John Lennon didn’t just take influence from Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison, he released a No. 1 single inspired by the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and other 1950s artists. In an interview, John explained why he went back to the music of an earlier era for one of his songs. Here’s a look at why this song stands apart from all of John’s other No. 1 hits. Firstly, a little background. The Beatles started as a band obviously influenced by Elvis and other American rock ‘n’ roll artists, however, they evolved into a much more eclectic group. When John left the Fab Four to pursue a solo career, he often went in more avant-garde directions. However, he returned to the world of old-school rock ‘n’ roll for the appropriately-titled album Rock ‘n’ Roll. The album was composed of covers of songs from the 1950s and 1960s.
Source: cheatsheet.com