Rock Around The Clock (Original Version)

[elfhermie]

Wow, what a different sound! Weird that Bill Haley's version, itself almost just a remake of their own Rock This Joint albeit with different lyrics, suits it so much more. Still, the little jazzy solo on this one is pretty nice in an almost Christmas muzak on speed kind of way.

[BaronEmpain]

Interesting and not as terrible as advertized; more a "sweater-crowd" version, as if the Lettermen had decided to "get real gone one time" :-)

Good groove and shimmer from the drummer, and you definitely can twist to this...

The thing is, once you hear Bill H and the boys, it does pale some by comparison.

But thank you for posting; a real piece of musical history here.

[Snippafull]

this song sing we in my school xDit's sooo boring!

[youtuete]

@Snippafull Subjekt-Verb-Objekt

[dankwarth]

@Snippafull - then take the Billy Haley version!

[AWTD]

Hey, Bill Haley ripped off a Bat Mitzah band!!!

[coolboy101martin]

this is what they should have had as the happy days intro!

thumbs up if agreed

[samuelyeah]

not as good as haley but I think this is an historic media document

[SEVFEST]

Thank God Bill Haley recorded it This one just isn't as good

[invisibleman275]

I've seen Black Board Jungle *Thumbs Up"

[buddyeagle]

Finally we can hear the orginal version, i have try for years. Thank you. Let's rock!

[angeltaffolla]

ok....bill haley all day......this version..original or not.....they sound like they are forced to do it...like kids in a grade schoool musical......embarrased and shy

[DrArt1]

This was always Haley's song. He wasn't able to initially release it because Essex Records wouldn't let him, so he along with others created Arcade Records in order to release it. He let his friend, Sunny Dae, sing it.

[lyon406]

Check your history on this song. It was originally written(1953) for and sung by Bill Haley and the Comets in 1954(Wildwood, NJ). Due to a disagrement between the writers, Miller and Myer, it was not RECORDED by the Comets until after this rendition by "The Knights" in 1955.

[ginger1959able]

Sonny Dae real name Paschai Vernitti was an old friend of Bills who part owned the label this was issued on

[rockincarbonara]

Wow...!!! After years of being a Rock´n´Roll Fan i can´t stop to learn more about Rock History. I never ever knew that there was a original version of this million seller. What i find very interesting is the fact, that Bill in that times was copying R&B songs, that made his career a better turn. the Term "Rock´n´Roll" wasn´t popular yet, even when Bill Haley already played and recorded it. I wonder, how Sonny Dae could ever do the same thing: covering Black R&B by actualy being an Italian?

[Farkurnell]

Wasn't gonna wade through all the comments but I just wanted to bring up something that I noticed on the clip to this song. The fact about Jamie Farr being in Blackboard Jungle is correct but he was credited in the movie by his real name Jameel Farah.

[Chimbo65]

What a CRAP version !

Bill`s version Rocks!!

[MsLogjam]

Terribly lame at the end but otherwise good. More jazz, less rock. Makes me think of the Beatniks, underground in the fifties, pop culture in the sixties (with the wartime culture adding its own twist), sleeping it off in the seventies, stirring themselves back to life in the eighties, and enjoying their gay nineties. Then the millenium and it starts all over.

[TheHillbillyHermitt1]

Ain't that MARK guy the Drummer-Boy

[rocknroll56able]

Haley took this drab version and took it by the balls and made it a world-wide mega hit !!!

[teddyrocker]

@randommagnum "The blues had a baby and they named ROCK´N´ROLL"

[SuperCriticguy]

i love these guys this is original and it probably was their best effort i feel bad they only have two facebook pages and only two people like them me and some other guy

[SuperCriticguy]

i love these guys this is original and it probably was their best effort

[jbeng1953]

tried to copy a style they should not have. forgot about all them real blues people didnt they

[killerdillr]

Think about one funny thing. With all my respect to Bill Haley - his 3 biggest hits were all covers: Rock Around The Clock (Sony Dae), Shake, Rattle And Roll ("Big" Joe Turner) and "See You Later" (Bobbt Charles). Despite all this he surely knew how to "ROCK THE JOINT"...(which also were a cover).

He was the FIRST rock and roller. I can highly recommend to read the book "Rock Around The Clock" by Jim Dawson 2005.

He was ONE OF A KIND and did a hell of job for rock music.

[patentpumps]

This is great information. I'd known that Haley's Rock was a cover but had never heard the original!! Thank You.

[XxKeepFaithxX]

I think that Mark does the drums because sometimes you hear a drum ;)

[0bamboocha0]

is better whit bill haley. anyone agree

[MelanieLouM]

@0bamboocha0 I do...this version sucked! >:P

[fattyfurlong]

mmmmmmmmmmmmm bill and the boys shure did the bollocks on this number a bit like valery by the zutons cos the old crack ed did it better

[trackieben]

This is a super super rare version.An original of this on 45rpm costs a load of dosh! Much prefer Hayley's version thouigh, this sounds "dead" in comparison!

[dog1701]

I loved the liner notes: however, Blackboard Jungle starred Glenn Ford and Sidney Poitier with Vic Morrow as the major indvidual of the supporting cast.. By the way, how did you do that? I'm a trivia kind of guy and would love to use that on some of my comtemplated posting.

[1234567890lego]

what did mark do anyway?

[SINNERSTRONG]

13 WOMEN ON THE FLIP IS A BETTER TUNE IN MY OPINION, ON THE BILL HALEY OF COURSE

[largelester]

well, Bill Haley liked this original well enough to take.....these kids could have rocked the walls out of any high school gym in 1954

[evelyn842]

I can see why this recording didn't go anywhere (boooring) but in 1954 it sure did and as they say, the rest is history. So glad I was part of that history.

[musicforsean]

My mom was about a month old when this song was recorded.

[QUTheTrackstar]

She must be young. lol.

[musicforsean]

@QUTheTrackstar

She turned 56 yesterday.

[tabby1buddy]

if they still have a video wit frankie i want to find it

[madcapromanian]

Wow! This is the "Barber! I'll have a shave please." version!

[musicforsean]

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

NICE!

[rbound827]

The song was written for Haley, but his record company refused to let him record it. He played it live on stage, and didn't record it until he got to Decca records. This version is actually on record label owned by Haleys manager, Jack Howard.

the song is based loosely on Hank William's "Move it on Over", not a Big Joe Turner song.

[killerdillr]

This version was recorded and realeased in 1953 and NOT IN 1954. That was Bill Haley´s version. It did not succed until it was featured in the movie BLACK BOARD JUNGLE from 1955 which has the tune as an opening.

[JRussoBuffaloNY]

btw all this info is incorrect, Bill Haley perfomed this live for the very 1st time memorial day 1954 in wildwood n.j. he recorded it earlier, this group rec later than what is being falsely told here to influence improperly danke!

[bonzohart]

Thanks for the history lesson! I do prefer the Bill Haley version but this was great to hear.

[abraxasIX]

thanks for this post video, good info too...

anyhow i really preffer Bill Haley ...

greetzzzz

[soulsurvivor2001]

NOT THE ORIGINAL!! Big Joe Turner did the Original and It DIDN'T SUCK!!! MUCH AS Big Joe Turner did the Original Shake Rattle and Roll! HALEY was a HORSE THEIF!

[abraxasIX]

i'm aggre with you in Big Joe maybe was a main creator, but you just can`t missrespect Bill Halley just for become in HITS other people's songs...

no way!

greetzz ;)

[soulsurvivor2001]

Emotion got the better me and from what I've read Hailey and Turner got to be pretty good friends and even toured together. There was a lot of injustice in the history of rock and roll and I guess I get a little ruffled when someone doesn't get their due. Apologies to Hailey, his family and his fans.

[andylyboy31]

@soulsurvivor2001 WELL POST IT, STUPID...

[soulsurvivor2001]

A B C E F You...rare vinyl from the 50's? Sure, let me pull it out of my @ss along with my Superman Action Comics, My Babe Ruth Autographed rookie card when he was with Boston, and audio tapes of Hoover saying sniping Kennedy was all HIS idea. WTFE man.

[dkfelix]

What talent to take a song like this and make it into a rock 'n'roll classic. This version is like so much other stuff from those years, which can also be heard on the "Rockaphilly"-LP.

[gimbadeebum]

Thanks for the posting. It all makes sence now this version was still ending the big band sound of the 30's and 40's when I was a kid. Then came Bill with his sound ,which was part country . They called it rock a billy . A lot of country in early Rock and the Blues and Gospel .GOOOD STUFF

[Kaunazz]

woo nice Ive never heard this version, its more reminiscent of the 40's as opposed to the chart breaker of the 50's style.

[ptownmotowndj]

Great version!!! So rare! Thanks for posting!

[titi661966]

pour moi super version la classe!

go cat go!

[rvkan]

It's easy to hear why Haley's version made it big. It has a lot more spunk, this sounds decidedly tame by comparison. Very interesting though.

[MegastarLV]

Where can I get an MP3 of this? I can't find an MP3 anywhere on the internet.

[kcirdrab]

Fascinating - the origins of Rock & Roll, you can see it emerging here into its developed form from its origins in the earlier pop music of the mid 20th century, barbershop, jazz, swing & boggie-woggie rhythm.

A.B. Surrey, England.

[Shoknifeman]

Not bad, great for comparison

[nickladey]

hi nice version like it always thought bill haly was the aridganal i do bileve a lot of rock and roll stars did cover versions of old classics i love rock n roll

nick

[MegastarLV]

No kidding. Bill Haley's version is way better than this one! This original version doesn't sound like rock & roll to me. It sounds more like jazz.

[sergemoon8]

this is nice but the good one is bill haley's,SORRY,but anyway LONG LIVE ROCK AND ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[73h5n1p3r]

Squares! Bill Haley's version is wayyyyy better!

[parisboogie]

mite be the original,but they didnt get it there did theyyyyyyyyyyyy.

[dylan962300]

i cant imagine if this was the original that would be relased. just think the theme to happy days would be different, and well a lot would be different in 50s music

[TubeGunner]

This is OK once it gets going, but there is no way it smokes like Haley and the Comets.

[visor109]

This reminds me of the movie "The Girl Can't Help It"

"One ROCK, two ROCKS......"

[gibsondrummer]

Rock'n'Roll was "invented" by Louis Jordan and the Tympani 5 in 1946-47 also Big Mamma Thornten was doing the real version of 'Houndog" in the early 50's and it aint about no goddamn rabbits ! Dont get me wrong I like Elvis he was Massively talented and his early carreer is nothing but groundbreaking. But we need to give credit due to the correct folks ,that's all i mean !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[novusmundi]

You ar ethe only person that I have seen that knows that Louis Jordan created Rock and Roll. I learned about him creating in by watching the Ken Burns PBS mini series documentary on Jazz. R&B is actually Swing Stripped down to three instruments.

[gibsondrummer]

Exactly ! 12 bar blues slowed down and played by the rhythm section .

[KrazyRICKY123]

WELL............

[Pickinbuddy]

This is a very interesting recording...and equally amazing how Bill Haley reinterpreted it!

[neoflyboy]

wow, thanks for all the information. I usually appreciate and recognize the value of the original versions too :)

[largelester]

1954 orrig rec 4 man jam sounds am good!! does anyone know what happened to sonny?

[26highstreet]

very lame version, sounds like something you here in an elevator

[paddy6062]

I can understand how it did not go far! glad bill put some fire in it!!

[TeeBeeBad63]

They sound bored, give me Bill Haley!!!

[plukap]

yeah...

[mitchgodwin]

I've been searching for years for a 45 of this version. Thanks for posting it. ....Shadow Jack

[Rodrickzx]

this version definitely is missing the funk of the more famous version.LOL

[CrisVangel]

Interesting, I never heard this story before, always assumed Bill Haley was the originator of this song.. You know this song is huge to this day in Chile and some other South American countries?

[lapsang2]

Thanks for posting it!

[gibsondrummer]

hey rockabillywilly!! you should check out the clueless clem cat fight going on at the bill haley version comments of this song the comments are hilarious and so far out !!!! long live rock and roll !!! most early rock and roll with the exception of true origanals like buddy, little richard etc were all just lame covers of the usually superior original in a crass attempt at making some money without paying the original artist's !!!!

[gibsondrummer]

louie jordan, slim gaillard ,big mama thorten, joe turner they invented rock n roll not bill haley or elvis

[RockabillyWilly1]

AGREE!!!!

[PlatinumBlonde87]

Elvis made Rock famous!

[cameltrail]

Elvis NEVER claimed to have invented R "n" R..He actually said it had been around years before he came along..BUT..he was Rock/Pops greatest talent,and kicked down all the barriers to allow everybody in..he had it all.

[killerdillr]

Something gonna be wrong. It is NTO 1954 but the year prior to that 1953 Sony Dae recoreded the original version. Funny thing - ALL 3 BIGGEST hit Bill recorded were originalle done by others: "The Clock", "Shake Rattle." "See You Later"...alghough his versions were deffintely better and he even recorded some songs MUCH better during his BIG TIME. Long live THE MAN who made rock n´roll popular.

[Ron8601]

Three Weeks later they got it right.

[justicejayant]

Better than bill haley.

[porquenotecallas66]

te pusieron -1, jajaja

[RockabillyWilly1]

This is a history lesson in rock music!!!

[YouDummy]

Not unenjoyable at all. Much more of a hep feeling to it. However, I am still glad Bill Haley grabbed this song by the throat, shoved a rocket up it's ass, and said "Watch this shit".

[youngmoigle]

I agree with you. I'm glad Bill Haley did shove a rocket up its ass - he really made it fly.

[madcapromanian]

@youngmoigle Yeah...he turned the "Nerd Version" into the undisputed firrst rock 'n' roll song.

[Haleyzz]

YouDummy well said.

[stratoblaster379]

@YouDummy No I dont agree. It was fine.

[Kombidefeira]

I saw...there was the before, there was RockArounClock and there was the after.

[JosephNScott]

"I saw...there was the before, there was RockArounClock..."

A good one that was before Haley's "Rock Around The Clock" and similar to it imo (except for the vocal) was "We're Gonna Rock This Joint" by the Jackson Brothers on RCA Victor. "Oakie Boogie" by Ella Mae Morse, "Rock And Roll" by Doles Dickens, and "Hey Ba Ba Re Bop" by Tex Beneke had a kind of Haley vibe too.

[AntArt141]

dull and forgettable

[sarshadr]

yrah, it rocks

[glomma80]

just love it

[DiscoDuckey]

weird...

[davehiggod]

very educational....

[knucklesmcgill]

Well....If THIS was the only version ever pressed sorry but I would have forgotten it long ago.

[FunkyVinylJunkie]

Wow what a great version. Its has a nice fusion sound.. digging that jazzy vibe.

[fezkraut]

This is more like a jazzy version but good.

[0zzyfan44]

This must be one of the first rock and roll songs that have been made. This was better than Bill Haleys version.

[hegmat]

It's so different from Haley, it's almost another song

[saitunes]

did you know that the song was apparently written for bill haley?

[youngmoigle]

Yes, I did know that - what you've got here is the ORIGINAL version that came out before Bill Haley & the Comets.

[kingboi4756]

@youngmoigle HAPPY HE SANG HIS OWN VERSION.

[autoforthepeople]

Fascinating!

[phlegethon1989]

This isn't actually shocking as far as being called the original recorded version because Bill Haley never took credit for writing the song, nor is it shocking that Blackboard Jungle made it famous because I thought every one knew that. What's shocking is that you're trying to make people think that this version wasn't chosen because Billy Haley & the Comet recorded last. Don't you know how directors or soundtrack producers pick music. They've heard this version and they felt Bill's is better.

[markwallach]

I was 9 lol

[7rundle]

Wow. So who is credited with composing this side? If the historical records are to be believed, Bill Haley had been performing 'Clock for some time before he took it to the studio. Is it possible Sonny Dae picked up on it at one of Bill's gigs? It's a fact that there has always been some dispute as to who exactly is the true author of Haley's version. Whatever - this is a great track, but up against Bill Haley & his Comets (aided and abetted by the amazing Milt Gabler) it just can't compete.

[bmxgenie]

great post

[CRE8CBDK]

The song to "Blackboard Jungle"

This song was blamed for turning teenagers

into criminals and deliquency back in the mid 50's

[cholofromperu]

talking about this song there is an original version named "move it on over" by hank williams sr from 1949 and the rhytms is the same and its not rock n roll so who is the original ;P

[buggoff]

Amazing! Never heard this version. Thanks for posting.

[tomwinmax]

Note to YOUNGMOIGLE:

At 02:11, the left caption comes up "Poor old Sonny Dae & The Kights". 

Uhhh-h-h... that was supposed to be "Knights", not "Kights".

[youngmoigle]

Thanks for telling me - I did it a year ago and hadn't even noticed!

[Pickinbuddy]

Oh--the Russians thought this was a plot hatched by the USA to subvert ALL the young people of the world---well it DID attract all the young people the world over, but not in the exact manner THEY accused us of!

[DPBurn121]

Its nice, but i prefer bill haley's version ^^"

[PhiloPharnsworth]

Sorry, but Bill Hayley's version was clearly superior, and deserved to become the hit. Execution is everything. He and the Comets were charismatic showmen who knew how to put rock across to a wide audience. Still, this is a fascinating bit of musical history. Thanks.

[ChristerDahlback]

Thanks buddy! Had that record in the early 80s - this is original Rock Around the Clock!!!

[zapdunga]

WRITTEN BY THE GREAT MAX FREEDMAN

[vincenz55]

BS..if you read under every title on bill haleys rock around the clock records sonny daes name is below the title...get your facts straight

[gibsondrummer]

you know what a cover is ? just because you credit dont mean a thing all the real pioneers of rock and roll most people dont even know they recorded these songs before the versions that charted and made money for the co,s etc you get you facts straight ive been in the biz for 25 years i know of what i speak and as far as blond 87 is concerned it was already famous before elvis was allowed in a juke .

[randivark]

is this the song that started riots around the ÚS when it was first played?

[youngmoigle]

No. In 1955 Bill Haley's version was used in the movie Blackboard Jungle and kids got up out of their seats and danced in the aisles. It wasn't really a riot - but people didn't usually dance in a movie theatre and the oldies thought it was scandalous.

[youngmoigle]

That's classified information!

[ordascs]

Thanks for posting - this is a real rare version of worldwide wellknown song, the anthem of R'n'R.

[Skinnyjoeymerlino]

This version isn't as good as the Comets' but it's worth hearing for historical purposes. Thanks for sharing it.

[marco31768]

Thanks for this piece of history!

[NipkowDisk]

Way cool- never heard this version before- released about 6 weeks before Bill Haley and the Comets' version. Thank you for posting this.

[rainydaywoman43]

thanks young..

sorry, and apologies, i got a bit carried away there..but i get really tired of people giving that phony all the credit when there were so many artists so much better than him. he made a forune..STEALING other artists songs.

[rainydaywoman43]

the more educated we become about the true roots of rock and roll, the sooner we can stop making idiotic, low IQ comments such as" elvis is the king of rock and roll" and "oh if it wernt for elvis..we wouldnt have rock and roll"

baloney!! the true rock and roll fans know what its all about.

to all the third grade educated morons out there..bad news pal..ELVIS DID NOT INVENT ROCK AND ROLL, nor did he discover it, nor did he make it happen.

[youngmoigle]

A bit harsh, perhaps, but rainydaywoman43 is dead right. Wild Bill Moore, for example, recorded "We're Gonna Rock, We're Gonna Roll" in 1947 when Elvis was just twelve years old!

[Haleyzz]

i agree with your comments.elvis gets to much credit ie starting r'n'roll.bill haley was the guy who opened the floodgates for elvis and all the others that followed.he blended the great r'n'b music with his own western influences and was the'first' white artist to hit the national charts with crazy man crazy in august 1953.i think elvis was still driving his truck at this time...

[ChristianWyrwich]

I have to disagree with you, Elvis was the first one who mixed Black Music and the typical Country Western sound. Bill played the typical white music, without having any Black music influence in it.

[Haleyzz]

Joe Turner and Louis Jordan were black....Haley used and was influenced by these two guys

[ChristianWyrwich]

This is Rhythm & Blues not Black music, denglish Effect! :)

Black music is for me Blues pur Blues like Johnny Lee Hooker. This is what i meant, don't get me wrong Haley did a great Job mixing, Western and Rhythme and Blues: My favore number is Razzle Dazzle.

[anonyme8]

even blues isn't really pure - think how much it sounds like appalachian folk songs, especially the structure of the vocal line. Besides, "rhythm and Blues" is just recording industry code for music black people listen to - it used to be called the "race charts"

[Pickinbuddy]

No, that's completely inaccurate--Haley utilized jazz and swing elements before Elvis mixed it with the country blues. BOTH artists had a black influence--Elvis' was Blues from Mississippi and Haley's was Jump Blues from Chicago. It was Haley who put the drums and sax into it, turning basic rockabilly INTO full-blown big beat "rock & roll"...which was neither black nor white--but TEENAGE music!

[JosephNScott]

"Haley's was Jump Blues from Chicago." When Haley got interested in rocking R&B in 1950, it was already popular among "black" bands in various cities. Jimmy Preston, the first artist to record the hit "Rock The Joint," Chris Powell, the second, and Haley all worked in the Philadelphia area.

[Pickinbuddy]

I was referring to Haley's r&b musical influences, like Joe Turner and Louis Jordan--Haley was travelling on the road in the late 40s and was in both the midwest as well as New Orleans--so he heard it somewhat before 1950. It's interesting how rock & roll took only some elements from Chicago blues and "jump blues", like the drums, piano  and sax, but discarded others like the trumpet, and harmonica!

[JosephNScott]

I think "black" popular music of '47-'50 (such as "Rock The Joint") is key to how the R&R sound got going. During the '47-'50 period Louis Jordan, Wynonie Harris, and Amos Milburn had a combined fifty R&B Top Tens, and the real Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, and Little Walter had a combined one R&B Top Ten: I think that helps explain why harmonica wasn't in R&R much. Trumpet was still big as of '47-'50, but Milburn, Joe Liggins, and others weren't using it, which was helping it drop off.

[Pickinbuddy]

No, that's completely inaccurate--Haley utilized jazz and swing elements before Elvis mixed it with the country blues. BOTH artists had a black influence--Elvis' was Blues from Mississippi and Haley's was Jump Blues from Chicago. It was Haley who put the drums and sax into it, turning basic rockabilly INTO full-blown big beat "rock & roll"...which was neither black nor white--but TEENAGE music!

[deyoungaza]

Like the Top-Notes' "Twist & Shout" and the Rainbows'"Hanky Panky," this is another example of a song being performed much better the second time around. Nice try.

[youngmoigle]

Yeah, I agree with you - but it's interesting isn't it?

[kinkajou777]

It sounds like a swing version of Rock Around The Clock and I love it!

[TheTokyoDude]

Very interesting, thank you.

[caa71661]

The Arcade label was owned by Bill Haley's manager.

[youngmoigle]

I didn't know that. Thanks for the info

[Wholelotofshakingoin]

Now thats how it should be sung instead of that billy one hit wonder.

[wwwHeavyMetalcom]

Wow, this is such a famous song and yet I had no idea this was the original. What a neat bit of history this is and many thanks for sharing this with us!

[youngmoigle]

Thanks for the comment - As a matter of interest, the earliest song with "Rock and Roll" in the title was a #7 hit for the Boswell Sisters in 1934.

[jardinbleuet]

The version of Sonny Dae is not THE original... In 1952 it was created by Wally Mercer (I have this version)

[youngmoigle]

The following quote comes from

rockabillyhall dot com

There has been speculation that "Rock Around the Clock" existed even prior to 1952-53. This stems from the existence of a 1952 song of the same name by Wally Mercer and an earlier 1950 recording called "Rock Around the Clock" by Hal Singer, although the Mercer song, at least, is completely different from the Freedman/Myers tune.

(i.e. Sonny Dae Version [written by Freedman/Myers])

[haleyfan]

Yep, I own this one, cool, I wish there was footage of Sonny Dae.