Transcript Slide 1
The Rise of Youth Culture in the 1950s Pop culture devoted exclusively to teenagers Political stability and affluence Normalcy Rebellion against conservatism Worries about juvenile delinquency “Rock Around the Clock” The Wild One, Marlon Brando Rebel Without a Cause, James Dean Blackboard Jungle Radio and Records Rise of the Disc Jockey Radios become inexpensive Rock-oriented radio shows The Moondog Show, Cleveland Alan Freed Red, Hot, and Blue Memphis Dewey Phillips Alan Freed Radio and Records Rise of the Disc Jockey Black DJs became more numerous during the 1950s The Rock and Roll Party New York, syndicated Alan Freed Radio and Records Aggressive Marketing by Independent Labels Record companies use radio to market records Participation of DJs is crucial Jukeboxes “Payola” used to overcome dominance by majors Crossover and Covers Charts developed to show trends to businesspeople Cashbox Billboard Three parallel charts used by marketing “Crossover” records appear on more than one chart The First Rock and Rollers Cross Over Fats Domino Imperial Records Among the first rockers to consistently cross over Thirty-seven Top 40 singles between 1955 and 1963 Warm, friendly image Fats Domino The First Rock and Rollers Cross Over Chuck Berry Chess Records Vocal delivery influenced by country music Writer and performer Story songs Musical influence Simple verse, simple verse-chorus 12-bar blues Two-string boogie-woogie Double stops Chuck Berry The First Rock and Rollers Cross Over Little Richard Specialty Records First “wild man” of rock and roll Target for cover artists Little Richard The First Rock and Rollers Cross Over “Whitening” rhythm and blues Replacing references to sexuality with references to dancing Bill Haley “Rock Around the Clock” “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” Pat Boone “Ain’t That a Shame” “Tutti Frutti” Bill Haley and His Comets Pat Boone The First Rock and Rollers Cross Over Cover Versions Some black performers resented covers Copied arrangements Replaced original version on the charts Reduced crossover potential for original audience Historical precedent Song is unit of trade Norms of 1955 recording industry Stylistic differences The Rise of Elvis Sun Records Presley First demo, 1953 First proper session, July 1954 “That’s All Right (Mama)” Rhythm and blues lineage “Blue Moon of Kentucky” Bluegrass lineage Early radio Red, Hot, and Blue Grand Ole Opry Louisiana Hayride The Rise of Elvis Presley RCA Records Phillips takes $35K buyout First single, early 1956 “Heartbreak Hotel” three-way crossover hit Television Ed Sullivan, Toast of the Town Importance of major label involvement with rock Elvis Presley The Rise of Elvis Presley Elvis’s material Song selector, not writer Rockabilly Most without drums Acoustic bass, acoustic guitar, electric guitar “Slapback echo” Elvis drafted into the U.S. Army The Rise of Elvis Presley U.S. Army, 1958–1960 Stationed in Germany Return performance hosted by Sinatra Change to song stylist Rockabilly in the Wake of Elvis Sun Records Carl Perkins Johnny Cash Jerry Lee Lewis Gene Vincent Eddie Cochran Brenda Lee Jerry Lee Lewis Rockabilly Buddy Holly One of the first major figures in rock to have rhythm and blues and country and western influences Decca sessions go badly, 1956 Brunswick and Coral Records “That’ll Be the Day,” 1957 Vocal hiccups Influence as a songwriter Direct, happy, positive lyrics Adventurous formal design Wide stylistic range Buddy Holly with the Crickets The Day the Music Died Little Richard called to ministry, 1957 Elvis drafted, 1957 Jerry Lee Lewis marries thirteen-year-old cousin, 1958 Plane crash, 1959 Buddy Holly Big Bopper Ritchie Valens Chuck Berry charged with violation of the Mann Act, 1959 The Day the Music Died Payola investigations, 1959 Attack on DJs as “gatekeepers” Struggle between BMI and ASCAP Opponents of rock felt that it was forced on listeners FCC and FTC DJs didn’t acknowledge and declare gifts The Day the Music Died Payola investigations, 1959 High-profile subjects Alan Freed Resisted hearings Driven out of music business Dick Clark Cooperated with hearings Forced to divest conflicts of interest Dick Clark and Alan Freed