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From album
Beatles for Sale
The Beatles · 1964 · Track 4
Details
Duración2:34
ÁlbumBeatles for Sale
Año1964
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The story behind
When Chuck Berry first recorded Rock and Roll Music in May 1957, he did so at the Chess Records studios in Chicago. He was accompanied by musicians of the caliber of Lafayette Leake on piano, Willie Dixon on bass, and Fred Below on drums, under the production of Leonard Chess and Phil Chess. The song, released as a single in September of that same year, quickly positioned itself on the US charts, reaching number six on Billboard's R&B Singles and number eight on the Hot 100 before 1957 ended. Its impact was such that in 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it at number 128 on its list of the 500 greatest songs of all time, and it was also included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame list as one of the songs that shaped the genre.
Years later, in 1964, The Beatles found themselves needing to complete their album Beatles for Sale before a tour of the United Kingdom. Exhausted by the tours that had catapulted them to global fame, they decided to include some covers of their favorite rock and rhythm & blues tracks. Among them was Rock and Roll Music. John Lennon took the lead vocals, giving it a much more dynamic and powerful interpretation than Berry's original. This version, recorded in a single take without overdubs according to some sources, or with George Martin joining on piano according to others, appeared in the United States on the LP Beatles '65. The song remained in their repertoire, being played on their last tour in 1966, and a 1969 performance during the Get Back/Let It Be Sessions was included on Anthology 2 in 1996. Furthermore, it gave its title to their 1976 compilation album, Rock 'n' Roll Music. In Europe and Australia, The Beatles' single featuring Rock and Roll Music reached the top of the charts.