Rock Swings

Rock Swings is an album by Paul Anka. Recorded in November 2004 and released on May 31, 2005 in Canada and June 7, 2005 in the United States, it contains swing jazz covers of popular rock and pop songs from the 1980s and 1990s.

Rock Swings
Studio album by
Paul Anka
ReleasedMay 31, 2005 (Can)
June 7, 2005 (US)
RecordedNovember 2004
GenreSwing
Length58:18
LabelVerve Music Group
ProducerPaul Anka
Paul Anka chronology
Times of Your Life
(1975)		 Rock Swings
(2005)		 Classic Songs, My Way
(2007)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link
Rolling Stone link
BBC.co.ukNegative link

The idea of an established vocalist giving rock hits a "standards" treatment was earlier realized by Anka's contemporary Pat Boone in the 1997 album, In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy, with Boone doing covers of songs by Alice Cooper, Van Halen and Judas Priest. That same year, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé covered Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" in a lounge-jazz style on the 1997 compilation album release, Lounge-A-Palooza. Anka also covers "Black Hole Sun" on Rock Swings.

Reportedly, the Michael Jackson song "Billie Jean" was slated to be on the album in the recording stages, but Paul Anka could not get through a vocal take without bursting into laughter.[1] The album features "It's My Life" by Bon Jovi, a song which includes the line "Like Frankie said, 'I did it my way'", a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Sinatra classic "My Way", the lyrics to which were written by Anka.

After the release of this album, Anka was awarded a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. A DVD release of the same name, including live performances of these songs by Anka, was released on December 6, 2005.

Charts

Debuted at:

  • #120 on the Billboard 200
  • #9 on the Official UK Album Chart
  • #2 on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums chart
  • #1 on Amazon.de

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."It's My Life"Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Max Martin4:02
2."True"Gary Kemp4:30
3."Eye of the Tiger"Jim Peterik, Frankie Sullivan4:04
4."Everybody Hurts"Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Bill Berry4:14
5."Wonderwall"Noel Gallagher3:37
6."Black Hole Sun"Chris Cornell4:28
7."It's a Sin"Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe4:59
8."Jump"David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen3:36
9."Smells Like Teen Spirit"Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl2:42
10."Hello"Lionel Richie5:14
11."Eyes Without a Face"Billy Idol, Steve Stevens3:59
12."Lovecats"Robert Smith3:58
13."The Way You Make Me Feel"Michael Jackson3:49
14."Tears in Heaven"Eric Clapton, Will Jennings5:01

Certifications
Country Certification Sales/shipments
Canada Gold[2] 50,000

Personnel

Musicians
  • Paul Anka: Vocals
  • Jon Bon Jovi: Guitar, Piano, Backing Vocals
  • Randy Kerber: Piano on all tracks except 5, 8
  • Mike Lang: Piano on tracks 5, 8
  • Jon Crosse: Tenor Saxophone on track 12
  • Vinnie Colaiuta: Drums
  • Mike Valerio: Bass guitar
  • Larry Koonse: Guitar on tracks 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14
  • Dean Parks: Guitar on tracks 1, 5, 8, 10
  • Emil Richards: Vibraphone
  • Gary Grant (Lead), Charles Davis, Larry Hall: Trumpet
  • Warren Luening: Trumpet on tracks 3, 4, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14
  • Sal Cracchiolo: Trumpet on tracks 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11
  • Steve Holtman, Andrew Martin: Trombone
  • Alex Iles, Bill Reichenbach: Trombone on tracks 3, 4, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14
  • Bob McChesney, Bryant Byers: Trombone on tracks 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11
  • Gene Cipriano: Tenor Saxophone, Flute
  • Dan Higgins, Greg Huckins: Alto Saxophone, Flute
  • Bill Liston: Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet
  • Joel Peskin: Bass Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone
  • Joel Derouin (Concert-master): Violin on tracks 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 14
  • Rebecca Bunnell, Mario De Leon, Tiffany Yi Hu, Patricia Johnson, Peter Kent, Miran Kojian, Haim Shtrum, Mari Tsumura, Shari Zippert, Kirstin Fife, Razdan Kuyumjian, Dennis Molchan, Les Terry: Violin on tracks 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 14
  • Bruce Dukov (Concert-master): Violin on tracks 6 and 7
  • Jennifer Munday, Anatoly Rosinsky, Charles Everett, Armen Garabedian, Berj Garabedian, Darius Campo: Violin on tracks 6 and 7
  • Marilyn Baker, Jorge Moraga, James Ross, Harry Shirinian, Karie Prescott, Evan Wilson: Viola on tracks 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 14
  • Simon Oswell, Pam Goldsmith: Viola on tracks 6 and 7
  • Larry Corbett, Vanessa Freebairn-Smith, Miguel Martinez, Steve Richards, Andrew Shulman, Anne Karam: Cello on tracks 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 14
  • Ernie Ehrhardt: Cello on tracks 6 and 7
  • Peter Doubrovsky, Frances Liu-Wu: Bass guitar on track 14
  • Gayle Levant: Harp on track 14
  • Brad Warnaar, Jim Atkinson, Kurt Snyder: French Horn on track 14

See also

References

Footnotes
  1. Gatehouse, Jonathan, Macleans.ca, 2005. Anka's Back, Baby!
  2. CRIA Gold & Platinum certifications for February 2007. Retrieved July 25, 2007.
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