Covers of "Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)" came from fellow Australians, Col Joye and Dig Richards, and from international artists, Mac Davis, Terry Jacks, Gary Glitter, Joe Dassin (in French), The Cats and Tom Jones.
Kevin Stephen Johnson was born on and grew up in Tungamull, which is between the Capricorn Coast and Rockhampton, Queensland.
[2][3] From the early 1960s he worked for the Queensland Department of Roads as a clerk; playing and singing at night and writing songs in his spare time.
[2][3] Some of his songs came to the notice of rock and roll artist, Col Joye, who signed Johnson to his publishing company.
[3][4] In 1967 Johnson relocated to Sydney and recorded his first single, "Hayman Island" on Joye's ATA label in January.
[3][5] He later recalled "Because I'd signed with an American company I couldn't record here ... two years writing and bashing my head against a brick wall".
[3] He told Australasian Performing Right Association representative, Debbie Kruger, in March 2002, that he had written it in two days:[1][11] It was a quick song for me because I've spent months on one line.
[13] Kruger noted that "[the song] reflected his frustration with his own stagnation, and the futile attempts of Australian artists trying to break into America or England".
It was picked up by producer Jonathan King and released in the United Kingdom on his UK Records label in 1974 when it reached No.
[10] According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, it is one of the most covered songs written by an Australian with 27 different artists recording it in 1975 alone.
[5] Covers include fellow Australians, Col Joye and Digby Richards, and international artists, Mac Davis, Terry Jacks, Gary Glitter, Joe Dassin (in French), The Cats and Tom Jones.
[17] In February 1974 Kevin Johnson issued his second solo album, Rock and Roll I Gave You the Best Years of My Life, on the Good Thyme label.
[5][18] Later that year he toured Europe and appeared on a TV special broadcast into France, Italy, Germany and Switzerland.
He also signed with Festival Records' offshoot Infinity to issue further singles and an album, Journeys, which was released in 1978.
[5] In 1996 Johnson re-wrote "Rock 'N' Roll" for the Australian Football League (AFL) as their official Centenary Song, retitled "Aussie Rules I Thank You for the Best Years of Our Lives".