LESSON 2: THE BIRTH OF ROCK (1955-1959)

It all started with the Bill Haley and the Comet's song Rock Around the Clock, featured in the 1955 Glenn Ford movie Blackboard Jungle. Many music historians credit this song, in this movie, as the start of Rock and Roll music. And I credit this song with sparking my interest in Rock music, as well.



As a kid I heard the song almost daily when it played in the opening credits of the TV show Happy Days, which I watched in syndication.  I even had a T-shirt that said "I'm the Fonz." Now, for a bit of trivia.  Rock Around the Clock was actually only used during the first two seasons of the show, and it was later replaced by the song Happy Days for remaining seven seasons.

Aside from the actual music, the kids were especially interested to learn about the day the music died, when Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper were all killed in a plane crash. I've put the film The Buddy Holly Story in our Netflix queue so the kids can learn more about what happened that night.

So far the Summer School of Rock has been a success.  I even heard my six-year-old son singing Chuck Berry's song Maybellene in his room the other day. But his favorite song on the playlist is Yakety Yak by The Coasters.


Just like the early days of Rock, the Lesson 2 playlist contains a nice mix of R&B and Rockabilly: Chuck Berry, Elvis, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, etc.

LESSON 2 PLAYLIST:
Billy Haley & The Comets - Rock Around the Clock
Joe Turner - Shake Rattle and Roll
Little Richard - Tutti Fruitti
Chuck Berry - Maybellene
Fats Domino - Ain't That A Shame
Carl Perkins - Blue Suede Shoes
Elvis Presley - Hound Dog
Little Richard - Long Tall Sally
Chuck Berry - Roll Over Beethoven
Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock
Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On
Jerry Lee Lewis - Great Balls of Fire
Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode
Bobby Darin - Splish Splash
Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues
Little Richard - Good Golly Miss Molly
Louis Prima - Jump, Jive, An' Wail
Johnny Otis - Willie and the Hand Jive
The Coasters - Yakety Yak
Jackie Wilson - Lonely Teardrops
Buddy Holly & The Crickets - That'll Be the Day
Richie Valens - La Bamba
The Big Bopper - Chantilly Lace
Gene Vincent - Be-Bop-A-Lula
Ray Charles - What'd I Say
The Isley Brothers - Shout
Flash Cadillac & The Continental Kids - At The Hop
The Silhouettes - Get A Job
The Champs - Tequila