"The Heart of Rock & Roll"
Artwork for U.S. and continental European releases
Single by Huey Lewis and the News
from the album Sports
B-side"Workin' for a Livin'" (Live)[1]
ReleasedApril 10, 1984
Recorded1983
GenreRock
Length5:01 (album version)
3:58 (single version)
LabelChrysalis
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News singles chronology
"I Want a New Drug"
(1984)		 "The Heart of Rock & Roll"
(1984)		 "If This Is It"
(1984)

"The Heart of Rock & Roll" is a song performed by Huey Lewis and the News, released as the third single from their 1983 album Sports in 1984. The single peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

Background

The song was inspired by a gig the band played in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland, at the time was known for its rock scene, but the band remained defiant of this claim believing their hometown of San Francisco had the better scene. After playing the show Lewis relented, with initially the title phrase being "The heart of rock and roll is in Cleveland", based on a comment Lewis made to the band, but he changed it to "The heart of rock and roll is still beating". According to him the message of the song is "There's real rock and roll in other places than LA or New York."[2]

The B-side to the single is a live version of "Workin' for a Livin'".[1] The music video was recorded in March 1984 featuring skits with the band as well as footage of concerts filmed in New York City and Los Angeles.[3]

Upon the suggestion of their record company, the band produced various regional versions of the single in which, after mention of Detroit toward the end of the song, Lewis calls out one or more cities not in the lyrics of the album version (e.g. New Haven, St. Louis, Toronto).[4][5]

Reception

Christopher Connelly of Rolling Stone said "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."[6]

At the first annual MTV Video Music Awards, which aired on September 14, 1984, the song was nominated for "Best Group Video", losing to ZZ Top's "Legs".[3] The song was also nominated for Record of the Year at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards, losing to Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do with It".[3] The group performed the song at the ceremony.[3]

In April 2009, Blender magazine listed it sixth on its list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever".[7]

Personnel

  • Huey Lewis - lead vocals, harmonica
  • Mario Cipollina - bass
  • Johnny Colla - rhythm guitar, saxophone, backing vocals
  • Bill Gibson - drums
  • Chris Hayes - lead guitar
  • Sean Hopper - keyboards

Chart performance

Chart (1984) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) 58
Canadian RPM 50 Singles[8][9] 8
German Singles Chart[10] 71
New Zealand Singles Chart[11] 21
US Billboard Hot 100[12] 6
US Billboard Album Rock Tracks[13] 5
Chart (1986) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[14] 49
Year-end chart (1984)Rank
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[15] 44

Music video

The music video was a complicated video to produce, according to director Edd Griles. "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.[16] Also, Lewis's wife was expecting a baby, which caused delays and problems.[16]

Clips from several 1950s rock 'n roll greats (in chronological order): Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Bill Haley, Roy Orbison, Little Richard, and Chuck Berry (and his famous "duckwalk").

References

  1. 1 2 "Huey Lewis And The News - The Heart Of Rock & Roll". ultratop.be. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
  2. ↑ Reader, Adam (December 26, 2020). Huey Lewis on the Story of 80s hit "The Heart of Rock and Roll" from Sports. Professor of Rock. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Huey Lewis and the News: World Tour 1986 tour book
  4. ↑ "Question of the Week – Official Huey Lewis and the News Website". Retrieved 2023-11-23.
  5. ↑ "Cities mentioned in Huey Lewis' "Heart of Rock and Roll"". Straight Dope Message Board. 2009-06-09. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
  6. ↑ "Huey Lewis and the News: Sports : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
  7. ↑ "Run for Your Life! It's the 50 Worst Songs Ever!". blender.com. Alpha Media Group Inc. Archived from the original on 2009-12-31. Retrieved 2010-03-28.
  8. ↑ "RPM Top Singles - Volume 40, No. 18, July 07 1984". Library and Archives Canada. collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  9. ↑ "RPM Top Singles - Volume 40, No. 19, July 15, 1984". Library and Archives Canada. collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  10. ↑ "Huey Lewis And The News, The Heart Of Rock & Roll". charts.de. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  11. ↑ "charts.nz - Huey Lewis And The News - The Heart Of Rock & Roll". charts.nz. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  12. ↑ "Huey Lewis & the News Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Huey Lewis & the News Chart History: Mainstream Rock". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  14. ↑ "The Official Charts Company - Huey Lewis And The News - The Heart Of Rock And Roll". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  15. ↑ "Talent Almanac 1985: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. December 22, 1984. p. TA-19.
  16. 1 2 "The Official Huey Lewis and the News Newsletter: Newsline". hln.org. Retrieved 2009-03-20.
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