Rockin' Robin (song)

This article is about the song. For the wrestler, see Rockin' Robin (wrestler). For the character named Rockin' Robin, see The Radioactive Chicken Heads.

"Rockin' Robin" (originally released as "Rock-In Robin" on the Class Records 45 single) is a song written by Leon René under the pseudonym Jimmie Thomas, and recorded by American singer Bobby Day in 1958. It was Day's biggest hit single, becoming a number two hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and spent one week at the top of the R&B sales chart.^[4] Michael Jackson recorded his own version of the song in 1972, which also achieved success.

"Rockin' Robin"
Single by Bobby Day
from the album Rockin' with Robin
B-side	"Over and Over"
Released	1958
Genre	Rock and roll[1] doo-wop[2] novelty[3]
Length	2:31 (single version)
Label	Class
Songwriter(s)	Leon René
Producer(s)	Jimmie Thomas
Bobby Day singles chronology
"Rockin' Robin" (1958) "Over and Over" (1958)

Personnel

• Bobby Day – vocals
• Plas Johnson – piccolo^[5]
• Earl Palmer – drums^[6]
• Barney Kessel – guitar^[7]

Copyright status

"Rockin' Robin" is in the public domain, as the owners never renewed the copyright.^[8]

Charts

Chart performance for "Rockin' Robin"

Chart (1958)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[9]	9
Canada (CHUM Charts)[10]	3
US Billboard Hot 100[11]	2
US Billboard Rhythm & Blues Records[11]	1

Michael Jackson version

"Rockin' Robin"
Single by Michael Jackson
from the album Got to Be There
B-side	"Love Is Here and Now You're Gone"
Released	February 1972[12]
Studio	Motown Recording Studios (Los Angeles, California)[12]
Genre	Bubblegum pop[13]
Length	2:31
Label	Motown
Songwriter(s)	Leon René
Producer(s)	Mel Larson Jerry Marcellino
Michael Jackson singles chronology
"Got to Be There" (1971) "Rockin' Robin" (1972) "I Wanna Be Where You Are" (1972)
Official audio
"Rockin' Robin" on YouTube

In 1972, Michael Jackson released his own version of "Rockin' Robin", which was released as a single from his gold-certified solo album titled Got to Be There as a follow-up single to the song of the same name. It was the biggest hit from the album, hitting number 1 on the Cash Box singles chart and peaking at number two on both the Billboard Hot 100, behind "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack,^[14] and the Billboard soul singles chart, behind "In the Rain" by the Dramatics.^[15]

Record World said that "little Michael rocks in with a revival of the big Bobby Day hit of the rockin' 1950s".^[16]

Track listing

• A. "Rockin' Robin" – 2:30
• B. "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" – 2:51

Chart performance

Chart performance for "Rockin' Robin" by Michael Jackson

Chart (1972)	Peak position
Australia (Go-Set National Top 40)[17]	23
Australia (Kent Music Report)[18]	16
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[19]	13
Ireland (IRMA)[20]	16
Swedish Singles Chart (Kvällstoppen)[21]	1
UK Singles (OCC)[22]	3
US Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles[23]	2
US Billboard Hot 100[23]	2

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for "Rockin' Robin" by Michael Jackson

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[24]	Silver	200,000‡
United States	—	2,000,000[25]
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Lolly version

In 1999, English singer Lolly released a cover of "Rockin' Robin" as a double A-side single with "Big Boys Don't Cry". It was a top 10 hit on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 10 in December of that year and remaining on the chart for a total of 11 weeks.^[26]

See also

• List of 1950s one-hit wonders in the United States