I Love Rock ‘n Roll (album)
I Love Rock ‘n Roll is the second studio album by Joan Jett and the first to feature her backing band The Blackhearts. Soon after the first recording sessions at Soundworks Studios, original Blackheart guitarist Eric Ambel was replaced by Ricky Byrd. It is Jett’s most successful album to date with over 10 million copies sold, largely due to the success of the title track, which was released as a single soon after the album was released.
Joan Jett saw “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” performed on TV in 1976 and was taken away by the song. It was a staple of her set list for 7 years before the album was recorded.
Jett commented that “People worried that I didn’t change the words in ‘Crimson and Clover’ to ‘him’ from ‘her’. It was only because that wouldn’t have rhymed.”
Early copies of the album released during December 1981 ended with the track “Little Drummer Boy”. However, after the holiday season passed, the track was replaced by the newly-recorded “Oh Woe Is Me” on most pressings. The LP saw a vinyl reissue in 2009 containing both “Little Drummer Boy”, “Oh Woe Is Me”, and the rehearsal version of “You Don’t Know What You’ve Got” that was the original B-side to Boardwalk Records issues of the “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” single. It was possible to acquire “Oh Woe Is Me” without purchasing a replacement album, as it was also released as the B-side of the “Crimson and Clover” single.
The album contains several cover songs, including: “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” (originally by Arrows), “Nag” (The Halos), “Crimson and Clover” (Tommy James & The Shondells), “Bits and Pieces” (The Dave Clark Five), “You’re Too Possessive” (The Runaways), “Little Drummer Boy” (The Harry Simeone Chorale and other artists), and bonus tracks “Louie Louie” (Richard Berry, later performed by The Kingsmen) and “Summertime Blues” (Eddie Cochran).
“Summertime Blues” was originally left off the vinyl LP, and Boardwalk passed on releasing it as a single, but it was leaked to rock radio stations and became a Most Added listing (which Kenny Laguna said infuriated Boardwalk president Neil Bogart). The song was eventually released as a one-sided single in Canada and as a 12-inch single in Australia (accompanied by “Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)”).
The initial CD release was in 1992 on Blackheart Records and featured 13 tracks. The album was digitally remastered and reissued on CD in 1998 and featured two additional bonus tracks.
Track listings
Side one
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker 2:55
2. “(I’m Gonna) Run Away” Joan Jett, Kenny Laguna 2:27
3. “Love Is Pain” Jett 3:07
4. “Nag” Arthur Crier 2:46
5. “Crimson and Clover” Tommy James, Peter Lucia Jr. 3:17
Side two
No. Title Writer(s) Length
6. “Victim of Circumstance” Jett, Laguna 2:54
7. “Bits and Pieces” Dave Clark, Mike Smith 2:07
8. “Be Straight” Jett, Greg Kihn, Laguna 2:40
9. “You’re Too Possessive” Jett 3:35
10. “Little Drummer Boy” Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati, Harry Simeone