# Define Rock 'n' Roll in 20 seconds **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 15, 2007, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495 "2007-11-15T04:58:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/1 "2007-11-15T04:58:20Z")
A lousy thread title I know, but I wanted to snag your interest. (?) Share with us your idea of what RNR is. Pick _one-third of a minute_; a snippet of song, movie, or video clip. Mine? Obviously, the **band** is a foregone conclusion. But…the 20 seconds…I’ll have to work on that. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/2 "2007-11-15T05:03:07Z")
The first 20 seconds of this clip is pretty good: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y\_C78zw5i8U](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_C78zw5i8U) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/3 "2007-11-15T05:04:54Z")
Just what I had in mind. That’s awesome! ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/4 "2007-11-15T05:29:37Z")
The Clash is (are) awesome, but [this](http://youtube.com/watch?v=mlkMc0ZaJmY) is how I’d define RnR. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/5 "2007-11-15T05:43:34Z")
The very first thing that came to mind for me was [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0YUA3yTUss&feature=related) \*\*Rhiannon8404 \*\*suggests [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo4v0LwEncU) clip (specifically, the 30 seconds from 0:14 to 0:44) ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/6 "2007-11-15T05:58:32Z")
The Masters Speak: Hey there, all you middle men Throw away your fancy clothes And while you’re out there sittin’ on a fence So get off your ass and come down here 'Cause rock ‘n’ roll ain’t no riddle man To me it makes good, good sense ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/7 "2007-11-15T06:00:57Z")
[QUOTE=askeptic] The Masters Speak: Hey there, all you middle men Throw away your fancy clothes And while you’re out there sittin’ on a fence So get off your ass and come down here 'Cause rock ‘n’ roll ain’t no riddle man To me it makes good, good sense [/QUOTE] Good call. ---
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/8 "2007-11-15T06:53:26Z")
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (scream for 20 seconds) ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/9 "2007-11-15T07:40:32Z")
Rob Halford riding a Harley Davidson onstage. Angus Young doing his Curly Shuffle/seizure on the floor while playing “Let There Be Rock”. Gina Gershon belting out a tune in “Prey For Rock And Roll”, sweat running down her body and spit flying out of her mouth. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/10 "2007-11-15T13:44:53Z")
As Louis Armstrong apocryphally said about jazz: if you have to ask, you’ll never know. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/11 "2007-11-15T14:04:50Z")
The first 20 seconds of [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqybWVfW7J0) rocks about as well as one could really ever hope for. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/12 "2007-11-15T14:11:08Z")
Elvis Presley singing “Jailhouse Rock” in his leather suit and swiveling his hips while a thousand girls scream in the audience. His upturned lip launched a thousand orgasms. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/13 "2007-11-15T14:14:01Z")
“My music made your knees freeze, your liver quiver, your bladder splatter, and your big toe shoot right up in your boot!” - Little Richard ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/14 "2007-11-15T14:26:55Z")
So far I like the Stones and Zepplin examples. I think those two bands are the perfect mix of both what rock started out as (blues) and what it would become (the equipment, the technique, even the image of a “rock star”). Elvis/Little Richard/et al weren’t far enough along, and the Clash was too far ahead. Does that make sense? ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/15 "2007-11-15T14:28:11Z")
My vote goes [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0YUA3yTUss), from :11 to :31. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/16 "2007-11-15T17:55:02Z")
Beat beat beat beat / beat beat beat beat / beat beat beat beat / beat beat beat beat… Instrumental lead-in / verse 1 / chorus / verse 2 / chorus / verse 3 / chorus / instrumental break - guitar solo - verse 1 (repeated) / chorus - refrain of chorus into fadeout (or alternately, big-blowout finish). All in just three minutes. Played LOUDLY. ---
**Author:** ![stanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@stanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stanger)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/17 "2007-11-15T18:05:54Z")
I couldn’t begin to think of 30 seconds of music that epitomizes “rock & roll”, but I can give you _my_definition of it in that time. There is a lot of “rock” out there, but not much of it is “rock & roll”. To me, R&R has two major influences; rhythm/blues and energy/rebellion. To understand what this sounds like, listen to the songs done by the masters of each. Naturally, great R&R comes from the USA, so the perfect examples do too. For the best representative of rhythm/blues style, listen to the work of Creedence Clearwater Revival. For the best of high energy/rebellion style, listen to The Ramones. On October 2, two greats rolled out their new albums, one got most of the hype, but the other is the true legend, IMHO. If you like rock, pick up the new Bruce Springsteen album. If you like R&R, pick up the new John Fogerty album. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/18 "2007-11-15T18:19:30Z")
Muddy Waters defined it best. “The blues had a baby and they named it rock and roll.” ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/19 "2007-11-15T20:29:14Z")
A-Whomp-bomp-a-loo-bop, a whomp-bam boom! Tutty Fruity, oh, ruuudy… ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495/20 "2007-11-15T21:47:39Z")
“It’s got a good beat and I can dance to it.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-rock-n-roll-in-20-seconds/426495.md?page=2)