"Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy" is a song by British rock band Bad Company. It was written by vocalist Paul Rodgers and released as the first single from the group's 1979's studio album, Desolation Angels. It is one of Bad Company's best-known songs and has become a staple of classic rock radio.
| "Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Single sleeve | ||||
| Single by Bad Company | ||||
| from the album Desolation Angels[2] | ||||
| B-side | "Crazy Circles" | |||
| Released | March 1979[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1978 | |||
| Studio | Ridge Farm Studios, Surrey, England | |||
| Genre | Hard rock | |||
| Length | 3:15 | |||
| Label | Swan Song | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Paul Rodgers | |||
| Producer(s) | Bad Company | |||
| Bad Company singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio | ||||
| "Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy" on YouTube | ||||
Background
edit"Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy" was inspired by a guitar synthesizer riff that Paul Rodgers had come up with. While not the band's highest charting single in America, it is their best selling, having been certified Gold by the RIAA.[3]
Reception
editCash Box said "Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy" has a "stout beat and heavy fuzz guitar sound and excellent singing" as well as "solid" production.[4] Record World called it "a hard rocker with a sure shot at AOR and Top 40 play" and praised Rodgers' lead vocals as being "inspired".[5] Democrat and Chronicle critic Jack Garner said it "contains the most varying material yet from the band, indicating continued growth and maturity on their part."[6] AllMusic reviewer Mike DeGagne commented on Rodgers' "vocal passion" on the song.[7] AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine regarded it as one of the band's best "big, brawny arena rockers" and noted that it's a "quintessential classic rock staple".[8]
In 2016, Classic Rock ranked the song at number nine on their list of Bad Company's 10 best songs, praising Ralphs' "curt, sharp [guitar] solo" and the "clipped rhythmic accompaniment" from drummer Simon Kirke and bassist Boz Burrell.[9] Classic Rock History critic Janey Roberts rated it as Bad Company's eighth best song.[10] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Matt Wardlaw rated it as Bad Company's fourth best song, saying that it "is probably one of the best songs ever written about what it's like living life as a star in the music business."[11]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy" | 3:15 |
| 2. | "Crazy Circles" | 3:31 |
Chart performance
editThe song peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1979, ultimately climbing to number 54 for the Billboard Year-End singles chart in that year.[12]
References
edit- ^ Strong, Martin Charles (1995). Great Rock Discography. Canongate Press. p. 35. ISBN 9780862415419.
- ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
- ^ "RIAA - Gold & Platinum - April 23, 2010: Bad Company certified singles". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
- ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 3 March 1979. p. 20. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 3 March 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ Garner, Jack (11 April 1979). "Bad Company – but good music". Democrat and Chronicle. p. 20C. Retrieved 21 June 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ DeGagne, Mike. "Desolation Angels". Allmusic. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy: The Very Best of Bad Company". Allmusic. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
- ^ Dome, Malcolm (13 July 2016). "The Top 10 Best Bad Company Songs - Classic Rock". Classic Rock. Team Rock. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
- ^ Roberts, Janey (19 October 2022). "Top 10 Bad Company songs". Classic Rock History.
- ^ Wardlaw, Matt (17 December 2011). "Top 10 Bad Company Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ^ Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1979
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". RPM. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
- ^ "Bad Company - Chart history". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending June 16, 1979". Archived from the original on 5 February 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2018.Cash Box magazine.
- ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1979/Top 100 Songs of 1979". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- ^ "Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles". Cash Box. 29 December 1979. Archived from the original on 13 December 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2018.