Cover of Chubby Checker

First a little history, new dances are being introduced all the time; however, few of them have longevity.  The Charleston and Jitterbug were spawned in the mid-‘20s, but latter is the only one that continues to enjoy popularity.  Classic Latin dances continue to appeal to a segment of the population.  Rumba lines gave way to the Bunny Hop as well as the Huck-A-Buck and later to other line dances.

The earliest of the rock era dances was a line dance: the Madison.  This came on the scene in the late ‘50s and may have prompted the creation of many others novelty dances.  Interestingly, this dance was developed in Columbus, Ohio – hardly the bastion of Rock.  While its popularity waned, the Madison lives on in the show and movie Hairspray.

In 1959, Hank Ballard wrote and sang the Twist.  It was moderately successful, but became a hit — make that a rage — when a young man from Philadelphia, Chubby Checker, performed the dance on American Bandstand in 1960.  This was the beginning of a craze that extended over the next decade.

Chubby Checker is arguably the king of novelty dances.  He had a couple of Twist hits and introduced other dances such as the Pony and the Limbo Rock.  He also introduced us to a young woman protégé who showed us how to do the Mashed Potato.

Here are some other dances that might bring back some fond memories.  The Stroll and other line dances such as the Watusi, Hully Gully and the Loco-Motion all had their moments of fame.  These are still performed at weddings, graduation parties and other such celebrations.

Then there’s a litany of other unrelated dances born during the ‘60s.  These include Butterfly, Swim, Jerk, Hitch Hike, Monkey, Dog Chicken (not the Chicken Dance that came later) Frug and Shake.  Can you think of others?

In the ‘70s, music changed as did dance.  That decade did give us the Hustle, which became the Electric Slide and is a line dance now enjoyed by Country and Western music fans. 

The Lambada and Macarena were products of the ‘90s.  But nothing can match the popularity of the dances that were part of the early days of Rock and Rock and the dances that went with that unique period in our lives.  What was the first one you learned?  Which one was your favorite?       

Image by amfdesigner via Flickr

Born in 1935, Lewis personified the wild and crazy image of Rock and Roll, at least that’s the way parents in those days saw it.  He, along with Elvis Presley and Little Richard, are credited with launching the fad that became a music revolution.  The style and energy these stars brought to Rock has been the basis for the great ones who followed: John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Elton John and others.

According to Marc Meyers at Jazzwax.com, “the high-strung, hell-raising, boogie-woogie country shouter also is the father of rebel-rock and country-R&B.”  This one-time studio musician at Sun Records also recorded “Great Balls of Fire,” “High School Confidential” and others and became an original 1986 inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Always committed to doing his own thing his way, Jerry Lee made headlines with more than music in 1958 by marrying his 13 year old cousin who was a decade younger than the star at the time.  This was a blow to Jerry Lee’s popularity, but he kept on performing for less money. The hard-charging, fast-living entertainer has experienced ups and downs both personally and professionally, but he’s still doing his thing. 

“Mean Old Man,” his latest album, has just been released; and Lewis is making appearances around the country to the cheers of audiences of all ages.  While others are just discovering the many talents of this music legend, to those who remember the roots of Rock and Roll, Jerry Lee Lewis will always be Killer.    

1950: Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole), Music! Music! Music! (Teresa Brewer), The Tennessee Waltz (Patti Page), Rag Mop (Ames Brothers), Cry of the Wild Goose (Frankie Lane).

1951: Too Young (Nat King Cole), Cry (Johnny Ray), Come On-a My House (Rosemary Clooney), Because of You (Tony Bennett, Be My Love (Mario Lanza).

1952: Unforgettable (Nat King Cole), You Belong To Me (Jo Stafford), Wheel of Fortune (Kay Starr), Heart and Soul (Four Aces), Why Don’t You Believe Me (Joni James).

1953: That’s Amore (Dean Martin), Your Cheatin’ Heart (Hanks Williams), Rags To Riches (Tony Bennett), I’ve Got the World On a String (Frank Sinatra), The Doggie In The Window ( Patti Page).

1954: Shake Rattle and Roll (Bill Haley and His Comets, credited with launching rock and roll, recorded Rock Around the Clock first but the tune did not top the charts until the following year when the movie Blackboard Jungle was released with it as the title song), Young At Heart (Frank Sinatra), Sh-Boom (The Crew Cuts), Three Coins In The Fountain (Four Aces), Secret Love (Doris Day).  Since this was my senior year in high school, I’ve added one more to the list, because I used the title when signing yearbooks: Till Then (Hilltoppers).  Sorta corny, but said it all.  At least I thought so.

1955: Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White (Perez Prado & His Orchestra), Sincerely (The Mcguire Sisters), Sixteen Tons (“Tennessee” Ernie Ford), Love Is A Many Splendored Thing (Four Aces), Autumn Leaves (Roger Williams).  Besides Rock Around the Clock, there were so many songs fighting for our attention and hoping to be included under the Rock and Roll banner.  But Pop radio was a local thing, so different sounds played well in some areas and not in others.  A record could be a hit in one market or region and never played in another.  This was soon to change.

1956: Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis Presley), Don’t Be Cruel (Elvis Presley), My Prayer (Platters), Hound Dog (Elvis Presley), The Great Pretender (Platters).  New stars were emerging.  Blue Suede Shoes also

made the charts, but it was the Carl Perkins version.

1957: All Shook Up (Elvis Presley), Love Letters In The Sand (Pat Boone), Little Darlin’ (The Diamonds), Tammy (Debbie Reynolds), Banana Boat/ Day O (Harry Belafonte.  This was the year The Everly Brothers, Marty Robbins, Sam Cooke, The Dell Vikings, Paul Anka, The Coasters, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Rodgers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly & The Crickets, Tommy Sands, Johnny Mathis, and Fats Domino all had hit singles.

1958: All I Do Is Dream (The Everly Brothers), Tequila (The Champs), It’s Only Make Believe (Conway Twitty), Get A Job (The Silhouettes), Yakety Yak (The Coasters).
1959: Mack The Knife (Bobby Darin), Venus (Frankie Avalon), Put Your Head On My Shoulder (Paul Anka), A Teenager In Love (Dion & The Belmonts), Lipstick On Your Collar (Connie Francis).

The above hits were selected at random from the lists compiled by Tune Charts, which you can check out at http:www.tunecharts.com.  I chose songs I personally remembered or thought might spark your thinking and take you back more fifty years.  There were so many great artists and records to consider, so visit the site and pick your own favorites.  Don’t bore your grand kids by talking about what music was like in the ‘50s; they don’t even know what “45 rpm” means, but we sure do.

1930 unemployment line (aka bread line)

The recession has hit LA County particularly hard.  According to the California Employment Development Department, as of the end of August, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 12.3 percent compared to the national average of 9.7 percent.  Southland unemployment is a nearly 27 percent higher than the country as a whole.

Under these dire circumstances, it seems wrong for citizens or documented workers to miss out on jobs, even the menial ones.  It has been argued that illegal workers perform the jobs that others refuse to do.  The truth is these men (and women) are part of an underground or shadow society; and, therefore, they are forced to work cheap, or at least cheaper when performing unskilled jobs.   Employers, both businesses and individuals, simply want to pay as little as possible for low-level workers.

Is it the greedy bosses who caused this to happen, the politicians who pander to a new and growing constituency, or the lack of regulation and law enforcement?  The answers are: yes, yes, and yes!  I don’t blame those seeking jobs.  They want to work and provide for their families, here or in another country.  However, if this means Americans are denied equal access to employment opportunities, I have a problem with that.

Citizens, if they are willing and able to do the work, should get the first crack at a job without regard to the color of their skin or country of origin.  These folks can be found through local churches, AA club houses or the Salvation Army, to name a few.   But, those who are here illegally simply should not be eligible for work.  Whether it’s day work or something more permanent, employers must not be allowed to skirt the law and keep from paying payroll taxes or making contributions to Social security.  This puts business people who do what’s right at a disadvantage and denies federal, state and local governments from much needed tax revenues.  The notion that illegals should be covered under health care reform will only encourage more people to break our immigration laws; unless, of course, the folks in Washington have plans to institute a blanket amnesty plan.

As a pre-boomer, I know the United States is the land of opportunity, because I’ve seen it work since I was a kid.  That’s why I believe our citizens must be given the opportunities to be productive members of this society.  In tough times, we have an obligation to take care of our own first — it’s what’s fair.

phrase from the Declaration of Independence is the corner stone on which our nation was built.  So what does this have to do with health care reform?

Being born with these rights suggests that all citizens of this country are to be given equal opportunities to live the life they have been given, freely, and in a way that pleases them so long as their actions do not interfere with the rights of others.  Since a healthy life

contributes to happiness some may conclude that health care is a basic right.  However, the Constitution does not promise a happy life rather it clearly states we have the right to pursue happiness.  We must, therefore, make plans and take the actions to attain this goal.

The role of the government is to ensure no outside or internal influences take away our freedom to live.  No matter how well intended, they cannot tell us what to eat or how much to exercise in order to conform to the government’s healthy norms.  These well-meaning do-gooders would like to manage our lives and make us just like them.  Haven’t they heard of genetics?  It’s okay to educate us, but don’t try to mandate us.  Legislating against or taxing lifestyles violates an individual’s right to choose, even if prevention might help improve the nation’s collective health.  If this approach worked, no one would use drugs, or drink alcohol to excess, and we’d be a smoke-free nation.

What we need is a bi-partisan approach to the health care issue.  It’s an enormous undertaking and fixing it will require more than one pass through this complex system that represents 15% of our annual GNP.  Since 85% of the population has some kind of coverage, maybe we ought to look at those that don’t have insurance and address this problem first.  Reforming coverage and costs for those with insurance can be studied and plans made to start implementation when feasible.  Yes, this will take a few years, but the problem has taken decades to reach is current unacceptable state.

The people of this country must realize health care is not an entitlement.  Rather it is something that improves the quality of life, and with that comes a price tag.  Each citizen has the responsibility of participating in their own good health and in working to get the proper health care for their family and them.  It is not the government’s job to interfere.  Instead, everyone should be free to make their own decisions about life and choose the health plan that’s best for them, under their particular circumstances, and be ready to pay for this right, if not with money then with service.  With everyone having a vested interest in the cost of coverage, chances are we’ll respect the way we use it.

One thing the politicians must remember, Americans are willing to pay for what they want. And, we’re not happy about losing what we have. Therefore, the goal should be to make health care available to everyone, through a yet to be determined program, but not to reduce the coverage of those who already have insurance and are paying for it.

Over the years, the tone and format of musicals changed.  Cabaret, Chorus Line and Annie, as I see it, where the last big traditional musicals – dialogue, burst into song, then repeat until the final curtain falls –  before giving way to the operatic musical where everything was sung, dialogue and all.  It was the era of Cats, Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables.  Then we had Chicago, The Producers and Wicked (a show devoid of one single song I can remember, let alone try to hum or whistle) followed by Mama Mia (you had to be an Abba fan to see this more than once) and Jersey Boys (which I loved because I like the Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons).  Pre-boomers are fortunate to have lived through the golden years of musicals.

Now there are some reprieves appearing on the great white way that have been modified to express the producers’ attitudes regarding political correctness and social commentary.  Westside Story is being sung in Spanish when a Latin (a Shark) is performing and English when a white American (a Jet) is singing.  It’s interesting.  I don’t know if it’s something I will enjoy, but it is a different twist.  Hair, the Vietnam protest musical is back with it’s modernized anti-war theme.  However, I don’t know if the concept will work without the military draft or if the lyrics will shock us as they did when it opened in the late 1960’s.   These are playing on Broadway, and since my home is on the west coast, I haven’t seen either production yet – maybe on the next trip to New York.  If you’ve been to either of them, please tell us about them.

Of course revivals of great shows have always been a way for producers to make money without starting the process from scratch.  Showboat and Porgy and Bess are two that have had successful reruns in recent years.  And the classics are playing to audiences in smaller theatres, small towns and dinner shows around the country, bringing Broadway to those who want to relax and be entertained.  The movie version of most of the above mentioned shows are available on DVD.  And, while these don’t offer the excitement of live performances; it’s still a great way to forget the cares of the world, if only for a couple of hours.

It was in Wildwood New Jersey on Memorial Day weekend in 1954 that Bill Haley & His Comets performed at the HofBrau Hotel. They played Rock Around the Clock, and rock and roll was born. The band is long gone as is the hotel, but rock is here to stay — even if today’s music seems to have strayed far away from its roots.

The early years were exciting, even for us who weren’t entertainers. DJs spun the platters with lots of patter and everyone was dancing the latest craze. It was a time of convergence with lots of crossover and blending of cultures leading to new sounds which lead to new customs. Country, rhythm & blues, jazz, gospel, as well as what can be called “standards” all had a part in forming our music. In the end, diversity became uniformity and may have been the precursor to the changes that lay ahead.

In the beginning, the music of the black community and those who performed these songs was covered by white artists. Pat Boone “covered” a couple of Little Richard’s songs – Good Golly Miss Molly and Tutti Frutti – because white stations wouldn’t play black records. It wasn’t long before people, having heard both versions, insisted on the better renditions. And, Little Richard won that vote by an overwhelming margin. Covering was commonplace in the early years. Sometimes the situation was reversed. For instance, the Crew Cuts covered Sh-Boom, originally sung by the Chords. In this case, many believe the white group had the better recording. C&W artists had mixed success, some were covered and some were not, but overall they found crossover easier for them. Of course, Elvis and many others of his time were hybrids: R&B, Country and Rock. It doesn’t matter what they called it, we loved it.

Popular opinion – not of our parents, but of us kids – ultimately decided which music would be played. (Payola had something to do with it too, but let’s not get into that right now). The big deal was not the color of the artist’s skin or where they were from. What counted was the sound of their music. Listeners’ ears were color and culture blind. All we cared about was if we liked the beat and could we dance to it. This suggests that in the post-WWII era one of the great unifiers of the young people was our music. It gave us an identity and began the process of knocking down barriers.

I don’t want to steal the thunder of our younger brothers and sisters by taking credit for the changes that came out of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Let’s just say we planted the seeds and enjoyed the harvest. They also can claim the British invasion, revised folk and protest music. But for pre-boomers, rock and roll will always be the music of our lives.