Music / Rock 'n' Roll City

Rock 'n' Roll City is a collaborative/cover album by Mike Love of The Beach Boys and Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean as a duo named Jan & Dean. The album also features other artists and could be compared to a Various Artists compilation.

It was first released in 1983 (exclusively available at Radioshack) to no commercial success. After The Beach Boys did a cover of "California Dreaming" which brought them back into the charts, Rock 'n' Roll city was rereleased with that cover to a much bigger commercial reception. There are two other versions of the album: Rock 'n' Roll Again (same tracklist, minus "California Dreaming") and "Listen To The Air" (same tracklist and a cover of The Hollywood Argyles' "Alley Oop" in addition).

Some of the producers include Curt Boettcher, an innovator in the Sunshine Pop genre who kept collaborating with former stars of the sixties, and Daryl Dragon who is mostly known as the Captain from Captain & Tennille.

Tracklist

1. "Lightning Strikes" (originally by Gidea Park; covered by Mike & Dean)
2. "Walk Away Renee" (originally by The Left Banke; covered by The Association)
3. "The Letter" (originally by The Box Tops; covered by Mike Love)
4. "The Locomotion" (originally by Little Eva; covered by Mike Love)
5. "Sealed With A Kiss" (originally by The Four Voices; covered by The Ripchords)
6. "Sugar Shack" (originally by Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs; covered by Mike Love)
7. "96 Tears" (originally by ? & The Mysterians; covered by Paul Revere & The Raiders)
8. "California Dreaming" (originally by The Mamas & The Papas; covered by The Beach Boys)
9. "Baby Talk" (originally by Jan & Dean; covered by Dean Torrence)
10. "Wild Thing" (originally by The Truggs; covered by Dean Torrence)
11. "Da Doo Ron Ron" (originally by The Crystals; covered by Mike Love)
12. "Her Boyfriend's Back (originally "My Boyfriend's Back" by The Angels; covered by Mike & Dean)

Rock 'n' Roll Tropes:

• Big Applesauce: The cover art depicting the Manhattan bridge.
• Cover Album
• The Cover Changes the Gender: "Da Doo Ron Ron" substitutes the love interest named Bill with Jill and "Her Boyfriend's Back" is the gender adaptation of a song called "My Boyfriend's Back".
• Cover Version: Only one song is covered by its original artist (Dean on "Baby Talk").
  • The cover of Gidea Park's "Lightning Strikes" features the band's frontman Adrian Baker on the chorus.
  • The "Sugar Shack" cover is particular in the way that the release of the original song prevented The Beach Boys from getting their first chart-topper with "Surfin' USA". This cover's outro showcases the "Shortenin' Bread riff", named after the nursery rhyme which was a constant obsession of Brian Wilson since the seventies.
  • "The Letter" was previously covered by The Beach Boys on their discarded in-studio live album "Lei'd In Hawaii". "Da Doo Ron Ron" was also covered by the band to no release.
• Face on the Cover: Mike and Dean posing in front of a car and the Manhattan Bridge.
• Location Song: "California Dreaming".
• Location Theme Naming: Rock 'n' Roll City (and judging by the cover, it could refere to New York City)
• One-Man Song: "Her Boyfriend's Back".
• One-Woman Song: "Walk Away Renee".
• Puppy Love: "Baby Talk" is about two babies romancing.
• Scatting: "Da Doo Ron Ron"'s title is based on the first draft of the lyrics which included "da doo ron ron" as ad-lib.
• Special Guest: Curt Boettcher (known among Beach Boys fans for producing the disco rendition of "Here Comes The Night" on L.A. (Light Album)) and Daryl Dragon (known among Beach Boys fans as a touring keyboardist and frequent collaborator of Dennis Wilson) are both producers on the album.
• There's No Place Like Home: "California Dreaming"
  All the leaves are brown (all the leaves are brown)
  And the sky is gray
  I've been for a walk
  On a winter's day
  I'd be safe and warm
  If I was in L.A.
• Updated Re Release: With the addition of the Beach Boys cover of "California Dreaming" in an attempt to ride on the cover's success. Another version of the album called "Listen To The Air" includes another track.
• Vocal Range Exceeded: Mike's voice is obviously straining on his cover of "The Locomotion" as well as reaching his highest notes on the pre-chorus of "Lighting Strikes".