Jackie Brenston Ike Turner - Rocket 88 - 1950s Rock 'n Roll Zenith Cobra Matic

[Reycied]

...why does music sound so much better on a record player? I might need to invest in one...

[VictrolaJazz]

@Reycied Thanks! I know, I don't care how perfect digital and tape formats make the music sound, there's just nothing like a rotating disc with a stylized tone arm gliding across it!

[cwcwful]

I love that record player. Can give me some information about that record player?

[VictrolaJazz]

@cwcwful Thanks! Yes, it's a Zenith model 4L02 from 1953. I'll send you some more info on it via Send Message. Thanks!

[VictrolaJazz]

@MrJNScott That is true, but this one got the reputation!

[wildstein22]

OLDSMOBILE DELTA 88 AND OLDSMOBILE ROCKET 88

[VictrolaJazz]

@wildstein22 Thanks!  Both the best cars Olds ever made!

[MrGziss]

nice!

[VictrolaJazz]

@MrGziss Thanks!

[VictrolaJazz]

@MrGziss Thanks!

[drafe007]

mighty cool record and player!!

[VictrolaJazz]

@drafe007 Thanks!  Glad you like them!

[VictrolaJazz]

@RockandRollFriday Thanks!

[VictrolaJazz]

@RockandRollFriday Well he just wouldn't go any lower! You know how that is!

[1926VictorCredenza]

@RockandRollFriday I paid $40.00 for my E- copy, and that was from a dealer.

[only3daysthengone13]

yes, blacks created most of the music we listen to today. whites may have built the canvas, but WE colored it in

[VictrolaJazz]

@only3daysthengone13 Thanks!

[waxheadglossy]

now that's rock n roll

[VictrolaJazz]

@waxheadglossy Yep, you've got that right! In 1951! Thanks!

[hyzercreek]

@joenatescott It's because everybody was trying to sell their own records and hype their own singers. Little Richard knew he was lying when he claimed to be the architect. Bo Diddley bragged "They had the rock but I put the roll in it. " Chuck Berry on the other hand never claimed credit, he said "There is nothing new under the sun" and "It all sounds like boogie woogie to me." Elvis never claimed anything either, he said black gospel singers were the first to sing like rock and roll.

[d820m]

What about the song Rocket 88 is derived from? Jimmy Liggins "Cadillac Boogie" from 1947

[NDrLoR]

@d820m In 1949, Oldsmobile introduced a brand new powerful V-8 for their big 98 sedan to replace its inline 8. However, it was decided to also put this same engine in the smaller, lighter Chevrolet-shared body of the Olds 70 series which had a low-powered six cylinder engine, called the 76. It was then renamed the 80 series and since it had the V-8, it became the 88. It had a four-speed Hydra-Matic and was about the fastest car on the street at the time. The engine was called the Rocket V-8.

[acerockers57]

have you any idea what that 78rpm record is worth,, well, there is one going on E Bay for £30,0000 ,,YEP THOUSANDS,,,

[VictrolaJazz]

@acerockers57 Good grief! Makes the $1 I paid for it a couple of years ago seem like a steal! Maybe I'd better take it to the vault!

[crugga]

@acerockers57

Not worth anywhere near that unfortunately, £100 id say.

I guess its worth what someone will pay so if anyones mental enough to pay £30k then they probably need locking up.

[1926VictorCredenza]

@acerockers57 In reality, in E+ condition, these 78s go for about $100+. I think $60,000 is someone's BIN price, and a pipe dream on top of that!

[hyzercreek]

@joenatescott You are absolutely correct. Everybody with a record company claims their own was the first. Ahmet who owned Atlantic Records claimed the 1949 record "Drinking Wine Spo Dee O Dee" by Stick McGhee was the first rock and roll record. It's earlier and rocks harder but still wasn't the first. In LP compilations put out in the 50's by Atlantic of Rock and Roll music, they put Wine Spo on, and people couldn't tell it was 1949 because it sounds like 50's rock and roll. One of the first.

[acerockers57]

@hyzercreek

have you any idea what that 78rpm record is worth,, well, there is one going on E Bay for £30,0000 ,,YEP THOUSANDS,,

[hyzercreek]

@acerockers57 It's a crappy song and far from being the first rock and roll record, and only a fool would pay that kind of money for it. I would not pay $10. I have Juiced by Jackie Brenston, a 78 RPM on Chess just like this, same year, and it's a much better record. Paid $5 for it.

[kureece2k8]

I love how you can hear the old on this

[VictrolaJazz]

@kureece2k8 Thanks! Couldn't have said it better myself!

[rocket8651]

first rock n roll song... this i know.......

[VictrolaJazz]

@rocket8651 Yep! Despite what some other people have tried to claim! Thanks!

[johnbrowneyes]

It's fantastic........love it.

[VictrolaJazz]

@johnbrowneyes Thanks! Glad you liked the record too!

[sideshowtink]

What a glorious little player!

[VictrolaJazz]

@sideshowtink Thanks! I've always thought those little Zenith Cobra-Matic machines like that had so much charm! It's might near worn out what with these almost 6,400 plays by now!

[sideshowtink]

@VictrolaJazz HA!

[Treefrogs2]

Big Joe Turner" Roll em pete" 1939 what do you think?

[VictrolaJazz]

@Treefrogs2 I'm not that familiar with the music of the late 30's and later and can't really comment. My interest lies exclusively between 1922 and 1929, the Jazz Age, Roaring 20's.

[vegetable925]

here's thatt trick. i clicked to wickedmp3s..com to download this sonng as an mp3.

[VictrolaJazz]

@vegetable925 Good for you! Glad you were able to get it!

[joshtowens]

Why is it playing as slow as it is?? The pitch should be abit higher...

[VictrolaJazz]

@joshtowens I have never put a strobe disc on that machine and probably should have.  It's easy to increase the speed because the Cobra-Matic changer is infinitely variable from about 13 to 83 RPM.

[Zilpan]

Great song but NOT the first Rock'N'Roll record.

[VictrolaJazz]

@Zilpan Thanks! Well it has that reputation. Which do you consider the first R&R record?

[Treefrogs2]

@VictrolaJazz good rockin tonight by Brown may be earlier. But I prefer rocket 88:)

[VictrolaJazz]

@Treefrogs2 Thanks! I especially like it because of its association with the Olds

Rocket 88, which my father was selling at the time.

[pilatunes]

@Zilpan Oh yes it was!

[hrhlordwurlibird]

Too much of a classic to sell. Interesting to see the Cobra set up outside of a Wurlitzer jukebox.

[VictrolaJazz]

@hrhlordwurlibird Yes indeed! Wurlitzer knew a good tone arm when they saw one!

[RagingTurtle805]

how much did u sell it for.

[VictrolaJazz]

@RagingTurtle805 I've not sold it--it's a keeper!

[pitbullgirl65]

It's too bad that African Americans haven't got much if any credit for the birth of Rock and Roll. Big Mama Thortons Hounddog blows the Elvis version away.

Great song and I love the record player. :)

[VictrolaJazz]

@pitbullgirl65 You are right about credit not being given where credit it due! The record player should be worn out by now with all the plays. I even hear it start up in the night when someone wants to hear this song!

[pitbullgirl65]

@VictrolaJazz It's tragic.I wonder how many rock and roll fans even realize the roots of it. :/

[RhythmAndSoul59]

@pitbullgirl65 I can see how one would think this but if you really look back Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Ike Turner and all the fine musicians (too many to list) represented in the movie Cadillac Records have gotten their due credit! I think overall popular culture doesn't look to the past to see how far music has come and who were the pioneers whether they be white, black or any other race. There are still a lot more early rockers that need to have their story told regardless of skin tone!

[reneedrums]

This record is on eBay right now for $275 and I'd love to have it. Another 20 years and the sky is the limit on what it might be worth.

A true artifact of history if it is indeed the first rock n roll song made . It certainly has a rock backbeat.

Lock this record up in your vault!

[VictrolaJazz]

@reneedrums Thanks! It actually resides in the bottom of my '56 Zenith console along with much lesser discs!

[bugsycline]

I never tire of this cut... I love my 78 of it.

[VictrolaJazz]

Thanks! Apparently 1,827 others do too! Try not to wear out the poor machine!

[Tomcaatt]

Like weve been tryin to tell ya , ROCK N ROLL its a southern thing!

[VictrolaJazz]

Yes sir! You've got that right! Thanks!

[FoothillsofWyoming]

yeah cool cat.

[VictrolaJazz]

Thanks!  Glad you enjoyed it!

[teebeeferris]

Hip record player !!!

[VictrolaJazz]

Thanks! I've always been interested in the Zenith Cobra-Matics and that is one of the most unusual--dating from about 1951 or 1952--I've always loved the beady little eyes on the Cobra tone arms!

[blues4sale]

great song played on a great machine!

[VictrolaJazz]

Thanks!

[chess1458]

Killer Post,Anything By Jackie Was Great