Long Live Rock

"Long Live Rock"
"Long Live Rock"
Single by The Who
from the album Odds & Sods
B-side	""My Wife (live)"; "I'm the Face"";
Released	28 September 1974 (album); 1 April 1979 (UK single); June 1979 (US single);
Recorded	1972
Genre	Hard rock
Length	3:56
Label	Polydor 2121 383 (UK)
Songwriter(s)	Pete Townshend
Producer(s)	The Who
The Who UK singles chronology
The Who US singles chronology

"Long Live Rock" is a 1972 single by The Who, written by Pete Townshend. A different version of the song was performed by Billy Fury's character in the film That'll Be the Day (a film which featured Who drummer Keith Moon).

The original Who recording of the song was not released until the 1974 rarities album Odds & Sods. It was subsequently released as a single in 1979.^[1]

Background[]

"Long Live Rock" was to have been included in Rock Is Dead—Long Live Rock!, a 1972 Who album which was also to have had an accompanying television special, before the album was shelved.^[2]^[3] Pete Townshend said of the song:

Well there are dozens of these self conscious hymns to the last fifteen years appearing now and here's another one. This was featured briefly in the film for which Keith made his acting debut, That'll Be The Day. Billy Fury sang it. This is most definitely the definitive version. I had an idea once for a new album about the history of The Who called Rock Is Dead—Long Live Rock!. That idea later blossomed into Quadrophenia.^[3]

The lyrics of the song describe a concert at the Rainbow Theatre.^[4]

Release[]

Following its appearance on Odds & Sods, the song saw a 1974 single release in Israel, Italy (where it was backed with "Pure and Easy") and Japan (where it was backed with "Put the Money Down").^[3] "Long Live Rock" also was featured during the credits of the seminal 1979 Who documentary, The Kids Are Alright. Following this appearance, the song was released as a single in Britain, America, and many other countries. The single reached number 48 in Britain, as well as number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 66 on the Cashbox charts.^[2]^[3]

A live version recorded by The Who at the BBC was released on their album BBC Sessions.

References[]

^ Odds & Sods. Allmusic. Retrieved on 21 September 2008.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Grantley, Steve; Parker, Alan. The Who by Numbers: The Story of the Who Through Their Music. Helter Skelter.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d Cady, Brian. "'Odds & Sods' liner notes". The Hypertext Who. Archived from the original on 2007-07-01.
^ "From Colman to Costello: A History of the Astoria Cinema and Rainbow Theatre, Finsbury Park" (PDF). p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-30. Down at the Astoria the scene was changing,/bingo and rock were pushing out X-rating.

External links[]

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

This 1970s single–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

[1] Odds & Sods. Allmusic. Retrieved on 21 September 2008.

[bynumbers-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b Grantley, Steve; Parker, Alan. The Who by Numbers: The Story of the Who Through Their Music. Helter Skelter.

[liner-3] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d Cady, Brian. "'Odds & Sods' liner notes". The Hypertext Who. Archived from the original on 2007-07-01.

[4] "From Colman to Costello: A History of the Astoria Cinema and Rainbow Theatre, Finsbury Park" (PDF). p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-30. Down at the Astoria the scene was changing,/bingo and rock were pushing out X-rating.

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show v t The Who
Roger Daltrey Pete Townshend John Entwistle Keith Moon Doug Sandom Kenney Jones
Studio albums	My Generation / The Who Sings My Generation A Quick One / Happy Jack The Who Sell Out Tommy Who's Next Quadrophenia The Who by Numbers Who Are You Face Dances It's Hard Endless Wire Who
Live albums	Live at Leeds Who's Last Join Together Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 BBC Sessions Blues to the Bush Live at the Royal Albert Hall Live from Toronto View from a Backstage Pass Greatest Hits Live Live at Hull 1970 Quadrophenia Live in London Live at the Fillmore East 1968
Compilations	Magic Bus: The Who on Tour Direct Hits Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy Odds & Sods The Story of The Who Phases Hooligans Who's Greatest Hits Rarities Volume I & Volume II The Singles The Who Collection Who's Missing Two's Missing Who's Better, Who's Best Thirty Years of Maximum R&B My Generation: The Very Best of The Who Encore Series The Ultimate Collection Then and Now The 1st Singles Box Greatest Hits The Who Hits 50!
Extended plays	Ready Steady Who Won't Get Fooled Again Wire & Glass
Soundtracks	Tommy The Kids Are Alright Quadrophenia Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who
Filmography	Tommy The Kids Are Alright Quadrophenia Who's Better, Who's Best Thirty Years of Maximum R&B Live Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 The Who & Special Guests: Live at the Royal Albert Hall The Who Special Edition EP Live in Boston Tommy and Quadrophenia Live The Vegas Job Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who The Who at Kilburn: 1977 Quadrophenia Live in London Lambert & Stamp
Discographies	The Who discography Roger Daltrey discography Pete Townshend discography John Entwistle discography Keith Moon discography
Tours and performances	1962–1963 performances Tommy Tour The Who by Numbers Tour 1979 tour (1979 Cincinnati human crush) 1980 tour 2000 tour 2001 The Concert for New York City appearance 2003 The 46664 Concert appearance 2006–2007 tour Quadrophenia and More The Who Hits 50! Back to the Who Tour 51! 2017 Tommy & More Moving On! Tour
Members	Mitch Mitchell Julian Covey Chris Townson Scot Halpin John "Rabbit" Bundrick Tim Gorman Steve "Boltz" Bolton Simon Phillips Jon Carin Steve White Brian Kehew J. J. Blair Danny Thompson Simon Townshend Jon Button Loren Gold Frank Simes J. Greg Miller Pino Palladino Reggie Grisham Morgan Nicholls Chris Stainton Scott Devours Zak Starkey
Associated places	Ashdown House, Oxfordshire Chapel House, Twickenham Holmshurst Manor Quarwood Ramport Studios Shepperton Studios Tara, Chertsey The Wick
Related	Songs Awards and nominations Band members Musical equipment The Boy Who Heard Music Lifehouse The Who's Tommy Rock Is Dead—Long Live Rock! The Who's Tommy Pinball Wizard Who Covers Who? "A Tale of Two Springfields" "In Concert" Double O The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus No Plan B Kim McLagan Richard Barnes Dougal Butler Chris Charlesworth Kit Lambert Chris Stamp Track Records Shel Talmy
Category

show v t The Who singles
UK singles 1960s	"Zoot Suit" / "I'm the Face" "I Can't Explain" / "Bald Headed Woman" "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" / "Daddy Rolling Stone" "My Generation" / "Shout and Shimmy" "Substitute" / "Circles" "A Legal Matter" / "Instant Party" "The Kids Are Alright" / "The Ox" "I'm a Boy" / "In the City" "La-La-La-Lies" / "The Good's Gone" "Happy Jack" / "I've Been Away" "Pictures of Lily" / "Doctor, Doctor" "The Last Time" / "Under My Thumb" "I Can See for Miles" / "Someone's Coming" "Dogs" / "Call Me Lightning" "Magic Bus" / "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" "Pinball Wizard" / "Dogs Part Two"
US singles 1960s	"I Can't Explain" / "Bald Headed Woman" "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" / "Anytime You Want Me" "My Generation" / "Out in the Street" "Substitute" / "Waltz For a Pig" "The Kids Are Alright" / "A Legal Matter" "I'm a Boy" / "In the City" "Happy Jack" / "Whiskey Man" "Pictures of Lily" / "Doctor, Doctor" "I Can See for Miles" / "Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand" "Call Me Lightning" / "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" "Magic Bus" / "Someone's Coming" "Pinball Wizard" / "Dogs Part Two" "I'm Free" / "We're Not Gonna Take It"
UK singles 1970s	"The Seeker" / "Here For More" "Summertime Blues" / "Heaven and Hell" "See Me, Feel Me" / "Overture from Tommy" "Won't Get Fooled Again" / "I Don't Even Know Myself" "Let's See Action" / "When I Was A Boy" "Baba O'Riley" "Join Together" / "Baby Don't You Do It" "Relay" / "Waspman" "5:15" / "Water" "Squeeze Box" / "Success Story" "Who Are You" / "Had Enough" " Trick of the Light" / "905" "Long Live Rock" / "I'm the Face"/"My Wife (Live)" "I'm One" / "5:15 (Soundtrack Version)"
US singles 1970s	"The Seeker" / "Here For More" "Summertime Blues" / "Heaven and Hell" "See Me, Feel Me" / "Overture from Tommy" "Won't Get Fooled Again" / "I Don't Even Know Myself" "Behind Blue Eyes" / "My Wife" "Join Together" / "Baby Don't You Do It" "The Relay" / "Wasp Man" "Love, Reign o'er Me" / "Water" "The Real Me" / "I'm One" "Postcard" / "Put the Money Down" "Squeeze Box" / "Success Story" "Slip Kid" / "Dreaming from the Waist" "Substitute (Reissue)" / "I'm a Boy (Alternate Version)" "Who Are You" / "Had Enough" "Trick of the Light" / "905" "Long Live Rock" / "My Wife (Live)"
UK singles 1980s	"You Better You Bet" / "The Quiet One" "Don't Let Go the Coat" / "You" "Athena" / "A Man Is a Man" "Twist and Shout (live)" / "I Can't Explain (live)" "Won't Get Fooled Again (EP)" ( "Won't Get Fooled Again (live)" / "Bony Moronie (live)" / "Dancing in the Street (live)" / "Dance it Away (live)" )
US singles 1980s	"You Better You Bet" / "The Quiet One" "Don't Let Go the Coat" / "You" "Athena" / "It's Your Turn" "Eminence Front" / "One At A Time" "It's Hard" / "Dangerous"
Singles 2000s	"Real Good Looking Boy" / "Old Red Wine" "It's Not Enough"
Singles 2010s	"Be Lucky" "Ball and Chain"