Rock 'n' Roll  by John Lennon

John Lennon's album Rock 'n' Roll, released in February 1975, is a tribute to the artist's musical roots, consisting exclusively of covers of classic tracks from the '50s and '60s. The cover of Rock 'n' Roll is considered one of the most iconic in John Lennon's career, as it connects his solo journey with the beginnings of the Beatles. The photo for the cover was taken in the spring of 1961 at the entrance of the Jägerpassage (Wohlwillstraße 22) in the St. Pauli area of Hamburg. Lennon stands at the door wearing a leather jacket, while three blurred figures pass in front of him. These are Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Stuart Sutcliffe (the original bassist of the Beatles).

The creation of the album was particularly eventful. Lennon was forced to record the album as part of an out-of-court settlement for a plagiarism case concerning the line "Here come old flat-top" in the Beatles song Come Together. Production began in 1973 with producer Phil Spector in Los Angeles during the period known as the "Lost Weekend." The recordings were full of alcohol and gun incidents on Spector's part. Spector disappeared with the recording tapes and returned them months later, after a car accident that left him in a coma. Lennon eventually completed the album alone in New York in 1974.

The album includes iconic covers such as Ben E. King's Stand By Me, which became a big hit. Other tracks include Be-Bop-A-Lula, Ain't That A Shame, and Sweet Little Sixteen. The album reached No. 6 on the charts in the US and Great Britain and was his last release before he retired for five years to focus on his family.