School of Rock 'n Roll
"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 American rockabilly singer Gene Summers and his [The The Rebels (rockabilly band)|Rebels (rockabilly band)|Rebels] and was first released in February 1958 by Jan Records #11-100. It was flipped with "Straight Skirt" 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. 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 then, 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 and Rockin' Bones. The song has also been featured on "Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour" and also appears on the Bob Dylan 4-CD box set Radio Radio issued in 2011.
Cover versions
The song has been covered by many performers, including:Savage Kalman & Explosion Rockets on their 1979 LP School Of Rock And RollTeen Kats on their 1981 LP After School Rock ‘n RollRed Hot Max And The Cats on their 1989 LP Cuckoo Clock RockThe Rhythm Rockets on their 1989 singleGary U.S. Bonds on his 1990 compilation CD School Of Rock ‘n Roll: The Best Of Gary U.S. BondsJohnny Reno on his 1990 LP Third DegreeThe Alphabets on their 1991 LP Bowl You OverThe Lennerockers on their 1991 LP Rebels Of NowadaysMess of Booze on their 1993 CD Ungehobelt & VersoffenThe Polecats on the 1994 various artists CD Birth Of British Rockabilly Vol.2The Vees on their 1995 CD Crash Boom Bang It OutThe Blue Moon Rockers on their 1996 CD School Of Rock & RollLucky Strike Band on their 2003 CD If I Had Me A WomanAlan Leatherwood on his 2004 CD Rock, Bop, Folk, And PopRockin’ Ryan and The Real Goners on the 2003 CD Alive And Lowdown, in a live duet with Rory JusticeThierry Lecoz on his 2003 album Tex-French ConnectionRory Justice on the 2004 CD The Rockabilly KidThe Starlight Wranglers on the various artists 2004 CD Rough House R&R Vol. 3The Greyhounds on their 2004 CD Songs Our Daddies Taught UsBlack Knights on their 2004 CD Jack in the BoxFairlane Rockets on their CD Fairlane RocketsRobby Vee on the 2014 CD The Early YearsGene Vincent is reported to have made a recording in the late 1960s, but it was not released.Various Artists School of Rock 'n Roll was 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. ''''