Chords + Lyrics | I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll
Intro
| 4/4 N.C | E5 (G) | A5 B5 (G) | E5 (G) |
| 3/4 A5 B5 A5 | 4/4 E5 | E5 (lick) |
Verse 1
| E5 | E5 (lick) |
I saw him dancin’ there by the record machine.
| E5 | B5 (lick) |
I knew he must’ve been about seventeen.
| A5 B5 | 2/4 E5 | 4/4 A5 (hold) |
The beat was goin’ strong, playin’ my favourite song.
Bridge 1
| A (hold) | N.C |
And I could tell it wouldn’t be long ’til he was with me, yeah, me.
| N.C | B5 |
And I could tell it wouldn’t be long ’til he was with me, yeah me, singin’:
Chorus 1
| E5 (G) | A5 B5 |
I love rock ‘n’ roll, so put another dime in the jukebox, baby.
| E5 (G) | 3/4 A5 B5 A5 | 4/4 E5 | E5 (lick) |
I love rock and roll, so come and take your time and dance with me. Ow!
Verse 2
He smiled so I got up and asked for his name.
But that don’t matter, he said, ’cause it’s all the same.
He said can I take you home, where we can be alone?
Bridge 2
And next we were movin’ on, he was with me, yeah, me.
Next we were movin’ on, he was with me, yeah, me, singin’:
Chorus 2
I love rock ‘n’ roll, so put another dime in the jukebox, baby.
I love rock ‘and’n’ roll, so come and take your time and dance with me. Ow!
Solo
| E5 | E7 | E5 | B5 |
| A5 B5 | 2/4 E5 | 4/4 A5 |
He said can I take you home, where we can be alone?
Bridge 3
| A (hold) | N.C |
Next we’re movin’ on, he was with me, yeah, me.
| N.C | N.C |
And we’ll be movin’ on and singin’ that same old song, yeah with me, singin’:
Chorus 3 (Breakdown)
||: N.C | N.C :||
I love rock and roll, so put another dime in the jukebox, baby
I love rock and roll, So come and take your time and dance with me
Outro Chorus
||: 4/4 E5 (G) | A5 B5 (G) | E5 (G) | 3/4 A5 B5 A5 :|| E5 |
||: I love rock and roll, so put another dime in the jukebox, baby
I love rock and roll, so come and take your time and dance with :|| x4
I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll. I’ve used stem separation to extract the guitar while keeping the drums, bass, keys, horns, and vocals intact.
After studying the chords and TAB, use my backing tracks to prepare for playing this tune with a band.
Should you want to play along with the original recording instead, you need to tune your guitar sharp to 444Hz. In the backing tracks, I’ve done this job for you by tuning it to 440Hz.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
The chords are super simple, it’s just a I – IV – V in the key of E. All these chords are also power chords, meaning, there is no 3rd.
What is difficult is the change of time signature, making this a really tricky song to just throw in the set, everyone will have had to practise to the original, or even better, my backing tracks!
Intro
The intro will instantly reveal if anyone hasn’t done their homework as that single 3/4 bar will lead to a car crash if not.
| 4/4 N.C | E5 (G) | A5 B5 (G) | E5 (G) |
| 3/4 A5 B5 A5 | 4/4 E5 | E5 (lick) |
I’ve put a G in brackets as that’s the note we’re bending from, moving to the next chord. There’s an E minor pentatonic lick at the end which is the most difficult part of this tune.
On the original recording, there are two guitars, one plays the lick in the lowest octave, another in the highest.
For the sole guitarist, decisions have to be made here as if you go for the higher option, meaning you must modify the following chord, you simple can’t get from fret 12 to an open position power chord.
In the TAB further down this guitar lesson, I give you three alternatives to solving this dilemma.
Verse
The verse scraps the low G bend but keeps the lick, even for the B5 chord:
| E5 | E5 (lick) | E5 | B5 (lick) |
| A5 B5 | 2/4 E5 | 4/4 A5 (hold) |
Bridge
The bridge hold the A, then stops before we start pumping B5, aiming for a chorus release:
| A (hold) | N.C | N.C | B5 |
The third bridge doesn’t go to B5 as it’s heading for a breakdown chorus.
Chorus
The chorus is almost identical to the intro, only the bent G is missing to make way for the vocal line “jukebox, baby”:
| E5 (G) | A5 B5 |
| E5 (G) | 3/4 A5 B5 A5 | 4/4 E5 | E5 |
For the breakdown chorus, there is no 3/4 bar.
The outro chorus scrap the last two bars of E as we loop it:
||: 4/4 E5 (G) | A5 B5 | E5 (G) | 3/4 A5 B5 A5 :||
Here’s a chord chart you can hand to new musicians you haven’t vetted on the tricky time signatures, hopefully they can read this on the night and get it right!
I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
You can download my chord chart, share it with your bandmates, and point out that if you don’t get the time signatures right, the entire thing will collapse.
Here are the files as a PDF and for iReal Pro:
I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll | TAB
Let’s go through how to play this as if you were the only guitarist in the band. I’ve made some altercations to make this work, here’s the intro:
You need to bend that low G to make this sound right. You also need to get the 3/4 bar right and play the last A5 on two strings so it’s easier to get to the E5.
Speaking of E5, check out the bigger version in the last bar!
The final lick is what is on the record, however, there’s also an octave, to incorporate that, you must modify how to get back to the E chord. here’s one way:
That’s how they play it on the record, I invented the E5 that follow as on the record, the other guitar playing it is enough.
Here’s anther way to fret the lick and get to a bigger E5:
This lick is two octaves above guitar 1, you could play the octave in between as well, like this:
If you’re feeling like showing off, you could go between all these ideas.
Verse
The verse has more strange time signature tricks (this is also what guitar 2 plays behind the solo):
That last chord is held into the next section.
Bridge
You don’t play the A that starts the bridge, that is just held from the verse. Then stop, then pump B5’s to get to the chorus.
Chorus
The chorus is almost identical to the intro, only one note is missing, one of the bent G’s. That’s to make room for the vocal.
The outro chorus stops short of the E and repeat instead:
Solo
The solo starts with some pinched harmonics on the low E string, then use an E major pentatonic, although I’m pretty sure the guitarist is thinking C# minor pentatonic here, which to most beginners looks like the same thing.
On the record, the solo continues where I’ve written A5 – B5 etc, but since the singing starts again, it’s been pulled down in volume. You’re best off going back to rhythm guitar here.
When you can play all this TAB, try it with the backing tracks using only the chord chart to guide you!
The Story of I Love Rock ’n’ Roll: Arrows, Joan Jett, and a Timeless Hit
I Love Rock ’n’ Roll began life in 1975 when it was written and recorded by Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker for their band Arrows. Their original version, released in 1975, carried the raw swagger of mid-’70s glam rock, complete with gritty guitars and a chant-like chorus. While it gained modest attention in the UK, it never achieved major chart success, remaining more of a cult favourite than a mainstream hit at the time.
The song’s true breakthrough came when Joan Jett encountered it during a UK tour with The Runaways. Struck by its energy and simplicity, she later recorded it with The Blackhearts in 1981. Released in 1982, Jett’s version stripped things down further, leaning into a heavier, punchier guitar sound and anthemic delivery. It became a massive hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks. The single also performed strongly worldwide, cementing Jett’s status as a leading figure in rock and helping define the sound of early ’80s hard-edged pop-rock.
Over time, Jett’s rendition has become the definitive version, widely regarded as one of rock’s most recognisable anthems. Its influence stretches across generations, frequently appearing in films, adverts, and sporting events, while its instantly recognisable riff remains a staple of guitar culture. The track’s enduring appeal lies in its simplicity, attitude, and universal celebration of rock music itself.
In 2001, Britney Spears introduced the song to a new audience with her cover for the album Britney. Her version leaned into a more polished, pop-driven production while retaining the core structure of Jett’s arrangement. Released as a single in several territories, it achieved moderate chart success, including a Top 20 position in the UK Singles Chart. While not matching the cultural impact of Jett’s version, Spears’ take highlighted the song’s versatility and helped reintroduce it to a younger generation, reinforcing its lasting legacy as a cross-genre rock anthem.
I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll Chords: Continue Learning
Step-by-step Guitar Courses
Master guitar by studying real tunes. Build your skills with video lessons, eBooks and practice routines that connect theory with the music you love!
Explore SpyTunes step-by-step Guitar Courses.
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
- Are You Gonna Be My Girl
- Are You Gonna Go My Way
- I Fought The Law
- Molly’s Chambers
- Should I Stay Or Should I Go
