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the beginnings of rock and roll 

The ingredients for Rock to explode in the 1950s.

  • Covers and Crossovers: Covers and Crossovers are one of the most important ingredients (if not the most important) to the Rock and Roll formula.
  • Crossovers
    • A crossover is a record (recording) that is recorded for one market but succeeds in another.
    • Many of Rock’s early artists were crossovers from other genres.
    • Ruth Brown - R&B → Pop
    • Louis Jordan - R&B → Pop
  • Covers
    • A cover is a song that has been re-recorded by a different artist, sometimes in a different style
    • Early in Rock and Roll’s history, record companies frequently had white artists re-record songs by black artists. The lyrics were often changed to be cleaner.
    • The thought was that the white audiences didn’t want to listen to black artists.
    • Examples
    • Hound Dog (Big Mama Thorton → Elvis)
    • Tutti Fruitti (Little Richard → Pat Boone)
    • The record companies were very wrong! Teenagers wanted to listen to black artists. Instead of white audiences, mainly teens, enjoying the white versions, they sought out black artists, breaking down racial barriers!
  • Bill Haley and His Comets
    • The Comets form as The Saddlemen, a Country Western band in Chester, PA in 1952
    • The band’s first sucess was a cover of a rockabily song Rocket 88
    • The Comets cover an R&B song called “Rock Around The Clock” in 1954
    • The song went nowhere…
    • A year later, the song is featured in a movie called Blackboard Jungle
    • The song becomes a huge sucess and is considered the first Rock & Roll song.
    • Listening journal for Rock Around The Clock.
    • Very popular in the US but only for a short time.
    • Other hits
    • Shake, Rattle, and Roll
    • See Ya Later Alligator
    • Why didn’t Bill Haley have more sucess?
    • They had the rock and roll sound, but not the “look” (they weren’t hot enough lmao.)
  • Elvis Presley
    • Elvis is discovered by Sam Phillips - owner of Sun Records
    • Elvis releases several songs for Sun
    • That’s Alright
    • Blue Moon of Kentucky
    • Mystery Train
    • Elvis hires a manager - Colonel Tom Parker and leaves Sun Records for RCA Victor
    • Under Tom Parker and RCA, Elvis releases many hits
    • Heartbreak Hotel
    • Hound Dog
    • Don’t Be Cruel
    • Love Me Tender
    • All Shook Up
    • Jailhouse Rock
    • Fame comes with controversy. While Elvis is liked by everyone, his dance moves are considered “vulgar.”
    • After some time in the Army, Elvis has even more success! He has a comeback special, the 68 comeback special. This introduces a new generation to Elvis.
    • During this time, Elvis’ drug addiction is getting worse. His wife left him because of how bad his addiction had gotten.
    • Elvis begins to star in movies
    • Top later songs
    • Suspicious Minds
    • In The Ghetto
    • Burning Love
    • Towards the end of his career, Elvis performed in Las Vegas when not touring.
    • Elvis’ health deteriorates rapidly in the 1970s.
    • Elvis dies at his home on August 16th, 1977. He suffers a heart attack.
    • The legacies of Elvis
    • He is the personification of early Rock and Roll
    • Versatile- can play any style of music
    • Overwhelming commercial success
      • Everyone liked him
      • Top of all charts
  • What happened after Bill Haley and Elvis?
    • Three trends emerge
    • Mainstream Rock (R&B based Rock)
    • Rockabilly (Country Western based Rock with drums)
    • Sock Rock (Pop based “Rock”)
    • Soft Rock
    • Two types: “Bubblegum” and Doo-Wop
    • Bubblegum Pop is Rock for young teens in the ‘50s and ‘60s
    • Doo-wop was a group vocal style that incorporated the use of nonsense syllables like “boop-she-bop.”
      • It began on street corners in cities. They would get a crowd and when good enough- they would go challenge another group’s block.