Roll over Beethoven

The Beatles

About Roll over Beethoven

"Roll Over Beethoven" is a 1956 hit single written 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. The title of the song is an imperative directed at the composer Ludwig van Beethoven to roll over in his grave in reaction to the new genre of music that Berry was promoting. The song has been covered by many other artists, including the Beatles and the Electric Light Orchestra. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it number 97 on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". 


Year:
1994
2:15
68 
#4

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Well gonna write a little letter 
Gonna mail it to my local D.J. 
It's a rockin' little record 
I want my jockey to play 
Roll over Beethoven 
I gotta hear it again today 

You know my temperature's risin' 
And the jukebox's blows a fuse 
My hearts beatin' rhythm 
And my soul keeps singing the blues 
Roll over Beethoven 
And tell Tchaikovsky the news 

I got a rockin' pneumonia 
I need a shot of rhythm and blues 
I think I got it off the writer 
Sittin' down by the rhythm review 
Roll over Beethoven 
We're rockin' in two by two 

Well if you fell you like it 
Well get your lover and reel and rock it 
Roll it over and move on up 
Just jump around and reel and rock it 
Roll it over 
Roll over Beethoven 
A rockin' in two by two , oh 

Well early in the mornin' 
I'm a givin' you the warnin' 
Don't you step on my blue suede shoes 
Hey little little 
Gonna play my fiddle 
Ain't got nothing to lose 
Roll over Beethoven 
And tell Tchaikovsky the news 

You know she winks like a glow worm 
Dance like a spinnin' top 
She got a crazy partner 
Oughta see 'em reel an rock 
Long as she's got a dime 
The music will never stop 

Roll over Beethoven 
Roll over Beethoven 
Roll over Beethoven 
Roll over Beethoven 
Roll over Beethoven 
And dig these rhythm and blues

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The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. They became the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed act in the history of popular music. Their best-known lineup consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Rooted in skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, they later utilised several genres, ranging from pop ballads to psychedelic rock, often incorporating classical and other elements in innovative ways. In the early 1960s, their enormous popularity first emerged as "Beatlemania", but as their songwriting grew in sophistication, they came to be perceived by many fans and cultural observers as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the era's sociocultural revolutions. more »

55 fans

Written by: Chuck Berry

Lyrics © ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


3 facts about this song

Chuck Berry's Original Version
"Roll Over Beethoven" was originally written and recorded by American Rock & Roll icon Chuck Berry. - The song was released in 1956 as a single by Chess Records. - "Roll Over Beethoven" was Berry's first top 30 hit on the Billboard charts. - The song is primarily about the rise of Rock & Roll music and the decline of classical music. - "Roll Over Beethoven" has been covered by numerous artists across various music genres. - The song is recognized for its opening guitar riff, which is considered one of the most famous guitar riffs in rock n roll history.
The Beatles' Cover Version
The Beatles covered "Roll Over Beethoven" in 1963 for their second studio album, "With the Beatles." - In The Beatles' version, lead vocals are done by George Harrison. - The Beatles also released the song as a single in America in 1964, where it peaked at number 68 on the Billboard charts. - Unlike Chuck Berry's original version, The Beatles' cover is faster and more intense, showcasing the band's early Rock & Roll sound. - Having grown up listening to Chuck Berry, The Beatles regarded "Roll Over Beethoven" as an homage to one of their musical influences. - The song became a staple of The Beatles' live performances in their early years.
Significance and Legacy
The title "Roll Over Beethoven" is a reference to the famous classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven, as a way of saying that rock and roll music would replace classical music in popularity. - The song is listed as one of the "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll" by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. - Both versions by Chuck Berry and The Beatles are included in the Grammy Hall of Fame. - The phrase "roll over Beethoven" has become a colloquialism, implying the triumph of the new over the old. - In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song #97 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. - The original version by Chuck Berry is preserved in the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1964

    Billboard #68


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