Happy Music Monday! Way back in 1955, Bill Haley was celebrating his birthday and preparing for a number one hit that would forever change the face of music. Today Scott's capturing the music of 1955, as recorded by the nice people at Billboard. Enjoy!
Billy Haley & The Comets - Rock Around The Clock
You might know it from Happy Days or you might know it from the one AM station that still plays music. This song might sound a bit dated now, but back in the day, THIS was what would make parents go nuts and call a priest. Just imagine.
Here we go, back to 1955! Next stop... 1955! 1955, here we come! It's 1955 or bust! After the jump.
1955 wasn't exactly the high point of equality in America. People were even so scared of songs that were "ethnic" that they hauled out Pat Boone to re-record them. And yet, Chuck Berry had a chart hit. That should tell you just how game-changing this music was for its age.
Fats Domino - Ain't That A Shame
Even now, there aren't a lot of people who can take what's basically a ballad and make it feel up tempo. The orchestration is lovely, but even without it this would still be a great song. Slow? Fast? It feels like both somehow!
The Cheers - Black Denim Trousers And Motorcycle Boots
Okay, this was on the charts, but it's not what you'd call a lasting hit. Still, it serves two purposes. The first is to remind us all how white pop music was in 1955. And the second? To show off that amazing title.
Recorded and released in 1955, this song wouldn't be at it's peak until 1956. However it's an absolute game changer for music and the moment the next wave of youth culture really began. This song creates pretty much every band who created every band who created every other band. And it's STILL sounding current.
Let us just remind you: some images come from the corresponding Wikipedia page and are here under fair use. See you next week.