About The Song
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy” was written by Paul Rodgers, performed by Bad Company, and released in February 1979 as the lead single from their album Desolation Angels on Swan Song Records. It peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, spending 12 weeks on the chart, marking a strong return for the band after a brief hiatus.
The song was recorded at Ridge Farm Studio in Surrey, England, and Château d’Hérouville in France, produced by Bad Company and Tom Dowd. The track features Paul Rodgers on lead vocals and guitar, Mick Ralphs on lead guitar, Boz Burrell on bass, and Simon Kirke on drums, with a polished hard rock sound. It runs 3:19 on the single version.
The lyrics celebrate the escapist power of rock music, with lines like “You’ve got to turn on the magic.” Rodgers wrote the song as an anthem for fans, inspired by his experiences on tour and the band’s desire to reconnect with their audience after personal and creative challenges.
The recording featured a brighter production compared to their earlier work, with layered guitars and a memorable synthesizer intro by Rodgers, reflecting the late 1970s rock trends. This shift helped the song stand out, blending their bluesy roots with a more accessible sound.
Upon release, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy” achieved solid success, contributing to Desolation Angels’s double platinum certification. It has appeared on compilations like 10 from 6 (1985) and The Best of Bad Company Live…What You Hear Is What You Get (1993), remaining a live favorite.
Bad Company, formed in 1973, promoted the single with tours across the US and UK. The music video, though not widely released in 1979, includes live footage from that era, later compiled in retrospectives like the 2002 DVD In Concert: Merchants of Cool.
The track has been covered by artists like Great White and featured in films like Old School (2003). It was ranked No. 97 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs, solidifying its place as a quintessential rock anthem of the late 1970s.
Video
Lyric
Here come the jesters, one, two, three
It’s all part of my fantasy
I love the music and I love to see
The crowd, oh, it rocks and rollsYou can turn on the magic
Turn on the light
Here come the dancers, oh, what a sight
Turn on the magic, turn on the light
Oh, rock ‘n’ roll will fill your shoes tonightHere come the dancers, one by one
Your mama can’t dance, but your daddy sure can
Oh, here come the dancers, one by one
Here come the dancers, oh, what a sightYou can turn on the magic
Turn on the light
Here come the dancers, oh, what a sight
Turn on the magic, turn on the light
Oh, rock ‘n’ roll will fill your shoes tonight(Instrumental break)
Here come the jesters, one, two, three
It’s all part of my fantasy
I love the music and I love to see
The crowd, oh, it rocks and rollsYou can turn on the magic
Turn on the light
Here come the dancers, oh, what a sight
Turn on the magic, turn on the light
Oh, rock ‘n’ roll will fill your shoes tonightTurn on the magic
Turn on the light
Oh, rock ‘n’ roll will fill your shoes tonight