Written by: Carl Groszmann
Recorded: 23 May; August; September 1976
Producer: Arif Mardin
Released: 17 September 1976 (UK), 27 September 1976 (US)
Available on:
Ringo’s Rotogravure
Personnel
Ringo Starr: vocals, drums
Peter Frampton, Danny Kortchmar, Jesse Ed Davis: guitar
John Lennon: piano
Dr John: keyboards
Randy Brecker, Alan Rubin: trumpet
Michael Brecker, George Young: tenor saxophone
Lewis Delgatto: baritone saxophone
Klaus Voormann: bass guitar
Jim Keltner: drums
Melissa Manchester, Duitch Helmer, Joe Bean, Vini Poncia: vocals
‘A Dose Of Rock ‘N’ Roll’ is the opening song on Ringo Starr’s 1976 album Ringo’s Rotogravure.
It was written by Australian songwriter and musician Carl Groszmann, who was signed to Starr’s label Ring O’ Records.
That song was from Carl Groszmann who was on Ring-O Records. I started a label in England and I had these five or six acts. We did it the old school way where I supported them all while they wrote their songs and they all ended up with an album. But then I couldn’t go to any more board meetings, so I decided to close down Ringo-O Records – and every artist sued me. I didn’t learn anything from Apple Records. I was still into it for the love and the music.
Photograph – The Very Best Of Ringo Starr
In the studio
The backing track of ‘A Dose Of Rock ‘N’ Roll’ was recorded on 23 May 1976 at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles, with overdubs following in the summer.
The song features guitar solos by Peter Frampton and Jesse Ed Davis respectively. Starr had worked with Frampton on George Harrison’s 1970 album All Things Must Pass, and on two tracks on Frampton’s 1972 debut Wind Of Change.
The release
‘A Dose Of Rock ‘N’ Roll’ was released ahead of the album as a US single on 20 September 1976, with ‘Cryin” on the b-side. It peaked at number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Starr’s final top 30 hit.
The single was also issued in the UK on 15 October but failed to chart.
