Detroit Rock City
by Kiss

Album: Destroyer (1976)
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Songfacts®:

  • Paul Stanley of Kiss wrote "Detroit Rock City" as a tribute to the music scene in that city, but when their producer, Bob Ezrin, heard the demo, he helped him rework the song into something far more complex. Breaking away from the partying-style lyrics that were typical of Kiss at the time, they made it a song about a young fan who is killed in a car accident on his way to a Kiss concert - a teen tragedy along the lines of the '60s hit "Last Kiss." The loud, driving beat of the music belies the seriousness of the lyrics.

    Stanley said: "On a previous tour somebody had gotten hit by a car and killed outside the arena. I remember thinking how weird it is that people can be on their way to something that's really a party and a celebration of being alive, and die in the process of doing it. So that became the basis of the lyric."

    Stanley sings lead on the track.
  • The song opens with a vignette where we hear a radio news story about a youth who was killed in a head-on collision with a truck in Detroit. We then hear the sound of a car revving up and heading out, with the Kiss song "Rock And Roll All Nite" on the radio. Then the song kicks in, telling the story of this guy recklessly driving to the concert. In the end, we hear the crash and realize the news story was about him.

    "Detroit Rock City" is the first track on the Destroyer album, so the vignette is the first thing fans heard when they took the album home and dropped the needle. This non-traditional open was producer Bob Ezrin's idea. He wanted to turn the song into a mini-movie that tells a story.
  • The album version runs 5:18, but the single was cut down to 3:35, with the opening bit and the ending car crash removed. It was the third single from the album, following "Shout It Out Loud" and "Flaming Youth," and although it didn't chart in America, it became one of Kiss' most popular songs and a concert mainstay.
  • Instead of playing "Detroit Rock City," many radio stations played the B-side of the single, the ballad "Beth." In response, "Beth" was released as the next single and became a big hit, reaching #7 in America, the highest-charting Kiss song there.
  • This song re-brands Detroit, the "Motor City," as the "Rock City," which indeed it was in the '70s, with Grand Funk, Alice Cooper, Bob Seger, Suzi Quatro and Ted Nugent. Kiss were from New York City but big fans of the Detroit sound. Paul Stanley was also a huge fan of Motown and the soul music that came out of Detroit.
  • In the third verse, Paul Stanley sings, "Movin' fast, on 95," a reference to the highway I-95, which runs through New York City, but not Detroit, which is served by I-75. To cover this faux-pas, Kiss published the lyrics with the line changed to, "Movin' fast, doin' 95."
  • Producer Bob Ezrin came up with the famous bassline in the song and also with the guitar solo. He sang them out for the band how he wanted them played, which would make many guitarists and bass players bristle, but Ezrin was a lot more experienced and steeped in music theory, so the band agreed to let him call the shots on the Destroyer album, the first time they worked together. It was a good move: Under Ezrin's direction, the album was far more polished and accessible than their previous efforts and sold far better than those previous releases. Kiss had built a reputation for their live shows, but Destroyer brought them into the top ranks as a studio band.
  • The movie Detroit Rock City, which was produced by Gene Simmons, was released in 1999. Set in 1978, the film is about a group of kids from Detroit trying desperately to attend a sold-out Kiss show in Detroit. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Lee - Brigg, England
  • The Mighty Mighty Bosstones did a unique ska cover of this song on 1994's Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved, a collection of Kiss songs remade by various artists.
  • The Oregon swing band Cherry Poppin' Daddies remade this song as "Detroit Swing City." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Dylan - Port Orange, FL
  • Paul Blart (Kevin James) plays this on the game Rock Band in the 2009 movie Paul Blart: Mall Cop. The song also appears in the films Role Models (2008) and The Dilemma (2011), and in The Simpsons 2013 episode "Four Regrettings and a Funeral."

Comments: 21

  • Luna Loud from Royal Woods, MichiganThis is my little bro's favorite KISS song, though I don't have the heart to tell him what it's really about. It's awesome when they play this song in Detroit, though. Everyone in the crowd goes nuts.
  • Paul W from Columbus, OhioWhile this was a good song, I was in love with a "Beth" at the time. I thought we had a good thing going until the talk of marriage became prevalent. My pride said no and I walked away. I was married to race cars at the time and had second thoughts and feelings of guilt from my poor decision. We have not communicated since and my racing career dwindled along with my victories. There are many ways to learn and failure is easier than I thought and life is good now but I wonder what life could have been if I said "yes."
  • Warmfart from Phillythis is the most awesome song you can sing, I like the kiss, I don't believe the critics when say kiss means kids in satanic services, I know I don't like the stantic, how can be true. the records and the song and plays the music when you put the needle down, nowhere else in the unitverse can you play the music so easily. Detroit rock city, where else can you drive and die with great music peter criss, ace spaceman, paul Stanley and jeans simmons all our kiss.
  • Henrik Munkenbeck from Detroit (rock City)I grew up just outside detroit and I loved this song growing up. Me and my dad would sing it in the car. One time we got pulled over by a cop because he thought my dad was having a seizure because of how hard he was banging his head
  • Cubby Thomson from Sarasota, Florida Awesome song. Really feel it build. Really sad ending. Wish the kid had have partied in the parking lot when he got there. Of course then there wouldn’t have been this really heartfelt song.
  • Scott Davenport from Albany NyThe radio broadcaster is Destroyer's producer: BOB EZRIN at the beginning of Detroit Rock City. Even Gene Simmons has noted on countless occasions, in interviews & on Social Media that he Is NOT the voice of the news caster on the opening of Destroyer. It is only Bob Ezrin. Simmons' only vocal contribution during the Opening Sequence of Detroit Rock City is when Ezrin plays Rock n Roll All Nite from KISS Alive on the car's radio.
    Ezrin has offered multiple voice characters on concept albums for other artists he's produced. It is quite easy to compare his voice to other voiced characters he's done on other albums he's produced. When an artist, who loves & adores the limelight states repeatedly that they did NOT contribute to something which is falsely attributed to him or, her: Believe them...
  • Dirk from Holland@Tim from Montreal you're wrong. It is Gene's voice on the newscast. You can tell by the slight errors in pronouncing the words disappointed and catapulted.
  • Tim from MontrealBob Ezrin voices the newscast - not Gene
  • Scott from UsaPeter Criss rocks the drums on this one.
  • Jonathan from Las Vegas, NvFavorite KISS song. after i heard the actual seriousness, it just made me like the song more. I love KISS and dont like the people who say that all KISS is is over-rated people in make-up and high-heels, u know what, take away all that, they still make great songs and have mad skill.
  • Luke from Dayton, OhI love the song and the movie, The movie is really funny
  • Axeman from Melbourne, AustraliaThere are a LOT of ignorant people in this world!
  • Jason from Denver, CoThe opening riff for this song came from the song ACROBAT, which later became LOVE THEME FROM KISS, on the first album. For those that have the KISS box set, listen to the song ACROBAT and you'll hear what is the influence for the DETROIT ROCK CITY opening riff.
    Also, Detroit is home of the GREATEST NHL hockey team....GO RED WINGS. That is NOT negotiable!!!!
  • Andrew from San Diego, Ca, CaSorry, Jim, but the "Spanish interlude" was Bob Ezrin's idea and he wrote it, according to an interview with Ezrin by David Konow, author of Bang Your Head: The Rise and Fall of Heavy Metal. It wouldn't surprise me, however, if Simmons had a strong part in it (or at least takes some credit for it).
  • Terry from Chicago, IlIt is the best opening song for a concert in the history of rock. Powerful!
  • Michelle from Maplewood, Mni love this song even though the meaning of this song this song is about a kissfan who died when they were on the way to a kiss concert
  • Krista from Elyria, OhIf it was ANY KISS song, it would be Detroit Rock City
  • Jim from Indio, CaGene Simmons also came up with the idea for the "Spanish" type guitar solo. The others though he was crazy, but when he played it for them, it fit right in. He also said his bass playing duing the breaks in the verse were influenced by the song "Shaft"
  • Johnny from Los Angeles, CaTitle of a movie. Also, I had no idea of the song's serious content.
  • Clint from Trenton, OhPerfect example of really grim lyrics that almost always go unnoticed because the music is so upbeat.
  • Joe from Bellingham, Wai can't belive no one comented this! It's an incredible song that even had a movie about it! Any kiss fan would agree, this song kicks ass!
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