Nut Rocker facts for kids

Nut Rocker is a super cool instrumental rock song. It was made by an American group called B. Bumble and the Stingers. This song became a huge hit! It reached number 23 in the U.S. in March 1962. It even hit number 1 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1962. The song is a rock version of a famous march. This march is from Tchaikovsky's 1892 ballet, The Nutcracker.

How the Song Was Made

The original recording of "Nut Rocker" was made by talented musicians. They were the house band at Rendezvous Records in Los Angeles. The band included drummer Earl Palmer and guitarist René Hall. These musicians had already made other popular rock songs. They had hits like "In the Mood" and "Bumble Boogie."

The song "Nut Rocker" was produced by Kim Fowley. On the day of recording, the piano player, Ernie Freeman, couldn't make it. So, another great pianist named Al Hazan stepped in. He was quickly brought to the studio.

A Quick Recording Session

In 1962, Kim Fowley got the rights to arrange Tchaikovsky's march. He first took it to pianist H. B. Barnum. Barnum recorded a version with his group, "Jack B. Nimble and the Quicks." But Rod Pierce from Rendezvous Records thought his label could do better.

So, a new recording was planned. But as mentioned, Ernie Freeman didn't show up. Guitarist René Hall quickly found Al Hazan. Hazan was rushed into the Rendezvous office, which was set up as a studio. Al Hazan said he wasn't happy with his playing. He wanted to try again. But Rod Pierce liked the first take just as it was.

The song was released in February 1962. It quickly became a hit. It reached number 23 in the U.S. and number 1 in the UK. "Nut Rocker" is a fast and lively song. It has no singing, just instruments. It was the band's biggest hit. The song was re-released in the UK in 1972. It became popular again, reaching number 20 on the charts.

Other Famous Versions

The progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer also loved to play "Nut Rocker." They often performed it live at their concerts. Their version was also released as a single in 1972. Cash Box magazine called it "Classic live rock extraordinaire."

Their single reached number 70 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also hit number 92 on the U.S. Cashbox chart. The main keyboard they used was a Clavinet. Later, during their 1977-78 shows, Emerson switched to a Yamaha CP-70.

In 2009, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra released their own version of "Nut Rocker." This version featured Greg Lake, who was a member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. It was part of their album Night Castle.