References in Popular Culture
The song is mentioned by the character named Spider in the Neil Gaiman novel, Anansi Boys. In response to another character, who speaks almost entirely in cliches, Spider says, "Life is a rock but the radio rolled me," to which the other character replies, "Whatever."
The song appears in the dance scene in the film The Specials.
The song's melody was interpolated in the "McDonald's Menu Song" in 1988.
Tysons Corner Center has used the names of its stores sung to the tune of this song for television and radio advertisements in the Northern Virginia area.
This song was remade by Randy Crenshaw and released on 2001 Disney album Mickey's Dance Party under the name "Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me...Again!)" The remake includes references not just to current and past music groups, but also to TV shows and internet slang, while even managing to sneak in some Disney characters as well.
A "customized" version of the song, "Life is a Rock, but 'CFL Rolled Me" was the last rock 'n roll song played on the Larry Lujack show on WCFL in Chicago on 15 March 1976 before the station switched from top 40 to a beautiful music format. Rival AM station WLS had their own version ("Life Is a Rock, WLS Rolled Me") as well. This latter version is still played from time to time on WLS-FM, now airing an oldies format.
In 1974, radio station KFRC in San Francisco also aired a "customized" version of the song, titled "Life Is a Rock (But KFRC Rolled Me)," with an extra verse naming all of the station's personalities at the time. The verse was sung by KFRC's afternoon personality, Chuck Buell.
The song is used during the first dream sequence of the series finale of Life on Mars, the U.S. spin on a popular U.K. series, in the episode entitled "Life Is a Rock".
Read more about this topic: Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me)
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