Song of the Day: “Rock and Roll All Nite” by Kiss

There was never a time as good as the ‘80s for huge, singalong refrains. These seven radio staples have all the nutritional value of Cheez-Whiz and all the grace of a two-by-four to the face, and all of them are incredible. This week, I present Epic Anthem Choruses of the ‘80s.

I have a book called 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die by critic Tom Moon, and it’s really great. Considering the sheer breadth and variety of music he writes about (spanning every genre and format), the depth of his critical analysis is amazing.

That said, there are a few selections you can tell he felt compelled to include for completeness sake, not his own taste. On such pick is this song, which includes the best zinger in the book, when he calls Kiss “four remarkably average musicians.”

I can see why he decided to honor “Rock and Roll All Nite,” though. It’s the ultimate version of this type of song. It’s the Leaning Tower of Cheeza. It makes me want to drink alcohol and dance and shout along. And what’s the point of art if not a celebration of those finer parts of life?

This song also has a great mondegreen we referenced all the time in high school, later immortalized by the movie Role Models:

“I wanna rock and roll all night / and part of every day.” Now that I’m almost thirty, maybe Paul Rudd is right and I should cut down on the partying.