A Glittering, Stomping Echo of a Bygone Era, Marred by Shadows
Gary Glitter’s “Rock ‘N’ Roll (Part 2),” a thundering, primal chant, captured the spirit of a specific, flamboyant moment in the 1970s. Peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart in 1972, and reaching number seven in the United States, it became an anthem of glam rock’s theatrical excess. This instrumental track, essentially a repetitive, driving rhythm with a simple vocal refrain, was a powerful, if controversial, force on the charts and in the ears of a generation.
Ah, those days of sequined jumpsuits, platform boots, and a relentless, stomping beat. It’s hard to separate the music from the man, isn’t it? When we hear that insistent “Hey!” and the crashing drums of Gary Glitter’s “Rock ‘N’ Roll (Part 2),” a wave of memories can wash over us. Perhaps it’s the flash of a televised performance, a swirling, glitter-dusted figure commanding the stage. Or maybe it’s the rumble of a dance floor, the air thick with anticipation, the song’s simple, raw energy igniting a crowd.
This wasn’t a song with complex lyrics or intricate melodies. Its strength lay in its primal, almost tribal rhythm, a relentless pulse that seemed to drive straight into the listener’s bloodstream. The song evolved from the first part, “Rock and Roll,**” which was a more traditional rock song with lyrics. “Rock ‘N’ Roll (Part 2)” was designed to be a pure, unadulterated instrumental chant, a moment of pure, visceral release. The simple “Hey!” refrain, repeated over and over, became a rallying cry, a sound that could fill stadiums and dance halls alike.
The story behind the song is intertwined with the rise of glam rock itself. Gary Glitter, born Paul Gadd, was a master of spectacle, crafting a persona that was larger than life. His music, with its simple, repetitive structures, was designed to be anthemic, to connect with audiences on a physical, almost primal level. “Rock ‘N’ Roll (Part 2)” was the perfect embodiment of this vision, a sonic explosion that captured the essence of glam’s theatrical excess. The track was featured on the album “Glitter“. The album was a commercial success, helped in no small part by the popularity of the single.
But even as we reminisce, we can’t ignore the shadows that have fallen over this music. The later revelations about Gary Glitter’s horrific crimes cast a dark pall over his entire career, forever tainting the memory of his music. It’s a difficult, perhaps impossible, task to separate the art from the artist, to reconcile the exuberant energy of the song with the knowledge of the man’s actions. For many, the music is now a painful reminder, a symbol of lost innocence and broken trust.
Yet, for a time, “Rock ‘N’ Roll (Part 2)” was a cultural phenomenon, a defining sound of its era. It captured the spirit of a moment, a time when music was about spectacle, about pushing boundaries, about embracing the sheer, unadulterated thrill of rock and roll. It’s a complex legacy, a bittersweet echo of a time that was both dazzling and, ultimately, deeply flawed. It’s a reminder that even the brightest stars can cast the darkest shadows, and that the past, no matter how fondly remembered, is never without its complexities.