Mott The Hoople – Roll Away The Stone

“Roll Away the Stone” – Single by Mott the Hoople from the album The Hoople
Released: November 1973 (UK) and 1974 (US)
Recorded: July 1973
Songwriter: Ian Hunter
Producer: Mott the Hoople

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Mott The Hoople - Roll Away The Stone02:29

The biggest hit for Mott The Hoople since “All The Young Dudes” this ’50s-flavored tune rolled all the way to #8 in the UK. “The song was originally written for the Mott album,” vocalist Ian Hunter recalled to Classic Rock magazine. “The piano I had was an upright that cost me 30 bob, and I’d slammed all the white keys out. So I made myself learn how to play the black ones, which was great because I didn’t understand what I was doing. I knew where I was going with the white ones, but it’s better firing away somewhere you don’t know. I wrote All The Way From Memphis, Roll Away The Stone and something else all in sharps and flats.”

The song featured backing vocals from female trio Thunderthighs, who consisted of Karen Friedman, Dari Lalou and Casey Synge, They’d provided the backing vocals to Lou Reed’s hit single, “Walk On The Wild Side” the previous year and later recorded their own hit single “Central Park Arrest”, which reached #30 in the UK Singles Chart in 1974.

The original single version was one of the last tracks cut with guitarist Mick Ralphs prior to his departure to form Bad Company.

Cash Box said that “Hunter’s unique, far reaching vocals are stronger than ever and the rest of the group backing him musically is up to the task.” Record World called it Mott the Hoople’s “biggest rocker since their label debut” and said that the “Easter-themed love epistle should sha-la-la itself to monumental status.

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