Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)  "Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)" is a 1973 song written and originally performed by Australian singer Kevin Johnson, most famously covered by American singer Mac Davis. Johnson's version reached number four in Australia. The guitar solo in Johnson's version was played by Rory O'Donoghue. In Australia, the UK and Ireland, it was only Johnson's original version which charted. In the United States it was Mac Davis who had the primary hit version in 1974, although three versions of the song became American chart hits. His version reached #15 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. "Rock 'N' Roll" is the first track on his sixth studio album "All the Love in the World". The song was the lead single of two issued from the LP, the other being the title track, and both of which became hit records. The Dutch band The Cats released a version in the Netherlands in 1973 on EMI Nederland. The song made to #3 on the Dutch charts Single Top 100 and Dutch Top 40. In Canada, Terry Jacks got it into the charts in 1975. It also made it to number 97 on Billboard Hot 100. His version appeared in "Y' Don't Fight the Sea" and was a bonus song appearing in his 1974 album "Seasons in the Sun". New Zealand's very popular singer Craig Scott covered the song in 1974, reaching #13. In 1977, Gary Glitter recorded a version on his album "Silver Star". There are recorded versions by Albert West, Craig Scott, Digby Richards and Sam Neely amongst others.