Let The Music Play, by Rich Paschall

You may have forgotten some of your favorite songs, but Rock And Roll Never Forgets. So, roll yourself over here and we will rock you with our latest Top Ten list. Some may not have heard these old classics so let us assure you of one thing. Rock And Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution.

Perhaps you wanted to be a Rock And Roll Star, or just a singer in a rock and roll band. No matter what your Rock And Roll Fantasy, you can show us everything you’ve got and Rock And Roll All Nite.

We are not just bringing you Rock And Roll, Part 2, but my entire list of Top Ten songs with Rock and Roll in the title. You must think I am a Daft Punk if I did not realize there are a lot of songs with Rock And Roll in the title. We went to the Velvet Underground to find an Oasis of rock where a Motorhead can be Spiritualized by the roll of thunder.

Here we chose the best ones for you.

So strike the match because it is time for some Rock and Roll, Hootchie Koo:

Lawdy mama light my fuse
Rock and roll, Hoochie Koo
Truck on out and spread the news

10. Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy, Bad Company. The enduring British group had a hit with this one in 1979. The song was written by lead singer, Paul Rodgers and is a good way to rock the start of our list. Are you up and dancing yet?

9. I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. The original version was recorded by the British group Arrows, and it is an upbeat rock and roll anthem. Joan Jett covered it to great success in 1982. Others have done well with it since.

8. Rock & Roll Band, Boston. They were not just another band out of Boston. They had an impressive string of hits in the 1970s. This song appeared on the debut album and was released in 1976, having been recorded almost a year earlier. By the way, the lyrics do not reflect the band’s story.

7. It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me, Billy Joel. The Hall of Fame rocker scored big with this one. It hit number one in the US and Canada in 1980. The song was written by Joel. The recording was produced by the legendary Phil Ramone.

6. The Heart of Rock & Roll, Huey Lewis and the News. Written by Lewis and saxophone player Johnny Colla, the song climbed the charts in 1984. The official music video seen here features clips of 1950’s rockers. It was shot in part on the Brooklyn Bridge and Times Square in winter.

5. Rock and Roll, Led Zeppelin. It’s been a long time since I rock and rolled. Nevertheless, the hard-rocking British group will long be remembered for their dynamic recordings and electrifying live performances. In 2018 the group released a remix of the single Rock and Roll (Sunset Sound Mix).

4. It’s Only Rock and Roll, The Rolling Stones. I said I know it’s only rock ‘n roll but I like it. The band continues to roll on, even if they look like father time has run them over in his Aston Martin. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote the tune with an assist by Ronnie Wood. It was released in 1974 and the group has been playing it ever since.

3. I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band), The Moody Blues.
If you want this world of yours to turn about you
You can see exactly what to do, don’t tell me
I’m just a singer in a rock and roll band

The song was written by Hall of Fame songwriter John Lodge, bass guitar player for The Moody Blues. It was released in 1973.

2. Old Time Rock and Roll, Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band.
Just take those old records off the shelf
I’ll sit and listen to ’em by myself
Today’s music ain’t got the same soul
I like that old time rock n’ roll

Seger did not receive credit for his work writing lyrics. According to him, his manager said: “You should ask for a third of the credit.” And I said: “Nah. Nobody’s gonna like it.” It was listed in 2001 in Top Songs of the Century, and American Film Institute named it in 100 years …100 songs in 2004. You may recall Tom Cruise sliding across the floor in Risky Business.

1. Rock and Roll Music, Chuck Berry.
Just let me hear some of that rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it

Chuck Berry wrote the song and recorded it in Chicago in May 1957. It was released later in the year. Many have recorded it since. The Beatles played it to great success in their early years. The Beach Boys scored big with it. It is Berry who will forever be remembered for one of rock’s greatest hits.

What are your favorites? To listen to any one, click on the title above. For the entire playlist, including bonus tracks, click here.

Just for fun, we have a commercial this week. You might remember the battle of the two Davids on Season 7 of American Idol. If so, you might also remember this take on Risky Business:

Categories: Entertainment, Music, Rich Paschall

Tags: Billy Joel, Chuck Berry, Led Zeppelin, rock and roll, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, top ten