Rockin' Roll Baby (song)

"Rockin' Roll Baby" is a song written by Linda Creed and Thom Bell and performed by The Stylistics. It reached #3 on the U.S. R&B chart, #6 on the UK Singles Chart, #14 on the U.S. pop chart, #44 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart, and #57 on the Canadian pop chart in 1974.^[1] It was featured as the title song from their 1973 eponymous album.^[2]

"Rockin' Roll Baby"
Single by The Stylistics
from the album Rockin' Roll Baby
B-side	"Pieces"
Released	October 1973 (1973-10)
Genre	Soul
Length	4:31 (album version) 3:17 (single edit)
Label	Avco
Songwriter(s)	Linda Creed, Thom Bell
Producer(s)	Thom Bell
The Stylistics singles chronology
"You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)" (1973) "Rockin' Roll Baby" (1973) "You Make Me Feel Brand New" (1974)
Official audio
"Rockin' Roll Baby" on YouTube

The song was arranged and produced by Thom Bell.^[3] Lead vocals are by Russell Thompkins Jr.

The song ranked #96 on Billboard magazine's Top 100 singles of 1974.^[4]

Lyrical content

The narrator, a hard-working touring musician, describes his infant son, a child prodigy, who was "born in a theater in Bluefield, West Virginia". Although only a toddler, "Little Joey" has great singing talent and has a "funky walk in his little orthopedic shoes." The musician is successful and buys a house in Beverly Hills, attributing his success to the child.

Other versions

• The Fleshtones released a version of the song on their 1999 album Hitsburg Revisited.^[5]

References

1. "The Stylistics, "Rockin' Roll Baby" Chart Positions". Retrieved April 5, 2019.
2. "The Stylistics, Rockin' Roll Baby". Discogs. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
3. "The Stylistics, "Rockin' Roll Baby" Single Release". Retrieved April 5, 2019.
4. "Top Pop Singles" (PDF). Billboard. New York, New York: Billboard Publications, Inc. December 28, 1974. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
5. "The Fleshtones, Hitsburg Revisited". Discogs. Retrieved April 5, 2019.