Night Music: Arrows, “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll”

So Ritchie Cordell, who wrote I Think We’re Alone Now, produced the Joan Jett and the Blackhearts cover (in 1981) of I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll, which became a number one hit that kind of established Jett as one of the crowd.

What I didn’t know is that the article-free Arrows wrote the song in 1975, supposedly in response to the Stones’ It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (and I like it). For whatever reason, Arrows version didn’t hit, but it did get them notice and a TV show. Joan Jett, in England, saw the TV show, loved the song and recorded it with Cook and Jones from the Sex Pistols, which became a b-side.

Two years later, with Cordell, the Blackhearts did a version that became a hit. Good for everyone.

Still, Arrow’s version is well worth savoring. The bones are strong.

Of course there is a little more amp to the Joan Jett version.

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