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School of Rock 'n Roll
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Wikipedia article
"'School Of Rock 'n Roll'" is a song composed by James McClung in 1958 and published by Song Productions, BMI the same year. It was originally recorded by Gene Summers and his Rebels, a rockabilly band from Dallas, Texas and was first released in February 1958 by Jan Records #11-100. It was flipped with "Straight Skirt" [http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/pics/d04/4095.htm] a teen novelty 45 which became the group's first big regional hit.
"School Of Rock 'n Roll" later became widely known as one of the top 100 rock 'n roll records of the era. In the 1970s, at the beginning of the rockabilly revival in Europe, "School Of Rock 'n Roll" was re-discovered by a new legion of rockabilly fans and bands. Since that time it has become a classic dance floor-filler and has renewed Summers' career to the extent of worldwide concert appearances since 1980.
Acclaim
In 2005 "School of Rock 'n Roll" was selected by Bob Solly and Record Collector Magazine as one of the '100 Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Records'. "School Of Rock 'n Roll" was also present in the British television series 'You've Been Framed' and was included on the Rhino Records CD box sets 'Wild, Fast And Out Of Control' (1999) and 'Rockin' Bones' (2006). The song has also been featured on "Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour" (2006) and also appears on the Bob Dylan 4-CD box set 'Radio Radio' issued in 2011.
Cover versions
(incomplete)
*'The Alphabets ' LP The Alphabets Bowl You Over
Rockhouse LPL 9201. 1991 Netherlands
*'The Blue Moon Rockers' CD The Blue Moon Rockers School Of Rock & Roll
Rarity Records CD-192527, 1996 Belgium
*'Johnny Reno' LP Johnny Reno Third Degree
Wildcat Records LP-JE3D, 1990 United States
*'Mess of Booze' CD Mess Of Booze Ungehobelt & Versoffen
Tomb Records CD-2009, 1993 Germany
*'The Vees' CD The Vees Crash Boom Bang It Out
Rockhouse Productions CD RHS-50421-3, 1995 United States
*'Alan Leatherwood' CD Alan Leatherwood Rock, Bop, Folk, And Pop
Ohio Moon Records CD-790, 2004 United States
*'The Starlight Wranglers' CD Starlight Wranglers Rough House R&R Vol. 3 Various Artists
Rough House Records CD RHCD-003, 2004 Japan
*'The Greyhounds' CD The Greyhounds Songs Our Daddies Taught Us
Pair Of Dice Records CD PODR-002, 2004 United States
*'The Lennerockers' LP The Lennerockers Rebels Of Nowadays
Rockhouse Records LP-9106, 1991 Netherlands
The Lennerockers CD Lennerockers Rebels And More
Lenne Records 2CD LR-00008, 2002 Germany
(previously unissued Lennerockers tracks)
*'Fairlane Rockets' CD Fairlane Rockets Fairlane Rockets
Raucous Records (record #) (date) UK
*'Red Hot Max And The Cats' LP Red Hot Max and the Cats Cuckoo Clock Rock
Eagle Records LP NMLP-32, 1989 Sweden
*'Savage Kalman & Explosion Rockets' LP Savage Kalman School Of Rock And Roll
Killroy Records LP KFA-13065, 1979 Netherlands
Savage Kalman & Explosion Rockets CD Savage Kalman School Of Rock And Roll
SKY/Telstar Records (record #), 1998 Netherlands
*'Black Knights' CD Black Knights Jack In The Box
Old Rock Records CD ORR-20041, 2004 Sweden
*'The Rhythm Rockets' 7 45rpm single School Of Rock & Roll b/w Lets Dance
Presto Records P-101, 1989 United States
*'Rory Justice' CD Rory Justice The Rockabilly Kid
Golly Gee Records CD GGR-1031, 2004 United States
*'Rockin Ryan and The Real Goners' CD Alive And Lowdown ( w/ Rory Justice live version
of "School Of Rock 'n Roll")
Golly Gee Records CD GGR-(#), 2003 United States
*'The Polecats' CD Birth Of British Rockabilly Vol.2 Various Artists
NV Records CD NVCD-10, 1994 UK
*'Hicksville Bombers' CD Hicksville Bombers Bombs Away
Cool And Crazy Records COOL CD002, 1998, UK.
School Of Rock n Roll guitar riff was adapted to track #10
titled Yes, I Do
*'Robby Vee' CD "The Early Years"
Arffytune Records, 2014 USA
*'Gene Vincent' UNISSUED. Gene Vincent School Of Rock n Roll
Private recording, the late 1960s. According to 1998 Now Dig This! review of Derek Henderson's book "Gene Vincent A Discography", there is a Complete A-Z listing of the 217 song titles hes (Vincent) known to have recorded-everything from the Capital biggies such as "Say Mama", "Rocky Road Blues", and "Wildcat" to lesser known items such as private recordings of "Stand by Me", "Chain Gang" and "School Of Rock 'n Roll". Also, according to Rockin' Ronnie Weiser during a May 19, 1997 interview: -'At first I tried to get Gene (Vincent) to record Gene Summers "School Of Rock 'n Roll" without much success. So then I told him to do whatever he wanted. The gem out of this 4-song recording session was The Rose of Love which brings tears to my eyes.'
*'Teen Kats' 10 LP Teen Kats After School Rock n Roll
Big Beat Records BBR-0013, 1981 France
'School Of Rock n Roll was a huge influence for this record.'
-Thierry LeCoz of the Teen Kats, 1999
*'Thierry Lecoz' CD Thierry LeCoz Tex-French Connection
Big Beat Records CD BBR-0081, 2003 France
Recorded Onstage at the House Of Live, Paris, France July 3, 2002
Thierry LeCoz DVD Tex-French Connection
BIG Beat Records BBR DVD 0001, 2003 France
Recorded Onstage at the House Of Live, Paris, France July 3, 2002
*'Gary U.S. Bonds' CD Gary U.S. Bonds 'School Of Rock n Roll: The Best Of Gary U.S. Bonds' Rhino/WEA, 1990 USA '(Album title obviously inspired by Genes School Of Rock n Roll' 45 which was released in 1958. Bonds earliest release was in 1960.)'
*'Lucky Strike Band' CD Lucky Strike Band "If I Had Me A Woman" (label) (CD #), UK 2003
*'Big Sandy & his Fly-Rite Boys' YouTube Video Big Sandy & his Fly-Rite Boys School Of Rock n Roll 'Live from Caf Sport - Delft, Netherlands 2005
*'Mike Mok and The Em-Tones' mp3 Mike Mok and the Em-Tones School Of Rock n Roll Live studio cut..no overdubs, United States 2007
*'Los Aceleradores' mp3 Los Aceleradores School Of Rock n Roll, 2004 Santiago, Chile, 2007
*'Various Artists' 'School of Rock 'n Roll' was used as the title for a (2) CD Box Set compilation released in the late 1990s. CD featured artists from the 1980s including J. Geils Band, Billy Squier, Steve Miller, The Motels, Glass Tiger, Culture Club, Sheena Easton and others. '(CD title obviously inspired by the Gene Summers original, classic 'School Of Rock n Roll')'
Sources
*Liner notes "The Ultimate School Of Rock & Roll" 1997 United States
*Article and sessionography in issue 15 (1977) of New Kommotion Magazine UK
*Article and sessionography in issue 23 (1980) of New Kommotion Magazine UK
*Feature article and sessionography in issue 74 (1999) of Rockin' Fifties Magazine Germany
*Feature article with a photo spread in issue 53 (2000) of Bill Griggs' Rockin' 50s Magazine United States
*Feature Article with a photo spread in issue 54 (2000) of Bill Griggs' Rockin' 50s Magazine United States
References
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