| Rock and Roll | |
| Cover: | Rock & Roll45.jpg |
| Caption: | German single picture sleeve |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Led Zeppelin |
| Album: | Led Zeppelin IV |
| B-Side: | Four Sticks |
| Released: | (US) |
| Recorded: | January 1971; February 1971 |
| Studio: | Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, Headley Grange, Hampshire; Island Studios, London |
| Genre: | |
| Length: | 3:40 |
| Label: | Atlantic |
| Producer: | Jimmy Page |
| Prev Title: | Black Dog |
| Prev Year: | 1971 |
| Next Title: | Over the Hills and Far Away |
| Next Year: | 1973 |
"Rock and Roll" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin, released as the second track on their fourth studio album in 1971. The song contains a guest performance by original Rolling Stones' pianist and co-founder Ian Stewart. In 1972, American music critic and journalist Robert Christgau called it "simply the most dynamic hard-rock song in the music."[4]
According to guitarist Jimmy Page, "Rock and Roll" developed from a spontaneous jam session, while the band were trying to finish recording "Four Sticks", at the Headley Grange mansion they had rented in Hampshire, England.[5] John Bonham began playing the drum intro to the 1957 song "Keep A-Knockin'" by Little Richard, to which Page added a Chuck Berry-style guitar riff.[6] [7] The tapes were rolling and fifteen minutes later the basis of the song was completed.[8] The song is performed in the key of A at a relatively fast tempo of 170 beats per minute.[9]
According to Jean-Michel Guesdon and Philippe Margotin:
Cash Box described it as a "rip-apart performance of one of best r&r revivalist tunes ever."[10] In 2019, Rolling Stone ranked the song number 9 on its list of the 40 greatest Led Zeppelin songs.[11]
"Rock and Roll" was a key component of the band's setlist at Led Zeppelin concerts from 1971 on. Initially, Plant referred to it on stage as "It's Been A Long Time", which is the opening lyric line of the song.[7] In 1972, it was elevated to the opening number of all concert performances and it retained this status until 1975. For the band's 1977 North American tour, it became part of a medley encore with "Whole Lotta Love", and during 1979 and 1980 it became an encore in its own right.[7]
In 2001, "Rock and Roll" became the first Led Zeppelin song to be licensed for commercial use, when American car maker Cadillac featured it in television advertising.[12] Plant commented:As well as earning Led Zeppelin a large licensing fee, the advertising campaign increased Cadillac sales by 16 percent in 2002.[12]
| Peak position | |
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[13] | 51 |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[14] | 47 |
| US Cash Box[15] | 42 |
| US Record World[16] | 38 |
| Country | Accolade | Year | Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dave Marsh | US | "The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made"[17] | 1989 | 424 | |
| Rock and Roll Hall of Fame | US | "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll"[18] | 1994 | ||
| Radio Caroline | UK | "Top 500 Tracks"[19] | 1999 | 21 | |
| VH1 | US | "The 100 Greatest Rock Songs of All Time"[20] | 2000 | 66 | |
| Q | UK | "The 50 Most Exciting Tunes Ever.."[21] | 2002 | 17 | |
| Q | UK | "The 1001 Best Songs Ever"[22] | 2003 | 201 |