Rock 'n' Roll (John Lennon album)

Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: Template:Start date | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Walls and Bridges1974Shaved Fish1975studioRock 'n' RollJohnLennon-albums-rocknroll.jpgA black-and-white photo of a man in a dark doorwayJohn LennonTemplate:Start dateOctober 1973; 21–25 October 1974*A&M, Hollywood

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Rock 'n' Roll is the fifth and final solo studio album by the English musician John Lennon. Released in February 1975, it is an album of rock and roll songs from the late 1950s and early 1960s as covered by Lennon. Recording the album was troubled and spanned an entire year: Phil Spector produced sessions in October 1973 at A&M Studios, and Lennon produced sessions in October 1974 at the Record Plant (East). Lennon was being sued by Morris Levy over copyright infringement of one line in his Beatles song "Come Together". As part of an agreement, Lennon had to include three Levy-owned songs on Rock 'n' Roll. Spector disappeared with the session recordings and was subsequently involved in a motor accident, leaving the album's tracks unrecoverable until the beginning of the Walls and Bridges sessions. With Walls and Bridges coming out first, featuring one Levy-owned song, Levy sued Lennon expecting to see Lennon's Rock 'n' Roll album.

The album reached number 6 in both the United Kingdom and the United States, later being certified gold in both countries. It was supported by the single "Stand by Me", which peaked at number 20 in the US, and 30 in the UK. The cover photo was taken by Jürgen Vollmer during the Beatles' stay in Hamburg.

Background

In 1969, Lennon wrote the song "Come Together"<ref name=JLBio152>Template:Cite book</ref> for the Beatles' album Abbey Road. Inspired by the Chuck Berry tune "You Can't Catch Me",<ref name=Listen153/> it bore a melodic resemblance to the original—and Lennon took the third line of the second verse ("Here come [old] flat-top") for the new lyric.<ref name=JLBio152/> Publisher Morris Levy brought a lawsuit for infringement,<ref name=Listen153/><ref name="MorrisLevyBiog">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and the case was due to be heard in a New York court in December 1973. It was later settled out of court, with the agreement that, according to an announcement by Levy, Lennon had to "record three songs by Big Seven publishers on his next album". The songs [he] intends to record at this time are "You Can't Catch Me", "Angel Baby" and "Ya Ya"." Lennon had the right to change the last two songs to any other songs that were published by Big Seven.<ref name=Listen153/> The settlement also specified that he was to offer licensing rights to any three of seven specified non-Beatle songs owned by Apple Music.<ref name="rs-flippo">Chet Flippo, "The Private Years". In The Ballad of John and Yoko, by the editors of Rolling Stone (Rolling Stone Press, 1982)</ref> In the meantime, Lennon had separated from Yoko Ono and was living in Los Angeles with his personal assistant, May Pang.<ref name=Listen139>Blaney 2005, p. 139</ref> Nostalgia was a popular trend on film following response to the George Lucas film American Graffiti, and television was readying the series Happy Days (Lennon, Pang and John's son Julian had even visited the set).<ref name="ReferenceA">Template:Cite book</ref> Lennon, rather than writing his own songs, and partly inspired by his arrangement to include at least three songs from Levy's publishing company catalogue, Big Seven Music, decided to record an album of oldies as his next release, following Mind Games.<ref name=Listen153/>

Recording

Template:Quote box Lennon initially teamed up with producer Phil Spector to record the album,<ref name=Listen142>Blaney 2005, p. 142</ref><ref name=JPGR>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> letting Spector have full control.<ref name=Listen154>Blaney 2005, p. 154</ref><ref name=Life>Template:Cite book</ref> Spector chose some of the songs, and booked the studio and the musicians.<ref name=Listen154/> When news got around that Lennon was in Hollywood making a record, many musicians working in the city wanted to be involved.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> In mid-October 1973, sessions were booked at A&M Studios,<ref name=Life/> with many of them having over 30 musicians,<ref name=Listen154/> but the sessions quickly fell into disarray—fueled by alcohol.<ref name=Listen142/> Spector once showed up dressed in a surgeon's outfit and shot a gun in the ceiling of the studio, hurting Lennon's ears.<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Unknown to Lennon, each night Spector would remove the master tapes from the studio, and move them to his house.<ref name=Listen154/><ref name=Life/> Spector then disappeared with the session tapes<ref name=Listen142/><ref name=Listen154/> 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.<ref name=Listen154/><ref name="WNEW">John Lennon, "Interview," WNEW NY, September 1974</ref><ref name="Beatle Brunch - Dennis Elsas">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> When a car accident on 31 March 1974 left Spector in a coma, the project was put on indefinite hold. In mid-1974, Lennon returned to New York with Pang and began writing and recording a new album of original material, Walls and Bridges.<ref name=Listen142/><ref name=JLBio156>Edmondson 2010, p. 155</ref> Shortly before these sessions began, Al Coury, then-head of A&R/promotion for Capitol Records retrieved the Spector tapes.<ref name=JLBio156/><ref name=Listen143>Blaney 2005, p. 143</ref><ref name=rs-flippo></ref> Not wanting to break stride, Lennon shelved the tapes and completed work on Walls and Bridges.<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref name=JLBio156/>

With Walls and Bridges coming out first, Lennon had reneged on his deal with Levy, and Levy threatened to refile his lawsuit, but Lennon explained to Levy what had happened, and assured him that the covers album was indeed in the works.<ref name=JLBio156/><ref name=Listen155>Blaney 2005, p. 155</ref> Levy gave Lennon use of his farm in upstate New York to rehearse material.<ref name=JLBio156/><ref name=Listen155/> Lennon then recalled the session musicians from Walls and Bridges to complete the oldies tracks.<ref name=Listen155/><ref name="Instamatic">Template:Cite book</ref> Several tracks never made it past the rehearsal stage: "C'mon Everybody", "Thirty Days", "That'll Be the Day" – the band also played a few impromptu jams.<ref name=Listen155/> A cover of the Ronettes' "Be My Baby" remained unreleased until 1998 when it was included in the John Lennon Anthology box set.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 21 October, Lennon went into Record Plant East, completing the oldies tracks in a few days.<ref name=JPGR/><ref name=Listen155/><ref name=Rough110/> Lennon wanted the musicians to stay close to the original arrangements of the songs, apart from "Do You Want to Dance".<ref name=Listen155/> Mixing and editing lasted until mid-November.<ref name=Listen155/> To assure him progress was being made, Lennon gave Levy a rough tape of the sessions to review.<ref name=JLBio156/> Levy took the tapes and pressed his own version of the album called Roots: John Lennon Sings the Great Rock & Roll Hits<ref name=Rough110>Template:Cite book</ref> on his record label, Adam VIII, then proceeded to sue Lennon, EMI and Capitol for $42 million for breach of contract.<ref name=JLBio156/> Capitol/EMI quickly sought an injunction.<ref name=Rough110/> After two trials, in which Lennon had to convince the court of the difference between a rough version and a final take, Levy won $6,795 in damages, and Lennon won $144,700,<ref name=JLBio156/><ref name=rs-flippo></ref> in February 1976.<ref name=JPGR/> The album was originally scheduled for release in April 1975;<ref name=JPGR/> however, in February 1975, Capitol Records rush-released the official Rock 'n' Roll as a Capitol "budget" album (prefix code SK—one dollar cheaper than the usual releases) to counteract sales of the Levy album.<ref name=JLBio156/><ref name=Rough110/><ref name=rs-flippo></ref>

Cover art

Modern streetview of where the album cover was taken

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.<ref name="WNEW"/><ref name="Beatle Brunch - Dennis Elsas"/> In September 1974, May Pang attended the first Beatlefest convention at Lennon's behest, and met Jürgen 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 album's cover.<ref name="Instamatic"/> The photo depicts Lennon in a doorway with three blurry figures walking past him in the foreground. Those figures are George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe and Paul McCartney.<ref>Charlesworth, Chris. "John Lennon: Rock On!" Melody Maker 8 March 1975</ref> It was taken at 22 Wohlwillstraße in Hamburg.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The album's working title had been Oldies But Mouldies;<ref name=JPGR/><ref name=Life/> 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.<ref name=rs-flippo></ref>

Reception and aftermath

Template:Album ratings Although some critics derided the album as "a step backward", The Rolling Stone Album Guide wrote that "John lends dignity to these classics; his singing is tender, convincing, and fond."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> AllMusic described the album "as a peak in [Lennon's] post-Imagine catalog: an album that catches him with nothing to prove and no need to try".<ref name = "AllmusicRock"/>

The album was released on 17 February 1975 in the US,<ref group="nb">US Apple SK 3419<ref name=Listen153/></ref> and a few days later in the UK, on 21 February 1975.<ref group="nb">UK Apple PCS 7169<ref name=Listen153/></ref><ref name=Listen153>Template:Cite book</ref> It reached number 6 in both the United Kingdom<ref name="UKchart"/> and the United States.<ref name="USchart"/> On 10 March and 18 April 1975, in the US<ref group="nb">US Apple APPLE 1881<ref name=Listen167/></ref> and UK<ref group="nb">UK Apple R 5905<ref name=Listen167/></ref> respectively, "Stand by Me" was released as a single,<ref name=Listen167>Blaney 2005, p. 167</ref> backed with "Move Over Ms. L", a song that was meant to appear on Walls and Bridges but was cut from the final line-up.<ref name=Listen143>Blaney 2005, p. 143</ref> "Stand by Me" peaked at number 20 in the US and number 30 in the UK.<ref name=Listen167/> Lennon promoted the song by appearing on the BBC TV show Old Grey Whistle Test, which also featured an interview by Bob Harris.<ref name="Listen168" /> The show had Lennon singing live over the backing tracks of "Stand by Me" and "Slippin' and Slidin'".<ref name="Listen168" /> Lennon also appeared on Salute to Sir Lew – The Master Showman singing live again over backing tracks, this time for three songs: "Stand by Me", "Slippin' and Slidin'" and "Imagine".<ref name="Listen168" /> A second single, "Slippin N Slidin"/"Ain't That a Shame" (Apple 1883), was announced, and promotional copies pressed, but it was not released. "Ya Ya", backed with "Be-Bop-A-Lula", was released as a single only in Germany, peaking at number 47 on the Media Control Charts.<ref group="nb">Germany Apple 1C 006-05 924<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref></ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Lennon said the following about Rock 'n' Roll: "It started in '73 with Phil and fell apart. I ended up as part of mad, drunk scenes in Los Angeles and I finally finished it off on my own. And there was still problems with it up to the minute it came out. I can't begin to say, it's just barmy, there's a jinx on that album."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Not long after the album appeared, Lennon reconciled with 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.<ref name=Rough110/> Sean Lennon was born that October (on his father's 35th birthday);<ref name=Rough110/> following the release of the compilation Shaved Fish, Lennon would not return with a new release until 1980. "Stand by Me" was reissued in the US, with "Woman Is the Nigger of the World", on 4 April 1977.<ref group="nb">US Capitol/Starline 6244<ref name=Listen168>Blaney 2005, p. 168</ref></ref><ref name="Listen168" /> Rock 'n' Roll re-charted in the UK on 17 January 1981, at number 64.<ref name=Listen153/> In the US, it was reissued in October 1980, also at budget price,<ref group="nb">US Capitol SN-15969<ref name=Listen204/></ref><ref name="Listen204" /> and it was briefly reissued in the UK by the budget label Music for Pleasure with an alternative cover on 25 November 1981.<ref group="nb">UK Music for Pleasure MFP 50522<ref name=Listen204/></ref><ref name="Listen204">Blaney 2005, p. 204</ref> After Lennon's death, the album, along with seven other Lennon albums, was reissued by EMI as part of a box set, which was released in the UK on 15 June 1981.<ref group="nb">UK EMI JLB8<ref name=Listen203/></ref><ref name=Listen203>Blaney 2005, p. 203</ref> In 1981, Belgium<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and France issued the album, along with the Beatles' Rock 'n' Roll Music, as part of a box set.<ref group="nb">France Music for Pleasure 4M128-54084/85/86<ref name=Listen204/></ref><ref name="Listen204" /> The album was first issued on CD on 26 May 1987.<ref group="nb">UK Parlophone CDP 7 46707 2<ref name=JPGR/></ref> In 1988 it was reissued in Australia with an alternative cover and under the title Rip It Up.<ref>John Lennon, Rip It Up, J & B Records, JB 626, JB 326, JB 326C, 1988, Australia</ref> In 2004, Yoko Ono supervised the remixing of Rock 'n' Roll for its reissue, including four bonus tracks from the ill-fated Spector sessions. These leftovers from the sessions had already appeared, as part of 1986's Menlove Ave.<ref group="nb">The songs are: "Angel Baby", "Since My Baby Left Me", "To Know Her Is to Love Her" and "Here We Go Again".<ref name=JPGR/></ref> (a collection of outtakes) or the John Lennon Anthology box set. (The Lennon/Spector co-composition "Here We Go Again" was not included on the remastered Rock 'n' Roll, and can be found on Menlove Ave. as well as on the soundtrack album for The U.S. vs. John Lennon and the 2010 Gimme Some Truth 4-CD set, on the 4th CD entitled "Roots" featuring the Rock 'n' Roll tracks). In 2010, the original album mixes were remastered, the album was available separately<ref group="nb">UK EMI 906 5062<ref name=JPGR/></ref> as part of the John Lennon Signature Box.<ref group="nb">Europe EMI 5099990650925<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref></ref>

Track listing

All tracks produced and arranged by John Lennon, except * produced by Phil Spector, and arranged by Spector and Lennon.

2004 reissue bonus tracks

Personnel

• John Lennon – vocals, guitar
• Jim Calvert – guitar
• Larry Carlton – guitar
• Steve Cropper – guitar
• Jesse Ed Davis – guitar
• Louie Shelton – guitar
• José Feliciano – acoustic guitar
• Michael Hazlewood – acoustic guitar
• Eddie Mottau – acoustic guitar
• Bob Glaub – bass guitar
• Tom Hansley – bass guitar
• Reed Kailing – bass guitar on "Do You Want To Dance"
• Ray Neapolitan – bass guitar
• Klaus Voormann – bass guitar, harmony/answer vocal on "Bring It On Home to Me"
• Leon Russell – keyboards
• Ken Ascher – keyboards
• Michael Lang – keyboards
• Hal Blaine – drums
• Frank Capp – drums
• Jim Gordon – drums
• Jim Keltner – drums
• Gary Mallaber – drums
• Gary Coleman – percussion
• Alan Estes – percussion
• Steve Forman – percussion
• Terry Gibbs – percussion
• 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

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1975)	Position
Australian Kent Music Report Chart<ref name="auchart">Template:Cite book</ref>	5
Canadian RPM Albums Chart<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	5
Finnish Albums Chart<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	7
German Media Control Albums Chart<ref name="dechart">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>	37
Italian Albums (Musica e dischi)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }} Select "Album" in the "Tipo" field, type "John Lennon" in the "Titolo" field and press "cerca".</ref>	12
Japanese Oricon LP Chart<ref name="Jachart">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref>	12
New Zealand Albums Chart<ref name="nzchart">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	11
Norwegian VG-lista Albums Chart<ref name="norchart">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	9
Swedish Albums Chart<ref name="sechart">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	20
UK Albums Chart<ref name="UKchart">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	6
US Billboard 200<ref name="USchart">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	6

Weekly charts (reissue)

Chart (1981)	Position
UK Albums Chart<ref name=Listen153/>	64

Year-end charts

Chart (1975)	Position
Australian Albums Chart<ref name="auchart"/>	40
Canadian Albums Chart<ref name="CAYearend75">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	37
UK Albums Chart<ref name="UKYearend">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	48

See also

• Pussy Cats

References

Footnotes

Citations

External links

• Template:Discogs master
• Lennon v. Levy – The Roots Lawsuit
• The Roots of Rock 'n' Roll