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I Love Rock 'n' Roll

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For other uses, see I Love Rock 'n' Roll (disambiguation).
"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
Song
B-side"Broken Down Heart" (R. Ferris)

"I Love Rock 'n' Roll" is a rock song written in 1975 by Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker of Arrows, who recorded the first released version.[1] The song was later made famous by the hit version by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts in 1982.[2] Alan Merrill has been playing the song recently live in England, Europe, Japan and most often in his home town New York City.

The song was originally recorded and released by Arrows in 1975 on RAK Records, with lead vocals by Alan Merrill and produced by Mickie Most. In an interview with Songfacts, Merrill said he wrote it as "a knee-jerk response to The Rolling Stones' 'It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)'."[2][3] This version was first released as a B-side, but was soon re-recorded and flipped to A-side status on a subsequent pressing of the record. Although not a chart hit in its original version as a result of nonexistent promotion by the band's label, the song has come to worldwide prominence due to very successful cover versions. The song served the band Arrows very well in 1975 though. After they did their one and only TV appearance in 1975 with "I Love Rock N Roll" on the Muriel Young produced show "45," Ms. Young offered the Arrows their own weekly television series starting in March 1976. They got the weekly TV series based on their performance of "I Love Rock N Roll." The Arrows TV show was where Joan Jett became aware of the song while she was on tour with her band the Runaways in England in 1976 and she saw the group perform the song on their weekly broadcast show.

Joan Jett version

"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
Song
B-side"You Don't Know What You've Got"
"Love Is Pain"
"You're Too Possessive"
"I Love Rock N Roll"
Joan Jett and The Blackhearts' "I Love Rock N Roll" from I Love Rock 'n Roll
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Joan Jett saw Arrows perform "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" on their weekly television series Arrows[2] when she was touring England with The Runaways in 1976. She first recorded the song in 1979 with two of the Sex Pistols: Steve Jones and Paul Cook. This first version was released on vinyl in 1979 on Vertigo records as a b-side to "You Don't Own Me" and this early version was not released on CD until 1993 and the issue of the album Flashback. In 1981, Jett re-recorded the song, this time with her band, The Blackhearts. This recording became a U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one single for seven weeks,[4] effectively launching Jett's solo career. The single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, representing two million units shipped to stores. This success propelled Jett's I Love Rock 'n Roll album to number two on the Billboard 200. Joan Jett's version was ranked #89 in the list 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of Rolling Stone.[5]

Music video

"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"'s gritty, black-and-white music video received heavy play from the just-launched MTV network. In it, Jett and The Blackhearts travel to a small, dingy bar and proceed to excite the drunken crowd by performing the song and yelling out its famous chorus. A snippet of Jett's 1981 hit "Bad Reputation" is featured at the beginning of the video. Jett followed up "I Love Rock 'n Roll" with another cover—her version of Tommy James and the Shondells' "Crimson and Clover," which was a top-ten U.S. hit. The video was originally in color, but it was converted to black and white because Jett was ultimately displeased with the look of her red leather jumpsuit in color.

In 1993 Joan Jett & The Blackhearts made another music video for the song as part of the Wayne's World 2 soundtrack. In the video appear several scenes from the movie with Mike Myers and Dana Carvey mixed with footage of Joan and her band in concert. It was again released as a single by Warner/Reprise with "Activity Grrrl" as the B-side.

Critical reception

Jett's version has received many accolades, including:

Parodies and other cover versions

In 1983, "Weird Al" Yankovic released a parody of Jett's version, titled "I Love Rocky Road," which appeared on his self-titled debut album. Set to accordion music, a promotional video was also released modeled after Jett's video.

British boy band Five sampled I Love Rock n Roll with their 1998 single Everybody Get Up

Christian parody band ApologetiX spoofed Joan Jett's cover with "I Love Apostle Paul" in 2000, on their Spoofernatural album. It has become one of their most popular parodies.

Versions of Jett's arrangement have appeared in two music video games: Guitar Hero and Karaoke Revolution Party. The Jett version made an appearance in Guitar Hero: Smash Hits, as well as in Rock Band 3. It is also featured in the 2000 movie Coyote Ugly.

Chart performance

Chart (1982) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 2
Canadian RPM Top Singles[10] 1
France (SNEP)[11] 4
Invalid chart entered Germany2 6
Irish Singles Chart[12] 2
Italy (FIMI)[13] 42
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[14] 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[16] 1
South African Chart[17] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[18] 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[19] 3
UK (Official Charts Company)[20] 4
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[21] 1
U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[21] 1
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[21] 31

Chart successions

Preceded by Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Joan Jett version)
March 20, 1982 - May 1, 1982 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Canadian "RPM" Singles Chart number-one single (Joan Jett version)
March 20, 1982 - May 8, 1982 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Australian Kent Music Report number-one single (Joan Jett version)
May 3, 1982 - May 31, 1982 		Succeeded by

Britney Spears version

"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
Song
B-side"Overprotected"

Background, release and composition

"I Love Rock 'n' Roll" is the fourth European single released by pop singer Britney Spears from the album Britney on May 27, 2002. The song was used in her 2002 movie Crossroads. Spears's character, Lucy, performs it in a karaoke bar. Spears said of the song, "They asked me to sing karaoke in the movie Crossroads and I've actually sung I Love Rock 'n' Roll in a lot of clubs that I've been to."[22] Spears has publicly admitted the original song to be one of her favorites. Spears listened to the original Arrows Mickie Most-produced version just before she recorded the song, according to Jive A&R representative Steve Lunt. The scratches performed on this song were performed by Corey Chase, at Hit Factory Miami. When promoting the single's release she mistakenly attributed the hit version of the song to Pat Benatar instead of Jett.[23] The song is a pop rock and dance-pop song.[24]

Reception

Critical

The song was later met with criticism by Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio, who ranked it at #37 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever in 2010 and said that Spears was "[d]oing her best to single-handedly set the women-in-rock movement back 20 years."[25] David Browne wrote for Entertainment Weekly that "her remake is neither imaginative (it simply xeroxes Joan Jett's arrangement) nor all that believable."[26]

However, the song received favorable reviews. NME's Ted Kessler wrote that Britney "still works best when making a good pop cheese and dance sandwich: there's the ace Rodney Jerkins-produced version of Joan Jett's (sic) 'I Love Rock'n'Roll', which does exactly what is says on the tin."[27] Rolling Stone's Barry Walters wrote that "producer Rodney Jerkins' hip-hop blaspheming of Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" doesn't go as far as it should (is a Limp Bizkit remix in its future?), but it certainly beats what her earlier studio architects did to those Sonny and Cher (The Beat Goes On on ...Baby One More Time) and Stones ((I Can't Get No) Satisfaction on Oops!... I Did It Again) songs."[28] Another positive reception came from PopMatters's editor Nikki Tranter,who enjoyed that the song is "different from the average run-of-the-mill pop offering, and praised that "she does strange justice to the tune vamping up her vocals and turning out something, that while silly and camp, is actually a fun listen."[29]

Commercial

"I Love Rock 'n' Roll" failed to make the top ten in most countries. However, the track was not a complete commercial failure as it made the top forty placement in most regions. The song was moderately successful in the UK, where it peaked at number thirteen (which, at the time, was her lowest peak for a single released there, until "Radar" only managed to reach number forty-six in 2009). The single sold a total of 65,000 copies.[30] The single also attained Gold certification in Australia despite missing the top ten.

Music video

Directed by Chris Applebaum, the music video for "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" features Spears in a tight-fitting leather getup. Straightforward, it features Spears jamming in a large red room, complete with her own band, a stack of speakers, and flashing lights. She crawls along on the floor, and plays air guitar before smashing the speakers with a real guitar. Spears also dances on a rotating motorcycle and gets covered with confetti. The video made its way to the No. 2 spot at the 100 Best Videos of 2002 at MTV Latin America's countdown, only behind Avril Lavigne's "Complicated". The Director's Cut version of the video was later leaked; it included previously unseen scenes from the video. The Bar where it was shot is called The Inn, in Long Beach, New York.

Track listings

Chart performance

Chart (2002) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[31] 13
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[32] 9
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[33] 15
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[34] 27
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[35] 19
Invalid chart entered Germany2 7
Hungarian Singles Chart[36] 6
Irish Singles Chart[12] 8
Italy (FIMI)[37] 20
Japan (Oricon) 26
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[38] 17
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[39] 18
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[40] 15
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[41] 15
UK Singles (OCC)[42] 13

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[43] Gold 35,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Country Date Format Label
Germany[44] May 27, 2002 Maxi single Jive Records
Japan[45] June 19, 2002 Sony
United Kingdom[46] July 1, 2002 Jive Records

Alex Gaudino and Jason Rooney version

"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
Song

The Alex Gaudino & Jason Rooney cover version was released in 2008.

Track listing

UK Digital download
No.TitleLength
1."I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Radio Edit)3:37
2."I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Extended Mix)7:43
3."I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Dabruck, Klein Remix)6:01
4."I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Nari & Milani Remix)5:35
5."I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (Disko Kriminals Remix)7:05
Credits and personnel
  • Lead vocals – Alex Gaudino
  • Music – Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker
  • Lyrics – Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker
  • Scratches – Corey Chase
  • Label: 541/NEWS

Chart performance

Chart (2008) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[47] 10

Release history

Region Date Format
United Kingdom 3 December 2008 Digital download[48]

Other cover versions


"I Love Rock 'n Roll" is an often-covered song, and has been notably recorded by such artists as:

Notes

  1. ^ Cad, Saint. "10 More Famous Songs With Unknown Originals". listverse.com. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "Outsight Radio Hours interview, 12 February 2012". Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  3. ^ "I Love Rock and Roll". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 322.
  5. ^ Rolling Stone - The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time. Retrieved 2011-01-24. "With the first primal power chord, Jett obliterated her image as a teenage girl-group novelty in The Runaways. The squealing riffs matched her new leather-clad tough-girl image and made her case as one of the fiercest female guitarists of all time."
  6. ^ http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/specials/hot100/charts/top100-titles-60.shtml billboard.com
  7. ^ "Australia n°1 Hits - 80's". Worldcharts.co.uk. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  8. ^ "Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock'n Roll" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  9. ^ "Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock'n Roll" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  10. ^ Lwin, Nanda. Top 40 Hits: the essential chart guide (2000).
  11. ^ Hung Medien. "I love rock'n'roll in French Chart". Retrieved 12 June 2013. You have to use the index at the top of the page and search "Joan Jett & the Blackhearts"
  12. ^ a b "I love rock'n'roll in Irish Chart". IRMA. Retrieved 12 June 2013. Only results when searching "I love rock 'n' roll"
  13. ^ "Indice per Interprete: J". HitParadeItalia (it). Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  14. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  15. ^ "Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock'n Roll" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  16. ^ "Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock'n Roll". Top 40 Singles.
  17. ^ John Samson. "I love rock'n'roll in South African Chart". Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  18. ^ "Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock'n Roll". Singles Top 100.
  19. ^ "Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock'n Roll". Swiss Singles Chart.
  20. ^ "1982 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive - 8th May 1982". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  21. ^ a b c "I Love Rock'n'Roll awards on Allmusic". Allmusic. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  22. ^ Dingwall, John (November 5, 2001). "OTR..Off the Record: Your Time Is Up, Jacko; Britney Wants Album Top Slot". Daily Record. Scotland. p. 19.
  23. ^ Jim DeRogatis (November 4, 2001). "What Britney said, or should have". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on November 16, 2001. Retrieved February 26, 2012.
  24. ^ "I Love Rock 'n' Roll — Britney Spears". AllMusic. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  25. ^ Wilkening, Matthew (September 11, 2010). "100 Worst Songs Ever -- Part Four of Five". AOL Radio. Retrieved December 24, 2010.
  26. ^ Britney | Music. EW.com (November 12, 2001). Retrieved on January 02, 2012.
  27. ^ Kessler, Ted (October 30, 2001). "NME Albums Reviews — Britney Spears : 'Britney Pop's Number One act? She did it again...'". NME. Retrieved January 2, 2011.
  28. ^ Barry Walters (November 22, 2001). "Britney review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 12, 2007. Retrieved January 2, 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ Tranter, Nikki (November 5, 2001). "Britney Spears: Britney <PopMatters>". PopMatters. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  30. ^ Britney Spears — I Love Rock 'n' Roll (UK) UKBritney.tv Retrieved on May 22, 2007
  31. ^ "Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  32. ^ "Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  33. ^ "Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  34. ^ "Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  35. ^ "Britney Spears: I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
  36. ^ "Archívum — Slágerlisták — MAHASZ — Magyar Hangfelvétel-kiadók Szövetsége". Mahasz.hu. Retrieved 2012-11-08.
  37. ^ "Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll". Top Digital Download.
  38. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Britney Spears" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  39. ^ "Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  40. ^ "Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll". Singles Top 100.
  41. ^ "Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll". Swiss Singles Chart.
  42. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  43. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  44. ^ "I Love Rock 'N' Roll [Single]". Amazon.de. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  45. ^ "I Love Rock'n'Roll". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  46. ^ "I Love Rock and Roll [Single, Maxi]". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  47. ^ "Alex Gaudino & Jason Rooney – I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (in French). Ultratip.
  48. ^ "I Love Rock N' Roll: Alex Gaudino & Jason Rooney: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
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