Song:Old Time Rock & Roll
Album:Greatest Hits
Old Time Rock & Roll is not Bob Seger's biggest hit. But it is one of his most memorable songs because it appeared in a famous scene in the 1983 film Risky Business. It's a song that transcends chart performance. Seger was around the Detroit music scene for a long time before he became a star in the mid-70s. He was born May 6, 1945 in Dearborn, MI and grew up in Ann Arbor. Seger started out in the early 60s with bands like The Decibels, The Town Criers and Doug Brown & The Omens. He left The Omens in 1966 and signed with Cameo-Parkway as Bob Seger & The Last Heard. The band was poised to break out when Cameo-Parkway went out of business in 1967. He signed with Capitol as Bob Seger System and Ramblin' Gamblin' Man was his first national hit in 1968. It reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album did OK but the follow up albums did poorly. The band split up and after an unsuccessful solo album, Seger left Capitol and toured with Teegarden & Van Winkle. He formed a new band and recorded two albums for Reprise but it didn't work out. Seger formed the Silver Bullet Band in 1974 and returned to Capitol. His commercial breakthrough was with the 1976 album Live Bullet which was recorded at Cobo Hall in Detroit. His album Night Moves was even bigger and the title song was Seger's first top five single. The album was certified 6XPlatinum. His 1978 album Stranger In Town was even bigger. Old Time Rock & Roll only reached #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 but charted a second time when it was in a key scene in the 1983 film Risky Business, the film that made Tom Cruise a star. The song is also ranked #2 on the Top 40 Jukebox Singles of All Time by the Amusement & Music Operators Association and was name one of the Songs Of The Century in 2001. Old Time Rock & Roll is much bigger than its chart position. The song was written by veteran Muscle Shoals house songwriter George Jackson. Seger frequently recorded with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and they sent him a demo of the song. Seger says he kept the chorus but rewrote the verses but took no credit. He didn't think the song would go anywhere. At first the Silver Bullet Band didn't like the song but the audience reaction sold them on it. Seger's success continued through the 80s but he faded by the 90s. He continued to be a very strong live draw. This budget comp is the only comp released to date by Capitol. They should probably do a box set. Bob Seger took a ten year break to raise his family and returned with the 2006 CD Face The Promise. He was inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2004. He is currently touring and has a new CD coming soon. The first single Downtown Train was released last month. There's nothing complicated about Bob Seger's brand of rock. But he sure is durable. Here's the video for Old Time Rock & Roll by Bob Seger.
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