If you like power pop…this band’s debut album is fantastic.
Rock ‘n Roll Love Letter was released as a non-album single back in 1979 in the UK. It was later included on their Shades In Bed CD as a bonus track. Tom Moore wrote this song but his version wasn’t successful. The Bay City Rollers covered it and had a top 40 hit.
I like this version because The Records put a little edge to it. Their best-known song would be Starry Eyes on the Shades In Bed released in 1979. Music City Mike reviewed the Shades In Bed album here.
The Records were an English powerpop band formed in 1978. The band included John Wicks – rhythm guitar, vocals, Huw Gower – lead guitar, vocals, Phil Brown – bass guitar, vocals, and Will Birch – drums, vocals.
Their influences included Big Star, The Raspberries, Blue Ash, Badfinger, Stealers Wheel, and the Beatles’ Revolver LP.
Rock ‘n Roll Love Letter
Dear sister poet, dear brother poet too
These tears that words are
Make me wanna be with you
But I need to spend my body
I’m a music makin man
And no page can release it like this amplifier can
This is my rock and roll love letter to you
This is my rock and roll love letter to you
Gonna sign it, gonna seal it, gonna mail it away
Gonna mail it today
God I must be crazy to express myself this way
But there ain’t much romance livin in the U.S.A.
This guitar is a blessing, This piano is a muse
And electricity’s a devil with a twenty amp fuse
This is my rock and roll love letter to you
This is my rock and roll love letter to you
Gonna sign it, gonna seal it, gonna mail it away
Gonna mail it to, gonna mail it today
Dear mama, papa hey your boy is doin fine
And this energy, you gave him
Keeps on tryin to unwind
‘Cause I see an ancient rhythm
In a man’s genetic code
Gonna keep on rock and rollin
Fill my genes explode
(repeat chorus)
This is my rock and roll love letter to you
This is my rock and roll love letter to you
Gonna rock it, gonna seel it, gonna slake it away
Send me back one, send me back on someday
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 
Very upbeat, I like it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the mention – have always loved this song. Also covered by another fave band of mine, The Dirty Angels.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll have to check that version out…thanks Mike.
LikeLike
I kind of remember hearing the Bay City Rollers version too, and I love Starry Eyes. I used to always see that Records album in the used vinyl stores and I never did buy it, but I shoulda.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yea I’m a huge fan of Starry Eyes. It was a good time for Power Pop during the late seventies and early eighties…not big chart successes but good songs.
LikeLike
I looked at the title and thought ‘Max is doing the Bay City Rollers today?!’ Actually they weren’t all that bad. I’d never heard this one, it’s quite good, I think you’re right it’s a bit edgier than the BCR which is nice though it sounds a tiny bit jarring to the ears only because ‘it’s familar but somehow it just sounds a bit off (from the normal one)’. Nice find there…. oddly enough I think I did see this LP now and again in the 80s but didn’t know a thing about it. But the cover is memorable in its stark simpiclity.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh I still love Saturday Night. Once I hear it it’s in my head the rest of the day and I don’t mean that as a bad thing. I like this band a lot especially Starry Eyes.
It is a nice version.
LikeLike
Don’t remember this at all, but if the smarty tartan pantsed ones did it, I woulda stayed away! Not big on the BCR at the time! I’m less judgemental now, I hope. Good lyrics, a lot better than the usual ‘I love you, do you love me too’ sorta stuff.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yea I didn’t realize it was a Bay City Roller song until I started to write it. The Records put some edge to it…of course that wasn’t hard to do when comparing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice tune, Max. Any family relationship to Huw? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
No I don’t think so…good question though!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brand new to me. I like the sound. It’s clear, it’s smooth, and it is good to hear new music from that era.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Tomorrow I have a female singer…who I just love her voice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cool. Looking forward to it, Max.
LikeLiked by 1 person