Rockin' Robin (song)

"Rockin' Robin" (originally released as "Rock-In Robin" on the Class Records 45 single) is a song written by Leon René under the pseudonym Jimmie Thomas, and recorded by Bobby Day in 1958. It was Day's biggest hit single, becoming a number two hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and spent one week at the top of the R&B sales chart.[2] Michael Jackson recorded his own version of the song in 1972, which also achieved success.

This article is about the song. For the wrestler, see Rockin' Robin (wrestler). For the character named Rockin' Robin, see The Radioactive Chicken Heads.

"Rockin' Robin"
Single by Bobby Day
from the album Rockin' with Robin
B-side"Over and Over"
Released1958
GenreRock and roll[1]
Length2:31 (single version)
LabelClass
Songwriter(s)Leon René
Producer(s)Jimmie Thomas
Bobby Day singles chronology
"Rockin' Robin"
(1958)		 "Over and Over"
(1958)

Personnel

"Rockin' Robin" is in the public domain, as the owners never renewed the copyright.[6]

Charts
Chart (1958) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 9
Canada (CHUM Charts)[8] 3
US Billboard Hot 100[9] 2
US Billboard Rhythm & Blues Records[9] 1

Michael Jackson version
"Rockin' Robin"
Single by Michael Jackson
from the album Got to Be There
B-side"Love Is Here and Now You're Gone"
ReleasedFebruary 1972[10]
StudioMotown Recording Studios (Los Angeles, California)[10]
Length2:31
LabelMotown
Songwriter(s)Leon René
Producer(s)
  • Mel Larson
  • Jerry Marcellino
Michael Jackson singles chronology
"Got to Be There"
(1971)		 "Rockin' Robin"
(1972)		 "I Wanna Be Where You Are"
(1972)

In 1972, Michael Jackson released his own version of "Rockin' Robin", which was released as a single from his gold-certified solo album titled Got to Be There as a follow-up single to the song of the same name. It was the biggest hit from the album, hitting number 1 on the Cash Box singles chart and peaking at number two on both the Billboard Hot 100, behind "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack,[11] and the Billboard soul singles chart, behind "In the Rain" by the Dramatics.[12]

Record World said that "little Michael rocks in with a revival of the big Bobby Day hit of the rockin' 1950."[13]

Track listing

Chart performance
Chart (1972) Peak
position
Australia (Go-Set National Top 40)[14] 23
Australia (Kent Music Report)[15] 16
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[16] 13
Ireland (IRMA)[17] 16
UK Singles (OCC)[18] 3
US Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles[19] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[19] 2

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Silver 200,000double-dagger
United States — 2,000,000[21]

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

References
  1. Bush, John. "Rockin' Robin – Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 148.
  3. de Heer, Dik (September 2015). "Plas Johnson". Rockabilly.nl. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
  4. Scherman, Tony (1999). Backbeat: The Earl Palmer Story. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 174. ISBN 978-1-56098-844-1.
  5. "Barney Kessel – Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  6. Mersereau, Jeremy (October 30, 2015). "6 songs surprisingly in the public domain". A.Side TV. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  7. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Chart Positions Pre 1989 Part 3". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  8. "CHUM Hit Parade - August 11, 1958".
  9. "Bobby Day – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  10. Lecocq, Richard; Allard, François (2018). "Got to Be There". Michael Jackson All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London, England: Cassell. ISBN 9781788400572.
  11. "The Hot 100". Billboard. April 22, 1972. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  12. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. April 15, 1972. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  13. Record World staff (March 4, 1972). "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. p. 1. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  14. "Go-Set Australian charts". Go-Set. July 22, 1972. Archived from the original on June 4, 2012.
  15. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989, part 2". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  16. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7632." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  17. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Rockin' Robin". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  18. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  19. "Got to Be There – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  20. "British single certifications – Michael Jackson – Rockin' Robin". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  21. Michael Jackson the Solo Years. Authors On Line. 2003. ISBN 9780755200917.
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