The Birth of Rock and Roll

by Robert Wilkinson

The birth of rock and roll is a greatly disputed matter because it usually involves arguments about “the first rock and roll song.” Some say it was when a song first had a back beat, or a lead guitar break or a type of rhythm; others say it was when the term “rock and roll” or “rocking and rolling” or “rock the joint” or “roll with me” turned up in lyrics. So what was the birth of rock and roll?

There are at least 20 songs in the list of “the first rock and roll song.” The term “rock and roll” had been around since May 1942 in a record review of Sister Rosetta Tharp’s song “Rock Me” describing it as “rock and roll spiritual singing.” In 2 milestones in the genre, “Rocket 88” was released in March 1951, and in May 1951 The Dominoes recorded "Sixty Minute Man" which was a (#1 R&B and #17 pop) hit voted song of the year. The lyrics include the line, "I rock 'em, roll 'em all night long."

While one source states “Freed began using the term a month later and most likely was inspired by this song,” when questioned about it the man said to be the Father of Rock and Roll, Alan Freed, specifically explained his view of the term: “Rock ‘n roll is really swing with a modern name. It began on the levees and plantations, took in fold songs, and features blues and rhythm.”

”Rock and Roll” Was Born on the Radio

So what made Alan Freed the Father of Rock and Roll? He had a radio show. A big radio show which featured a lot of crossover music. Here’s what I found about “the genesis of rock and roll on the radio” which I cobbled from two sources: The first rock and roll radio show began July 11, 1951, at 11 PM in Cleveland. That gives us Sun in Cancer with Pisces rising and Moon in Libra.

From the sources I found, “Freed signed off on his classical program at likely 10:59 for a minute of commercial breaks. Then at 11 he put “the needle down on Todd Rhodes's Blues For A Moondog calling himself "Moondog," Freed went on the air with his “Moondog Rock and Roll Party” and became among the first to program rhythm and blues for a white teenage audience. Within eighteen months it was the number one radio show in Cleveland. Other small stations followed eventually forcing the larger stations to join in.

Due to the prejudices of the times Freed began calling the rhythm and blues records he played Rock "n" Roll. What is ironic that term Freed was using to make rhythm and blues more acceptable to a white audience, was slang for sex in the black community.

The First Rock and Roll Concert

The first Rock and Roll concert was "The Moondog Coronation Ball" on March 21, 1952, at the Cleveland Arena. The rock and roll shows continued, so that by 1956 Freed was hosting "The Camel Rock and Roll Dance Party," a half hour program headlined by Count Basie and his Orchestra and later Sam The Man Taylor and His Orchestra.

“It featured weekly rock n roll guests such as LaVern Baker, Clyde McPhatter and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. The radio program was also referred to as "Alan Freed's Rock 'n' Roll Dance Party" on CBS Radio from New York.”

Anyway, that’s the story of the first rock and roll radio show and the first rock and roll concert. Getting back to the songs, I don’t put “60 Minute Man” as the first rock and roll song. There are many in contention for that title. I do not believe there was ONE record which established the genre, as there was a period where R&B overlapped with jump blues with a back beat.

It was proto-rock and roll before the term was invented. “Good Rockin’ Tonight” by Roy Brown done in June 1947 is in the top 5 contenders. So is “That’s All Right” written by Arthur Cruddup in 1946. Going back further, we have “Kansas City Blues” in 1927 by Jim Jackson with the line “It takes a rocking chair to rock, a rubber ball to roll,” a line lifted from a Ma Rainey 1924 tune.

I’ll also include two here by Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy which have certainly made it to the rock and roll lexicon! First, a tune later changed to become “Hey Gyp” by Donovan and the Animals, a song likely from the late 20s or early 30s titled “Can I Do It For You” and here’s their most famous tune, made into a monster by Led Zeppelin. For your consideration, from 1929, “When the Levee Breaks” (which is why the idea of “the first rock and roll song” is a bit impossible to determine!)

Two other factors come into consideration. First, Chuck Berry. In his song “Rock and Roll Music,” he makes it clear that it’s all about the back beat. Since he was one of the first 5 true rock and rollers who broke down different doors and each offered the world a primary element of the genre, I'll take his word on it. “Just let me hear some of that rock and roll music, any old way you choose it, It's got a backbeat, you can't lose it, Any old time you use it, It's gotta be rock and roll music, If you wanna dance with me.”

The second consideration is that I mark the dividing line between “proto-rock and roll” and the full scale explosion that brought it on to every radio in the nation as the August 1955 gigantic lineup of planets in Leo. Jupiter entered Leo in June, and within a few weeks we had the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Pluto all in Leo at the same time, and right after Mercury left, we had a New Moon with all the above in Leo except Mercury! Gigantic clusters of planets in the same sign usually portends major events which follow.

So what was going on during and after that stellium in Leo? “Rock Around the Clock” was re-released on May 20, 1955 and went to #1 for 2 months. Chuck Berry’s first hit “Maybellene” was released in July 1955 and hit the top 5. “Tutti Frutti” by Little Richard was released in October 1955 and went to #2. “Bo Diddley” and “I’m A Man” were released by Bo Diddley in April 1955 and went to #1. “Ain’t It A Shame” by Fats Domino was released in April 1955 and went to #1.

Elvis had “That’s All Right” and “Good Rockin’ Tonight” in 1954, had a #1 with “Mystery Train” in August 1955, and exploded on the charts by January 1956 with “Heartbreak Hotel.” Carl Perkins recorded “Blue Suede Shoes” in December 1955 which went to #2. And even though it wasn’t released until May 1956. Gene Vincent wrote “Be Bop A Lula” in 1955 which went to #7 in June 1956. I’d say all these show an explosion of what became known as “rock and roll” in the months and years after they were released!

In any case, regardless of whatever was happening before August 1955, it seems that subsequent events mark that as the beginning of “the rock and roll era.”

The person who inspired this article dismissed rock and roll as simplistic songs about romance and relationships. I reminded them that countless songs in every genre are about romance and relationships. Those were the primary themes in blues and jazz songs a hundred years ago. They were the primary themes in the big band era. They were in every movie and every musical, even when the hit wasn't about romance. ("Right here in River City. Trouble with a capital "T" and that rhymes with "P" and that stands for pool!")

I told them I'd wager that at least 90% of all poetry and song deal in some way with relationships, whether with self, others, or some form of god, nature, or the human condition. And I reminded him there were plenty of rock and roll songs which were not about romance and relationships.

“Mystery Train.” “Summertime Blues.” “Blue Suede Shoes.” “Brown Eyed Handsome Man.” And these three timeless classics which are not about romance! “You know my temperature's risin', the jukebox blowin’ a fuse, My heart's beatin' rhythm And my soul keep a-singin' the blues, Roll over Beethoven tell Tchaikovsky the news…” and “Los Angeles give me Norfolk Virginia, Tidewater four ten o nine Tell the folks back home this is the promised land callin' And the poor boy's on the line.” “Well I’m so glad I’m livin’ in the USA, Yes I’m so glad I’m livin’ in the USA, Anything you want, they got it right here in the USA.”

Here’s the chart for the first broadcast of “Moondog Rock and Roll Party” by Moondog Alan Freed!

© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson

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