Rock and Roll Love Letter (song) explained

Rock and Roll Love Letter
Cover:	Rock_and_Roll_Love_Letter_-_Bay_City_Rollers.jpg
Alt:	cover art
Caption:	German single picture sleeve
Type:	single
Artist:	Bay City Rollers
Album:	Rock n' Roll Love Letter
B-Side:	Shanghai'd in Love
Released:	April 1976
Genre:	Power pop^[1]
Length:	2:52
Label:	Arista 0185
Producer:	Colin Frechter
Prev Title:	Money Honey
Prev Year:	1976
Next Title:	I Only Want to Be with You
Next Year:	1976

"Rock and Roll Love Letter" is the second single from American Tim Moore's second album, Behind the Eyes. Tim Moore's original version was not successful. It was later covered by the band Bay City Rollers, and that version became a Top 40 hit.^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

Bay City Rollers version

This version was released as a single in 1976 and was successful, reaching number 6 in Canada^[6] and number 28 in the United States.^[7] The single was not released in the UK.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1976)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[8] ^[9]	9
Canada (RPM) Top Singles	6
Germany (Media Control Charts)^[10]	13
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[11]	34
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	28
U.S. Cash Box Top 100^[12]	30

Year-end charts

Chart (1976)	Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)	72
Canada^[13]	76
U.S. Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual^[14]	169
U.S. Cash Box^[15]	97

Other cover versions

• The Dirty Angels covered the song in 1975, released in the U.S. only.^[16]
• In 1977, Tina Arena and John Bowles recorded a version for their album Tiny Tina and Little John.
• Pink Lady recorded a Japanese-language version of the song in their 1977 debut album Pepper Keibu.
• The Records covered "Rock and Roll Love Letter" in 1979. It was released in the UK as a non-album single. It was later included as a CD bonus track on their Shades in Bed LP.
• In July 21st, 1988, Eri Nitta recorded a Japanese version of the song as her ninth single.

Notes and References

1. Book: Cafarelli, Carl. Kim . Cooper. David. Smay. 2001. Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth. The Bay City Rollers. Feral House. Los Angeles. 157-158.
2. Book: The Soundtrack of My Life . 9781476714806 . July 19, 2014. Davis . Clive . 19 February 2013 .
3. Book: Writing Out the Notes: Life in Great Big Sea and Other Musical Misadventures . 9781554830145 . July 19, 2014. Hallett . Bob . 2010 .
4. The 1975 American Song Festival. A lot of good things happened. . . 6 November 1976 . July 19, 2014.
5. Book: Shake Some Action - The Ultimate Guide to Power Pop . 9780979771408 . July 19, 2014. Borack . John M. . 2007 .
6. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . 2016-10-10.
7. Web site: Bay City Rollers - Chart history . Billboard . 2016-10-10.
8. Web site: National Top 100 Singles for 1976. . 131 . . December 27, 1976 . January 15, 2022 .
9. Web site: Steffen Hung . Forum - 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts) . Australian-charts.com . 2016-10-10.
10. Web site: Home - Offizielle Deutsche Charts . Officialcharts.de . 2016-09-30 . 2016-10-10.
11. Web site: Steffen Hung . Bay City Rollers - Rock And Roll Love Letter . charts.nz . 2016-10-10.
12. Web site: Cash Box Top 100 6/12/76. 29 July 2014. 2 July 2018.
13. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . 2016-10-10.
14. Book: Whitburn, Joel . 1999 . Pop Annual . Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin . Record Research Inc. . 365 . 0-89820-142-X.
15. Web site: Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1976. 21 October 2014. 2 July 2018.
16. Web site: Dirty Angels - Rock And Roll Love Letter. 45cat.com. 2 July 2018.