Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)
"Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)" | ||||
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RCA Victor | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Norman Dolph, Paul DiFranco, Joey Levine | |||
Producer(s) | Joey Levine, Marc Bellack, Paul DiFranco | |||
Reunion singles chronology | ||||
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"Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)" is a 1974 song written by
The song's outro quotes "
The track was later covered by Tracey Ullman in 1983, and was featured in her 1984 album, You Broke My Heart in 17 Places.
Chart performance
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Covers
The song was remade by Randy Crenshaw and released on 2001 Disney album Mickey's Dance Party under the name "Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me...Again!)" The remake includes references not only to current and past music groups, but also to TV shows and internet slang, and some Disney characters.
A customized version of the song, "Life Is a Rock, but 'CFL Rolled Me", was the last
Tracey Ullman recorded a cover that was included on her first album You Broke My Heart in 17 Places in 1983.
In 1988
An early 1990s ad campaign for Tysons Corner Center in northern Virginia used the tune but substituted lyrics listing the stores found at the shopping mall at the time, naming the remake "We've Got 'Em All". The lyrics "We've got 'em all at Tysons Corner/Have we got a mall—Tysons Corner Center" served as the chorus.[13][14]
Name checks
- B. Bumble and the Stingers
- Mott the Hoople
- Ray Charles Singers
- Lonnie Mack
- Twangin' Eddy
- "Here's my ring, we're going steady"
- "Take It Easy"
- "I Want to Take You Higher"
- "Liar, Liar"
- "The Loco-Motion"
- Poco
- Passion
- Deep Purple
- "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"
- Sam Cooke
- Lesley Gore
- Ritchie Valens
- Mahavishnu Orchestra
- "Fujiyama"
- Kama Sutra
- "Rama Lama Ding Dong"
- Richard Perry
- Phil Spector
- Jeff Barry
- The Righteous Brothers
- The Archies
- Harry Nilsson
- "Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko Ko Bop"
- Fats Is Back
- "Finger Poppin' Time"
- Friends and Romans
- Brenda & the Tabulations
- Carly Simon
- Noddy Holder
- Rolling Stone
- Johnny Cash
- Johnny Rivers
- The Shivers
- Mungo Jerry
- Peter, Paul and Mary
- "Mary, Mary"
- Dr. John, the Night Tripper
- Doris Day
- Jack the Ripper
- Shelter Records
- Leon Russell
- "Gimme Shelter"
- Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
- Slide guitar
- Fender bass
- Mushroom Omelette
- Bonnie Bramlett
- Wilson Pickett
- Arthur Janov
- The Primal Scream
- Screamin' Jay Hawkins
- Dale Hawkins
- Ronnie Hawkins
- Kukla, Fran and Ollie
- Norman, Oklahoma
- John Denver
- Donny Osmond
- J. J. Cale
- ZZ Top
- L.L. Bean
- "DeDe Dinah"
- David Bowie
- Steely Dan
- Proud Mary
- "CC Rider"
- Edgar Winter
- Joanie Sommers
- Ides of March (band)
- Johnny Thunder
- Eric Clapton
- Wah-wah pedal
- Stephen Foster
- "Camptown Races"
- "Good Vibrations"
- "Help Me Rhonda"
- "Surfer Girl"
- "Little Honda"
- "Tighter, Tighter"
- "Honey, Honey"
- "Sugar, Sugar"
- "Yummy Yummy Yummy"
- CBS
- Warner Bros.
- RCA ("...and all the others")
- "Remember (Walking in the Sand)"
- Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots
- Alan Freed
- Murray the K
- The Fish
- The Swim
- "The Boston Monkey"
The 45-rpm single version fades out here. The extended album version continues, with the following references:
- Freddie King
- Albert King
- B.B. King
- Felix Pappalardi
- Laurel and Hardy
- Randy Newman
- Aretha Franklin
- Tito Puente
- Boffalongo
- Cuba
- War
- California
- Beatlemania
- New York City
- Transylvania
- S&G
- Bobby Vee
- SRO
- Conway Twitty
- "Do Wah Diddy Diddy"
Performed as medley or spoken over the fade-out:
- "The Four Tops
- "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" by Stevie Wonder
- "Celebrate" by Three Dog Night
- "Sly & the Family Stone
See also
References
- ^ ASCAP, LIFE IS A ROCK (BUT THE RADIO ROLLED ME)
- ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "RPM – Library and Archives Canada | RPM – Bibliothèque et Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. December 7, 1974. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
- ^ "Music lyrics, charts, Games, & more". Top40db.net. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
- ^ "The Legendary Cash Box Magazine Charts". Archived from the original on July 5, 2009.
- ^ Canada, Library and Archives (September 13, 2017). "Image : RPM Weekly". Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ Tom Konard's Aircheck Factory Collection!. Reelradio. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ^ The Big 610 – KFRC San Francisco – TheBig610.com. Bayarearadio.org. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ^ "Life Is A Rock But The Radio Rolled Me – WRC Version". May 22, 2009. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2016 – via YouTube.
- ^ YouTube video featuring audio of McDonald's "$1,000,000 Menu Song (1988)."
- ^ Photo of McDonald's $1,000,000 Menu Song (1988).
- ^ Tysons Corner - "We've Got a Mall", retrieved July 4, 2023
- ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved July 4, 2023.