Rock and Roll Music
The Beach Boys Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning

Just let me hear some of that rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it
It's got a backbeat you can't lose it
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me



I have no kicks against modern jazz
Unless they try to play it too darned fast
And change the beauty of the melody
Until it sound just like a symphony

That's why I go for that rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it
It's got a backbeat you can't lose it
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me

I took my loved one over 'cross the tracks
So she could hear my man a-wailin' sax
I must admit they have a rockin' band
Man they was blowing like a hurricane

That's why I go for that rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it
It's got a backbeat you can't lose it
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me

Way down south they gave a jubilee
I tell you folks they had a jamboree
And drinking beer from a wooden cup
The folks a-dancin' got all shook up

They started playing that rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it
It's got a backbeat you can't lose it
Any old way you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me
Say if you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me

If you wanna dance with me
It's gotta be some of that

Overall Meaning

Rock and roll music was a genre of music that revolutionized the world in the 1950s and beyond. The Beach Boys' song Rock and Roll Music is an example of the band's mastery of the genre. The lyrics to the song celebrate the power of rock and roll music, explaining that it has a backbeat that is impossible to lose; it can be played any old time, and any old way. The song suggests that rock and roll is the best music to dance to, and it wouldn't be appropriate to try doing so to other genres.


The second verse of the song sees the singer critique other music genres, particularly modern jazz. The singer admits that he has nothing against jazz unless it's played too fast or in a way that tampers with the beauty of the melody. The singer then asserts that the reason he loves rock and roll is because of its simplicity, and anyone can enjoy it regardless of their musical background or preferences. The final verse of the song narrates an experience the singer had where he took his love interest to hear a band that was "blowing like a hurricane," and how the music made everyone dance so much that they "got all shook up."


Line by Line Meaning

Just let me hear some of that rock and roll music
I want to listen to rock and roll music.


Any old way you choose it
I'll listen to rock and roll music in whatever format you want to play it.


It's got a backbeat you can't lose it
The rhythm of rock and roll music makes it impossible to not move to.


Any old time you use it
Rock and roll music is perfect for any occasion.


It's gotta be rock and roll music
Nothing can compare to the greatness of rock and roll music.


If you wanna dance with me
If you want to have a good time and dance, we need to listen to rock and roll music.


I have no kicks against modern jazz
I don't have anything against modern jazz music.


Unless they try to play it too darned fast
Except when they play it so fast that it loses its beauty.


And change the beauty of the melody
When modern jazz is played too fast, it loses the original beauty of the melody.


Until it sound just like a symphony
When modern jazz is played too fast, it starts to sound like a symphony instead of jazz.


I took my loved one over 'cross the tracks
I took my significant other to listen to some music in a different part of town.


So she could hear my man a-wailin' sax
I wanted my loved one to hear the amazing saxophone player I know.


I must admit they have a rockin' band
I have to say that the band was really talented and played really well.


Man they was blowing like a hurricane
The band was playing so energetically and loudly that it sounded like a hurricane.


Way down south they gave a jubilee
In the South, they had a big celebration and party.


I tell you folks they had a jamboree
The celebration was a lively and fun jamboree for everyone.


And drinking beer from a wooden cup
People were having a good time drinking beer out of wooden cups.


The folks a-dancin' got all shook up
The people dancing were having so much fun that they were getting all shook up with excitement.


They started playing that rock and roll music
The music changed to rock and roll, and everyone started dancing even more.


Say if you wanna dance with me
If you want to have fun dancing with me, we need to listen to some rock and roll music.


It's gotta be some of that rock and roll music
We can only have a true dance party with some great rock and roll music.




Lyrics © ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP
Written by: Chuck Berry

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Priyadarshini Modak

Just let me hear some of that rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it
It's got a backbeat you can't lose it
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me

I have no kicks against modern jazz
Unless they try to play it too darned fast
And change the beauty of the melody
Until it sounds just like a symphony

That's why I go for that rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it
It's got a backbeat you can't lose it
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me

I took my loved one over 'cross the tracks
So she could hear my man a-wailin' sax
I must admit they have a rockin' band
Man they was blowing like a hurricane

That's why I go for that rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it
It's got a backbeat you can't lose it
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me

Way down south they gave a jubilee
I tell you folks they had a jamboree
And drinking beer from a wooden cup
The folks a-dancin' got all shook up

They started playing that rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it
It's got a backbeat you can't lose it
Any old way you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me

Say if you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me
If you wanna dance with me
It's gotta be some of that
If you wanna dance with me



Topazthecat

+General Snuggles I never liked The Beach Boys that much,I don't dislike them either though.But really,all of their 1960's hit songs were non-rocking beach surfing hits,and the early Beatles hit songs like I Want To Hold Your Hand,She Loves You,I Saw Her Standing There from early 1963,Can't Buy Me Love,You Can't Do That from early 1964, and I Feel Fine,She's A Woman from late 1964,I'm Down from 1965 etc,are much harder rocking than anything out at the time especially the 1963 and early 1964 songs,including those Beach Boys beach surfing hits.I never heard the Pet Sounds album,but everyone who did describes it as a pop,not rock album.




And see what poster Ed Sulivan says in the comments here about how obviously better The Beatles version of the rock n roll song, I Wanna Be Your Man they wrote and gave to The Rolling Stones,which was one of their first hits,was much better,and what he says about how this comparison becomes doubly true between The Beach Boys version of the cover Rock & Roll Music and what is presented on The Beatles For Sale album,and he rightfully said that The Beatles are obviously in a class by themselves.


http://www.popmatters.com/feature/115747-re-meet-the-beatles-the-records-day-one-1963-1964/



TnseWlms

It's got a back beat, you can't lose it,
So how can you refuse it?
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it,
In the middle of Massachusetts.
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it,
So please try not to abuse it.
It's gotta be rock and roll music
If you wanna dance with me.
IIIIIIf you wanna dance with me.



All comments from YouTube:

Neal Marshall

Love how Brian saves the bass groove for the verse. Gives the song more Beach Boy Vibe!

philip norris

An excellent version of one of the seminal songs of the Rock Era, unfortunately rarely heard these days.

Cockney Red

I absolutely LOVE this version,the bass is superb.

Anthony Loberti

This is my favorite version- hands down!

Cold Turkey

umm no this is no rock and roll

Matthew Bryson

You are correct. I'm three days into this shit.

TJ

You’re trippin if you think this is better than the Beatles 😂😂😂😂😂

Dave Wollenberg

The Boys hit #5 in Billboard, 8-14-76. God bless ya, for postin' it. Thanx! RIP, Dennis and Carl Wilson.

Tanboter

Berry's version is easily the best for me. Even back then, Berry's voice had a certain age to it that fit the song perfectly.

Jennifer Michaud

i like the beatles version better too, but this version still rocks too! and of course, berry beats all :D

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