Pseudotsuga Menziesii

by | Mar 22, 2018 | Pseudotsuga Menziesii

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This article is about the song. For the wrestler, see Rockin' Robin (wrestler). For the character named Rockin' Robin, see The Radioactive Chicken Heads.

"Rockin' Robin" (originally released as "Rock-In Robin" on the Class Records 45 single) is a song written by Leon René under the pseudonym Jimmie Thomas, and recorded by American singer Bobby Day in 1958. It was Day's biggest hit single, becoming a number two hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and spent one week at the top of the R&B sales chart.[3] Michael Jackson recorded his own version of the song in 1972, which also achieved success.

Personnel

"Rockin' Robin" is in the public domain, as the owners never renewed the copyright.[7]

Charts

Chart performance for "Rockin' Robin"
Chart (1958) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 9
Canada (CHUM Charts)[9] 3
US Billboard Hot 100[10] 2
US Billboard Rhythm & Blues Records[10] 1

Michael Jackson version

In 1972, Michael Jackson released his own version of "Rockin' Robin", which was released as a single from his gold-certified solo album titled Got to Be There as a follow-up single to the song of the same name. It was the biggest hit from the album, hitting number 1 on the Cash Box singles chart and peaking at number two on both the Billboard Hot 100, behind "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack,[13] and the Billboard soul singles chart, behind "In the Rain" by the Dramatics.[14]

Record World said that "little Michael rocks in with a revival of the big Bobby Day hit of the rockin' 1950s".[15]

Track listing

Chart performance

Chart performance for "Rockin' Robin" by Michael Jackson
Chart (1972) Peak
position
Australia (Go-Set National Top 40)[16] 23
Australia (Kent Music Report)[17] 16
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[18] 13
Ireland (IRMA)[19] 16
Swedish Singles Chart (Kvällstoppen)[20] 1
UK Singles (OCC)[21] 3
US Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles[22] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[22] 2

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for "Rockin' Robin" by Michael Jackson
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] Silver 200,000‡
United States — 2,000,000[24]

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Lolly version

In 1999, English singer Lolly released a cover of "Rockin' Robin" as a double A-side single with "Big Boys Don't Cry". It was a top 10 hit on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 10 in December of that year and remaining on the chart for a total of 11 weeks.[25]

See also

References

  1. ^ Bush, John. "Rockin' Robin – Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  2. ^ Breihan, Tom (August 22, 2018). "The Number Ones: The Dave Clark Five's "Over And Over"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 12, 2023. Bobby Day wrote the song and used it as the B-side to his 1958 novelty hit "Rockin' Robin".
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 148.
  4. ^ de Heer, Dik (September 2015). "Plas Johnson". Rockabilly.nl. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
  5. ^ Scherman, Tony (1999). Backbeat: The Earl Palmer Story. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 174. ISBN 978-1-56098-844-1.
  6. ^ "Barney Kessel – Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  7. ^ Mersereau, Jeremy (October 30, 2015). "6 songs surprisingly in the public domain". A.Side TV. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  8. ^ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Chart Positions Pre 1989 Part 3". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  9. ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - August 11, 1958".
  10. ^ a b "Bobby Day – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  11. ^ a b Lecocq, Richard; Allard, François (2018). "Got to Be There". Michael Jackson All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London, England: Cassell. ISBN 9781788400572.
  12. ^ Breithaupt, Don; Breithaupt, Jeff (October 15, 1996). "Post-Nuclear Families: Bubblegum". Precious and Few - Pop Music in the Early '70s. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 23. ISBN 031214704X.
  13. ^ "The Hot 100". Billboard. April 22, 1972. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  14. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. April 15, 1972. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  15. ^ Record World staff (March 4, 1972). "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. p. 1. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  16. ^ "Go-Set Australian charts". Go-Set. July 22, 1972. Archived from the original on June 4, 2012.
  17. ^ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989, part 2". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  18. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7632." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  19. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Rockin' Robin". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  20. ^ "Kvällstoppen 18 Juli 1972 - Hela topplistan, se videos, lyssna på låtarna - NostalgiListan". NostalgiListan. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  21. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  22. ^ a b "Got to Be There – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  23. ^ "British single certifications – Michael Jackson – Rockin' Robin". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  24. ^ Michael Jackson the Solo Years. Authors On Line. 2003. ISBN 9780755200917.
  25. ^ "LOLLY | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
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