# Help me ID this song (maybe Mott the Hoople?)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-song-maybe-mott-the-hoople/122456>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 5, 2002, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-song-maybe-mott-the-hoople/122456 "2002-08-05T18:52:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2002, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-song-maybe-mott-the-hoople/122456/1 "2002-08-05T18:52:34Z")

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Sometime in the 70’s, most likely British. The only line remember is “it’s a long long way to the top of rock and roll.” I thought it was Mott the Hoople’s “All the Way to Memphis” but have decided it isn’t. I woke up at 3am thinking about this and I really need to sleep!

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**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2002, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-song-maybe-mott-the-hoople/122456/2 "2002-08-05T19:05:01Z")

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Didn’t AC/DC have similar lyrics? Or was it "It’s a long way to the top if you want to R & R…

All I remember of Mott’s is All the Young Dudes.

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**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2002, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-song-maybe-mott-the-hoople/122456/3 "2002-08-05T20:46:16Z")

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The only Google suggestion is the AC/DC track **lieu** identified – “Long Way To The Top”.

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**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2002, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-song-maybe-mott-the-hoople/122456/4 "2002-08-05T20:55:46Z")

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If the song featured bagpipes, it’s definitely AC/DC, from the Bon Scott days.

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**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-song-maybe-mott-the-hoople/122456/5 "2002-08-06T10:56:11Z")

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It’s probably the AC/DC song, the line in the OP is closer to it. The line from “All The Way From Memphis” is “It’s a mighty long way down rock ‘n’ roll”.

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**Author:** ![tetsusaru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f14d63/32.png) [@tetsusaru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tetsusaru)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2002, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-song-maybe-mott-the-hoople/122456/6 "2002-08-06T15:10:57Z")

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It`s a long way to the shop if you want a sausage roll.