MovieChat Forums > Rock 'n' Roll High School (1981) Discussion > What came first the song title or the mo...

What came first the song title or the movie title?

posted 20 years ago by TunnelofGloves
11 replies | jump to latest

I'm unclear on the origins of the film title. The the DVD Roger Corman says the idea came to him because he wanted to make a movie called Disco High School, but some other guy said he'd never work with Corman agian if he did a disco movie and to make it Rock and Roll High School instead. So that sounds like he invented the title... but the song appeared on the End of the Century album a year before the movie. I know that there a strange timelines when it comes to both filming and releasing a movie as well as recording and releasing an album... but that still doesn't mean I can be clear on who came up with the title "Rock and Roll High School" was it Corman or the Ramones.

[–] zazie_the_beast2004 20 years ago

I think it was Allan Arkush... but.. I'm not that sure..

[–] graham-paul-mills 20 years ago

According to the book "Hey Ho Let's Go, The Story Of The Ramones" by Everett True Rock N Roll High School was named by Alan Arkush. The song came later and was written by Joey Ramone. The band recorded this song plus "I Want You Around" for inclusion in the movie on November 26th 1978. The song "Rock n Roll High School" was recorded again for the 1980 Phil Spector produced album "End Of The Century". I hope this clears this matter up.

[–] krasnegar 20 years ago

Ummm -- as an active Ramones fan at the time, i can assure you that End of the Century came out Looong after this movie.

[–] 20 years ago

[deleted]

[–] iluvjoeyramone7 20 years ago

I love End of the Century!

[–] derekzoolander92 20 years ago

I don't remember where I heard or read this but I think Allan Arkush came up with the title and the Ramones had already written a song very much like Rock 'n' Roll High School about surfing and the old 60's type of music and then the lyrics were changed to relate to high school at Arkush's, or Corman's, I don't remember who's, request.

[–] digby1 16 years ago

It came out in February 1980...nine months after the movie....

[–] teenagelobotomy666 20 years ago

the movie title came first. then the ramones altered a song they already have called rockaway beach to become the song rock n roll high school.

[–] RobBase086-1 15 years ago

Allan Arkush discussed this in the special feature commentary. He said he thought about this movie or something similar to it when he was in high school. He wanted to do a Disco High School but Roger Corman did not want to do that so they went with Rock N Roll High School instead. I just watched the movie for the first time in like I do not know how many years and then watched the special features on the DVD.

They wanted to do like what was current and the most popular music. Punk Rock was starting to take off so that is why they decided to go with The Ramones as the main band for the film. I would have to say that the idea was more than likely given to The Ramones to do the theme song and did it for the movie. That is what I think happened.

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[–] jefgg 10 years ago

The first version of the song "Rock 'n' Roll High School" was recorded in early 1979 by producer Ed Stasium for the movie "Rock 'n' Roll High School".

The second version is a slight remix by producer Phil Spector that appeared on The Ramones 1980 "End of the Century" album.

[–] TunnelofGloves 10 years ago

Thanks, jefgg, I haven't thought about this post in a while. It's been nine years and 11 months since the first post and you're one of the ONLY people to actually answer the question properly. Over the last ten years most people just said how the movie was made. Like no ****! The question is did the movie come up with the title, or did the Ramones create the title for the song and then movie came after. I knew nothing about the Ramones back then so I had no idea.