| "Rock and Roll" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Original 7-inch single | ||||
| Single byGary Glitter | ||||
| from the albumGlitter | ||||
| A-side | "Rock and Roll Part 1" | |||
| B-side | "Rock and Roll Part 2" | |||
| Released | 3 March 1972 (1972-03-03) | |||
| Recorded | 1971 | |||
| Genre | Glam rock[1][2] | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Bell | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Producer | Mike Leander | |||
| Gary Glitter singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Rock and Roll" is a song by the English singerGary Glitter, released in 1972 from his debut studio album,Glitter. Co-written by Glitter andMike Leander, the song is in two parts: Part 1 is a vocal track with a "Rock and Roll, Rock" chorus and some verses reflecting on the history of the genre, while Part 2 is an instrumental piece aside from the regular exclamation of the word "Hey" in different tones as the only lyric.
"Rock and Roll" peaked at number two on theUK Singles Chart, staying at number two for three consecutive weeks and was kept off the number one spot byDonny Osmond's cover of "Puppy Love".[3] In concert, Glitter often merged both parts of "Rock and Roll" into one performance.
"Rock and Roll" is Glitter's only top ten single in the United States. It was also in North America that "Rock and Roll Part 2" became popularly associated with sports, (especially inAmerican football), as a number ofprofessional teams began to play the song during games to invigorate the audience. Since Glitter's convictions forchild sex offences, the song's continued use has been controversial.
In the UK, "Rock and Roll" was one of over 25 hit singles for Glitter. In the US, the instrumental version (Part 2) attracted the vast majority of the attention; it hit No. 7 on theBillboardHot 100.[4] The running time of the US mono 45, which is mixed different from the LP, is 3:10 whilst it is 2:58 on the US LP.
In France, "Rock and Roll Part 1" was the most successful side, peaking at number one.
In North America, "Rock and Roll Part 2" became popularly associated with sports, as a number ofprofessional teams adopted the song for use during games, primarily to signify scores and victories, or to otherwise invigorate the crowd. It is often referred to as "The Hey Song", as the only intelligible word in Part 2 is the exclamation of "Hey", punctuating the end of several instrumental phrases and repeated three times at the song's chorus. It was played first in a sport setting in 1974 at games for theKalamazoo Wings of the high-minorInternational Hockey League by Kevin O'Brien, the team's public relations and marketing director.[5] When he went to work for theNHL'sColorado Rockies in 1976, he brought the song with him. After the Rockies moved to New Jersey as theNew Jersey Devils in 1982, theDenver Nuggets andDenver Broncos picked up the tradition and were the firstNBA andNFL teams to play the song during games.[5] At sporting events, fans often insert their own "Hey," or sometimes other chanted syllables (such as "you suck!"—which controversially led to a decision by the Devils to switch to a song by New Jersey-nativeBon Jovi instead).[6]
In 1999, Glitter was convicted of downloadingchild pornography inEngland, and in 2006 ofchild sexual abuse charges inVietnam. After the second conviction was upheld in court, the NFL asked teams to stop playing the song.[7] The NFL allowed acover version of the song by theTube Tops 2000 to be played, but in 2012, the NFL instructed teams to "avoid" the song following negative reaction from British media to theNew England Patriots' use of the song. In 2014,Billboard reported that the song was slowly falling out of favour due to both the controversies, and teams electing to replace it with newer songs.[8][9][10]
The song was first used in 1988'sDoctor Who as an adaptation "Doctorin' the Tardis" then in 1994'sMighty Ducks D2 and again in the 1996 Adam Sandler filmHappy Gilmore.[11]
In 2019, "Rock and Roll Part 2" appeared inTodd Phillips' filmJoker as Arthur Fleck dances downa staircase, generating public controversy. Some sources indicated that Glitter, as co-writer of the song, would receive a lump sum and royalties for its use.[12] According to theLos Angeles Times, Glitter does not receive payment when the song is used, as he has sold the rights, and the US rights to the song are now owned byUniversal Music Publishing Group.[13]
| Chart (1972) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Go-Set Top 40)[14] | 2 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[15] | 4 |
| CanadianRPM Top Singles[16] | 3 |
| France (SNEP)[17] | 1(Part 1) 9(Part 2) |
| Irish Singles Chart[18] | 4 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[19] | 7 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[20] | 6 |
| New Zealand (Listener)[21] | 8 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[22] | 4 |
| UK (Official Charts Company)[3] | 2 |
| U.S.Billboard Hot 100[4] | 7 |
| West Germany (GfK)[23] | 4 |
A cover version of Part 1, entitled 'Rock 'n' Roll', was recorded and released by Britishelectronic music groupThe Human League and included on their EPHoliday '80 (1980).[24] The group also performed the track onTop of the Pops in May 1980, although the single failed to make the Top 40.[25] Another version of the Human League's recording makes a direct segue into a cover version of theIggy Pop track "Nightclubbing".[26]
Northern Ireland post-punk groupThe Undertones recorded "Rock n Roll" for their fourthBBC Radio 1 session forJohn Peel in January 1980. The track has its first official release in 2004.[27]
Philadelphia post-punk band Executive Slacks released their version of part 2 (entitled "Rock 'n' Roll" or "Rock & Roll", depending on the release) as a 12" single in 1986, performed on electronic instruments, guitar and percussion.[28][29]
Part 2 was heavily sampled inthe Timelords' hit "Doctorin' the Tardis" with the lyrics changed to reflectDoctor Who and his tardis.[30]
Part 2 was sampled on the song "Mas Tequila" bySammy Hagar andThe Waboritas, off the band's 1999 albumRed Voodoo.[31]
Part 2 was also sampled by Argentinian musicianGustavo Cerati in his song "Paseo Inmoral" from his albumBocanada (1999).[32]
The song was a major influence for the 2011 song "Howlin' for You" byThe Black Keys, with vocalistDan Auerbach saying it was built around the drum beat from "Rock and Roll."[33]
Part 2 is used as the tune for "Boris Johnson Is Still a Fucking Cunt" bythe Kunts.[34]
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