
Peak
8
Weeks
15
Score
2,201
Chart Year
1974
"Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)" is a 1974 patter song written by Norman Dolph (lyrics) and Paul DiFranco (music).[2] It was recorded by an ad hoc group of studio musicians called Reunion, with Joey Levine as lead singer. The lyrics are a fast recitation of the names of 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s musicians, songwriters, song titles, lyrics, disc jockeys, record labels, and more, broken only by the chorus. The song is similar to "I've Been Everywhere", which lists place names. Levine was previously lead singer and co-writer of bubblegum music hits "Yummy Yummy Yummy" and "Chewy Chewy" by Ohio Express. "Life Is a Rock" peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached No. 33 on the UK Singles Chart. The song's outro quotes "Baby I Need Your Loving" by the Four Tops, "Celebrate" by Three Dog Night, "I Want to Take You Higher" by Sly and the Family Stone, and "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" by Stevie Wonder. The track was covered by Tracey Ullman in 1983, and was on her 1984 album, You Broke My Heart in 17 Places.
B.B. Bumble and the Stingers, Mott the Hoople, Ray Charles Singers Lonnie Mack and twangin' Eddy, here's my ring we're goin' steady Take it easy, take me higher, liar liar, house on fire Locomotion, Poco, Passion, Deeper Purple, Satisfaction Baby baby gotta gotta gimme gimme gettin' hotter Sammy's cookin', Lesley Gore and Ritchie Valens, end of story Mahavishnu, fujiyama, kama-sutra, rama-lama Richard Perry, Spector, Barry, Archies, Righteous, Nilsson, Harry Shimmy shimmy ko-ko bop and Fats is back and Finger Poppin' Life is a rock but the radio rolled me Gotta turn it up louder, so my DJ told me (whoa whoa whoa whoa) Life is a rock but the radio rolled me At the end of my rainbow lies a golden oldie FM, AM, hits are clickin' while the clock is tock-a-tickin' Friends and Romans, salutations, Brenda and the Tabulations Carly Simon, I behold her, Rolling Stones and centerfoldin' Johnny Cash and Johnny Rivers, can't stop now, I got the shivers Mungo Jerry, Peter Peter Paul and Paul and Mary Mary Dr. John the nightly tripper, Doris Day and Jack the Ripper Gotta go Sir, gotta swelter, Leon Russell, Gimme Shelter Miracles in smokey places, slide guitars and Fender basses Mushroom omelet, Bonnie Bramlett, Wilson Pickett, stop and kick it Life is a rock but the radio rolled me Gotta turn it up louder, so my DJ told me (whoa whoa whoa whoa) Life is a rock but the radio rolled me At the end of my rainbow lies a golden oldie Arthur Janov's primal screamin', Hawkins, Jay and Dale and Ronnie, Kukla, Fran and Norma Okla Denver, John and Osmond, Donny JJ Cale and ZZ Top and LL Bean and De De Dinah David Bowie, Steely Dan and sing me prouder, CC Rider Edgar Winter, Joanie Sommers, Osmond Brothers, Johnny Thunders Eric Clapton, pedal wah-wah, Stephen Foster, do-dah do-dah Good Vibrations, Help Me Rhonda, Surfer Girl and Little Honda Tighter, tighter, honey, honey, sugar, sugar, yummy, yummy CBS and Warner Brothers, RCA and all the others Life is a rock but the radio rolled me Gotta turn it up louder, so my DJ told me (whoa whoa whoa whoa) Life is a rock but the radio rolled me At the end of my rainbow lies a golden oldie Listen--remember, they're playing our song! Rock it, sock it, Alan Freed me, Murray Kaufman, try to leave me Fish, and Swim, and Boston Monkey, Make it bad and play it funky. (Wanna take you higher!)
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 7, 1974 | 90 | 36 |
| 2 | Sep 14, 1974 | 68 | 58 |
| 3 | Sep 21, 1974 | 51 | 75 |
| 4 | Sep 28, 1974 | 40 | 86 |
| 5 | Oct 5, 1974 | 32 | 94 |
| 6 | Oct 12, 1974 | 25 | 101 |
| 7 | Oct 19, 1974 | 21 | 105 |
| 8 | Oct 26, 1974 | 16 | 110 |
| 9 | Nov 2, 1974 | 12 | 114 |
| 10 | Nov 9, 1974 | 9 | 117 |
| 11 | Nov 16, 1974 | 8 | 118 |
| 12 | Nov 23, 1974 | 16 | 110 |
| 13 | Nov 30, 1974 | 35 | 91 |
| 14 | Dec 7, 1974 | 53 | 73 |
| 15 | Dec 14, 1974 | 86 | 40 |