home to Me"
* Leon Russell: Keyboards
* Ken Ascher: Keyboards
* Jim Keltner: Drums
* Hal Blaine: Drums
* Gary Mallaber: Drums
* Arthur Jenkins: Percussion
* Nino Tempo: Saxophone
* Jeff Barry: Horn
* Barry Mann: Horn
* Bobby Keys: Horn
* Peter Jameson: Horn
* Joseph Temperley: Horn
* Dennis Morouse: Horn
* Frank Vicari: Horn