Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy

Album: Desolation Angels (1979)
Charted: 13
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Written by Bad Company lead singer Paul Rodgers, this song reflects his maxim of rock and roll as a form of escapism: a big show to thrill the crowd. Seems it's not so different from a circus, as he likens the band members to jesters, coming on stage to entertain.

    "I don't think you should ever bring politics and stuff that surrounds you every day - all that depressing stuff - into music," Rodgers told Creem in 1979. "People want to go and see groups to get away from all that. I know I do. The lights, the atmosphere... they can forget everything else."
  • This is the kind of song only a seasoned and somewhat disillusioned musician could write. Bad Company got burned out on their 1977 tour and decided to take two years off, since they had fallen into routine. The break served them well: Their 1979 Desolation Angels album was one of their most successful, with "Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy" one of their biggest US hits.

Comments: 1

  • Ray Mumford from UkI was at the Ridge Farm sessions as I was asked to do the sleeve. I remember Paul playing a white Strat through a synth to create the riff. Sadly my manager became too 'ambitious' and screwed it up so they never even saw my designs, which I still have.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

John Doe of X

John Doe of XSongwriter Interviews

With his X-wife Exene, John fronts the band X and writes their songs.

Carol Kaye

Carol KayeSongwriter Interviews

A top session musician, Carol played on hundreds of hits by The Beach Boys, The Monkees, Frank Sinatra and many others.

Michael Bolton

Michael BoltonSongwriter Interviews

Into the vaults for this talk with Bolton from the '80s when he was a focused on writing songs for other artists.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy Talent

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy TalentSongwriter Interviews

The frontman for one of Canada's most well-known punk rock bands talks about his Eddie Vedder encounter, Billy Talent's new album, and the importance of rock and roll.

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.