Love Rollercoaster
Encyclopedia
"Love Rollercoaster" is a song by American
funk
/R&B band The Ohio Players, originally featured on their 1975 album Honey
. The song was a hit upon its initial release, reaching the top of both the R&B and pop charts. It still sees wide airplay on classic funk and R&B stations. The song uses the roller coaster
, a common theme park attraction, as a metaphor for the ups and downs of dating and romantic relationships. The roller coaster metaphor is also suggested musically as the guitarist plays a funk riff which slides up and back down repeatedly throughout the song. Allmusic.com indicates it was composed by Beck, Bonner, Jones, Middlebrook, Pierce, Satchell, and Williams.
. During an instrumental portion of the song, a high-pitched scream is heard (between 1:24 and 1:28 on the single version, or between 2:32 and 2:36 on the album version); this was Billy Beck
, but according to the most common legend, it was the voice of an individual being murdered live while the tape was rolling. The "victim's" identity varies greatly depending on the version.
The supposed sources of the scream have included an individual who was killed at some prior time, her scream inexplicably recorded and looped into the track. Another version tells of a rabbit being killed outside the studio whose scream was accidentally picked up by the band's recording equipment - highly implausible, since professional recording studios are soundproof. The most widespread version of the myth, however, tells that Ester Cordet, who appeared nude on the Honey album cover, had been badly burned by the super-heated honey used for the photo shoot, which occurred simultaneous with the recording session, and her agonized screams were inadvertently captured on tape. A further variation had Cordet suffering permanent disfigurement due to the burns; she interrupted the band's recording session, threatening to sue, at which point the band's manager stabbed her to death in the control room. The latter scenario, however, is impossible as Ester Cordet is still alive.
Casey Kasem
reported the urban myth of the woman being killed in the studio recording booth on his radio show, American Top 40
, when the song was on the charts in 1976.
Jimmy "Diamond" Williams explained that the scream was nothing eerie or disturbing:
ed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
in 1996, with lead singer Anthony Kiedis
adding a rap
to the song, and the horn section replaced with an approximation played on kazoo
s. Their version appeared on the soundtrack of the animated film Beavis and Butt-head Do America
. There was also an animated music video that was made for the song, featuring Beavis
, Butt-head
, and the band riding an amusement park
roller coaster, intercut with scenes from the film. The song is played early in the movie itself, when Beavis and Butt-head arrive in Las Vegas. In the dance hall scene, a fictional funk band is shown performing the song live (the one appearing on the background of the single cover).
The band has never performed the song live.
Promo Single
game Boogie
. Some of the more sexually suggestive lyrics were changed.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
funk
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
/R&B band The Ohio Players, originally featured on their 1975 album Honey
Honey (Ohio Players album)
-Track listing:#"Honey" - 5:20#"Fopp" - 3:45#"Let's Do It" - 5:15 #"Ain't Givin' up No Ground" - 1:42#"Sweet Sticky Thing" - 6:14#"Love Rollercoaster" - 4:50#"Alone" - 4:37-Personnel:...
. The song was a hit upon its initial release, reaching the top of both the R&B and pop charts. It still sees wide airplay on classic funk and R&B stations. The song uses the roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
, a common theme park attraction, as a metaphor for the ups and downs of dating and romantic relationships. The roller coaster metaphor is also suggested musically as the guitarist plays a funk riff which slides up and back down repeatedly throughout the song. Allmusic.com indicates it was composed by Beck, Bonner, Jones, Middlebrook, Pierce, Satchell, and Williams.
Urban legend
While the song is known within the music community for its distinctive and influential sound, within the popular imagination it remains best identified with a persistent urban legendUrban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
. During an instrumental portion of the song, a high-pitched scream is heard (between 1:24 and 1:28 on the single version, or between 2:32 and 2:36 on the album version); this was Billy Beck
Billy Beck (musician)
Billy Beck is a keyboardist, pianist, and songwriter for the Original and New Ohio Players, as well as Zapp and Roger.A graduate of Youngstown State University's Dana School of Music, he was born on the South Side of Youngstown, Ohio....
, but according to the most common legend, it was the voice of an individual being murdered live while the tape was rolling. The "victim's" identity varies greatly depending on the version.
The supposed sources of the scream have included an individual who was killed at some prior time, her scream inexplicably recorded and looped into the track. Another version tells of a rabbit being killed outside the studio whose scream was accidentally picked up by the band's recording equipment - highly implausible, since professional recording studios are soundproof. The most widespread version of the myth, however, tells that Ester Cordet, who appeared nude on the Honey album cover, had been badly burned by the super-heated honey used for the photo shoot, which occurred simultaneous with the recording session, and her agonized screams were inadvertently captured on tape. A further variation had Cordet suffering permanent disfigurement due to the burns; she interrupted the band's recording session, threatening to sue, at which point the band's manager stabbed her to death in the control room. The latter scenario, however, is impossible as Ester Cordet is still alive.
Casey Kasem
Casey Kasem
Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is an American radio personality and voice actor who is best known for being the host of the nationally syndicated Top 40 countdown show American Top 40, and for voicing Shaggy in the popular Saturday morning cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.Kasem, along with Don Bustany and...
reported the urban myth of the woman being killed in the studio recording booth on his radio show, American Top 40
American Top 40
American Top 40 is an internationally syndicated, independent radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds and Ron Jacobs. Originally a production of Watermark Inc...
, when the song was on the charts in 1976.
Jimmy "Diamond" Williams explained that the scream was nothing eerie or disturbing:
Red Hot Chili Peppers cover
"Love Rollercoaster" was coverCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
ed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
in 1996, with lead singer Anthony Kiedis
Anthony Kiedis
Anthony Kiedis is an American vocalist/lyricist, and occasional actor best known as the lead vocalist of the Grammy-winning American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Kiedis spent his youth in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his mother before moving, shortly before his 12th birthday, to Hollywood,...
adding a rap
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
to the song, and the horn section replaced with an approximation played on kazoo
Kazoo
The kazoo is a wind instrument which adds a "buzzing" timbral quality to a player's voice when the player vocalizes into it. The kazoo is a type of mirliton, which is a membranophone, a device which modifies the sound of a person's voice by way of a vibrating membrane."Kazoo" was the name given by...
s. Their version appeared on the soundtrack of the animated film Beavis and Butt-head Do America
Beavis and Butt-head Do America
Beavis and Butt-head Do America is a 1996 animated feature film, based on the TV series, Beavis and Butt-Head. It was produced by Paramount Pictures in association with Geffen Pictures and MTV Films, and co-written and directed by creator Mike Judge. The film grossed $20.11 million in its opening...
. There was also an animated music video that was made for the song, featuring Beavis
Beavis
Beavis is a fictional character on the MTV series Beavis and Butt-head. He is voiced by the show’s creator, Mike Judge.Beavis has an underbite and a fixated stare on his face which rarely looks straight at the television viewer, but rather to the side...
, Butt-head
Butt-head
Butt-head is a fictional character from the MTV animated series Beavis and Butt-head. He was voiced by the show's creator, Mike Judge.Mike Judge got the name Butt-head from his university days, when he knew a couple of kids who had the nicknames 'Iron Butt' and 'Butt-head'...
, and the band riding an amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
roller coaster, intercut with scenes from the film. The song is played early in the movie itself, when Beavis and Butt-head arrive in Las Vegas. In the dance hall scene, a fictional funk band is shown performing the song live (the one appearing on the background of the single cover).
The band has never performed the song live.
Track listing
CD Single 1- "Love Rollercoaster"
- "Lesbian SeagullLesbian Seagull"Lesbian Seagull" is a song, performed by Engelbert Humperdinck, that was used in the soundtrack for the MTV/Paramount film Beavis and Butt-Head Do America. In the movie, the song was sung by one of Beavis's and Butt-Head's teachers, Mr...
- Engelbert HumperdinckEngelbert Humperdinck (singer)Engelbert Humperdinck is a British pop singer, best known for his hits including "Release Me " and "After the Lovin'" as well as "The Last Waltz" .-Early life:...
"
Promo Single
- "Love Rollercoaster" (Clean Edit)
- "Love Rollercoaster" (Rock Rollercoaster Mix)
- "Love Rollercoaster" (LP Version)
In popular culture
A cover version of the song, based on the Red Hot Chili Peppers version, is featured in the Nintendo WiiWii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
game Boogie
Boogie (video game)
Boogie is a music video game developed by Electronic Arts for the Wii, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS. Being touted as a party-game, it enables players to create their character, then use the Wii Remote and a microphone to sing and dance through it. Each song within the game can be performed either...
. Some of the more sexually suggestive lyrics were changed.