"Rockin' Roll Baby" is a song written by Linda Creed and Thom Bell and performed by The Stylistics. It reached #3 on the U.S. R&B chart, #6 on the UK Singles Chart, #14 on the U.S. pop chart, #44 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart, and #57 on the Canadian pop chart in 1974.[1] It was featured as the title song from their 1973 eponymous album.[2]
| "Rockin' Roll Baby" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by The Stylistics | ||||
| from the album Rockin' Roll Baby | ||||
| B-side | "Pieces" | |||
| Released | October 1973 | |||
| Genre | Soul | |||
| Length | 4:31 (album version) 3:17 (single edit) | |||
| Label | Avco | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Linda Creed, Thom Bell | |||
| Producer(s) | Thom Bell | |||
| The Stylistics singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Official audio | ||||
| "Rockin' Roll Baby" on YouTube | ||||
The song was arranged and produced by Thom Bell.[3] Lead vocals are by Russell Thompkins Jr.
The song ranked #96 on Billboard magazine's Top 100 singles of 1974.[4]
Lyrical content
editThe narrator, a hard-working touring musician, describes his infant son, a child prodigy, who was "born in a theater in Bluefield, West Virginia". Although only a toddler, "Little Joey" has great singing talent and has a "funky walk in his little orthopedic shoes." The musician is successful and buys a house in Beverly Hills, attributing his success to the child.
Other versions
edit- The Fleshtones released a version of the song on their 1999 album Hitsburg Revisited.[5]
References
edit- ^ "The Stylistics, "Rockin' Roll Baby" Chart Positions". Retrieved April 5, 2019.
- ^ "The Stylistics, Rockin' Roll Baby". Discogs. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
- ^ "The Stylistics, "Rockin' Roll Baby" Single Release". Retrieved April 5, 2019.
- ^ "Top Pop Singles" (PDF). Billboard. New York, New York: Billboard Publications, Inc. December 28, 1974. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
- ^ "The Fleshtones, Hitsburg Revisited". Discogs. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
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