Monday, December 9, 2024

On July 9, 1955 Bill Haley & His Comets peaked to No.1 on the US singles chart with Rock N’ Roll classic “Rock Around the Clock”

Despite it’s cultural influence of it, the song bear a very close similarity to several songs written years before

On July 9, 1955 Bill Haley & His Comets peaked to No.1 on the US singles chart with Rock N’ Roll classic “Rock Around the Clock”



It is one of Rock N’ Roll absolute classics, a timeless piece of music that influenced generations of Rock musicians all around the world for decades. Written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers in 1952 as, “Rock Around The Clock” (originally titled “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock Tonight!”) was recorded and released by Bill Haley & His Comets in 1954 as a B-side to “Thirteen Women (and Only One Man in Town)”. The song was a mild hit when initially released, and it was not until 1955, when “Rock Around the Clock” was used under the opening credits of the film “Blackboard Jungle”, that the song truly took off, becoming a symbol of rebellion that would forever be associated with Rock music. But, contrary to popular belief, “Rock Around The Clock” was not the first Rock N’ Roll song , nor was it the first successful record of the genre, as Bill Haley had American chart success with “Crazy Man, Crazy” in 1953, and in 1954, “Shake, Rattle and Roll” sung by Big Joe Turner reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart. The cultural influence of the song is undeniable, but, despite it, “Rock Around The Clock” bear a very close similarity to several songs written years before. Being the three most obvious or main ones Hank Williams’ first hit, “Move It On Over”, from 1947, that was very similar to Charley Patton’s “Going to Move to Alabama”, recorded in 1929 which itself was at least partly derived from Jim Jackson’s “Kansas City Blues” from 1927. Bill Haley’s “Rock Around The Clock” continues to be the most well known and popular variation of it, on July 9, 1955 it went No.1 at the US singles charts after being re-released due to the success of the movie “Blackboard Jungle” and recently, in 2018, it was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or artistically significant.



Watch Bill Haley & His Comets performing “Rock Around the Clock”



Also listen to some of the songs that inspired “Rock Around The Clock” and are among the first expressions of Rock music

Hank Williams, “Move It On Over”, 1947

Charley Patton’, “Going to Move to Alabama”, 1929

Jim Jackson, “Kansas City Blues”, 1927



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