Uploaded March 2016 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
"Life Is A Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)" is a 1974 song by an ad hoc group of studio musicians called Reunion with lead vocals by Joey Levine. He is a pioneer of the bubblegum genre pop music that ran from 1967 to 1972. Levine was also the lead singer of the group Ohio Express. "Life Is a Rock" is a laundry list of disc jockeys, musicians, songwriters, record labels, song titles, and lyrics from the 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's delivered in a fast patter that Levine is known for. This single's version peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and reached #33 in the UK Singles Chart and includes 90 mentionables (listed below). The LP version adds more. Levine, a songwriter and record producer as well, is responsible for many well-remembered TV commercial "jingles" for brand names such as Pepsi, Sears, Coke, Dr. Pepper, Budweiser, Oreo, and often sang lead in those as well. He still continues to write music for commercials as of 2016.
B. Bumble and the Stingers
Mott the Hoople
Ray Charles Singers
Lonnie Mack
Twangin' Eddy
Here's my ring, we're going steady
Take It Easy
I Want to Take You Higher
Liar, Liar
The Loco-Motion
Poco
Deep Purple
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
Sam Cooke
Lesley Gore
Ritchie Valens
Mahavishnu Orchestra
Fujiyama
Yokohama
Kama Sutra
Rama Lama Ding Dong
Richard Perry
Phil Spector
Jeff Barry
The Righteous Brothers
The Archies
Harry Nilsson
Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko Ko Bop
Fats Is Back
Finger Poppin' Time
Brenda & the Tabulations
Carly Simon
Noddy Holder
Rolling Stone Magazine
Johnny Cash
Johnny Rivers
Mungo Jerry
Peter, Paul and Mary
Mary, Mary
Dr. John
Doris Day
Jack the Ripper
Leon Russell
Gimme Shelter
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
Slide guitar
Fender bass
Bonnie Bramlett
Wilson Pickett
Arthur Janov
Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Dale Hawkins
Ronnie Hawkins
Kukla, Fran and Ollie
Norman, Oklahoma
John Denver
Donny Osmond
J. J. Cale
ZZ Top
L.L. Bean
DeDe Dinah
David Bowie
Steely Dan
CC Rider"
Edgar Winter
Joanie Sommers
Ides of March
Johnny Thunders
Eric Clapton
Wah-wah pedal
Stephen Foster
Camptown Races
Good Vibrations
Help Me Rhonda
Surfer Girl
Little Honda
Tighter, Tighter
Honey, Honey
Sugar, Sugar
Yummy Yummy Yummy
CBS
Warner Bros. Records
RCA
Remember (Walking in the Sand)
Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots
Alan Freed
Murray the K
The Fish
The Swim
The Boston Monkey
"Life Is A Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)" is a 1974 song by an ad hoc group of studio musicians called Reunion with lead vocals by Joey Levine. He is a pioneer of the bubblegum genre pop music that ran from 1967 to 1972. Levine was also the lead singer of the group Ohio Express. "Life Is a Rock" is a laundry list of disc jockeys, musicians, songwriters, record labels, song titles, and lyrics from the 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's delivered in a fast patter that Levine is known for. This single's version peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and reached #33 in the UK Singles Chart and includes 90 mentionables (listed below). The LP version adds more. Levine, a songwriter and record producer as well, is responsible for many well-remembered TV commercial "jingles" for brand names such as Pepsi, Sears, Coke, Dr. Pepper, Budweiser, Oreo, and often sang lead in those as well. He still continues to write music for commercials as of 2016.
B. Bumble and the Stingers
Mott the Hoople
Ray Charles Singers
Lonnie Mack
Twangin' Eddy
Here's my ring, we're going steady
Take It Easy
I Want to Take You Higher
Liar, Liar
The Loco-Motion
Poco
Deep Purple
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
Sam Cooke
Lesley Gore
Ritchie Valens
Mahavishnu Orchestra
Fujiyama
Yokohama
Kama Sutra
Rama Lama Ding Dong
Richard Perry
Phil Spector
Jeff Barry
The Righteous Brothers
The Archies
Harry Nilsson
Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko Ko Bop
Fats Is Back
Finger Poppin' Time
Brenda & the Tabulations
Carly Simon
Noddy Holder
Rolling Stone Magazine
Johnny Cash
Johnny Rivers
Mungo Jerry
Peter, Paul and Mary
Mary, Mary
Dr. John
Doris Day
Jack the Ripper
Leon Russell
Gimme Shelter
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
Slide guitar
Fender bass
Bonnie Bramlett
Wilson Pickett
Arthur Janov
Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Dale Hawkins
Ronnie Hawkins
Kukla, Fran and Ollie
Norman, Oklahoma
John Denver
Donny Osmond
J. J. Cale
ZZ Top
L.L. Bean
DeDe Dinah
David Bowie
Steely Dan
CC Rider"
Edgar Winter
Joanie Sommers
Ides of March
Johnny Thunders
Eric Clapton
Wah-wah pedal
Stephen Foster
Camptown Races
Good Vibrations
Help Me Rhonda
Surfer Girl
Little Honda
Tighter, Tighter
Honey, Honey
Sugar, Sugar
Yummy Yummy Yummy
CBS
Warner Bros. Records
RCA
Remember (Walking in the Sand)
Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots
Alan Freed
Murray the K
The Fish
The Swim
The Boston Monkey
