Rock ‘n’ roll literally stirred up the youth of America in the mid-1950s. And then the whole world. And while young boys and girls were singing along to popular singers and rocking on the dancefloors, their parents were against the “innovations” in the music world. Why this style has become very popular and why it became an apple of discord between generations?
We owe the term “rock ‘n’ roll” to Alan Freed, an American DJ. He worked for a Cleveland radio station and very often played black music, because he noticed how white youth gravitated toward it. The name rock ‘n’ roll itself came from the then popular song “We’ll rock, we’ll roll.” It happened in 1952.
Giving the name to the new genre, Alan began to actively promote it. Radio airtime did not seem enough, so he began to arrange rock balls. Black and white people gathered at them – the American public was outraged! But why? U.S. history provides the answer.
Racial animosity in America escalated after World War II. Black people were not allowed to sit on the bus if a white American was standing. In the southern states, boys and girls of different skin colors even danced on different floors. The same hostile attitude developed toward Negro music. Gospel and rhythm and blues had no place on the radio. But only the older generation, who gravitated toward country and orchestral music, devoid of improvisation and vivid emotion, thought so.
The post-war youth demanded new idols, new music, free and incendiary. The young people of that time did not share racial prejudices, so without a shadow of a doubt they wandered into black radio stations in search of rhythmic sounds. That’s what Alan Freed took advantage of.
Conservative parents did not share their children’s interests. As a result, rock and roll was declared war. Famous people called rock’n’roll a “black plague” capable of destroying America. Jeans were banned in schools, parents scolded children for their tastes, in an effort to diminish the influence of black culture. But for young Americans who were tired of living in a world of delusion, the skin color of their favorite performers didn’t matter.
The song “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Hale, a white American, changed everything. The public heard it for the first time in April 1954, but met it without much enthusiasm. But it was enough to make the composition the soundtrack to the youth film The Slate Board Jungle for the rock ‘n’ roll age to begin. Few people know about that movie now, but “Rock Around the Clock” is identifiable from the first chords.
By the time Bill Hale recorded the song, he was 30 years old. Age wasn’t the only thing he repelled young people with. He didn’t have the black performer energy that young people craved. They were waiting for a new idol that met their needs. Elvis Presley became that idol. With his arrival came the heyday of rock ‘n’ roll, which peaked in 1957.
The early rock and roll artists also included Little Richard and Fats Domino, who played boogie-woogie on his favorite piano. Each of the musicians brought something different to the music. Chuck Berry stood out with spectacular moves that are still used at rock concerts today. Little Richard is remembered for his frantic rhythm and loud shrieks.
The more popular the new music became, the louder the opponents were outraged. Elvis’ behavior combined with his bold image only fueled the fire. Throwing off his clothes during the concert was outrageous, according to conservative Americans. In spite of this, young people continued to dance to rousing rhythms.
The second wave of rock ‘n’ roll performers included such names as Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Buddy Holly, who despite his classic suit and glasses won over black audiences. Equally famous among fans of the genre is Lin Ray. Thanks to this American, we know guitar music for what it is.
In the late ’50s, headlines began to appear in newspapers: “Rock and roll is dead”. Fans had a lot to think about. After all, Elvis was drafted into the army, Chuck Berry got a prison sentence, Jerry Lee Lewis lost the respect of his fans because he married an underage girl, and Buddy Holly and Richie Valens tragically died in a plane crash. Who would be able to continue the hit lineup and rekindle the hearts of young people? The Liverpool Four. The Beatles managed to give rock ‘n’ roll a different sound and make the whole world go crazy over their songs. But this is a new turn in the development of music.
But still: is rock ‘n’ roll dead or alive? As long as there are bands that perform the genre. As long as there are covers of popular American songs from the middle of the last century. As long as the memory of Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and other founding fathers is still alive, we can’t say rock ‘n’ roll is dead. After all, their work is still popular. The hits of half a century ago are used as musical accompaniment for movies and commercials.
