"School of Rock 'n Roll" is a song composed by James McClung in 1958 and published by Song Productions, BMI the same year. It was originally recorded by American rockabilly singer Gene Summers and his Rebels, and was first released in February 1958 by Jan Records #11-100. It was flipped with "Straight Skirt" a teen novelty 45 which became the group's first big regional hit. "School Of Rock 'n Roll" later became widely known as one of the top 100 rock 'n roll records of the era. In the 1970s, at the beginning of the rockabilly revival in Europe, "School Of Rock 'n Roll" was re-discovered by a new legion of rockabilly fans and bands. Since that time it has become a classic dance floor-filler and has renewed Summers' career to the extent of worldwide concert appearances since 1980.

Acclaim

In 2005 "School of Rock 'n Roll" was selected by Bob Solly and Record Collector Magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Records. "School Of Rock 'n Roll" was also present in the British television series You've Been Framed and was included on the Rhino Records CD box sets Wild, Fast And Out Of Control (1999) and Rockin' Bones (2006). The song has also been featured on "Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour" (2006) and also appears on the Bob Dylan 4-CD box set Radio Radio issued in 2011.

Cover versions

The song has been covered by many performers, including:

Sources