Roll Over Beethoven

From Wikipedia:

“Roll Over Beethoven” is a 1956 hit single by Chuck Berry originally released on Chess Records, with “Drifting Heart” as the B-side. The lyrics of the song mention rock and roll and the desire for rhythm and blues to replace classical music. There is a popular saying that a deceased person would “roll over in their grave” if they heard something that would have deeply disturbed them had they been alive. The title line of the song is a reference to how Ludwig van Beethoven would do just that in reaction to the advent of the new musical genre that Chuck Berry was leading. The song has been covered by many other artists and Rolling Stone ranked it #97 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Inspiration and lyrics

According to Rolling Stone and Cub Koda of Allmusic, Berry wrote the song in response to his sister Lucy always using the family piano to play classical music when Berry wanted to play popular music. The line “roll over Beethoven and tell Tchaikovsky the news” refers to how both classical composers would “roll over in their graves” upon hearing how their classical music had given way to rock and roll.

In addition to classical composers Ludwig van Beethoven and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the lyrics mention or allude to several popular artists. “Early in the Mornin’” is the title of a Louis Jordan song and “Blue Suede Shoes” refers to the Carl Perkins song. Finally, “Hey Diddle Diddle” which comes from the nursery rhyme, “The Cat and the Fiddle“, is an indirect reference to Berry’s Chess stablemate Bo Diddley, who was an accomplished violin player. Although the lyrics mention rocking and rolling, the music that the classics are supposed to step aside for is always referred to as “rhythm and blues” (R&B). Arthur Alexander appropriated the lyric “a shot of rhythm and blues” for the title of his later song.

Later in the song, a “rhythm revue” describes the old style R&B show with many featured artists appearing on one bill in front of a big band.

Release

Berry’s version was originally released as a single by Chess Records in May 1956 with “Drifting Heart” as the B-side. It peaked at #7 on the Billboard R&B chart and #29 on the pop chart. “Roll Over Beethoven” and three other Berry songs appeared on the Rock, Rock, Rock album, ostensibly a soundtrack to the film of the same name, but only four of the twelve songs on the album appeared in the film. […]

The Beatles’ version

“Roll Over Beethoven” was a favorite of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison even before they had chosen “the Beatles” as their name, and they continued to play it live 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 May 11, 1964 as the opening track of the second Capitol EP “Four by the Beatles“. It was released on Capitol in Canada with “Please Mister Postman” as the B-side. This release reached #68 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #30 on Cashbox.

In 1994, the Beatles released a live version of “Roll Over Beethoven” on Live at the BBC. This live version was 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!. […]

From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:

• [a] mono 21 Aug 1963. edited.
  UK: Parlophone PMC 1206 With the Beatles 1963.
  CD: EMI CDP 7 46436 2 With the Beatles 1987.
• [b] stereo 29 Oct 1963. edited.
  UK: Parlophone PCS 3045 With the Beatles 1963.
• [b1] stereo remixed from [b] 1964, by Capitol.
  US: Capitol ST 2080 Second 1964.
• [b2] mono made from [b] 1964, by Capitol.
  US: Capitol T 2080 Second 1964.
• [b3] stereo remixed from [b] 1976.
  US: Capitol SKBO-11537 Rock and Roll Music 1976.

Lyrics

Officially appears on

Bootlegs

Live performances

“Roll Over Beethoven” has been played in 116 concerts.

Latest concerts where “Roll Over Beethoven” has been played

Going further

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roll_Over_Beethoven

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