On This Day in Beatles History: John Lennon Records You Can't Catch Me for Rock ‘N’ Roll – 11 July 1974
On 11 July 1974, John Lennon continued work on 'You Can’t Catch Me' at Record Plant in New York City, adding overdubs to complete the track for his Rock ‘N’ Roll album. It was the final session for the album until 6 October 1974 — in the interim, Lennon recorded and released an entirely separate album, Walls and Bridges.
Session Details
- Date: 11 July 1974
- Studio: Record Plant, New York City
- Producer: John Lennon
- Track: 'You Can’t Catch Me'
- Album: Rock ‘N’ Roll (released February 1975)
The Recording History of You Can’t Catch Me
The backing track for 'You Can’t Catch Me' had been recorded on 11 December 1973. Lennon had added new lead vocals on 9 July 1974, and the 11 July session was used to add unspecified overdubs that completed the track.
'You Can’t Catch Me' is a Chuck Berry song, originally released in 1956. Lennon’s decision to include it on Rock ‘N’ Roll had a particular backstory: Morris Levy, the owner of Big Seven Music, had sued Lennon for plagiarism, claiming that the opening lines of 'Come Together' — “Here come old flat-top, he come grooving up slowly” — were lifted from Berry’s song. The lawsuit was settled out of court, with Lennon agreeing to record three songs from Levy’s publishing catalogue, of which 'You Can’t Catch Me' was one.
The Rock ‘N’ Roll Album
Rock ‘N’ Roll was John Lennon’s album of classic rock and roll covers, released in February 1975. The project had a long and troubled history. Initial sessions had been produced by Phil Spector in Los Angeles in October 1973, but those sessions descended into chaos — Spector disappeared with the master tapes, and Lennon was forced to re-record much of the material himself in New York in late 1973 and throughout 1974.
The album featured covers of songs by Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, Gene Vincent, and others — the same American rock and roll that had shaped The Beatles’ musical tastes in Liverpool in the late 1950s and early 1960s. For Lennon, the project was both a personal tribute to the music of his youth and a way of resolving the legal dispute with Morris Levy.
The 11 July 1974 session was the last work done on the album for nearly three months. Lennon then turned his full attention to Walls and Bridges, which was recorded, completed, and released — reaching number one in the US — before the Rock ‘N’ Roll sessions resumed in October 1974.
Walls and Bridges: The Interlude
Walls and Bridges, released in September 1974, was Lennon’s most commercially successful solo album since Imagine. It produced the US number one single 'Whatever Gets You Thru the Night', on which Elton John played and sang — a collaboration that led to Lennon’s famous and final live performance at Madison Square Garden in November 1974. The album also featured a guest appearance by Lennon’s son Julian on drums.
The speed with which Lennon pivoted from the Rock ‘N’ Roll sessions to record and release an entirely new album of original material — before returning to complete the covers record — was characteristic of his prolific and restless approach to recording during the mid-1970s.
John Lennon in 1974
July 1974 fell during Lennon’s ‘Lost Weekend’ — the period from late 1973 to early 1975 during which he was separated from Yoko Ono and living in Los Angeles and New York with May Pang. Despite the personal turbulence of the period, it was one of his most productive stretches as a solo artist, yielding both Walls and Bridges and the eventual completion of Rock ‘N’ Roll.
On This Day in Beatles History
- Date: 11 July 1974
- Artist: John Lennon
- Studio: Record Plant, New York City
- Producer: John Lennon
- Track: 'You Can’t Catch Me' (Chuck Berry cover)
- Backing track recorded: 11 December 1973
- Vocals added: 9 July 1974
- 11 July: Overdubs added to complete the song
- Next Rock ‘N’ Roll session: 6 October 1974
- Album released: February 1975
Explore More Beatles History
- John Lennon: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
- July in Beatles History
- The Beatles Knowledge Hub
- 11 July in Beatles History
Frequently Asked Questions
What did John Lennon record on 11 July 1974?
Lennon added overdubs to complete 'You Can’t Catch Me' at Record Plant in New York City. It was the final session for the Rock ‘N’ Roll album until 6 October 1974.
Why did John Lennon record You Can’t Catch Me?
Lennon included the Chuck Berry song as part of a legal settlement with Morris Levy of Big Seven Music, who had sued him for plagiarism over the opening lines of 'Come Together'. The settlement required Lennon to record three songs from Levy’s publishing catalogue.
What is the Rock ‘N’ Roll album?
Rock ‘N’ Roll was John Lennon’s album of classic rock and roll covers, released in February 1975. It featured songs by Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, and others, and had a troubled recording history involving Phil Spector.
What did Lennon do between the July and October 1974 Rock ‘N’ Roll sessions?
Lennon recorded and released Walls and Bridges, his most commercially successful solo album since Imagine, which reached number one in the US and produced the hit single 'Whatever Gets You Thru the Night'.
What was the Lost Weekend?
The ‘Lost Weekend’ refers to the period from late 1973 to early 1975 during which John Lennon was separated from Yoko Ono and living in Los Angeles and New York with May Pang. Despite the personal upheaval, it was one of his most productive periods as a solo artist.
When was the Rock ‘N’ Roll album released?
Rock ‘N’ Roll was released in February 1975. It was Lennon’s final studio album before his five-year retirement from recording, which ended with Double Fantasy in 1980.
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