Written by: Berry
Recorded: 18 October 1964
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith
Released: 4 December 1964 (UK), 15 December 1964 (US)
John Lennon: vocals, rhythm guitar, piano
Paul McCartney: bass guitar, piano
George Harrison: acoustic guitar
Ringo Starr: drums
George Martin: piano
Available on:
Beatles For Sale
Anthology 2
Live At The BBC
Written by Chuck Berry, Rock And Roll Music was a staple of The Beatles' live repertoire between 1959 and 1966. They recorded it for their fourth UK album, Beatles For Sale.
The song had been a hit for Berry in 1957. The Beatles selected it for Beatles For Sale, along with a number of other rock 'n' roll standards, when they were running short of original material.
In addition to their studio version, The Beatles also recorded Rock And Roll Music for several BBC shows, including Pop Go The Beatles and Saturday Club; a performance from the latter, taped on 25 November 1964 and first broadcast on Boxing Day, was included on the Live At The BBC collection.
A later live version, recorded at the Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo in June 1966, shortly before The Beatles abandoned touring, appears on Anthology 2.
In the studio
Rock And Roll Music was one of John Lennon's great vocal performances, and a thrilling rendition by the group as a whole. Owing to their familiarity with the song, it took The Beatles just one take to record.
The basic track was recorded with drums and bass on track one, two guitars on the second, and Lennon's vocals on track three. Afterwards Lennon, McCartney and George Martin all overdubbed a piano part on a Steinway together.
The group recorded it on 18 October 1964. During the same nine-hour session they also recorded Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!, Mr Moonlight, I Feel Fine, I'll Follow The Sun, Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby and Words Of Love. Rock And Roll Music was the penultimate song to be tackled.
Lyrics
Just let me hear some of that rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me
I've got no kick against modern jazz
Unless they try to play it too darn fast
And lose the beauty of the melody
Until they sound just like a symphony
That's why I go for that rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me
I took my lover on over 'cross the tracks
So she can hear my man awail a sax
I must admit they have a rocking band
Man, they were blowing like a hurricane
That's why I go for that rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me
Way down south they had a jubilee
Those Georgia folks they had a jamboree
They're drinking home brew from a wooden cup
The folks dancing got all shook up
And started playing that rock and roll music
Any old time you use it
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me
Don't care to hear 'em play a tango
I'm in the mood to take a mambo
It's way too early for a congo
So keep on rocking that piano
That's why I go for that rock and roll music
Any old time you use it
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me
Related articles:
- Roll Over Beethoven
- Johnny B Goode
- Recording: Eight Days A Week, Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!, Mr Moonlight, I Feel Fine, I'll Follow The Sun, Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby, Rock And Roll Music, Words Of Love
- Sweet Little Sixteen
- Carol
According to Geoff Emerick, in "Here, There and Everywhere." Paul plays piano, and George plays bass on the "Beatles for Sale" version.
In the album's original cover notes Derek Taylor says "on the 'Rock and Roll Music' track George Martin joins John and Paul on one piano."
That's right.
Not possible - the song was recorded in a single take with no overdubs.
They were all playing the same piano all at once
Like Joe said, that's impossible if it was recorded live w/out overdubs. So who's got the more accurate information?
Hmm. I've read in a couple of sources (Walter Everett's The Beatles As Musicians and John C Winn's Way Beyond Compare) that the piano part was overdubbed after the basic track was recorded. The piano was the only part to be added after take 1, and was indeed played by John, Paul and George M.
I'm not sure why this appears to have not been documented in the studio, but I'll amend the article accordingly.
George played bass on the BFS version. Perhaps credit it to both Paul and George?
As I said before, according to the studio records it was recorded in a single take with no overdubs. There can't be two bass parts.
Yeah, I'd heard that "John, Paul & George on one piano" thing too, but I wasn't sure it meant they were all playing at the same time!
Either way, that's surprising to me that George Martin played ALL the piano on that track. I wouldn't think he'd really know much about that Little Richard/Jerry Lee Lewis style of rock 'n roll piano, skillful though he was.
There can't be two bass parts.
Think for Yourself had 2 bass parts.
Usually George Martin overdubbed his piano parts after the basic track was recorded. This was probably an overdub that Lewisohn missed or wasn't listed on the recording notes.