"Let It Rock"
Single by Chuck Berry
from the album Rockin' at the Hops
B-side"Too Pooped to Pop"[1]
Released1960 (1960)
RecordedJuly 1959[2]
GenreRock and roll
Length2:28
LabelChess
Songwriter(s)Chuck Berry[3]
Producer(s)Leonard Chess, Phil Chess

"Let It Rock" is a song written and recorded by rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry. Chess Records released it as single, which reached number 64 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1960.[4] Chess later added it to Berry's album Rockin' at the Hops (1960).[2] In 1963, Pye Records released it as a single in the UK, where it reached number six.[5]

"Let It Rock" was recorded by Berry on guitar and vocal, with long-time backing musicians Johnnie Johnson on piano, Willie Dixon on double bass, and Fred Below on drums.[2]

In a song review for AllMusic, critic Matthew Greenwald called it a "rock & roll masterpiece ... Utilizing the same geographic images as 'Roll Over Beethoven' and 'Johnny B Goode,' (among others), Chuck Berry creates an atmosphere that is definitive rock & roll poetry".[6]

Renditions

A live version of "Let It Rock" was recorded by the Rolling Stones during a performance in Leeds, England, in 1971. Described by critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine as "cooking" and "fiery", the song was included as the B-side of "Brown Sugar" in the UK in 1971 and later on the compilations Rarities 1971–2003 (2005) and The Singles 1971–2006 (2011).[7][8] "Let It Rock" also opens the concert video The Rolling Stones: Some Girls Live in Texas '78 (2011).

In December 1975, a live version of "Let It Rock" was recorded by Australian band Skyhooks during a performance in Melbourne. Released as a single with live versions of "Revolution" and "Saturday Night" as the B-side, the song peaked at number 26 in Australia.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Too Pooped to Pop" was subtitled "Casey" (in quotes) on the original single.
  2. ^ a b c Altman, Billy (1998). Chuck Berry: The Chess Box (Box set booklet). Chuck Berry. Universal City, California: Chess Records/MCA Records. pp. 26, 30. CHD3-80.001.
  3. ^ The original Chess single listed the songwriter as "E. Anderson"; Berry's full name was "Charles Edward Anderson Berry".
  4. ^ "Chart History: Chuck Berry Hot 100". Billboard.com. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  5. ^ "Chuck Berry – Singles". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  6. ^ Greenwald, Matthew. "Chuck Berry: 'Let It Rock' – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  7. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Rolling Stones: Rarities 1971–2003 – Review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  8. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Rolling Stones: The Singles: 1971–2006 – Review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  9. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 277. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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