Music Of My Youth (1) - Bill Haley ‘Rock Around The Clock’

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I’ve just listened to some Rock ’n Roll hits from the 1960s and watched (acrobatic) dance sessions of that time. I can’t say what triggered this walk down memory lane. Maybe I’m just in a nostalgic mood. The hits I and my classmates listened to came from the radio, mostly from AFN (American Forces Network). This is the radio station for the entertainment of American service members worldwide. One classmate wrote down the lists of the latest hits meticulously. Not only did he improve his English by doing this but he also found his calling through this hobby. Later he became the head honcho of the music section of one of the national radio stations. ‘Rock Around the Clock’ by Bill Haley & His Comets hit German ears in 1954. I’ve read on the net that it is the most successful rock disc of all times. Rock n Roll was a big thing in the USA, of course. But imagine the impression it made in Germany, ten years after the end of the Second World War! Distrusted, hated even by many oldies who had always only sung homey songs about the beauty of the fatherland and danced standard and folk dances. Yet, loved by the young ones who enjoyed the fresh air coming from across the Pond. I was still a bit young when ’Rock Around the Clock’ became famous. The fact that I remember it well can only mean that it stayed in the hit list for a long time. The oldies among the members may remember the time when they danced like crazy and swung their partners over their heads or let them crawl through their legs and deplore the fact that today similar gymnastics will lead them to the emergency ward of the nearest hospital. The young ‘uns will see the generation of their (great)grandparents in a different light! ----- If you're interested in the other posts of this series, click on the green bar at the top. You won't regret it! ----- Turn the loudspeakers on!