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From album
Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin · 1971
Details
TonalidadA
Compás4/4
Tempo86 BPM
Duración3:40
CompositorJimmy Page / John Bonham / John Paul Jones / Robert Plant
ÁlbumLed Zeppelin IV
Año1971
ISRCUSAT21300957
Credits
Music Jimmy Page, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant
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The story behind
When Led Zeppelin was at Headley Grange, a mansion in Hampshire, England, looking to shape their fourth album, creative energy flowed unexpectedly. After becoming frustrated trying to finish the song Four Sticks, John Bonham kicked off with the drum beat from Little Richard's Keep A-Knockin'. Almost instantly, Jimmy Page added a guitar riff with a Chuck Berry feel. The rest of the band joined in, and with Ian Stewart contributing on piano, the foundation for what would become Rock and Roll was laid in about fifteen minutes. The recording, which involved engineer Andy Johns, was completed in January and February 1971 in the mobile studios of Rolling Stones and at Island, London, under the Atlantic label.
This track, with its vibrant rhythm and a duration of 3:40, became a key piece in Led Zeppelin's concerts from 1971. Initially, Robert Plant introduced it live as It's Been A Long Time, referencing its opening vocal line. By 1972, the song ascended to the opening position of their shows, holding that spot until 1975. On later tours, such as the 1977 tour of the United States, it was integrated into a medley, and by 1979 and 1980, it returned to being a closing number in its own right. Plant's vocal intensity on the original recording was so high that he often had to adjust the melodies live to be able to perform them comfortably. In 2002, Rock and Roll marked a milestone by being the band's first song licensed for commercial use, appearing in a Cadillac advertisement, which, according to Plant, was an appropriate way to bring their music to new generations.
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