Song · Electric Light Orchestra
“Roll Over Beethoven” by Electric Light Orchestra
From the album Electric Light Orchestra II (1973)
“Roll Over Beethoven” by Electric Light Orchestra appears on 7 radio countdowns from 6 stations between 2004 and 2020. It was first released in 1973 on the album Electric Light Orchestra II. Its best result is #220 on the WXPN 885 Greatest Rock Songs (2012). In the combined RockLists rankings it is #1,759 classic rock song of all time.
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Leave it to a rock band with a string section to take Chuck Berry at his word. "Roll Over Beethoven", his 1956 plea for rock and roll and rhythm and blues to get the respect classical music enjoys, turns up on Electric Light Orchestra II in 1973 with the strings dragged right into the argument: Mike Edwards and Colin Walker on cello, Wilfred Gibson on violin, and Bev Bevan pounding drums and percussion underneath.
Jeff Lynne produced it and sings lead, he and Richard Tandy both play guitar, harmonium and Moog, and Tandy adds piano. Michael d'Albuquerque plays bass and joins Tandy on backing vocals. Berry wrote the song because his sister Lucy kept claiming the family piano for classical pieces when he wanted to play pop, which makes a sawing rock orchestra covering it a pretty good joke.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
RockLists rankings
Classic Rock
All Rock Formats
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 241 | 92.3 KGON | KGON Top 923 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2004) | 923 |
| 2011 | 498 | 97.9 The Loop | The Loop Rock N Roll 500 (2011) | 500 |
| 2011 | 771 | 100.7 WZLX | 100.7 WZLX Top 1100 Countdown (2011) | 1100 |
| 2012 | 797 | 100.7 WZLX | 100.7 WZLX Top 1200 Countdown (2012) | 1200 |
| 2012 | 220 | WXPN | WXPN 885 Greatest Rock Songs (2012) | 885 |
| 2014 | 628 | Big 100 | BIG 1000 New Year's Countdown (2014) | 1000 |
| 2020 | 1014 | 102.5 KZOK | KZOK Classic Rock Top 1025 (2020) | 1025 |
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