Which song is considered to be the first popular rock ‘n’ roll song? And why?
At various times, I’ve heard that:
[ul]
[li]Elvis Presley’s first hit (whatever it was)[/li][li]Johnny B. Goode[/li][li]Rock Around The Clock[/li][/ul]
is the first RNR song. But “proof” is ever-fleeting (when did it hit the Top-40, how was it different from mainstream pop music at the time, etc.).
There were probably precursors, but Bill Haley and the Comet’s “Rock Around the Clock” was the first rock and roll song to gain widespread popularity. Haley was highly influenced by black musicians, who probably performed songs that we’d call rock and roll now, but were called “race music” at the time.
Berry and Elvis came later.
Years ago, I saw Chuck Berry being interviewed on TV (I think by Bryant Gumbel). WHen he was asked if he had “invented” rock and roll, Berry immediately (and rightly) answered “No.” He said that all the elements of rock and roll had been around for a long time before he hit it big, that he was merely among the first artists to gain wide exposure for the music.
Certainly, there were millions and millions of kids who had no knowledge of rock and roll before Chuck (or Elvis, or even Pat Boone) came along, but if you listen to old records by guys like Louis (“Caldonia”) Jordan, you’ll realize that the basics of rock and roll were around years before “Johnny B. Goode” or “Rock Around the Clock.”
Years ago, I saw Chuck Berry being interviewed on TV (I think by Bryant Gumbel). WHen he was asked if he had “invented” rock and roll, Berry immediately (and rightly) answered “No.” He said that all the elements of rock and roll had been around for a long time before he hit it big, that he was merely among the first artists to gain wide exposure for the music.
Certainly, there were millions and millions of kids who had no knowledge of rock and roll before Chuck (or Elvis, or even Pat Boone) came along, but if you listen to old records by guys like Louis (“Caldonia”) Jordan, you’ll realize that the basics of rock and roll were around years before “Johnny B. Goode” or “Rock Around the Clock.”
The first top-20 rock hit was “Crazy, Man, Crazy” (1953) by Bill Haley & His Comets (topped out at #15). He recorded both “Shake Rattle and Roll” and “Rock Around the Clock” in 1954. I think his cover of “Shake Rattle and Roll” became the first top-10 rock hit in 1954, but I’m not sure. "Rock Around the Clock didn’t come close to the top of the charts when it was first released. It reached number 1 after it was featured in the movie Blackboard Jungle in 1955.
see The First Rock ‘n’ Roll Song which lists 20 contenders for the honor (it’s not an exhaustive list).
see also Cecil’s column Who invented the term “rock ‘n’ roll”?
I’ve heard many claim it was “Rocket 88” by (I think) Jackie Brenston, released in (I think) '52 - I’m not at home, so I don’t have the sources, and my work computer is too slow to access bibliophage’s links, which may have the info.
Actually, Haley release Rocket 88 in 1951 or 1952 with his band(called The Saddlemen at that time) for Essex records. From this site
Thanks for the link, sam. I’d also agree that many elements of the r&r sound were in place long before the '50s - listen to Robert Johnson’s “Hot Tamales” and tell me it’s not (primitive) rock & roll.