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"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
File:Arrows I Love Rock n Roll.jpg
2004 re-issue
Song by The Arrows
B-side"Broken Down Heart" (R. Ferris)
Released1975
Recorded1975
GenreHard rock
Length2:48
LabelRAK
Songwriter(s)Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker
Producer(s)Mickie Most

"I Love Rock 'n' Roll" is a rock song written in 1975 by Alan Merrill of The Arrows, who recorded the first released version.[1] The song was later made famous by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts in 1982.[2] The only Arrows band member still living, Alan Merrill has been playing the song recently live in Europe, Japan and most often in his home town New York City.[3]

The Arrows original version[]

The song was originally recorded and released by The Arrows in 1975 on Rak Records, with lead vocals, guitar, music & lyrics written 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][4] 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. The Arrows performed the song in 1975 on the Muriel Young-produced show 45, after which Young offered the Arrows a weekly UK television series, Arrows, which was broadcast on ITV starting in March 1976.[5]

Joan Jett cover version[]

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"I Love Rock 'n Roll"
File:Joan Jett ILRNR.jpg
Song by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
from the album I Love Rock 'n Roll
B-side"You Don't Know What You've Got"
"Love Is Pain"
"You're Too Possessive"
ReleasedJanuary 19, 1982
Recorded1981
GenreHard rock[6][7]
Length2:55
LabelBoardwalk
Songwriter(s)Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker
Producer(s)Ritchie Cordell, Kenny Laguna

Joan Jett saw the Arrows perform "I Love Rock 'n Roll" on their weekly UK television series Arrows[2] when she was touring England with the Runaways in 1976.[5] 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". 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.[8] Billboard ranked it at the No. 3 song for 1982. The single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, representing two million units shipped to stores with Jett's I Love Rock 'n Roll album reaching number two on the Billboard 200. Joan Jett's version was ranked No. 89 in the list 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of Rolling Stone[9] and has also been inducted into the Grammys Hall of Fame in 2016.[10]

Music video[]

"I Love Rock 'n Roll"'s 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 chorus. A snippet of Jett's 1981 "Bad Reputation" is featured at the beginning of the video. 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 Jett 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:

Chart performance[]

Chart (1982) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[12] 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[13] 4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 2
Canadian RPM Top Singles[15] 1
France (SNEP)[16] 4
songid field is MANDATORY FOR GERMAN CHARTS 6
Irish Singles Chart[17] 2
Italy (FIMI)[18] 42
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[19] 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[20] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[21] 1
South African Chart[22] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[23] 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[24] 3
UK (Official Charts Company)[25] 4
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[26] 1
U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[26] 1
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[26] 31
Chart (2015) Peak
position
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[27] 81

Chart successions[]

Preceded by
"Centerfold" by the J. Geils Band
Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Joan Jett version)
20 March 1982 – 1 May 1982
Succeeded by
"Chariots of Fire" by Vangelis
Preceded by
"Tainted Love" by Soft Cell
Canadian "RPM" Singles Chart number-one single (Joan Jett version)
20 March 1982 – 8 May 1982
Succeeded by
"Don't You Want Me" by the Human League
Preceded by
"What About Me" by Moving Pictures
Australian Kent Music Report number-one single (Joan Jett version)
3 May 1982 – 31 May 1982
Succeeded by
"Mickey" by Toni Basil
Preceded by
"Don't You Want Me" by The Human League
New Zealand RIANZ number-one single (Joan Jett version)
20 June 1982 – 11 July 1982
Succeeded by
"E Ipo" by Prince Tui Teka

Britney Spears version[]

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"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
File:Britney Rock n Roll.png
Song by Britney Spears
from the album Britney and Crossroads (Music from the Major Motion Picture)
Released27 May 2002 (2002-05-27)[28]
RecordedMarch 2001
GenrePop rock
Length3:06
LabelJive
Songwriter(s)Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker
Producer(s)Rodney Jerkins

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 27 May 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."[29] 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.[30]

Reception[]

Critical[]

Spears' cover was met with mostly 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".[31] 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".[32] 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."[33] In contrast, David Browne wrote for Entertainment Weekly that "her remake is neither imaginative (it simply xeroxes Joan Jett's arrangement) nor all that believable".[34]

Commercial[]

"I Love Rock 'n' Roll" charted moderately upon release, reaching the top twenty 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, and then "I Wanna Go, which peaked at one-hundred and eleven). The single sold a total of 65,000 copies.[35] It was also certified Gold in Australia.

Music video[]

File:Britney Spears - I Love Rock N' Roll (Mexico City) 2002.jpg

Spears performing ′′Love Rock ′n′ Roll′′ at the Dream Within a Dream Tour.

Directed by Chris Applebaum, the music video for "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" features Spears with her own band, a stack of speakers, and flashing lights. It was shot at The Inn, a bar in Long Beach, New York. The video was ranked at No. 2 on the 100 Best Videos of 2002 at MTV Latin America's countdown. The Director's Cut version of the video was later leaked; it included previously unseen scenes from the video.

Live performances[]

The song was performed live during Spears' Dream Within a Dream Tour (2001–02). In 2016, it was added to the revamped set list of her Las Vegas residency show, Britney: Piece of Me (2016–17), marking the first time Spears performed the song in 14 years. The performance features Spears riding a mechanical electric guitar, which simulates a mechanical bull, as it rotates on stage. The same prop electric guitar was previously used by Spears during her Femme Fatale Tour (2011) for a segment in which she covered the song "Burning Up" by Madonna. In the 2016 Billboard Music Awards, the song was performed as part of a medley, using the same guitar prop.

Track listings[]

Charts and certifications[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[55] Gold 35,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history[]

Country Date Format Label
Germany[56] 27 May 2002 Maxi single JIVE
Japan[57] 19 June 2002 Sony
United Kingdom[58] 1 July 2002 JIVE

Alex Gaudino and Jason Rooney version[]

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"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
File:I Love Rock 'n' Roll.jpg
Promotional single by Alex Gaudino & Jason Rooney
Released3 December 2008
Recorded2008
Length3:37
Label541/NEWS
Songwriter(s)Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker
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The Alex Gaudino & Jason Rooney cover version was released in 2008.

Track listing[]

No.TitleLength
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 Wallonia)[59] 10

Release history[]

Region Date Format
United Kingdom 3 December 2008 Digital download[60]

Other cover versions[]


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

  • L'Arc~En~Ciel released the song as a single internationally in 2011 and it was featured in a Pepsi commercial in Japan.
  • Lee Da-hae released the song as a single in 2007, with versions in both English and Korean.
  • Boy band Five sampled the song for "Everybody Get Up".
  • Reverend Run sampled the song for his song "Mind on the Road" on his solo album Distortion.
  • "Weird Al" Yankovic (parody, as "I Love Rocky Road")
  • The group Forever Young covered the song in 2003 and made the French top 30 peaking at #27 in 2003.[61]
  • Fast Forward Highway covered Joan Jett's version for the video game Just Dance 2017.

See also[]

  • List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1982

References[]

  1. Cad, Saint. "10 More Famous Songs With Unknown Originals". listverse.com. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Outsight Radio Hours interview, 12 February 2012". Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  3. "alan merrill setlist". Tumblr. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  4. "I Love Rock and Roll". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Ten hits you may not know were cover versions". BBC News. Retrieved 14 October 2014
  6. Huey, Steve. "I Love Rock N' Roll – Song Review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
  7. Talevski, Nick (2006). Rock Obituaries - Knocking On Heaven's Door. Omnibus Press. p. 100. ISBN 978-1-8460-9091-2. Cordell joined Kenny Laguna, his former session player and then manager of Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, to co-produce the group's chart-topping hard-rock anthem 'I Love Rock 'N Roll'.
  8. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 322.
  9. Rolling Stone - The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time at the Wayback Machine (archived 30 May 2008). 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."
  10. "The Recording Academy Announces 2016 Grammy Hall of Fame Inductees". Recording Academy. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  11. [1] Archived 30 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  12. "Australia n°1 Hits - 80's". Worldcharts.co.uk. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  13. "Austriancharts.at – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock'n Roll" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  14. "Ultratop.be – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock'n Roll" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  15. Lwin, Nanda. Top 40 Hits: the essential chart guide (2000).
  16. 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"
  17. 17.0 17.1 "I love rock'n'roll in Irish Chart". IRMA. Retrieved 12 June 2013. Only results when searching "I Love Rock 'n Roll"
  18. "Indice per Interprete: J". HitParadeItalia (it). Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  19. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  20. "Dutchcharts.nl – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock'n Roll" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  21. "Charts.nz – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock'n Roll". Top 40 Singles.
  22. John Samson. "I love rock'n'roll in South African Chart". Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  23. "Swedishcharts.com – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock'n Roll". Singles Top 100.
  24. "Swisscharts.com – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock'n Roll". Swiss Singles Chart.
  25. "1982 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive - 8th May 1982". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 "I Love Rock'n'Roll awards on Allmusic". Allmusic. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  27. "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  28. "Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'N' Roll". www.discogs.com. Discogs. n.d. Retrieved 4 February 2017. Released: 27 May 2002
  29. Dingwall, John (5 November 2001). "OTR..Off the Record: Your Time Is Up, Jacko; Britney Wants Album Top Slot". Daily Record. Scotland. p. 19.
  30. Jim DeRogatis (4 November 2001). "What Britney said, or should have". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 16 November 2001. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
  31. Kessler, Ted (30 October 2001). "NME Albums Reviews — Britney Spears : 'Britney Pop's Number One act? She did it again...'". NME. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  32. Barry Walters (22 November 2001). "Britney review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 February 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2012. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  33. Tranter, Nikki (5 November 2001). "Britney Spears: Britney <PopMatters>". PopMatters. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  34. Britney | Music. EW.com (12 November 2001). Retrieved on 2 January 2012.
  35. Britney Spears — I Love Rock 'n' Roll (UK) UKBritney.tv Retrieved on 22 May 2007
  36. "Australian-charts.com – Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  37. "Austriancharts.at – Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  38. "Ultratop.be – Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  39. "Ultratop.be – Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  40. "Britney Spears: I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  41. "Archívum — Slágerlisták — MAHASZ — Magyar Hangfelvétel-kiadók Szövetsége". Mahasz.hu. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
  42. "Italiancharts.com – Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll". Top Digital Download.
  43. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Britney Spears" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  44. "Dutchcharts.nl – Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  45. "Top40-charts.com". Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  46. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  47. "Swedishcharts.com – Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll". Singles Top 100.
  48. "Swisscharts.com – Britney Spears – I Love Rock 'n' Roll". Swiss Singles Chart.
  49. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  50. "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 2002". Aria.com.au. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  51. "Ultratop Belgian Charts". Ultratop.be. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  52. "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". Offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  53. "Årslista Singlar - År 2002". Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2015. Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  54. Steffen Hung. "Swiss Year-End Charts 2002". Swisscharts.com. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  55. Cite/URL%5d%5d "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Singles" Check |archiveurl= value (help). Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from [[[:Template:Certification Cite/URL]] the original] Check |url= value (help) on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  56. "I Love Rock 'N' Roll [Single]". Amazon.de. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  57. "I Love Rock'n'Roll". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  58. "I Love Rock and Roll [Single, Maxi]". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  59. "Ultratop.be – Alex Gaudino & Jason Rooney – I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (in French). Ultratip.
  60. "I Love Rock N' Roll: Alex Gaudino & Jason Rooney: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  61. "I Love Rock'n'roll by Forever Young - Music Charts". Acharts.co. Retrieved 10 October 2016.

External links[]

Template:Joan Jett Template:Britney Spears singles Template:Alex Gaudino

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