Was the First Rock 'n' Roll Song Recorded in 1946?

Self | March 27, 2011 | PJ-Comix

[PJ-Comix]

Perhaps the official start of the Rock 'n' Roll era should be moved back from 1954's release of Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" to 1946 to this Tex Beneke (formerly with the Glenn Miller Band) song, HEY-BA-BA-RE-BOP.

Call me crazy but this sure sounds like Rock 'n' Roll except it was a full 8 years before what is generally acknowledged as the beginning of the Rock era.

HEY-BA-BA-RE-BOP

[mylife]

☺

[Lees Swrd]

For anyone who does not know this site is available here is a great free music link.

http://www.archive.org/details/opensource_audio

I am a big Jazz fan so here is one for you could be a little rockish!

http://www.archive.org/details/LuckyMillinder-Savoy1943

[Fresh Wind]

Bill Haley had his roots in western swing, which was basically countrified boogie woogie. He sure knew how to dress, too!

[mylife]

The History of Rock and Roll

[bmwcyle]

That is swing a fore runner to Rock.

[dangus]

This nonsense can get like talking about whether the Indians discovered America or the Siberians.

[dangus]

... besides, obviously “Rock around the Clock” refers to a pre-existing movement.

[softwarecreator]

I thought “Rocket 88” was a song by “The Cadillacs.”

Never heard of them charting with a version of that song, but Bill Haley recorded with that song in the early 50's, one if the first to actually hit the Billboard top seller list. I was merely pointing out that the thought that "Rock Around the Clock" was the fist rock song is not correct, several others had charted with rock songs long before 1954 and the Comets were one of the most successful.

I am pretty sure Ike Turner also did "Rocket 88" back in 1951 and it too charted.

[mylife]

But Rock and Roll is a lot more fun!

[softwarecreator]

Classy!

[dangus]

Not understanding what that particular track has to do with Rock’n’Roll. And whynot Lionel Hampton’s earlier version?

[Homer_J_Simpson]

This photo accompanied an article in a Sunday New York Times Magazine some time in 1938. I would have to scroll my posting history to find the exact date. The Times thought BG and Krupa played R&R.

[andy58-in-nh]

As others have noted here, it's really a swing tune (with a big fat horn section) that interprets a typical sixteen bar blues form ("I know a girl, she lives on a hill, she won't do it, but her sister will"). It features a 4/4 key signature along with what has become familiar as a classic "rock" back beat; at the time such a prominent use of drums in popular music was more commonly associated with be-bop jazz (e.g. - Buddy Rich, Max Roach or Gene Krupa). The lyrics are presented as a "white" (though certainly not soulless) version of jazz scat singing with a nice call-and-answer between lead singer and chorus.

I still maintain that the first real "Rock 'n 'Roll" song was Rocket 88 (of which I have about seven or eight different recordings).

[Fresh Wind]

Real Rock is electric guitar and electric bass without the boogie woogie bass line.

OK, so what do you consider to be the first rock'n'roll record?

What about Elvis' Sun recordings, with the string bass and amplified acoustic guitars? Rock or not?

[softwarecreator]

I still maintain that the first real "Rock 'n 'Roll" song was Rocket 88 (of which I have about seven or eight different recordings).

I think most rock historians agree with this fact.

[softwarecreator]

This nonsense can get like talking about whether the Indians discovered America or the Siberians

Of course that depends on what topics of discussion you consider to be nonsense

[mylife]

Author "big Boy" Crudup did That's alright Mama (1949)

[andy58-in-nh]

The term “Rock ‘n’ Roll” appears to go back to the early 20th century (see Homer Simpson’s post before mine, from 1938). Although incorporated by jazz musicians to describe the beat behind their sound, it had a different original meaning, implying momentum of another kind entirely. ;-)

[Tread EZ]

Elvis popularized rock, he didn’t invent it. Take a listen here.

http://news.discovery.com/human/worlds-first-rock-and-roll-song-identified.html

[Fresh Wind]

So, you admit that Elvis’ early recordings are rock’n’roll, even though they don’t meet your standard for what rock’n’roll has to be.