Songful Style: “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll!”

Mother Nature just doesn’t like Indiana right now. That’s the only conclusion I can draw. My hyacinths were coming up so nicely, and then she hit us with snow and freezing temperatures. Now, I’ve had snowy hyacinths before, and they’ve survived. This time, nope, no way! My poor hyacinths are all drooped over and just so sad. I probably should google what to do so I have them next year! This week was another when we had highs in the high 80s (31C) one day and a drop to the 40s (4.4C) the next day. Thursday night, we had good old fashioned thunderstorms. Unfortunately, our house is brick (and I’m old) so I couldn’t hear it hitting on the siding the way I could in all our other homes. Anyway, welcome to the last Monday in March and another edition of Songful Style! Suzy and Shelbee decided to riff (see what I did there) on Style Imitating Art only with music! Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, Suzy of Suzy Turner, and I make up the bloggers in this group. You can find all of us on our blogs and Instagram.  Our ensembles (pun intended) may be inspired by the lyrics of a song, the artwork of the album cover, maybe the MTV video, or even a memory the song evokes. I chose this month’s song. Last time, Suzy selected “Carry On Wayward Son” by Kansas. Oh, and there’s a link party, too!

The artist…

The “Godmother of Punk,” Joan Jett, was born on September 22, 1958 in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia.  The oldest of three children, her father, James Larkin, was an insurance salesman, and her mother, Dorothy, was a secretary.   When she was around 10, the family moved to Rockville, Maryland.  It was here she got her first guitar when she was 13.  She took a few lessons but quit because her instructor wanted to teach her folk songs.  The family then made a huge move across the country to West Covina, California in Los Angeles County.  This gave her the chance to pursue her music.  Not long after the move, her parents divorced.  It was at this time, Joan changed her name to Joan Jett.  She thought it sounded more like a rock star than Joan Larkin.  I happen to agree with her.  I guess she used to tell people it was her mom’s maiden name, but she admitted recently that’s just what she used to tell people.  Her favorite night spot was Rodney Bingenheimer’s English Disco which delivered on the glam rock style she loved. 

A little more…

When Jett was 16, she founded the Runaways with drummer, Sandy West.  Micki Steele,  singer and bass player, was soon replaced by Jackie Fox, Lita Ford, and Cherie Currie.  This was the classic lineup most people think of when they hear of the Runaways.  At first, Currie was the frontman, but Jett began sharing lead while playing rhythm guitar.  Jett also wrote or co-wrote some of the bands material along with the other three.  They recorded three albums.  The band toured around the world and opened for Cheap Track the Ramones, Van Halen, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.  They were especially successful in Japan as well as in Europe, Australia, Canada, and South America.  Unfortunately, that success did not translate to the US.  Currie left the band which released two more records.  While touring in the UK in 1976, Jett first heard “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll,” seeing the Arrows perform it on their weekly show Arrows.  The Runaways disbanded in 1979.  Jett returned to Los Angeles in order to complete a film loosely based on the Runaways’ career (We’re All Crazee Now!).  Three actresses were chosen for the band members who had left the band.  About halfway through the project, it was discarded due to Jett falling ill.  In 1984, after gaining fame, the producers decided to use some of the footage and produced an underground film called Du-beat-eo.  It was never commercially released. 

Still more…

While pursuing a solo career, Jett recorded three songs in England with the Sex Pistols’ Paul Cook and Steve Jones, including an early version of “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.  Also at this time, Jett met songwriter and producer, Kenny Laguna.  He had been hired by her manager, Toby Mamis to help with writing some tracks for the film.  They became friends and decided to work together so Jett moved to Long Beach, NY where Laguna was based.  The two created their own independent record label, Blackheart Records which was funded by Laguna’s daughter’s college fund.  I sure hope they reimbursed that with lots of interest!  They released varied artists like thrash metal band Metal Church and rapper Big Daddy Kane.  Together, Jett and Laguna recorded Jett’s self-titled solo debut (released by Ariola Records) at the Who’s Ramport Studios.  The album was released in Europe on May 17, 1980.  It was rejected by 23 major labels so the duo released it independently on the Blackheart Records label.  I’m a little confused at this point by the timeline. It would seem Blackheart Records was maybe a pipedream until Jett’s album was rejected so many times, and then they started it up and released the groups’ albums mentioned above.  Laguna helped Jett form the Blackhearts, her backup band.  The group has seen many lineup changes with only Jett and Lagune being constant members.  In 1981, Jett first appeared on film in the live concert film, Urgh! A Music War, recorded at the Ritz in New York City.  Another concert in NYC, at the Palladium, was a turning point for the Jett and the Blackhearts.  Many described it as a career-defining performance.  What it did was to solidify a very strong NYC following for Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.   

Even more…

The group recorded the second studio album, I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll after a year of touring and recording.  There were some lineup changes within the group, but the new guitarist said, “…everything clicked.”  The first single was, of course, our song, “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.’  The single was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks in a row during the first half of 1982.  It is Billboard’s No. 56 song of all time and has also been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2016.  The group followed up with Album (1983) and Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth (1984).  Several Top 40 hits followed as well as sellout tours with the Police, Queen, and Aerosmith. 

Acting…

Jett next turned her sight to acting and starred in the movie, Light of Day (1987) alongside Michael J Fox.  They were siblings who just so happened to perform in a rock band.  Initially the movie was written with Bruce Springsteen in mind.  And, although the Boss rejected the role, he did write the song, “Light of Day” for the movie.  The movie, itself, received mixed reviews, but Jett’s performance was critically acclaimed by Roger Ebert and Janet Maslin.  Ebert said, “she (Jett) matched her acting to co-star Gena Rowlands, calling it ‘the most surprisingly good  performance.’”  Maslin wrote, “Miss Jett is good too, snapping her way angrily through confrontational scenes and musical ones alike, and taking a sentimental turn just when the story does.“

A skosh more…

In 1988, the group released Up Your Alley.  This album went multi-platinum and contained the single, “I Hate Myself for Loving You.”  I often sing this song after eating too much ice cream or cookies!  This peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and has been used as the theme song for Sunday Night NFL games in America during the 2006 and 2007 seasons.  Jett also co-wrote the song, “House of Fire” which is on Alice Cooper’s 1989 album, Trash.

The 90s…

During the 90s, Jett continued to perform, record and guest star on various movies and tv shows, including the first season of “Highlander: The Series.”  She also produced albums for other bands.  The new century saw Jett appearing on Broadway in The Rocky Horror Show as Columbia.  She also appeared on Walker, Texas Ranger, as well as the film, By Hook or by Crook.  She also hosted a showcase of new film and video shorts, Independent Eye for Maryland Public Television.  The duo, Jett and Laguna, celebrated the 25^th anniversary of Blackheart Records with a sold out show at Manhattan’s Webster Hall.  She and Laguna continued to book and record various bands.  In 2007, Steven Van Zandt got her to host her own radio show on Van Zandt’s Underground Garage, a radio channel on Sirius Satellite Radio.  She hosted a four hour show called Joan Jett’s Radio Revolution which was broadcast every Saturday and Sunday.  It moved to a different location on the Sirius network and was cancelled in June 2008.  Jett continued to produce, record and release records, tour, and guest star on movies and television shows through the rest of the 2000s.

A new century…

The next decade saw Jett as the executive producer for the film, The Runaways, which showcased the band’s career.  Written and directed by Floria Sigismondi, the movie had to be filmed around Twilight’s Kristen Stewart’s filming schedule of the other movies in that trilogy.  Stewart played Jett in the film.  On May 14, 2021 Z2 Comics released two graphic novels called Joan Jettt and the Blackhearts – 40×40: Bad Reputation/I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll  to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of Jett’s first two albums and to bring Jett’s “songs to life as 20 vivid stories” by  The novels were written by female writers, and artists in the comic book industry.  The books were released in November 2021.  On March 25, 2022, the first acoustic album, Changeup, ever recorded by the band was released and included “Bad Reputation” and “Crimson and Clover.”  The summer of 2022 saw Jett playing a post pandemic welcome back concert in honor of first responders at the Nassau County Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre.  The concert set a record of 27,000 attendees.  On June 2, 2023, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts released Mindsets, a six song EP which was the band’s first release of new material in ten years. 

Other interests…

Jett is a long-time animal rights activist and supports People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).  On Valentine’s Day 2022, PETA created a (Black) Heart-Shaped Pizza as a limited collaboration with a Los Angeles pizza shop, PIZZANISTA!  She has worked with members of the punk rock band, the Gits, whose lead singer and lyricist, Mia Zapata, had been raped and murdered in 1993.  The collaboration produced a live album, Evil Stig and a single, “Bob.”  The earnings from these were used to investigate Zapata’s murder.  The band and Jett appeared on America’s Most Wanted, asking for help in solving the murder.  The case was solved in 2004 when the murderer was placed on trial and convicted.  Jett is also an avid sports fan and is actively involved in the sports world.  Her songs have been used for wrestling as well as Women’s Basketball.  She supplied theme songs for the ESPN X Games premiere and has contributed music to all their games since.  She sang the US national anthem at the Baltimore Oriole’s game (at Cal Ripken, Jr’s request) when he tied Lou Gehrig’s record for consecutive games played. I remember watching that game!  She also sang the national anthem at the final game played at Memorial Stadium.  In June 2016, Jett was the first to sign Billboard magazine’s Open Letter on Gun Violence following the deadly Pulse nightclub shooting which left 49 dead.  This letter demanded Congress enact gun control legislation, specifically universal background checks.  Lady Gaga was next and followed by nearly 200 other musicians and music industry executives.

Source…

Wikipedia

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts has a website, but it is more for tour dates than history.

The song…

What it means…

Well, I guess they didn’t have to spend too much time learning the lyrics for this one, right? But, dang! It’s one of those songs that just makes you want to get up and move, isn’t it? If you’re me, though, and born without a groove bone, it’s kinda embarrassing should anyone see you dancing! OK, so onto what it means. You might think it’s just a song about someone who really likes rock and roll, and you’d be right. But, it was actually written as a counter-argument to the Rolling Stones’ “It’s Only Rock and Roll.” The lead singer, Alan Merrill, of the British band, the Arrows, was a little put out by the Stones’ song, thinking it was a denigration of rock and roll. He felt that Mick Jagger had become a little too taken with the uppity crowd he was hanging with and was mocking what rock and roll was. Does that convoluted explanation make sense? Basically, Merrill wrote a counterargument to Jagger’s thought that it’s only rock and roll and not that important. I should have just said that, right?

The video…

Interesting covers…

Well, I’ll give them a B for effort, but the lead singer just doesn’t deliver. The rest of the band seems pretty good…especially the guitar solo. I know it’s probably hard for a guy to sing such an iconic song, but this one is mediocre at best.

Hmmm…it never bodes well when my attention is caught first by her eyeliner, then her dimple, and then the dude in the back with the long curly hair. It’s like Marcia Brady dressed up as Joan Jett for Halloween. The vocals just aren’t raspy enough, either, though I’ll give her credit for the “ow” part. She tried.

I really, really, really dislike YouTube videos that are just a static photo. I mean, they’re beautiful women, but c’mon, it’s a video! That being said, they do an amazingly rough and raspy version. The backing band is gritty, too.

This version screams, “Glee!” to me. Sometimes, I read the comments just to see if there’s anything there. Apparently, lots of people really like this girl, but there were times I really wondered if she was lip syncing. And, there’s no grit or real emotion to her singing. It’s a hard pass for me.

Welp…I’m not quite sure what to say about this one. It’s Britney doing Britney does Joan Jett. But, dang, that girl had amazing abs! The song? She sings it, but it’s easy to see she’s just putting on a show rather than feeling it. And, I wonder who had to clean up that mess when it was over.

The band that started it all! I love the hair, the clothes, the grainy images. And, even though it’s not the raspy, gritty version Joan did, I still like it.

My interpretation…

Like I do with everything, I never think about what I’m going to wear when I pick something out. I just really love this song and figured the video would give me some ideas. Hahaha!!! I was pretty sure I would wear my black leather jacket, but I wasn’t sure what to wear with it. The one big thing that stood out to me from the official video was it’s shot in black and white. So, I decided to do the same. I’m wearing Old Navy barrel jeans in either the black wash or the grey wash. Honestly, I’m not even sure if these are the same jeans because I got mine last fall. The Luxe Crew tee is also black and from Old Navy. The leather jacket is really, really old. I got it at the NSale when we first moved down here. It has fabric on the inside of the arms. I’m not sure if that makes them less or more comfortable. But, I’ll tell you this leather is like buttah! It is the softest leather jacket I’ve ever owned. If you look closely at the video, every once in a while, Joan is wearing a scarf tied around her neck. Talbots has this beautiful print called “Exquisite Blooms.” I love the print, but I didn’t like anything in it until I found this scarf. I knew square neckerchiefs were trending, and I had a reward on top of some kind of sale. That meant this scarf cost me next to nothing.

The Lewk!

I was positive Joan would either be wearing sleek black leather boots or some kick a$$ boots like my beloved Suzette boots from L’Artiste. Unfortunately, they don’t make them anymore. You might find them on a resale site, but I don’t ever link to those. I decided to go easy on accessories because Joan isn’t wearing much, either. I just added these Keziah Hoops from Kendra Scott. I would have been wearing big hoops earrings when this song came out so I’m doing it again!

Wrap it up, Marsha!

For some reason, I thought Joan Jett was a 70s rocker. But, she was definitely more in the 80s. Jett was included on Rolling Stone’s 2003 and 2023 lists of the greatest guitarists of all time.  “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” has become Joan Jett’s signature song and is easily recognized the world over. Now that I’ve planted this earworm in your head, let’s talk! So, can we talk? Were you aware Jett was an actress as well as a singer? What did you think of the movie, “The Runaways?” Are you a fan of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Please leave me a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise to respond as quickly as I can.

Thank you!

Thank you so very much for reading today’s post. I hope you enjoyed it. I also very much appreciate those of you who comment, email and/or subscribe. It’s what keeps me going! If you’d like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me here.

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Where you can find me:

Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style,  Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, Suzy Turner, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World. I also link up with I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, Style Splash and Elegantly Dressed and Stylish as well as the Senior Salon Pit Stop (Esme’s Salon) and Slices of Life. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month as well as the Global Writing Challenge on the second Thursday. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend every Thursday with Melynda, Lisa, Cat, and Rena. I also host Final Fridays on the last Friday of the month as well as 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!

And, now, it’s your turn!

Please link up your favorite posts, DIY, baking, gardening, fashion…you name it…as long as it’s family friendly! Link up with me, visit a couple of others, and leave a comment or two! No worries if you don’t have a blog, just look around! You may find a new blog just waiting for you!

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