Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)

"Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)" is a 1973 song written and originally performed by Australian singer Kevin Johnson, most famously covered by American singer Mac Davis.

"Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)"
Single by Kevin Johnson
from the album Rock 'N' Roll I Gave You the Best Years of My Life
B-side"Mohair Sam" (Australia)
"There's Nothing I'd Rather Do" (U.S.)
ReleasedNovember 1973
Recorded1973
GenrePop, easy listening
Length5:20
LabelNova Records, Good Thyme, Mainstream Records
Songwriter(s)Kevin Johnson
Producer(s)Kevin Johnson
Kevin Johnson singles chronology
"All Our Favourite Songs"
(1971)		 "Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)"
(1973)		 "Kedron Brook"
(1974)
"Rock 'N' Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)"
Single by Mac Davis
from the album All the Love in the World
B-side"Emily Suzanne"
ReleasedDecember 1974
GenrePop
Length3:25
LabelColumbia Records
Songwriter(s)Kevin Johnson
Producer(s)Gary Klein
Mac Davis singles chronology
"Stop and Smell the Roses"
(1974)		 "Rock 'N' Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)"
(1974)		 "(If You Add) All the Love in the World"
(1975)
"Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)"
Single by Terry Jacks
from the album Y' Don't Fight the Sea
B-side"The Love Game"
Released1975
GenrePop
Length3:39
LabelBell / Goldfish
Songwriter(s)Kevin Johnson
Producer(s)Terry Jacks
Terry Jacks singles chronology
"If You Go Away"
(1974)		 "Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)"
(1975)		 ""Christina""
(1975)

Johnson's version reached number four in Australia. The guitar solo in Johnson's version was played by Rory O'Donoghue. In Australia, the UK and Ireland, it was only Johnson's original version which charted.

Mac Davis cover

In the United States it was Mac Davis who had the primary hit version in 1974, although three versions of the song became American chart hits. His version reached #15 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Rock 'N' Roll" is the first track on his sixth studio album All the Love in the World. The song was the lead single of two issued from the LP, the other being the title track, and both of which became hit records.

The Cats version

The Dutch band The Cats released a version in the Netherlands in 1973 on EMI Nederland. The song made to #3 on the Dutch charts Single Top 100 and Dutch Top 40.

Terry Jacks version

In Canada, Terry Jacks got it into the charts in 1975. It also made it to number 97 on Billboard Hot 100. His version appeared in Y' Don't Fight the Sea and was a bonus song appearing in his 1974 album Seasons in the Sun.

Other versions

New Zealand's very popular singer Craig Scott covered the song in 1974, reaching #13.[1][2]

In 1977, Gary Glitter recorded a version on his album Silver Star. Over the years there have been recorded versions by Albert West, Digby Richards, and Sam Neely, amongst others.

Chart history

Weekly charts
Kevin Johnson original
Chart (1973-74) Peak
position
Australia (Go-Set) 4
Germany [3] 47
Ireland (IRMA)[4] 8
UK (The Official Charts Company)[5] 23
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[6] 73
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 43
U.S. Cash Box Top 100[7] 90
Chart (1975) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[4] 18
The Cats cover
Chart (1973-74) Peak
position
Belgium Flanders Top 30 (Belgium) 15
Netherlands Single Top 100 3
Netherlands Dutch Top 40 [8] 3
Craig Scott cover
Chart (1974) Peak
position
New Zealand [9] 13
Terry Jacks cover
Mac Davis cover

References
  1. Pop Archives
  2. "Shazam". Shazam.com.
  3. "charts.nz - Kevin Johnson - Rock And Roll (I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life)". Charts.nz.
  4. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Rock N' Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  5. Pop Archives
  6. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  7. "Cash Box Top 100 11/24/73". Tropicalglen.com.
  8. Top 40, Stichting Nederlandse. "The Cats - Rock & Roll (I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life)". Top40.nl.
  9. Pop Archives
  10. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1974-12-14. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
  11. "Cash Box Top 100 12/14/74". Tropicalglen.com.
  12. Canada, Library and Archives (July 17, 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". Bac-lac.gc.ca.
  13. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1975-02-01. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
  14. Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
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