EDWARD'S LECTURE NOTES:
More notes at http://tanguay.info/learntracker
C O U R S E
History of Rock and Roll, Part One
John Covach, University of Rochester
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C O U R S E L E C T U R E First Crossovers: Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Little Richard Notes taken on August 9, 2013 by Edward Tanguay |
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Bill Haley (1925-1981)
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Bill Haley and His Comets
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Bill Haley the first musician to "really get this Rock and Roll thing"
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sold over 25 million records worldwide
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self-admitted alcoholic, had alcohol problems at end of life, cancelled European tour
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Fats Domino (1928-)
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a friendly, cheerful, a bit overweight, and in no way would white audiences feel that he was threatening as was a common view of other black entertainers
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laid-back New Orleans kind of feel, a bit country western slant, perhaps a reason why he was more approachable
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1955: Ain't it a Shame
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1956: Blueberry Hill
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was actually a hit for cover tune for Glenn Miller in 1940
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1957: I'm Walking
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Chuck Berry (1926-)
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out of St. Louis
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fan of country music
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could make his music sound like the blues or country western
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many people thought he was white, perhaps because of his ability to imitate country western
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1955: Maybelline
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Chuck Berry said it was the name of a cow in a book he had as a kid
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often said to be a song about the brand of makeup
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Chess records earned quite a bit of money on this record
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goes back to a song called Ida Red
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he saw what was happening with the cross overs and softened his lyrics so they wouldn't have to be fixed or censored yet directly appealing to a teenage audience
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1957: School Day
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1957: Rock and Roll Music
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1958: Sweet Little Sixteen
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1958: Johnny Be Good
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wrote his own songs which was a bit unusual at the time
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Little Richard (1932-)
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with Little Richard we're getting away from entertainers who would directly appeal to a white audience
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Chuck Berry might have been the first Rock and Roller to write a song about makeup, but Little Richard was the first Rock and Rollar to wear makeup.
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a crazy, flamboyant, energetic performer
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1955: Tutti Frutti
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1956: Long Tall Sally
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1958: Good Golly Miss Molley
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his music was rawer than Chuck Berry and Fats Domino
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Pat Boone (1934-)
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takes most of the heat for the "whitening of rock and roll" in the 1950s which involved reperforming and taking credit for songs which black artists couldn't play on the mainstream pop charts
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but what he was helped create more and more Rock and Roll as a distinctive style
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also had hits that were not cover hits
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1956: Don't Forbid Me
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1957: April Love
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all number one hits which he created himself
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recorded for Indy label "Dot"
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1955: Ain't that a Shame
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1956: Tutti Frutti