Righteous Rocker, Holy Roller / Peace, Pollution, Revolution [7-inch single]

Description

Righteous Rocker, Holy Roller – b/w “Peace, Pollution, Revolution” – is a two-sided 7-inch vinyl single by the American singer, songwriter, and producer Larry Norman, released in the UK on MGM Records in April 1972, manufactured and distributed by Polydor Records (catalogue number 2006-105). (The single was also released by MGM in the US and Canada.) Both tracks were produced by Larry Norman and Carol Hunter for Street Level Prods. Written and arranged by Norman.

“Righteous Rocker, Holy Roller” was originally entitled “Without Love You Are Nothing”, and the first version of the song was recorded by Larry Norman during his One Way sessions back in 1969. (That recording was included on Bootleg, a double album self-released by Norman in early 1972.) Another version entitled “Righteous Rocker, Holy Roller”, produced by Norman and Carol Hunter, was released as the MGM single. The song was later re-recorded as “Without Love You Are Nothing” for Larry Norman’s full-length album Only Visiting This Planet, released on MGM in late 1972. (It’s a laid-back, longer edition of length 3:33. When Only Visiting This Planet was re-issued by Larry Norman later on, he actually re-titled the track “Righteous Rocker #1”.) A short a capella version of the song was as well included on Larry Norman’s 1976 album In Another Land, this time entitled “Righteous Rocker #3”. The first version of “Peace, Pollution, Revolution”, the B-side of the MGM single, was featured on Larry Norman’s Street Level, an album self-released in 1970.

Both tracks from this MGM single were later included on the compilation Rebel Poet, Jukebox Balladeer: The Anthology, released on ARRCO in 2008 (issued on both CD and 12-inch vinyl double LP).

Larry Norman (MGM 14351) “Righteous Rocker, Holy Roller” (2:46) (Strawbed, ASCAP – L. Norman)

Some of the most clever rhymes of this or any year combine to meet the demands of a Top 100 contender. Singer’s in Elton John bag. Flip: “Peace, Pollution, Revolution” (2:18) [Cash Box Singles Reviews/Choice Programming, CashBox, Vol. XXXIII – No. 33 / February 5, 1972]

According to Tony Cummings, a long time music editor at Cross Rhythms (originally a British in-print gospel magazine that later turned into an online gospel music resource website), the UK release of Upon This Rock, along with a MGO-organised Larry Norman tour during the spring of 1972, lifted the standards of contemporary Christian music in the UK to a new level. (Larry’s UK tour packed in 38 concerts in 35 days!) MGO also worked through the media for exposure, including setting Larry up with a warmly received meeting with the legendary British DJ John Peel, the longest serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs. MGO as well negotiated for MGM Records to release Larry’s single «Righteous Rocker» (the song was later re-recorded for his 1972-album Only Visiting This Planet, re-titled «Without Love You Are Nothing»). The single wasn’t a hit but it did produce the following comment from DJ Alan Freeman at BBC Radio 1: “That’s one helluva record!”

7-inch Single tracklist:

Side A. “Righteous Rocker, Holy Roller” – 2:46
Side B. “Peace, Pollution, Revolution” – 3:18

Note: The single was also issued with a small centre hole.