| Rock 'n' Roll Is King | |
| Cover: | Rock'n'Roll Is King.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Electric Light Orchestra |
| Album: | Secret Messages |
| Released: | June 1983[1] |
| Recorded: | 1983 Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, the Netherlands |
| Genre: |
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| Label: | Jet |
| Producer: | Jeff Lynne |
| Prev Title: | The Way Life's Meant to Be |
| Prev Year: | 1982 |
| Next Title: | Secret Messages |
| Next Year: | 1983 |
"Rock 'n' Roll Is King" is a song written and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) released as a single from the 1983 album Secret Messages. With this song the band returned to their rock roots. It features a violin solo by Mik Kaminski.
The song went through many changes during recording and at one point was going to be called "Motor Factory" with a completely different set of lyrics. The single proved to be ELO's last UK top twenty hit single, and reached No. 19 in the US in August 1983.
In an interview in the King of the Universe fanzine, Dave Morgan, who was with ELO at the time, described his involvement with the recording as such:[4]
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] | 13 |
| South Africa (Springbok Radio)[6] | 7 |
| Spain (AFYVE)[7] | 30 |
| US Billboard Adult Contemporary | 36 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[8] | 19 |
| US Billboard Top Tracks | 19 |
| US Cash Box[9] | 22 |
| Chart (1983) | Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[10] | 92 | |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[11] | 36 | |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[12] | 57 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] | 74 | |
| US (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)[14] | 123 |
