Rock Me Gently

Album: Andy Kim (1974)
Charted: 2 1
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Songfacts®:

  • Hits of the '70s were often about lovemaking, framed in a way that they come off innocent. "Rock Me Gently," a #1 hit in 1974, fits the bill, with Andy Kim singing about a night where the music is playin' and bodies are swayin'. Sure, it could be about dancing, but that probably wouldn't give him that feeling of sweet surrender.
  • Andy Kim was a veteran songwriter, often working out of the famous Brill Building, who had worked on several hits, including "Sugar, Sugar" by the Archies. As a singer, he hit #9 in the US with his cover of "Baby, I Love You" in 1969 and had several more minor hits before they dried up in 1971.

    By 1974 he was label-less, so he formed his own Ice Records and personally financed the recording session for "Rock Me Gently," a song he wrote and produced himself. He played it for a friend who brought it to Capitol Records, which signed Kim and released it as a single. The song debuted on the Hot 100 on June 22, 1974, and took 14 weeks to reach #1 on September 28. It also rose to #2 on the UK Singles Chart. It would be Kim's last Top 10 hit in either country.
  • The song resurfaced in 2007 in an award-winning television commercial for the Jeep Liberty that featured a squirrel, birds and a wolf singing along to this song with the driver of the Jeep. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Jeff - Austin, TX
  • "Rock Me Gently" appears in two episodes of the TV series Ray Donovan, and in the 2016 movie Weirdos.

Comments: 14

  • Brian Miller from Florida Would like to know what piano that was used. Trying to figure out the piano piece that started about 8 seconds in and lasted for about 2 seconds. not sure what piano was used and effects (might be tremolo)
  • Mj from HawaiiI remember when this hit, I was "hmmm ok sorta catchy"... and then that frickin' clarinet break pops up... and that woke me up.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1974 {October 6th} "Rock Me Gently" by Andy Kim peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on the United Kingdom's Official Top 50 Singles chart, the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Annie's Song" by John Denver...
    "Rock Me Gently" would be his only record to make the UK Singles chart...
    The B-side was an instrumental version of the song...
    At the time "Rock Me Gently" was at #32 on Billboard's Top 100 chart, two weeks earlier it had peaked at #1 {for 1 week}...
    Andy Kim, born Andrew Youakim, will celebrate his 68th birthday in two months on December 5th, 2020...
  • Seventhmist from 7th HeavenKim sounded so much like Neil Diamond when I first heard him that I was sure that's who it was. My favorite of his was "Baby, I Love You."
  • Caroline from Lexington KyMy Favorite song of the 1970's :)
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyIt was announced on Monday, October 26th, 2015 that Andy Kim would be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, induction ceremonies will be held on May 5th, 2016...
    Exactly forty-one years earlier on October 26th, 1974 the last of his twelve Billboard Hot Top 100 charted records, "Fire, Baby I'm On Fire", was at #76, it would peak at #28 {for 2 weeks} on November 24th, 1974 and it stayed on the chart for 9 weeks.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn April 28th 1968, Andy Kim's debut record, "How'd We Ever Get This Way", entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #100; and on June 16th, 1968 it peaked at #21 (for 3 weeks) and spent 12 weeks on the Top 100...
    Between 1968 and 1974 he had twelve Top 100 hits; with two making the Top 10, "Baby, I Love You" (#9 in 1969) and "Rock Me Gently" (#1 for 1 week in 1974)...
    Not surprisingly, both "Baby, I Love You" and "Rock Me Gently" peaked at #1 in his native Canada.
  • Camille from Toronto, OhOne of the very best tunes known as "bubblegum" music. Fun, infectious. The vocals start out kind of low and sultry then build up to a higher, louder ending. Very satisfying, just like you-know-what. Tho I never thought of it before, I agree that Andy Kim does sound similar to Neil Diamond.
  • Marlene from Montreal, QcAndy grew up in the suburb of Ville St Laurent- my home town! but on the other side of town.
  • Paul from Detroit, MiThis is one of the slowest chart climbers ever to hit #1.
  • Kay from Kingston, JamaicaIn truth, when I first heard the song,I thought I was listening to Neil Diamond. They both have the same sexy rough vocals.
  • Les from Joplin, MoThis thinly-veiled song is clearly about a man's first experience with receptive anal sex.
  • Mark from London, EnglandKim's flop follow-up release was called Fire Baby (I'm On Fire). His real name is Andrew Joachim.
  • J from Toronto, CanadaAccording to Andy himself he shopped this tune to nearly every label in the US and couldn't get a shot. He decided to head home to Montreal and start his label there because the Canadian Radio Television Commission was demanding that at least 30% of tunes aired on Canadian radio stations contain Canadian content so it was easier for him to get airplay in his home country. It worked!
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