February 17 In History: Lennon Released "Rock 'N Roll", An Album Which Reflected Himself

John Lennon (Sumber: Commons Wikimedia)

JAKARTA - On February 17, 1975, John Lennon released Rock 'N' Roll, which was John Lennon's sixth and final studio album before retiring for five years. Lennon put his music career on hold to stay home and raise his son, Sean Lennon.

Cited from Ultimate Classic Rock, Wednesday, February 17th, the album is a collection of cover versions of the 1950s and early 1960s songs. Rock 'N' Roll has its roots in records the Beatles made after they recorded most of their hits, such as Let It Be. Lennon borrowed and changed lines from You Can't Catch Me Chuck Berry for the song Abbey Road, Come Together.

Lennon agreed to include three songs published by Morris Levy, namely You Can't Catch Me, Ya Ya by Lee Dorsey, and Angel Baby from Rosie and the Originals, which ended up as bonus tracks on the re-release of Rock 'N' Roll in 2004.

"Rock 'N' Roll" was previously called Oldies but Mouldies. Featuring a black-and-white photo of 20-year-old John Lennon in Hamburg, it also inspired a new cover and title.

The album that made it up

In retrospect, Rock 'N' Roll represents Lennon's final outburst with the music that shaped him. This album is also the last chance to hear one of rock's greatest figures come to terms with his past in The Beatles, in an album his old band might have made had they lasted any longer.

The album was hastily released in an attempt to limit the harm caused by Roots, an unofficial collection released by Morris Levy during a plagiarism dispute. Sales for Rock 'N' Roll were slow, with a nostalgic style largely driven by David Bowie's Pin Ups and Bryan Ferry's These Foolish Things, both of which were released in 1973.

Rock 'N' Roll peaked at number six in the UK after its release, spending a total of 25 weeks on the charts. In the US, the song reached number six on the album charts. A single track, Stand By Me/Move Over Ms L sold well enough, but only peaked at number 20 in the US and 30 in the UK. A promotional copy of the second single Ain't That A Shame/Slippin 'And Slidin' was sent to radio stations, but was never released.

End of John's life

In the era of Rock 'N' Roll, John Lennon was heartbroken by breaking up with Yoko Ono. In an interview when he was asked what happened between him and Yoko Ono, and who decided it, John Lennon said: It doesn't matter who decides it. We broke up. And why are we eventually getting back together? We ended up together again because it was diplomatically feasible.

"Come on. We got back together because we loved each other ... The reaction to the breakup was madness. I was like a headless chicken".

In late 1980, John Lennon returned to the music scene with Double Fantasy. At that time, he also reunited with Yoko Ono and became the father of a five-year-old son. Three weeks after he returned to the music scene, John Lennon was murdered.

On February 24, 1982, Double Fantasy received a Grammy Award for Album Of The Year. The ceremony marked six-year-old Sean Lennon's first public appearance, as he accompanied his mother to the podium to receive an award representing the deceased John Lennon.