Roll Over Beethoven

Album

With the Beatles

Label

Capitol Records

Genre

Rock & Roll

Media Type

45s

Duration

2:48

Composer(s)

Chuck Berry

Entered Chart

Mar 21, 1964

Peak Date

Apr 4, 1964

Released

22 November 1963

Recorded

30 July 1963

Catalog #

Capitol 72133

B-Side

Please Mister Postman

Original Artist

Chuck Berry

"Roll Over Beethoven" was a favourite of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison even before they chose "the Beatles" as their name, and they continued to perform it right into their American tours of 1964. Their version of "Roll Over Beethoven" was recorded on July 30, 1963, for their second British LP, With the Beatles, and features Harrison on vocals and guitar. In the United States, it was released April 10, 1964, as the opening track of The Beatles' Second Album,and on May 11, 1964, as the opening track of the second Capitol EP, Four by the Beatles. It was released by Capitol in Canada with "Please Mister Postman" as the B-side, reaching number 2 on the CHUM Charts.[14] This release reached number 68 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100l and number 30 on the Cash Box Singles chart. In Sweden, it peaked at number 11 on the Kvällstoppen Chart. In Australia, it peaked at number one,[18] with "Hold Me Tight" as the B-side, as did it in Denmark. In 1994, the Beatles released a live version of "Roll Over Beethoven" on Live at the BBC. This version had been recorded on February 28, 1964, and broadcast on March 30, 1964, as part of a BBC series starring the Beatles called From Us to You.This version of "Roll Over Beethoven" was used in the film Superman III, directed by Richard Lester, who also directed the Beatles' first two films, A Hard Day's Night and Help!. In 1995, a live version from an October 1963 performance at the Karlaplansstudion in Stockholm was released on Anthology

Well gonna write a little letter
Gonna mail it to my local D.J.
It's a rocking little record
I want my jockey to play
Roll over Beethoven
Gotta hear it again today

You know my temperature's rising
And the jukebox blows a fuse
My heart beating rhythm
While my soul keeps singing the blues
Roll over Beethoven
And tell Tchaikovsky the news

I got a rocking pneumonia
I need a shot of rhythm and blues
I think I caught it off the writer
Sittin' down by the rhythm reviews
Roll over Beethoven
We're rockin' in two by two

Well if you feel it and like it
Well get your lover and reel and rock it
Roll it over and move on up
Just triffle further and reel and rock it
Roll it over
Roll over Beethoven
A rocking in two by two - Ooo

Well early in the morning
I'm a giving you the warning
Don't you step on my blue suede shoes
Hey diddle diddle
I'll play my fiddle
Ain't got nothing to lose
Roll over Beethoven
And tell Tchaikovsky the news

You know she wiggles like a glow worm
Dance like a spinning top
She's got a crazy partner
Oughta see them reel an rock
Long as she's got a dime
The music will never stop
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Dig to these rhythm and blues