The Heart of Rock & Roll
Encyclopedia
"The Heart of Rock & Roll" is a song performed by Huey Lewis and the News
, released as the third single from their album Sports in 1984. The single peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
.
and Huey Lewis
. The lyrics part now sung as "The heart of rock and roll is still beating" was originally going to be "The heart of rock and roll is in Cleveland," in honor of a great concert the band had played in the city. The intro to the song is a piano being played backwards. The B-side to the single was a live version of a previous single by the band, "Workin' for a Livin'
."
Different versions of the single were sent to different radio markets, with Lewis ad libbing the names of nearby towns after his stock ad libs of "Cleveland! Detroit!"
believed that "a fancy-pants sax solo and some moronic lyrics sabotage the spirited "Heart of Rock & Roll" (it's still kicking, says Huey), which should have ended a minute and a half earlier."
In April 2009, Blender magazine
listed it as 6th in the "50 Worst Songs Ever".
. "The complications occurred when we filmed in New York for 13 hours straight on the Brooklyn Bridge and then later in Times Square. In Brooklyn, we had the camera in the helicopter, but the 'copter couldn't get in close enough and the bridge was windy, so the shot took a long time. In Times Square, it was only 21 degrees out and the band was dressed in either short sleeves or light jackets. As you know, filming takes time, lots of it, so Huey and the band were out there freezing their toes off in between takes," the director recalled. Also, Lewis' wife was expecting a baby, which also caused delays and problems.
Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually scoring a total of 19 top-ten singles across the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary and Mainstream Rock charts...
, released as the third single from their album Sports in 1984. The single peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
History
The song was written by bandmembers Johnny CollaJohnny Colla
Johnny Colla is one of the founding members of the American rock band, Huey Lewis and the News. He is the guitarist and saxophonist. He has been heavily involved in the San Francisco Bay Area music scene for more than 25 years.-Brief history:The first bands that Colla was involved with were the...
and Huey Lewis
Huey Lewis
Huey Lewis is an American musician, songwriter and occasional actor.Lewis sings lead and plays harmonica for his band Huey Lewis and the News, in addition to writing or co-writing many of the band's songs...
. The lyrics part now sung as "The heart of rock and roll is still beating" was originally going to be "The heart of rock and roll is in Cleveland," in honor of a great concert the band had played in the city. The intro to the song is a piano being played backwards. The B-side to the single was a live version of a previous single by the band, "Workin' for a Livin'
Workin' for a Livin'
"Workin' for a Livin" is a single by American rock band Huey Lewis and the News, released in 1982. Included on their 1982 album Picture This, the song peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks charts, and number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100.In 2007, Huey Lewis himself recorded the...
."
Different versions of the single were sent to different radio markets, with Lewis ad libbing the names of nearby towns after his stock ad libs of "Cleveland! Detroit!"
Reception
Reception for the song is mixed. Stephanie Thomas Erlewine of allmusic calls the song one of the songs on the album that has "memorable hooks, driven home with economical precision by a tight bar band, who are given just enough polish to make them sound like superstars." Christopher Connelly of Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
believed that "a fancy-pants sax solo and some moronic lyrics sabotage the spirited "Heart of Rock & Roll" (it's still kicking, says Huey), which should have ended a minute and a half earlier."
In April 2009, Blender magazine
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
listed it as 6th in the "50 Worst Songs Ever".
Music video
The music video was also a complicated video to produce, according to the director Edd GrilesEdd Griles
Edd Griles is an American television producer and music video director.-Early life:He was born to Pearl "Corky" Griles and Daniel Griles in New York City, and was raised in Astoria and Flushing, Queens.-Career:After graduating from School of Visual Arts in New York City, Griles began his...
. "The complications occurred when we filmed in New York for 13 hours straight on the Brooklyn Bridge and then later in Times Square. In Brooklyn, we had the camera in the helicopter, but the 'copter couldn't get in close enough and the bridge was windy, so the shot took a long time. In Times Square, it was only 21 degrees out and the band was dressed in either short sleeves or light jackets. As you know, filming takes time, lots of it, so Huey and the band were out there freezing their toes off in between takes," the director recalled. Also, Lewis' wife was expecting a baby, which also caused delays and problems.
Chart performance
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Charts | 58 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 9 |
| German Singles Chart | 71 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 21 |
| UK Singles Chart | 78 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 6 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Rock Tracks | 5 |
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
| UK Singles Chart (re-release) | 49 |