Why Bob Seger regrets giving away the songwriting credit for his biggest hit
In short: Bob Seger famously dismissed his own song as a throwaway track, refusing to take songwriting credit for the verses he penned. He later realized this was a massive mistake, as he lost control over the copyright, leading to the song appearing in commercials he found truly awful.
Recorded for his 1978 album Stranger in Town, Old Time Rock and Roll was originally a demo sent to Bob Seger by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. While Seger kept the original chorus, he rewrote every verse himself. Despite his manager advising him to claim a third of the songwriting credit, Seger declined, believing the song would not be successful. This decision meant he could not prevent the song from being licensed for advertisements, including a Hardee's commercial that Seger described as awful.
The song’s path to becoming a cultural staple was unconventional. Initially, Seger's own band, the Silver Bullet Band, disliked the track, claiming it lacked their signature sound. However, audience reactions during a European tour changed their minds. The song gained significant momentum after its inclusion in the 1983 film Risky Business, where Tom Cruise famously lip-synced to it in his underwear. This scene became a recurring trope in popular culture, parodied in everything from the TV series ALF to a 2020 Domino's Pizza commercial.
While Seger maintains he wrote the verses, George Stephenson of Malaco Records has claimed the song belongs entirely to George Jackson, who allegedly has the tapes to prove it. Regardless of the authorship dispute, the song’s legacy is secure. It has been ranked among the top jukebox singles of all time and featured in numerous television shows, from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to Stranger Things. Its enduring appeal lies in what Billboard described as Seger's rough-edged vocals and the power-charged instrumentation that defined a generation of classic rock.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Old Time Rock and Roll
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