"Rock Around the Clock"

Bill Haley singing
"Rock Around the Clock" (1954)

By Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

Rock Around the Clock
Album (1954)

Bill Haley singing
"Rock Around the Clock" (1954)

Sondre & Tanya Dancing to
"Rock Around the Clock" (2022)

Preface: For Song #40, I've selected Bill Haley singing "Rock Around the Clock" (Ed Sullivan Show on August 7, 1955). This rock and roll song in the 12-bar blues format written by Max C. Freedman & James E. Myers (the latter being under pseudonym "Jimmy De Knight") in 1952. The best-known & most successful rendition was recorded by Bill Haley & His Comets in 1954 for American Decca. It was a number one single for two months. Haley's recording became an anthem for rebellious 1950s youth, particularly after it was included in the 1955 film Blackboard Jungle. The recording is widely considered to be the song that, more than any other, brought rock and roll into mainstream culture around the world. The song is ranked No. 159 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Lots of dancers used "Rock Around the Clock" in Boogie Woogie contests (1, 2, 3). My favorite is the athleticism of Sondre & Tanya dancing it.

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 and 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 till 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 till 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 till 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 till broad daylight.
We're gonna rock, gonna rock,
Around the clock tonight.

When the clock stikes twelve we'll cool off then,
Start rockin' 'round the clock again.

We're gonna rock around the clock tonight,
We're gonna rock, rock, rock till broad daylight.
We're gonna rock, gonna rock,
Around the clock tonight.

© Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com
July 12, 2023