# Songs about rock 'n' roll **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 21, 2011, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030 "2011-09-21T03:24:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/1 "2011-09-21T03:24:03Z")
How many songs are about rock ‘n’ roll? (The songs, themselves, don’t have to be in the genre.) Here are a few: The Beatles: “Rock and Roll Music” Peter, Paul & Mary: “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll Music” Reunion: “Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)” The Turtles: “The Story of Rock & Roll” “Rock ‘n’ Roll is Here to Stay” from Grease ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/2 "2011-09-21T03:38:47Z")
Todd Rundgren’s [_“The Death of Rock’n’Roll”_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3crB03oDXQ): > [@](#): > > The critics got together and they started a game > You get your records for nothing > and you call each other names ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/3 "2011-09-21T03:40:02Z")
Long Live Rock ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/4 "2011-09-21T03:45:58Z")
Old Time Rock and Roll ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/5 "2011-09-21T04:00:10Z")
Billy Joel - It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me Joan Jett - I Love Rock And Roll KISS - I Wanna Rock and Roll All Night Led Zeppelin - Rock And Roll Rick Derringer - Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo Bill Haley - Rock Around The Clock (?) ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/6 "2011-09-21T04:04:37Z")
Gary Glitter - Rock and Roll [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0EKBZns3qU) LCD Soundsystem - Losing My Edge [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6xG4oFny2Pk/maxresdefault.jpg "LCD Soundsystem - Losing My Edge (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xG4oFny2Pk) ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/7 "2011-09-21T04:25:15Z")
Rolling Stones “I Know It’s Only Rock and Roll” John Cougar (before he went back to Mellencamp) “Play Guitar” KISS “God Gave Rock and Roll To You” Stray Cats “Rock This Town” ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/8 "2011-09-21T04:33:28Z")
Bob Seger - _Rock and Roll Never Forgets_ The Rolling Stones -\* It’s Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)\* ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/9 "2011-09-21T04:43:44Z")
AC/DC: Rock & Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution Bad Company: Rock & Roll Fantasy Boston: Rock & Roll Band Buffalo Springfield: Rock & Roll Woman Byrds: So, You Want to Be a Rock & Roll Star Jethro Tull: Too Old to Rock & Roll, Too Young to Die Judas Priest: Rocka Rolla Kinks: Rock & Roll Fantasy (different from Bad Company, and better) Moody Blues: I’m Just a Singer in a Rock & Roll Band Rainbow: If You Don’t Like Rock & Roll Triumph: Rock & Roll Machine ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/10 "2011-09-21T04:49:49Z")
AC/DC: It’s a Long Way to the Top, If You Wanna Rock & Roll Mac Davis: (Rock and Roll) I Gave You All the Best Years of My Life ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/11 "2011-09-21T04:54:59Z")
AC/DC For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/12 "2011-09-21T05:14:47Z")
I Wanna Sing that Rock and Roll - Gillian Welch Rock ‘n’ Roll Lifestyle - Cake Rock ‘n’ Roll Doctor - Little Feat ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/13 "2011-09-21T07:32:56Z")
[Pull My Strings](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdmFXNtOAck) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/14 "2011-09-21T07:33:31Z")
R.O.C.K. In the U.S.A. - John Mellencamp Rock N’ Roll Is King - Electric Light Orchestra Rock N’ Me - Steve Miller Band Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through - Meat Loaf Rock and Roll Girls - John Fogerty Rock and Roll Heaven - Righteous Brothers Rock and Roll Never Forgets - Bob Seger Rock and Roll, Hootchie Koo - Rick Derringer Rock Around the Clock - Bill Haley and the Comets Rock Me Tonight - Billy Squier Rock On - David Essex Rock of Ages - Def Leppard Rock Show - Wings Rock You Like A Hurricane - The Scorpions Crocodile Rock - Elton John Why, yes, I did cheat off my iPod. I know I posted a few duplicates. But, hey, it’s only rock n’ roll. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/15 "2011-09-21T07:50:54Z")
Bon Jovi - Blame It On The Love Of Rock & Roll Neil Young - Rockin’ In The Free World Twisted Sister - I Wanna Rock ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/16 "2011-09-21T08:30:11Z")
Queen-Rock It(Prime Jive) ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/17 "2011-09-21T09:00:43Z")
Spinal Tap: “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight” ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/18 "2011-09-21T10:35:25Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > The Beatles: “Rock and Roll Music” Chuck Berry, actually. ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/19 "2011-09-21T11:16:34Z")
My sister had the record: [That’s rock & roll](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b_BduW9a-0). ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030/20 "2011-09-21T12:14:36Z")
Just an observation about the directions this thread is going: “Rock” is invoked at least three ways: - **As Sex** : since that was the original meaning of the phrase when used in blues and pre-rock R&B. - **As the Music** : sometimes I get upset about how much rappers boast about themselves and hip hop music and their beats and stuff, but as a rocker, I really can’t complain, can I? Jeez we spend a lot of time commenting on the status and supermacy of rock music. - **As…Mojo** : the “rock” in Rock Around the Clock was equal parts dancing, having fun with your friends, and doin’…stuff…your parents wouldn’t approve of. Yet that morphed into “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World” where “stuff your parents wouldn’t approve of” has become “fighting for your independent voice.” I mean, sure - a liberal dose of folk rock got blended into rock in the 60’s, but still, the concept of “rockin’” became this broad indefinable \*something \*that meant nothing and everything cool at the same time. And boy, are there a lot of songs about it. I first read the OP assuming it was about the 2nd definition - songs about the music. But you can’t discuss one without the other two because the overlaps are all over the place. When bands claim “rock and roll is dead” they are typically speaking as much to the rebellious spirit as to the style of music, for instance…and songs like Good Rockin’ Tonight is all about the blurring between rocking out to good music and sex… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-rock-n-roll/597030.md?page=2)