Rock and Roll

The song “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and His Comets has us looking at the roots of rock and roll. This song was written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers (as Jimmy DeKnight) and was first recorded by Sonny Dae and His Knights. Bill Haley and His Comets  recorded and released it  in 1954. Although their version made it to the pop charts, it was initially considered to be a commercial disappointment. Then, in 1955, when Glenn Ford was helping producers of the film Blackboard Jungle find a song to represent 1955 youth, he borrowed his son Peter’s record collection. The producers loved the song and used it in the opening credits. When the movie was released, “Rock Around The Clock” took off, skyrocketing to #1 on the U.S. Billboard Pop Chart and #1 on the U.K. Chart, selling millions of copies worldwide.  Since many people at the time did not know what rock and roll was, the label on the single calls it a “Fox Trot.” The song was also used as the opening theme for the TV show Happy Days.

Here are the lyrics to “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and His Comets:

“One, two, three o’clock, four o’clock rock
Five, six, seven o’clock, eight o’clock rock
Nine, ten, eleven o’clock, twelve o’clock rock
We’re gonna rock around the clock tonight

Put your glad rags on, join me, Hon
We’ll have some fun when the clock strikes one

We’re gonna rock around the clock tonight
We’re gonna rock, rock, rock, ’til broad daylight
We’re gonna rock, gonna rock around the clock tonight

When the clock strikes two, three and four
If the band slows down we’ll yell for more

We’re gonna rock around the clock tonight
We’re gonna rock, rock, rock, ’til broad daylight
We’re gonna rock, gonna rock around the clock tonight

When the chimes ring five, six, and seven
We’ll be right in seventh heaven

We’re gonna rock around the clock tonight
We’re gonna rock, rock, rock, ’til broad daylight
We’re gonna rock, gonna rock around the clock tonight

When it’s eight, nine, ten, eleven too
I’ll be goin’ strong and so will you

We’re gonna rock around the clock tonight
We’re gonna rock, rock, rock, ’til broad daylight
We’re gonna rock, gonna rock around the clock tonight

When the clock strikes twelve, we’ll cool off then
Start a’rockin’ round the clock again

We’re gonna rock around the clock tonight
We’re gonna rock, rock, rock, ’til broad daylight
We’re gonna rock, gonna rock around the clock tonight”

Another hit by Bill Haley and His Comets was “See You Later Alligator.” Please click here to read more about it and listen to it.

If you are interested in Blackboard Jungle for purchase, please click on the photo below:

For More Golden Oldies Music                

The Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has daily featured doo wop, rock and roll, R&B, or rockabilly songs that were hits during the first era of rock and roll (that is, from about 1952 until the British invasion in 1964). After a song is featured, it then goes into the juke box. You are welcome to listen to any of the 40+ selections there. Every weekend, there is a Golden Oldies Juke Box Saturday Night, and the juke box is full of song requests from the 1950s and 1960s.

Please click here for the Daily Doo Wop YouTube channel, to which you can subscribe. Thank you for stopping by The Daily Doo Wop. Hope you enjoyed “”(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and His Comets.