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Read the original blog post11.54am
31 March 2008
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Written by: Berry
Recorded: 30 July 1963
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith
Released: 22 November 1963 (UK), 10 April 1964 (US)
George Harrison: vocals, lead guitar, handclaps
John Lennon: rhythm guitar, handclaps
Paul McCartney: bass, handclaps
Ringo Starr: drums, handclaps
Available on:
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Live At The BBC
Anthology 1
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11.54pm
24 March 2014
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Was listening to this concert
Roll Over Beethoven is wild compared with the released version. The album version has that polished thing that takes away the rawness and effervescence of the live version.
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11.26am
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1 May 2011
Offline A lot of the covers were better live, actually most of the early material is.
There is a really cool BBC performance with an extended solo (‘Saturday Club’ – 29/6/63); no idea why they did that but probably harking back to the days of the Star Club when they would add 49 guitar solos to get thru 8 hour shows. As with other songs when playing live, they would subtlety change the arrangement in various ways, no doubt to keep it interesting for themselves but not dramatically alter the actual song. To that degree I like it when they would quiet ‘Beethoven’ towards the end then come steaming back in.
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10.29am
25 November 2024
Offline Daily Beatles Song Review Day 26/213: Roll Over Beethoven
Just like on their debut album, I think that the Beatles’ best song on this record is a cover. Roll Over Beethoven is a hilarious song lyrically and the Fab Four’s version plays it very well. Sadly, I think the stereo mixes that plague some early Beatles songs are in full effect here; this is one of the songs most ruined by the bad stereo mixing. The handclaps are pretty painful in just the right channel, but I don’t blame the song for that. I have listened to the mono version, and it’s definitely my favorite on the album.
The main reason I love this song is kind of unrelated to the Beatles, which is just that the original song (written and performed by Chuck Berry) is so good. It’s really funny and lighthearted in a way I love. I’m only 21, so I relate strongly to the idea of a song about young people’s music being worthwhile and important. George also sings the song so well. It’s easily the best vocal performance he has up until… Probably Rubber Soul ?
The instrumental is also great and lives up to the spirit of the rock and roll energy the song supports. I think it has some of the best lead guitar parts from George of the early years, while John’s rhythm guitar part chugs the song along well. Ringo’s drumming is furious and great, and while Paul’s part isn’t very high in the mix, it’s good when you notice it.
Score: 8/10.
Favorite cover: Electric Light Orchestra did a great cover.
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5.19pm
14 December 2009
Offline My favourite Bestles version of Chuck’s classic is easily also the fastest, whether they were inspired to play at such a frenetic pace by Preludin (probably), or maybe they were trying to pay tribute to the fact that they were geographically in the land of Beethoven himself…
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5.13am
7 November 2022
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I’m one of those Beatles fans (I don’t know what percentile we reflect) who are not that enthused by the earlier (earliest?) phase of The Beatles. My interest and love of their music only really begins with the Help !/Hard Day’s Nights phase.
Thus, there are quite a few songs I haven’t really listened to (either carefully, or repeatedly — or at all).
Case in point, this one. Just took a listen to this song — and ME LIKEY!
Four things I note:
I hear them saying “Rocking it two by two” — not “Rocking in two by two”
I like that quaint phrase “reel and rock” (I realize those are Chuck’s original)
I note The Beatles changed Chuck’s lyrics here and there — is that true? I see the different lyrics, but I’m not sure they wrote those changes themselves.
Most important, the main singing sounds to me like a perfect fusion of the voices of John & Paul — more than any other song I can think of. Come Together , for example, almost sounds like a fusion, but the listener can still detect the distinct style & tonality of each. (Same with The Ballad of Yoko and Ono.)
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7.03pm
1 December 2009
Offline Sea Belt said
I like that quaint phrase “reel and rock” (I realize those are Chuck’s original)
I note The Beatles changed Chuck’s lyrics here and there — is that true? I see the different lyrics, but I’m not sure they wrote those changes themselves.
Wow, I hadn’t noticed before! and had to go compare that Star-Club performance to Chuck Berry’s lyrics; and yes, there are quite a few differences – an entire verse is excised, George substitutes “rockin” for “jumpin” at one point, and he’s happy to end most of the verses with “…rocking in two by two” – and in fact, the word “Tchaikovsky” doesn’t appear at all! 
I guess maybe they simplified and shortened the song a bit, understandably, ’cause that’s a huge mouthful of syllables for George to have to learn and deliver at such a pace – while not letting up on the riffing and soloing…
(Now I can’t remember if the studio version included Chuck’s 2nd verse, the one that begins “I’ve got the rockin’ pneumonia“)
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Sea BeltGEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
1.48am
30 August 2021
Offline Rockin’ pneumonia is definitely there. It also seems to me that George shortens some words here and there to make them scan better.
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3.39am
7 November 2022
Offline @vonbontee
I didn’t quite understand what you said about “Tchaikovsky” — are you saying it was sung first by Chuck? It seems The Beatles (no doubt John) were the originators, no?
Now today I find, you have changed your mind
3.58pm
1 December 2009
Offline Sea Belt said
@vonbonteeI didn’t quite understand what you said about “Tchaikovsky” — are you saying it was sung first by Chuck? It seems The Beatles (no doubt John) were the originators, no?
Not at all, no! It’s a Chuck Berry song, words and music and all, including the “Roll Over Beethoven , and tell Tchaikovsky the news” couplet
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Sea BeltGEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
4.56pm
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1 May 2011
Offline The Beatles were often changing words here and there and even missing verses when playing live, no doubt filling in with whatever came to mind and not being that fussed – John was notorious for singing the wrong words. They would also make [subtle] changes to the arrangements, probably to keep it interesting to themselves. You can here it on the BBC tracks where there are differences, even with ‘ROB’. The live performances such as at the Star Club were always thought to be one offs with no one outside of those in the room at the time being able to hear them back and it was probably more for the enjoyment and performance than accuracy of lyrics.
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7.03pm
1 December 2009
Offline meanmistermustard said
They would also make [subtle] changes to the arrangements, probably to keep it interesting to themselves. You can here it on the BBC tracks where there are differences, even with ‘ROB’. The live performances such as at the Star Club were always thought to be one offs with no one outside of those in the room at the time being able to hear them back and it was probably more for the enjoyment and performance than accuracy of lyrics.
It’s interesting how in live performances of this one, Ringo generally begins the final full “glow worm” verse by bringing the intensity way down, before crashing it way up again after 12 bars for the big finish, and the final verse (with the five “Roll over B…”-s.) Ringo does it at Star-Club, again on the Anth. 1 live version, and I think also at the Washington Coliseum show; and yet he abandons this arrangement idea at EMI and the BBC studios.
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Ahhh GirlGEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
9.14pm
Reviewers
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1 May 2011
Offline vonbontee said
meanmistermustard said
They would also make [subtle] changes to the arrangements, probably to keep it interesting to themselves. You can here it on the BBC tracks where there are differences, even with ‘ROB’. The live performances such as at the Star Club were always thought to be one offs with no one outside of those in the room at the time being able to hear them back and it was probably more for the enjoyment and performance than accuracy of lyrics.
It’s interesting how in live performances of this one, Ringo generally begins the final full “glow worm” verse by bringing the intensity way down, before crashing it way up again after 12 bars for the big finish, and the final verse (with the five “Roll over B…”-s.) Ringo does it at Star-Club, again on the Anth. 1 live version, and I think also at the Washington Coliseum show; and yet he abandons this arrangement idea at EMI and the BBC studios.
Also, on some performances John and Paul would join in singing with George at the end yet in others they don’t. On ‘Besame Mucho ‘ John and George can be heard on every available performance except the EMI take.
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6.50am
7 November 2022
Offline Well, it’s a jumping little record I want my jockey to play
Roll Over Beethoven , gotta hear it again today.
Well, my heart’s beating a rhythm, shakin’ out rhythm and blues
Roll Over Beethoven , rockin’ in two by two.
Go get your lover and reel and rock it
Roll it over and move on up now
Go for cover and reel and rock it
Roll it over
Roll Over Beethoven , tell Tchaikovsky the news
Don’t you step on my blue suede shoes
Hey, diddle diddle, gonna play my fiddle
I ain’t got nothing to lose
Roll Over Beethoven , tell Tchaikovsky the news
Yeah, she got a crazy partner, you should have seen her reel and rock
Long as she got a dime, the music will never stop.
Go get your lover and reel and rock it
Roll it over and move on up now
Go for cover and reel and rock it
Roll it over
Roll Over Beethoven , dig these rhythm and blues?
Roll Over Beethoven , Roll Over Beethoven
Roll Over Beethoven , dig these rhythm and blues?
Roll Over Beethoven , Roll Over Beethoven
Roll Over Beethoven , dig these rhythm and blues?
It’s a rocking little record I want my jockey to play
Roll over, Beethoven, gotta hear it again today
My heart’s beating rhythm and my soul keeps singing the blues
Roll over, Beethoven and tell Tchaikovsky the news
I think I caught off the writer sitting down by the rhythm revue
Roll over, Beethoven, rocking in two by two
Well, get your lover and reel and rock it
Roll it over and move on up
Just a trifle further and reel and rock it
Roll it over, roll over, Beethoven
Rocking in two by two (woo)
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
Dance like a spinning top
She’s got a crazy partner
Oughta see ’em reel and rock
As long as she got a dime, the music will never stop
Roll over, Beethoven
Roll over, Beethoven
Roll over, Beethoven
Roll over, Beethoven
Dig to these rhythm and blues
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Von Bontee, Mr. Moonlight, RubeNow today I find, you have changed your mind
4.16pm
14 December 2009
Offline In fact, yeah, there are a couple of differences between what Chuck sings and what Google returned:
– “You know my temperature’s rising, need a shot of rhythm and blues…” should be “…rising, the jukebox is blowing a fuse“.
– “..Shaking out rhythm and blues” should be “…Soul keeps singing the blues”
– And Google also left out the entire “rockin’ pneumonia” verse
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