They Tried To Rock CD-Album-Series by Bear Family Records
The Hillbillies: They Tried to Rock, Vols 1-4
Hank Davis, Roy Forbes, and Scott Parker (comp.)
4 CDs Bear Family BCD 17350, AH/BCD 17406, AH/BCD 17416, AH/BCD 17417 For decades popular music scholars have disagreed about the motivation and efficacy of mid-century cover recording. Some authors contend that white musicians sought to deprive black artists of both music chart recognition and commercial profits by producing and marketing copies of original blues, doo-wop, and R&B recordings. Other writers assert that the white covers of new black music during the 1950s were simply the continuation of a common recording industry practice totally unrelated to race. Still other scholars argue that the unintended consequences of the appearance of multiple versions of new rock-and-roll songs expanded the general public's interest and enthusiasm for non-traditional melodies and lyrics. What is undeniable, though, is that cover recording practices always benefited composers.
Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Fats Domino, and Otis Williams
Thus talented singer-songwriters like Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Fats Domino, and Otis Williams (of the Charms) were financially rewarded rather than penalized during the period of cover recording warfare. It didn't matter that Pat Boone, Doris Day, and Frank Sinatra took turns crooning the Charms' 1955 hit "Two Hearts, Two Kisses (Make One Love)." The royalties still rolled back to Otis Williams and Henry Stone. Similarly, Dave Bartholomew and Fats Domino welcomed the supplementary recording revenue generated by Pat Boone's rendition of "The Fat Man" and Teresa Brewer's version of "Bo Weevil." The four Bear Family CDs featured in this review present a non-accusatory perspective on both '50s cover recording activities and rock-and-roll experimentations by traditional country and pop performers.
The They Tried to Rock series,
organized by Hank Davis, Roy Forbes, and Scott Parker, features 128 recordings distributed among four CDs. Using detailed liner notes that explain the genesis of each song presented, the compilers unravel a web of angst rather than avarice. Davis, Forbes, and Parker contend that the unanticipated rise of rock and roll had created genuine career uncertainty within the tradition-bound record industry. Established songwriters feared for their future livelihood. Experienced singers wondered if audiences would continue to support their old styles by purchasing new recordings.
What are documented via oral evidence in these delightful Bear Family discs are the attempts of numerous performers to hitch a ride on the musical mystery train that had propelled Elvis Presley, the Moonglows, Buddy Knox, and Wanda Jackson onto the Billboard charts. Sometimes novice rockers borrowed entire hit songs like "Maybelline," "Long Tall Sally," and "Hound Dog"; sometimes they tried to re-create guitar licks, slap-bass techniques, or drumming patterns that sounded rebellious; and sometimes they just co-opted key words like "rock," "rockabilly," "teenage," and "go, go, go" to achieve youthful attention. Compilers Davis, Forbes, and Scott are sympathetic to the business turmoil and personal confusion that prompted non-rock producers and non-rock performers to make so many terrible recording decisions.
The Carlisles, Bobby Williamson, and the Stanley Brothers
Clearly, the performances of the Carlisles, Bobby Williamson, and the Stanley Brothers on covers of "Honey Love," "Sh-Boom," and "Finger Poppin' Time" are awkward. Similarly, the total productions for Art Mooney, Jo Stafford, and Jim Lowe on "Tutti Frutti," "I Got a Sweetie," and "Blue Suede Shoes" are ill conceived. Notwithstanding the epic failures depicted in each volume of They Tried to Rock, there is a silver lining of interesting music and successful rock imitations on these discs.
Louis Prima is outstanding on "Jump, Jive, and Wail"; Ella Mae Morse nails it with "Money Honey"; Marty Robbins is credible on "Long Tall Sally"; and Eileen Barton is exciting on "Fujiyama Mama:' Of course, other renditions are more humorous than effective. The Crew Cuts are out of sync with "Susie Q." The majority of recordings illustrate talented singers and talented musicians taking on risky lyrics and unfamiliar rhythms. Some work; most don't. They Tried to Rock hammers home one key point about the rock-and-roll tsunami that overwhelmed traditional American pop music between 1954 and 1957.
The genius of the new music was grounded in charismatic personalities (Elvis, Little Richard, and Gene Vincent), distinctive vocal pyrotechnics (Wanda Jackson, Clyde McPhatter, and Jackie Wilson), crafty yet simple lyrics (Chuck Berry, Harvey Fuqua, and Jesse Stone), and raucous rhythms (Dale Hawkins, Bill Justis, and Link Wray). Age was also an important factor.
Bill Haley and Joe Turner
Although Bill Haley and Joe Turner thrived at the dawn of rock and roll, most other middle-aged country, pop, and R&B acts floundered under the youth-oriented audio avalanche. This witty Bear Family retrospective offers valuable insights into the muddled profes-sional music world of the 1950s. As always, money drove artistic decisions. But the youthful zeal for rock-and-roll sounds befuddled both record executives and their stables of tradi-tional artists. Change was in the air. A decade before the nasal Bob Dylan warned about the impending social and political upheavals of the '60s, the nature of American popular music was already being reshaped by racial integration on music charts and teenage choices at local record shops.
The days were numbered for pop performers like Teresa Brewer, Dorothy Collins, Billy Eckstine, Georgia Gibbs, Guy Mitchell, and Kay Starr. As for young country artists like Patsy Cline, George Jones, Marty Robbins, and Leroy Van Dyke, their momentary flirtations with rockabilly rhythms prompted wise decisions to commit their future careers to country music. More lucrative options beckoned.
All of these tales are on display in They Tried to Rock. B. Lee Cooper Newman University
The Hillbillies: They Tried to Rock, Vols 1-4
Hank Davis, Roy Forbes, and Scott Parker (comp.)
4 CDs Bear Family BCD 17350, AH/BCD 17406, AH/BCD 17416, AH/BCD 17417 For decades popular music...
read more »
They Tried To Rock CD-Album-Series by Bear Family Records
The Hillbillies: They Tried to Rock, Vols 1-4
Hank Davis, Roy Forbes, and Scott Parker (comp.)
4 CDs Bear Family BCD 17350, AH/BCD 17406, AH/BCD 17416, AH/BCD 17417 For decades popular music scholars have disagreed about the motivation and efficacy of mid-century cover recording. Some authors contend that white musicians sought to deprive black artists of both music chart recognition and commercial profits by producing and marketing copies of original blues, doo-wop, and R&B recordings. Other writers assert that the white covers of new black music during the 1950s were simply the continuation of a common recording industry practice totally unrelated to race. Still other scholars argue that the unintended consequences of the appearance of multiple versions of new rock-and-roll songs expanded the general public's interest and enthusiasm for non-traditional melodies and lyrics. What is undeniable, though, is that cover recording practices always benefited composers.
Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Fats Domino, and Otis Williams
Thus talented singer-songwriters like Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Fats Domino, and Otis Williams (of the Charms) were financially rewarded rather than penalized during the period of cover recording warfare. It didn't matter that Pat Boone, Doris Day, and Frank Sinatra took turns crooning the Charms' 1955 hit "Two Hearts, Two Kisses (Make One Love)." The royalties still rolled back to Otis Williams and Henry Stone. Similarly, Dave Bartholomew and Fats Domino welcomed the supplementary recording revenue generated by Pat Boone's rendition of "The Fat Man" and Teresa Brewer's version of "Bo Weevil." The four Bear Family CDs featured in this review present a non-accusatory perspective on both '50s cover recording activities and rock-and-roll experimentations by traditional country and pop performers.
The They Tried to Rock series,
organized by Hank Davis, Roy Forbes, and Scott Parker, features 128 recordings distributed among four CDs. Using detailed liner notes that explain the genesis of each song presented, the compilers unravel a web of angst rather than avarice. Davis, Forbes, and Parker contend that the unanticipated rise of rock and roll had created genuine career uncertainty within the tradition-bound record industry. Established songwriters feared for their future livelihood. Experienced singers wondered if audiences would continue to support their old styles by purchasing new recordings.
What are documented via oral evidence in these delightful Bear Family discs are the attempts of numerous performers to hitch a ride on the musical mystery train that had propelled Elvis Presley, the Moonglows, Buddy Knox, and Wanda Jackson onto the Billboard charts. Sometimes novice rockers borrowed entire hit songs like "Maybelline," "Long Tall Sally," and "Hound Dog"; sometimes they tried to re-create guitar licks, slap-bass techniques, or drumming patterns that sounded rebellious; and sometimes they just co-opted key words like "rock," "rockabilly," "teenage," and "go, go, go" to achieve youthful attention. Compilers Davis, Forbes, and Scott are sympathetic to the business turmoil and personal confusion that prompted non-rock producers and non-rock performers to make so many terrible recording decisions.
The Carlisles, Bobby Williamson, and the Stanley Brothers
Clearly, the performances of the Carlisles, Bobby Williamson, and the Stanley Brothers on covers of "Honey Love," "Sh-Boom," and "Finger Poppin' Time" are awkward. Similarly, the total productions for Art Mooney, Jo Stafford, and Jim Lowe on "Tutti Frutti," "I Got a Sweetie," and "Blue Suede Shoes" are ill conceived. Notwithstanding the epic failures depicted in each volume of They Tried to Rock, there is a silver lining of interesting music and successful rock imitations on these discs.
Louis Prima is outstanding on "Jump, Jive, and Wail"; Ella Mae Morse nails it with "Money Honey"; Marty Robbins is credible on "Long Tall Sally"; and Eileen Barton is exciting on "Fujiyama Mama:' Of course, other renditions are more humorous than effective. The Crew Cuts are out of sync with "Susie Q." The majority of recordings illustrate talented singers and talented musicians taking on risky lyrics and unfamiliar rhythms. Some work; most don't. They Tried to Rock hammers home one key point about the rock-and-roll tsunami that overwhelmed traditional American pop music between 1954 and 1957.
The genius of the new music was grounded in charismatic personalities (Elvis, Little Richard, and Gene Vincent), distinctive vocal pyrotechnics (Wanda Jackson, Clyde McPhatter, and Jackie Wilson), crafty yet simple lyrics (Chuck Berry, Harvey Fuqua, and Jesse Stone), and raucous rhythms (Dale Hawkins, Bill Justis, and Link Wray). Age was also an important factor.
Bill Haley and Joe Turner
Although Bill Haley and Joe Turner thrived at the dawn of rock and roll, most other middle-aged country, pop, and R&B acts floundered under the youth-oriented audio avalanche. This witty Bear Family retrospective offers valuable insights into the muddled profes-sional music world of the 1950s. As always, money drove artistic decisions. But the youthful zeal for rock-and-roll sounds befuddled both record executives and their stables of tradi-tional artists. Change was in the air. A decade before the nasal Bob Dylan warned about the impending social and political upheavals of the '60s, the nature of American popular music was already being reshaped by racial integration on music charts and teenage choices at local record shops.
The days were numbered for pop performers like Teresa Brewer, Dorothy Collins, Billy Eckstine, Georgia Gibbs, Guy Mitchell, and Kay Starr. As for young country artists like Patsy Cline, George Jones, Marty Robbins, and Leroy Van Dyke, their momentary flirtations with rockabilly rhythms prompted wise decisions to commit their future careers to country music. More lucrative options beckoned.
All of these tales are on display in They Tried to Rock. B. Lee Cooper Newman University
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays
1-CD Digipac (4-plated) with comprehensive booklet, 33 tracks. Total playing time approx.& ,& ,& , minutes. Contains rarities that will surprise both pop fans and collectors. Includes tracks by established stars like Sinatra,...
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays
1-CD Digipac (4-plated) with comprehensive booklet, 33 tracks. Total playing time approx.& ,& ,& , minutes. Contains rarities that will surprise both pop fans and collectors. Includes tracks by established stars like Sinatra,...
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays
1-CD Digipak (4-plated) with 72-page booklet, 31 tracks. Total playing time approx. 73 minutes. Try to imagine it. You're an established country musician. You've got a career. You're writing songs, recording songs, selling records....
Ready to ship today, delivery time** appr. 1-3 workdays
1-CD Digipak (4-plated) with 72-page booklet, 31 tracks. Total playing time approx. 71 minutes. Try to imagine it. You're an established country musician. You've got a career. You're writing songs, recording songs, selling records....
Funktionale Cookies sind für die Funktionalität des Webshops unbedingt erforderlich. Diese Cookies ordnen Ihrem Browser eine eindeutige zufällige ID zu damit Ihr ungehindertes Einkaufserlebnis über mehrere Seitenaufrufe hinweg gewährleistet werden kann.
Session:
Das Session Cookie speichert Ihre Einkaufsdaten über mehrere Seitenaufrufe hinweg und ist somit unerlässlich für Ihr persönliches Einkaufserlebnis.
Merkzettel:
Das Cookie ermöglicht es einen Merkzettel sitzungsübergreifend dem Benutzer zur Verfügung zu stellen. Damit bleibt der Merkzettel auch über mehrere Browsersitzungen hinweg bestehen.
Gerätezuordnung:
Die Gerätezuordnung hilft dem Shop dabei für die aktuell aktive Displaygröße die bestmögliche Darstellung zu gewährleisten.
CSRF-Token:
Das CSRF-Token Cookie trägt zu Ihrer Sicherheit bei. Es verstärkt die Absicherung bei Formularen gegen unerwünschte Hackangriffe.
Login Token:
Der Login Token dient zur sitzungsübergreifenden Erkennung von Benutzern. Das Cookie enthält keine persönlichen Daten, ermöglicht jedoch eine Personalisierung über mehrere Browsersitzungen hinweg.
Cache Ausnahme:
Das Cache Ausnahme Cookie ermöglicht es Benutzern individuelle Inhalte unabhängig vom Cachespeicher auszulesen.
Cookies Aktiv Prüfung:
Das Cookie wird von der Webseite genutzt um herauszufinden, ob Cookies vom Browser des Seitennutzers zugelassen werden.
Cookie Einstellungen:
Das Cookie wird verwendet um die Cookie Einstellungen des Seitenbenutzers über mehrere Browsersitzungen zu speichern.
Amazon Pay:
Das Cookie wird für Zahlungsabwicklungen über Amazon eingesetzt.
Sprachsteuerung:
Das Cookie wird für die Steuerung der Spracheinstellungen genutzt.
PayPal:
Das Cookie wird für Zahlungsabwicklungen über PayPal genutzt.
amazon:
Das Cookie wird für Zahlungsabwicklungen über amazon pay genutzt.
Warenkorb:
Das Cookie ermöglicht es den Warenkorb über mehrere Browsersitzungen hinweg zu speichern.
Partnerprogramm:
Das Cookie dient dazu hervorgerufenen Umsatz von Direktlinks von anderen Plattformen umsatztechnisch auszuwerten.
Marketing
Marketing Cookies dienen dazu Werbeanzeigen auf der Webseite zielgerichtet und individuell über mehrere Seitenaufrufe und Browsersitzungen zu schalten.
Cookies Aktiv Prüfung:
Das Cookie wird von der Webseite genutzt um herauszufinden, ob Cookies vom Browser des Seitennutzers zugelassen werden.
AWIN :
Wird beim Klick auf ein Werbemittel gesetzt und speichert die ID des Links, des Publishers, des Advertisers und welches Werbemittel zu we.chen Zeitpunkt angeklickt wurde und sonstige Informationen, die beim Klick gesetzt werden. Das Ablaufdatum des Cookies ist üblicherweise 30 Tage.
Google AdSense:
Das Cookie wird von Google AdSense für Förderung der Werbungseffizienz auf der Webseite verwendet.
Google Conversion Tracking:
Das Google Conversion Tracking Cookie wird genutzt um Conversions auf der Webseite effektiv zu erfassen. Diese Informationen werden vom Seitenbetreiber genutzt um Google AdWords Kampagnen gezielt einzusetzen.
AWIN
Online-Marketing Cookie
Facebook Pixel:
Das Cookie wird von Facebook genutzt um den Nutzern von Webseiten, die Dienste von Facebook einbinden, personalisierte Werbeangebote aufgrund des Nutzerverhaltens anzuzeigen.
POPUPCHECK:
Speichert anonymisiert, ob im laufenden Quartal mit dem derzeit genutzten Gerät an einer Umfrage der Österreichischen Webanalyse (ÖWA) teilgenommen wurde.
Tracking
Tracking Cookies helfen dem Shopbetreiber Statistiken über das Verhalten von Nutzern auf ihrer Webseite zu sammeln und auszuwerten.
Google Analytics:
Google Analytics wird zur der Datenverkehranalyse der Webseite eingesetzt. Dabei können Statistiken über Webseitenaktivitäten erstellt und ausgelesen werden.
Emarsys:
Diese Cookie dient zur Anzeige von personalisierten Produktempfehlungen im Webshop.
Hotjar:
Hotjar Cookies dienen zur Analyse von Webseitenaktivitäten der Nutzer. Der Seitenbenutzer wird dabei über das Cookie über mehrere Seitenaufrufe identifiziert und sein Verhalten analysiert.
ÖWA ioam2018:
Speichert einen Client-Hash für die Österreichische Webanalyse (ÖWA) zur Optimierung der Ermittlung der Kennzahlen Clients und Visits. Der Cookie ist maximal 1 Jahr lang gültig.
Matomo:
Das Cookie wird genutzt um Webseitenaktivitäten zu verfolgen. Die gesammelten Informationen werden zur Seitenanalyse und zur Erstellung von Statistiken verwendet.
Personalisierung
Diese Cookies werden genutzt zur Erhebung und Verarbeitung von Informationen über die Verwendung der Webseite von Nutzern, um anschließend Werbung und/oder Inhalte in anderen Zusammenhängen, in weiterer Folge zu personalisieren.
Criteo Retargeting:
Das Cookie dient dazu personalisierte Anzeigen auf dritten Webseiten auf Basis angesehener Seiten und Produkte zu ermöglichen.
Service
Service Cookies werden genutzt um dem Nutzer zusätzliche Angebote (z.B. Live Chats) auf der Webseite zur Verfügung zu stellen. Informationen, die über diese Service Cookies gewonnen werden, können möglicherweise auch zur Seitenanalyse weiterverarbeitet werden.
Zendesk:
Zendesk stellt einen Live Chat für Seitenbenutzer zur Verfügung. Über das Cookie wird die Funktion der Anwendung über mehrere Seitenaufrufe hinweg sicher gestellt.
Push-Nachrichten:
Push-Nachrichten dienen zur Verbesserung der zielgerichteten Kommunikation mit den Besuchern der Webseite. Über diesen Dienst können den Nutzern Benachrichtigungen über Produktneuheiten, Aktionen, etc. angezeigt werden.
Tawk:
Tawk stellt einen Live Chat für Seitenbenutzer zur Verfügung. Über das Cookie wird die Funktion der Anwendung über mehrere Seitenaufrufe hinweg sicher gestellt.
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
More information