Dr Hook and the Medicine Show ~ ＂Cover of the Rolling Stone＂ - Dr Hook and the Medicine Show ~ ＂Cover of the Rolling Stone＂

What this video is

Released in December 1972 and charting at No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 by March 1973, 'Cover of the Rolling Stone' is a Shel Silverstein-penned satirical anthem that simultaneously mocked and yearned for mainstream rock credibility. The song's self-referential conceit — a band singing about wanting to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone — resulted in the remarkable real-world outcome of the band being…

Why it matters

A landmark document of early-70s comedic rock and Shel Silverstein's influence on American popular song, this performance clip captures a rare pre-MTV moment when a single's visual life depended entirely on TV variety and late-night broadcast appearances. The song's meta-commentary on the music…