What is considered to be the very first recorded Rock 'n' Roll song?

Vy_lette

There are many candidates for the title of the first rock and roll record. Numerous recordings mark the development of rock and roll as a separate musical form. Some songs are cited as having important lyrical content, others are seen as offering important melodic, harmonic or rhythmic influence. These songs include not only hits from the early 1950s when the music emerged on the national and international scene, but also various other precursors to what would become known as Rock and Roll. In 2004, debate was sparked between fans of Elvis as well as many in the music business who claimed "That's All Right Mama" was the first rock and roll song, and those who feel the proper claimant should be Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" — both songs celebrating their 50th anniversaries in that year. Rolling Stone Magazine took the controversial step of unilaterally declaring Elvis' song the first rock and roll recording. Elvis himself would not have agreed. In his book Race, Rock and Elvis, Michael T. Bertrand quotes him on the subject: "A lot of people seem to think I started this business, but rock 'n' roll was here a long time before I came along. Nobody can sing that kind of music like colored people. Let's face it, I can't sing like Fats Domino can. I know that." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_rock_and_roll_record Aug 10 07, 5:07 AM

zbeckabee

Though the hoopla for the birth of rock 'n' roll is centered on July 5, 1954, for reasons perhaps not entirely unconnected to commerce, there are other contenders for the birthdate. Here are a few: Nov. 10, 1934: The Boswell Sisters record Rock and Roll May 6, 1944: Louis Jordan hits May 1, 1948: Wynonie Harris' Good Rockin' Tonight Feb. 18, 1950: Fats Domino releases The Fat Man March 5, 1951: Jackie Brenston cuts Rocket 88 http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2004-07-01-other-contenders_x.htm Aug 10 07, 7:37 PM

wheelerdealer

Guess I'd say Billy Haley and his Comets fused elements of country music, Western swing, and black R&B to produce some of rock and roll's earliest hits. His "Crazy, Man Crazy" from 1953 was the first rock and roll record to make the pop charts. http://www.history-of-rock.com/haley.htm Aug 10 07, 7:41 PM

wheelerdealer

Lest we forget these possibilities. * "Good Rocking Tonight" (1949) by Roy Brown and Wynonie Harris, both black artists; Brown's original version is jump blues while Harris's version is definitely more modern rock and roll. Later heartily covered by Elvis Presley and less heartily by Pat Boone. * "The Fat Man" by Fats Domino (1949), featuring Fats on wah-wah mouth trumpet, the first of his 35 Top 40 hits. * "Rock Me to Sleep" written by Benny Carter and Paul Vandervoort II (1950), recorded by Helen Humes backed by the Marshall Royal Orchestra. * "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats (actually Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm) (1951), and Bill Haley and the Saddlemen (1951) * "Crazy Man, Crazy", (1953) Bill Haley and his Comets, first rock and roll record on Billboard magazine chart. Not a cover, but an original. Haley said he heard the phrase at high-school dances his band was playing. * "Rock Around the Clock", (1954) by Bill Haley and his Comets, first number 1 rock and roll record * "Shake, Rattle and Roll", (1954) by Big Joe Turner, Bill Haley and his Comets, and Elvis Presley. Haley's version was the first international hit rock and roll record, actually predating the success of "Rock Around the Clock" by several months, though it was recorded later. * "That's All Right (Mama)", (1954) by Elvis Presley; this cover of Arthur Crudup's tune was Elvis' first single, and is possibly the song most often cited (albeit inaccurately) as the first rock and roll record. * "Sh-boom" (1954) by the Chords and the Crewcuts, in this case, the latter was a pale imitation. The song is considered a pioneer of the doo-wop variant. http://www.jeffosretromusic.com/origin.html Aug 10 07, 7:44 PM