Nut Rocker

"Nut Rocker"
Single by B. Bumble and the Stingers
B-side	Nautilus
Format	7", 45rpm
Length	1:59
Label	Rendezvous R 166-1
Writer(s)	Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Kim Fowley[1]
Producer	Kim Fowley

"Nut Rocker" was an instrumental rock single by American instrumental ensemble B. Bumble and the Stingers that went to number 1 in the UK singles chart in May 1962.^[2]

The recording was made by the house band of session musicians at Rendezvous Records in Los Angeles, including drummer Earl Palmer and guitarist René Hall, who had already had hits in the US charts with rocked-up versions of "In The Mood" (1959, credited to the Ernie Fields Orchestra); and "Bumble Boogie" (1961, also credited to B. Bumble and the Stingers, with Ernie Freeman on piano). "Nut Rocker" was produced by Kim Fowley, and, since Freeman didn't show up, featured pianist Al Hazan.^[3]

In 1962, Fowley secured the copyright to an arrangement of Tchaikovsky's "March of the Wooden Soldiers" from his ballet The Nutcracker, and took this to local entrepreneur and pianist H. B. Barnum. Barnum recorded it under the name "Jack B. Nimble and the Quicks" on the small Del Rio label. However, when Rod Pierce of Rendezvous Records heard it, he convinced Fowley that his label could do a better version with their own band. A new recording was quickly arranged, but on the day of the recording Ernie Freeman, who had played piano on "Bumble Boogie", didn't show, apparently due to heavy partying the night before. In his place, guitarist and arranger René Hall rushed pianist Al Hazan into the Rendezvous office, which was rigged up as an improvised studio. According to Hazan, "Rod decided to record the first take while I was still trying to practice the piece with the other musicians. Because I was so rushed to learn 'Nut Rocker', I was not happy at all with my performance on that first take. However, in spite of my asking Rod to let me do it over again, he said he liked it just fine the way it was."^[4] Released as "Nut Rocker" in February 1962, the record went to # 23 in the US and # 1 in the UK.^[3]

The song is a fast, lively track that is purely instrumental and was the band's biggest hit. It has been featured in many commercials, movies and television programmes such as Butcher Boy (1998), Big Momma's House (2000) and ITV's Heartbeat in 2006. It was also used by Romanian gymnast Simona Amanar in her floor exercize routine which won a silver medal at the 1996 Olympics.

It was reissued in 1972 in the UK, and again made the charts (No. 20, week ending July 8 1972). It was also a live favourite when performed by prog-rockers Emerson, Lake & Palmer - the main keyboard used on their version was not a piano but a Clavinet. In 2009 Trans-Siberian Orchestra released a version of Nut Rocker, featuring Greg Lake, on their album Night Castle.

"Nut Rocker" is believed to be the prime inspiration for The Ventures' similar work Nutty, which became identified with the American NHL's Boston Bruins ice hockey team as the intro song for telecast Bruins games for two decades. Similarly the B. Bumble and the Stingers version was the signature tune for public speed skating sessions at Southampton Ice Rink. Dropkick Murphys released a version as one of the tracks on their 2004 Tessie EP, whose title track is devoted to another Boston major league sports team, the Red Sox.

"Nut Rocker (Live)"
Single by Emerson, Lake & Palmer
B-side	The Great Gates Of Kiev
Format	7", 45rpm
Genre	Jazz fusion
Label	Cotillion
Writer(s)	Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

References

1. ^ The Official UK Charts Company : ALL THE No.1's^{[dead link]}
2. ^ "The Official UK Charts Company : ALL THE NUMBER 1 SINGLES". Theofficialcharts.com. http://www.theofficialcharts.com/all_the_no1_songs.php?show=2. Retrieved 2011-10-27. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "B. Bumble And The Stingers". Rockabillyeurope.com. http://www.rockabillyeurope.com/references/messages/b__bumble.htm. Retrieved 2011-10-27. 
4. ^ "Nut Rocker". Spectropop.com. http://www.spectropop.com/NutRocker/. Retrieved 2011-10-27. 

External links

• The story of B.Bumble and the Stingers
• Al Hazan

Preceded by "Wonderful Land" by The Shadows

UK number one single 17 May 1962 (1 week)

Succeeded by "Good Luck Charm" by Elvis Presley