Roots of Rock & Roll

[Deep Knight]

For some reason (OK, I admit it, it was my fault) the impending mass arrest thread has become a discussion about 60's music and the roots of rock 'n roll. Too relieve this (after all, I have it on good authority that we get arrested "soon" so it's good to keep up with this news) I am putting up this thread.

To get things started, I'll simply mention Cannon's Jug Stompers

[Burnaby49]

I thought it a fitting way to while away the time until the imminent mass arrests since "imminent" seems to be a very flexible term, say within the next millennium or so. I've packed and unpacked my bags half a dozen times and have given up waiting. Vancouver finally has good weather (winter pretty much ended last week) so I'm off on a patio pub crawl in an hour or so. If the White Knights or whoever is in charge want to arrest me I'll be at one of the pub patios on Granville Island quaffing a dark ale. Look for the fluorescent beer bottle themed Hawaiian shirt.

I'm still going with Rocket 88.

[texino]

I'm still going with Rocket 88.

I can live with that, but the Tennessee Jug Bands of the 30s led by guys like Yank Rachel have a definite Rock to them. (Props to DK)

"Hear that sax blowen, sharp as lightning; Hear those drums beat, loud as thunder"--"Rock and Roll will Stand."--The Showmen

[Unidyne]

"Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats (who were, in reality, Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm), recorded in 1951.

http://youtu.be/WcFIj8OuIEI

The term "Rock and Roll" many have come from the song "My Man Rocks Me (With One Steady Roll)" by Trixie Smith, recorded in 1922.

http://youtu.be/nzVCFiyCsoc

I dare you to listen to that song without blushing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trixie_Smith

[Deep Knight]

"Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats (who were, in reality, Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm), recorded in 1951.

The term "Rock and Roll" many have come from the song "My Man Rocks Me (With One Steady Roll)" by Trixie Smith, recorded in 1922.

I dare you to listen to that song without blushing.

Blush? You obviously haven't read Deep Knight adventures! What can I say, I've done it all, rocked literally millions of women with a steady roll, while still having time to thwart prosperity deliveries, the IQD RV, and NESARA. All in a day's evil work.

I had always heard that the term "rock and roll" was a euphemism for sex (if you don't understand why, I can't explain it) in the deep south. Trixie's song (which is excellent, thank you for posting the link) is an example of "hokum blues," songs that referred to sex but used phrases that delicate ears wouldn't understand. My favorite, from Bessie Smith (one of the mothers of what later would be considered rock 'n roll), Kitchen Man.

Madam Buff's was quite deluxe
Servants by the score
Footmen at each door
Butlers and maids galore
But one day Sam, her kitchen man
Gave in his notice, he's through
She cried, "Oh Sam, don't go
It'll grieve me if you do"

I love his cabbage gravy, his hash
Crazy 'bout his succotash
I can't do without my kitchen man
Wild about his turnip top
Like the way he warms my chop
I can't do without my kitchen man

Anybody else can leave
And I would only laugh
But he means too much to me
And you ain't heard the half

Oh, his jelly roll is so nice and hot
Never fails to touch the spot
I can't do without my kitchen man
His frankfurters are oh so sweet
How I like his sausage meat
I can't do without my kitchen man
Oh, how that boy can open clams
No one else is can touch my hams
I can't do without my kitchen man

When I eat his doughnuts
All I leave is the hole
Any time he wants to
Why, he can use my sugar bowl
Oh, his baloney's really worth a try
Never fails to satisfy
I can't do without my kitchen man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSOYDm8ftIY

The other slang term that's become otherwise known as a musical form is "jazz." It was originally the New Orleans form of the slang jizz or jism, that is, semen. Professors, pianists playing in brothel parlors, called the form of music that developed "jazz music" because of the nature of the activity going on upstairs.

[Burnaby49]

"Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats (who were, in reality, Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm), recorded in 1951.

http://youtu.be/WcFIj8OuIEI

The term "Rock and Roll" many have come from the song "My Man Rocks Me (With One Steady Roll)" by Trixie Smith, recorded in 1922.

http://youtu.be/nzVCFiyCsoc

I dare you to listen to that song without blushing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trixie_Smith

You want to listen to a song without blushing? Try the 1933 classic "Banana In Your Fruit Basket" by Joe Carter. And yes, the title is exactly what it means, no nuances.

I got a brand new skillet
I got a brand new lead,
All i need is a little woman, just to burn my bread
I'm tellin' you baby, i sure ain't gonna deny,
Let me put my banana in your fruit basket, then i'll be satisfied
Now, i got the washboard, my baby got the tub,
We gonna put 'em together, gonna rub, rub, rub
And i'm tellin' you baby, i sure ain't gonna deny,
Let me put my banana in your fruit basket, then i'll be satisfied

They knew how to write a song back then.

[texino]

I recall a swinging ditty: "Come on baby let me bang your box!" I think it was about a piano.
Speaking of those evil 88s, there was a Fats Domino documentary playing on PBS. I watched it and found parts thrilling.

[Deep Knight]

Some have said that at the beginning the most dangerous rock-n-rollers were (in no particular order):

Elvis - was white, sounded black
Chuck - was black, sounded white
Little Richard - A Negro who made little white girls scream and gyrate
Jerry Lee - even more dangerous than Little Richard because he was white.

And they were all so.........sexual, and they riled up the youth

I have always had a soft spot for Elias McDaniel, whose band included a female lead guitarist close to 3 decades before Prince.

A friend in college had a poster from the late 50's south proclaiming, "Don't let your children listen to negro music!" You still get an occasional posting on Bellringer's forum from somebody who is convinced rock 'n roll comes from the devil (although I have it on good authority that The Prince of Evil likes polka music).

As for Bo Diddley (Ellas McDaniel) and The Duchess (Norma-Jean Wofford, who Bo often claimed was his sister for unknown reasons), a singer Bo taught to play rhythm guitar, all I have to say is "Hey, Bo Diddley!"

[texino]

Bo Diddley Bo Diddley had a farm (Hey Bo Diddley)
and on his farm he had some women (HEY BO!) hmmmmm

Well, Bo did have a farm up near Gainesville, FL and on occasion he would throw a Bar-B-Q I thought about going and trying to buy one of those rectangular guitars, but the word was he would not part with one for money or no money. I used to know more about those instruments, but I have forgotten what it was. Probably on the fricking internet somewhere.