Songfacts®:

• Bob Seger was in his 30s when his career finally took off, which is kind of like having a baby at an advanced age: you're already worn out. But no matter your age, your passions in life never leave you, and Seger's passion is rock and roll. In this song, which he called "an honest appraisal of where I was at that moment in time," he's telling his mature fans they can still get out there and take in some live music. You might need to leave before the encore so you can get back for the babysitter, but you can still pull it off, because rock and roll never forgets.
• Seger was 31 when this song was released on his Night Moves album, which explains the line, "Now sweet 16's turned 31." He did start early, forming his first band, The Decibels, while still in high school. Over the next few years, he was in several bands; when he was 22, his group The Bob Seger System signed with Capitol Records. Their single "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" was a modest hit, going to #17 on the Hot 100, but the band fell apart after their second album, so Seger became a solo artist. He became well known in Michigan, but it wasn't until 1976, now with his Silver Bullet Band, that he made headway nationally with his live album Live Bullet, which captured the spectacular energy of his live shows. When he was working on Night Moves, he was on the brink of stardom but already a rock veteran, giving him a distinct perspective that's apparent in this song.
  
  The Night Moves album, released in October 1976, broke him big. The first two singles, "Night Moves" and "Mainstreet," were slower, more reflective songs. "Rock And Roll Never Forgets" was the third single, bringing out the rocker in him.
• Seger considers this a "thank you" to the fans that stuck by him on his rise. Many were his age by this time, and could relate to the sentiment.
• Lyrical inspiration for this song came from one of Seger's high school friends who told him about going to their class reunion. Seger wanted to write a song for middle-aged people to remember their youth.
• The line, "All Chuck's children are out there playing his licks" is a reference to Chuck Berry, a rock pioneer whose sound is in the DNA of many musicians how followed.
• Seger didn't always record with his Silver Bullet Band, but they did back him on this one and three others on Night Moves. Around this time, Seger was often recording at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama with their house band.