Welcome to the electrifying story of “Rock Around the Clock,” the song that didn’t just become a hit – it ignited a cultural revolution. Bill Haley and the Comets delivered a track that transcended music charts, becoming an anthem for a generation and an enduring symbol of rock and roll’s explosive arrival.
Bill Haley and the Comets
But before the stadium crowds and the cinematic frenzy, “Rock Around the Clock” had a surprisingly subdued beginning. For Bill Haley, already a seasoned performer navigating the music industry, the journey to this iconic track was filled with near misses and industry resistance. Having tasted moderate success with earlier recordings, Haley was poised for a breakthrough, but the path wasn’t straightforward.
Even within his own label, Essex Records, there was initial hesitation towards “Rock Around the Clock.” Despite Haley’s persistent belief in the song, his producer Dave Miller remained unconvinced, reportedly even going as far as to destroy the sheet music when Haley presented it. The reasons behind this resistance remain debated. Some speculate personal friction between Miller and one of the song’s writers, Jimmy Myers. Another theory points to the song’s perceived lack of originality.
Indeed, “Rock Around the Clock” wasn’t entirely novel. Its lyrical themes echoed Wynonie Harris’ “Around the Clock Blues,” and even the title itself had been previously used by Hal Singer.
[excerpt “Rock Around the Clock”: Hal Singer and Orchestra]
In its initial form, “Rock Around the Clock” was, perhaps, just another song of its time. Dave Miller’s reluctance, whatever the true motivation, might have stemmed from a belief that it lacked the spark to truly stand out. Following earlier successes like “Rock the Joint” and “Crazy Man Crazy,” Haley found himself at a plateau. Subsequent releases on Essex Records failed to capture the same momentum. He seemed to be experimenting with covers and remakes, but none managed to reignite the spark of his earlier hits. It appeared Bill Haley might become a one-hit wonder, his peak already reached.
However, a pivotal change was on the horizon. Bill Haley made a significant career move, leaving Essex Records and signing with Decca Records. This shift placed him under the guidance of producer Milt Gabler, a figure who would prove instrumental in shaping his trajectory.
Decca Records in 1954 held a unique position within the music industry landscape. Unlike other major labels primarily focused on mainstream pop acts, Decca had, in the 1940s, embraced artists who were pioneers of emerging genres. Their roster included R&B and proto-rock figures like Louis Jordan, Lionel Hampton, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, alongside country artists who contributed to the burgeoning hillbilly boogie scene.
This willingness to venture beyond the mainstream was somewhat unusual for a major label at the time. Most major labels catered to a predominantly white, middle-class audience with artists like Doris Day and Tony Bennett. Artists outside this mold often found themselves relegated to smaller, independent labels that catered to niche markets. These independent labels developed their own distribution networks, reaching specialized stores that catered to Black and hillbilly music audiences, often bypassing major label distribution entirely.
This evolving distribution model presented challenges for Decca’s artists. While Louis Jordan, for example, had achieved broad appeal by reaching both R&B and pop markets through Decca’s major label reach, this advantage was diminishing. The shift towards independent distribution meant that artists in genres outside mainstream pop were increasingly confined to niche markets, limiting their potential for widespread success.
Adding to these industry shifts, radio stations were transitioning from 78 RPM records to 45 RPM singles. This technological shift had an unintended consequence: radio stations often discarded their 78 RPM collections, effectively erasing the airplay potential of older hits. For Decca’s established R&B and country artists, this confluence of factors – distribution changes and radio format shifts – led to a sudden decline in sales and airplay.
Despite these challenges, Decca still had Milt Gabler. A producer with a deep passion for jazz and a history of groundbreaking recordings, Gabler had been instrumental in Decca’s unique artist roster. He had produced Lionel Hampton’s iconic “Flying Home,” Louis Jordan’s hits, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s collaborations. He recognized Bill Haley’s potential to bridge the gap between niche genres and mainstream pop appeal.
While Haley’s style wasn’t pure jazz, Gabler saw a connection to the jump blues and boogie-woogie sounds he favored, particularly the influence of Louis Jordan evident in some of Haley’s earlier work. Gabler aimed to amplify this connection, believing it could be the key to broader success.
And so, Bill Haley and the Comets entered the studio to record what was intended to be their next hit, “Thirteen Women (And Only One Man In Town).”
[excerpt: Bill Haley “Thirteen Women”]
“Thirteen Women” was a novelty song tapping into the anxieties of the atomic age, a prevalent theme in early 1950s popular culture. With the recent advent of atomic and hydrogen bombs and the looming Cold War, nuclear paranoia was widespread. The song’s premise, a post-apocalyptic scenario where the singer is the sole man surrounded by thirteen women, reflected this cultural unease, albeit in a comedic, somewhat tongue-in-cheek manner.
While “Thirteen Women” was intended as the A-side, it was the B-side that would unexpectedly change music history. For the flip side, Haley decided to revisit “Rock Around the Clock,” a song he had been holding onto for some time. Interestingly, just weeks prior, another band, Sonny Dae and his Knights, had released their own version of the song.
[excerpt Sonny Dae and his Knights: “Rock Around the Clock”]
Sonny Dae’s rendition, however, failed to gain traction, and remains a little-known footnote in music history. Perhaps spurred by this recent release, or simply a renewed conviction in the song’s potential, Haley and the Comets recorded their version of “Rock Around the Clock” in just two takes.
But Haley’s interpretation of “Rock Around the Clock” was distinct. He and his band significantly altered the melody, transforming it into something altogether more rhythmically driving. Listen to Sonny Dae’s melody:
[short excerpt]
Now compare it to Bill Haley’s version:
[excerpt]
Haley and the Comets essentially grafted a boogie-woogie bassline melody onto the original song’s structure. This transformation might have been consciously or unconsciously influenced by Hank Williams’ hit “Move It On Over,” a Western swing tune with a strikingly similar melodic contour to Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock” verse.
[excerpt of Hank Williams: “Move it On Over”]
Knowing Haley later recorded “Move It On Over,” it’s plausible he was intimately familiar with the song and drew inspiration from it. The Comets, in essence, took the generic blueprint of “Rock Around the Clock” and infused it with elements of proven hits, creating an arrangement designed for maximum impact. They retained the core structure and energy of their earlier hit “Rock the Joint,” even replicating Danny Cedrone’s guitar solo note-for-note.
Compare the solo from “Rock the Joint”:
[excerpt]
To the solo from “Rock Around the Clock”:
[excerpt]
They added a distinctive stop-start intro, emphasizing the word “rock,” and a swing-style riff ending reminiscent of songs like “Flying Home,” possibly Gabler’s contribution, adding further layers to the sonic texture.
[riff from “Flying Home”, Benny Goodman]
And then “Rock Around the Clock”:
[riff]
This approach was undeniably experimental. They were pushing boundaries, not necessarily aiming for conventional “listenability,” but rather for raw energy and impact. Recorded quickly, with the final version pieced together from two takes due to studio time constraints, “Rock Around the Clock” was far from a meticulously crafted studio creation. It was a raw, energetic burst, not initially envisioned for mainstream success.
And initially, it wasn’t a hit. “Rock Around the Clock” barely registered on the charts upon its first release. It charted briefly, but failed to capture the public’s attention.
However, Haley and his band persevered, continuing to hone their sound. Their next single, a cover of Big Joe Turner’s “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” fared significantly better, climbing the charts and gaining momentum.
[excerpt: “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” by Bill Haley and his Comets]
Haley’s rendition of “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” while less raw and powerful than Turner’s original, resonated with a broader audience. He softened some of the more suggestive lyrics, though some innuendo remained, perhaps unnoticed by Haley and Gabler. While a more polished and less overtly sexual version, it retained enough of the original’s energy to captivate listeners unfamiliar with Turner’s version.
Haley was a genuine admirer of Big Joe Turner, and the two artists later developed a friendship, with the Comets even serving as Turner’s backing band on a 1960s album. However, Haley’s vocal delivery lacked Turner’s bluesy gravitas, resulting in a lighter, more pop-oriented feel.
Haley’s cover was released the same week Turner’s original reached number one on the R&B charts, inviting comparisons to other instances of white artists creating more commercially palatable versions of Black artists’ hits. However, Haley’s “Shake, Rattle and Roll” was more than a mere copy. It was a reinterpretation, filtered through Haley’s distinct rockabilly style.
“Shake, Rattle and Roll” became Bill Haley’s biggest hit to date, breaking into the top ten on the pop charts. Both Haley’s and Turner’s versions achieved million-selling status. Bill Haley was gaining traction, building a solid career, but true superstardom still seemed distant.
Then, everything changed. The catalyst for “Rock Around the Clock”‘s transformation into a global phenomenon was unexpected: a film called “Blackboard Jungle.”
“Blackboard Jungle” wasn’t inherently a rock and roll film. It explored themes of teenage rebellion, but in a scene where a teacher attempts to connect with his students through jazz records, they reject it, preferring their own music. Ironically, the music they smash the jazz records to and embrace isn’t rock and roll, but modern jazz – Stan Kenton.
However, seeking to inject contemporary youth culture into the film, the producers borrowed records from the collection of Peter Ford, the teenage son of the film’s star, Glenn Ford. Among these records was Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock.”
The producers made a pivotal decision: “Rock Around the Clock” would become the film’s theme song. This single decision unleashed an unprecedented wave of cultural impact.
“Blackboard Jungle” became a sensation. Frank Zappa, in a 1971 quote, vividly described the song’s impact:
“In my days of flaming youth I was extremely suspect of any rock music played by white people. The sincerity and emotional intensity of their performances, when they sang about boyfriends and girlfriends and breaking up et cetera, was nowhere when I compared it to my high school negro R&B heroes like Johnny Otis, Howlin’ Wolf and Willie Mae Thornton… But then I remember going to see Blackboard Jungle. When the titles flashed up there on the screen, Bill Haley and his Comets started blurching ‘One, Two, Three O’Clock, Four O’Clock Rock…’ It was the loudest rock sound kids had ever heard at the time. I remember being inspired with awe. In cruddy little teen-age rooms, across America, kids had been huddling around old radios and cheap record players listening to the ‘dirty music’ of their lifestyle. (“Go in your room if you wanna listen to that crap…and turn the volume all the way down”.) But in the theatre watching Blackboard Jungle, they couldn’t tell you to turn it down. I didn’t care if Bill Haley was white or sincere…he was playing the Teen-Age National Anthem, and it was so LOUD I was jumping up and down.”
Reports of riots in cinemas emerged, fueled by the film’s rebellious energy and the raw power of “Rock Around the Clock.” The song became synonymous with teenage rebellion and the burgeoning rock and roll movement.
“Rock Around the Clock” soared to number one on the pop charts and beyond. It became the best-selling vinyl single of all time, selling over twenty-five million copies as a single, and countless more on compilations. Bill Haley and the Comets were catapulted to global superstardom. For the next few years, they toured relentlessly, performing for ecstatic crowds and starring in films like “Rock Around the Clock” and “Don’t Knock the Rock.”
However, amidst the soaring success of “Rock Around the Clock,” personal tragedy struck Haley’s life. Ten days after recording “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” Danny Cedrone, his close friend and guitarist, died in a fall. Shortly after, Haley’s infant daughter tragically passed away.
And, inevitably, following up “Rock Around the Clock” proved an impossible task. No song could replicate its monumental impact. While subsequent singles charted, they couldn’t reach the same heights. In 1955, key members of the Comets – the bassist, saxophonist, and drummer – departed to form their own group, The Jodimars.
[excerpt: the Jodimars: “Well Now Dig This”]
Haley persevered, and a new lineup achieved another top ten hit with “See You Later Alligator” in 1955.
[excerpt: Bill Haley and the Comets “See You Later, Alligator”]
While “See You Later Alligator” was a success, it didn’t match the scale of “Rock Around the Clock.” Subsequent singles charted lower and lower, and by the late 1950s, their chart success in the US waned. A final top thirty hit arrived in 1958 with “Skinny Minnie.”
[excerpt: Bill Haley and the Comets “Skinny Minnie”]
“Skinny Minnie” was a strong track, but its follow-up, “Lean Jean,” marked the end of Bill Haley and the Comets’ run on the US charts. However, to view this as the end of Haley’s story is to overlook his continued global impact. In 1960, Bill Haley relocated to Mexico.
Facing financial pressures in the US, Haley found opportunity in the Mexican music market. He signed with a Mexican label and achieved remarkable success, becoming a sensation in the Twist craze. “Florida Twist,” by Bill Haley y sus Cometas, reached number one in Mexico and became the best-selling single in the country’s history at that point. The Comets even had their own TV show in Mexico, and starred in Spanish-language films. They enjoyed a string of hits in Mexico and beyond. “Chick Safari,” for instance, reached number one in India.
[excerpt “Chick Safari”, Bill Haley and the Comets]
Even as recording success faded in the late 1960s, Bill Haley and the Comets remained a major live act worldwide. A rock revival show at Madison Square Garden saw Haley receive an eight-and-a-half-minute standing ovation. He performed at Wembley Stadium in 1972 and the Royal Variety Performance in 1979, demonstrating his enduring global appeal.
Haley’s final years were marked by personal struggles. Following the death of his long-time friend and saxophonist Rudy Pompilli in 1976, Haley’s behavior became erratic. While alcoholism was often cited as the cause, it was later revealed he had a brain tumor, which likely contributed to his health issues and erratic behavior.
Despite later perceptions of decline, Bill Haley’s impact remained undeniable. His 1979 Royal Variety Performance, a major televised event, reached millions of viewers. Bill Haley passed away in 1981, but his legacy, cemented by “Rock Around the Clock,” endures. As long as “Rock Around the Clock” plays, Bill Haley will not be forgotten, forever remembered as a pioneer who helped ignite the rock and roll revolution.
[excerpt: “See You Later Alligator” — “so long, that’s all goodbye”]
Discover more from A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
