| Rock of All Ages | |
| Cover: | Rock of All Ages label.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Badfinger |
| Album: | Magic Christian Music |
| A-Side: | Come and Get It |
| Released: | 5 December 1969 |
| Recorded: | 1969 |
| Length: | 3:16 |
| Label: | Apple |
| Producer: | Paul McCartney |
"Rock of All Ages" is a song written by Tom Evans, Pete Ham and Mike Gibbons that was first released on Badfinger's 1970 album Magic Christian Music. It was also released as the b-side to Badfinger's hit single "Come and Get It". The song was originally used as part of the soundtrack for the 1969 film The Magic Christian, starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr. The song was produced by Paul McCartney.
Evans told how the song originated:
Badfinger manager Bill Collins told a similar story:
In addition to taking the lead vocal, Evans, who had been Badfinger's rhythm guitarist, had to play bass guitar because of the absence of Ron Griffiths, who had been the band's bassist. Evans felt insecure about it, saying "I was playing the bass, but not very well. And Paul said 'Just play the one note we're gonna need, be simple." McCartney played piano on the final recording and Ham played guitar.[1]
Badfinger biographer Robert Day-Webb compared Evans' vocal performance to those of McCartney on such Beatle songs as "Long Tall Sally", "I'm Down" and Helter Skelter".[1] Webb also says that McCartney "does his best Jerry Lee Lewis impression" on the piano.[1]
The lyrics contain a line that proved sadly prophetic in light of the band's subsequent money problems relating to their management contract with Stan Polley: "You're taking all my money and I guess you think it's funny, but I don't."[1]
Badfinger biographer Dan Matovina called "Rock of All Ages" a "superb rocker" and a "winner", saying that "its snazzy blocks of rhythm pour over Tom's doubled wailing vocals." Matovina also praised McCartney's keyboards. Badfinger biographer Robert Day-Webb also called "Rock of All Ages" a "superb rocker", as well as a "breathlessly exciting rock song" and a "real gem", describing it as "a rollicking, good-time rock number featuring an absolutely throat-shredding performance from Tom."[1] Rolling Stone critic John Mendelsohn felt that it sounded like an adaptation of the Beatles' song "I Saw Her Standing There".[2] Roger Kaye of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram described it as an "early FM rock radio staple."[3]
"Rock of All Ages" has been included on several Badfinger compilation albums, including Come and Get It: The Best of Badfinger in 1995 and The Very Best of Badfinger in 2000.[4]