Haley was blinded in his left eye as a child due to a botched operation. According to biographer John Swenson, Haley later adopted his distinctive spit-curl hairstyle to distract attention from his blind eye. The spit-curl caught on as a 50's style signature, although Haley and others had worn the hairstyle much earlier.
In 1946, Haley joined his first professional group, a Pennsylvania-based western swing band called The Down Homers run by Kenny Roberts. It has often been reported in musical reference works that Haley's first professional recordings were made with the Down Homers on a pair of singles released in 1946 by Vogue Records. This was later debunked by Roberts and others, stating Haley had already left the group by the time the singles were made. In the early 2000s, however, a set of 1946 radio recordings by the Down Homers were discovered and Haley is definitely present as he is identified by name and sings a solo number "She Taught Me to Yodel"; these recordings were commercially released for the first time in 2006.
After gaining experience with the Down Homers, Haley set out on his own, forming several groups such as the Range Drifters and the Four Aces of Western Swing. With the Four Aces, he made a number of regionally successful country music singles in the late 1940s for Cowboy Records while working as a touring musician and later a radio DJ at WPWA. (Many of Haley's early recordings from this period would not be released until after his death.) After disbanding the Four Aces and briefly trying a solo career using the names Jack Haley and Johnny Clifton (as chronicled in the biography Sound and Glory), Haley formed a new group called The Saddlemen in either 1949 or 1950 (sources vary as to the exact year); this new group recorded for several labels, including one single for Atlantic Records, Haley's first exposure to a major national record company. In 1951, Haley was signed to Dave Miller's Philadelphia-based Holiday Records and began to change musical styles, recording cover versions of "Rocket "88"" (previously recorded by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats), and in, 1952, "Rock the Joint", previously recorded by several bands including Jimmy Preston and His Prestonians. (By the time of "Rock the Joint", Haley had graduated from Holiday Records to Miller's larger Essex label.) The relative success of these recordings (both sold in the 75,000-100,000 copy range in the Pennsylvania-New England region) convinced Haley that his new and as-yet officially unnamed hybrid of country and rhythm and blues could be a commercial success.and some of his family lives in oklahoma and there is a road named after his family.
01. Rock Around The Clock
Bill Haley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock, rock
Five, six, seven o'clock, eight o'clock, rock
Nine, ten, eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock, rock
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight
Put your glad rags on and join me, hon'
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight
When the clock strikes two, three and four
If the band slows down we'll yell for more
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight
When the chimes ring five, six and seven
We'll be right in seventh heaven
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight
When it's eight, nine, ten, eleven too
I'll be goin' strong and so will you
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight
When the clock strikes twelve, we'll cool off then
Start a rockin' round the clock again
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight
The lyrics to Bill Haley and The Saddlemen's song Rock Around the Clock describe a wild night of dancing and partying that lasts from one o'clock until the morning light. The song encourages listeners to put on their best clothes and join in the fun as they "rock around the clock" throughout the night. The lyrics are a celebration of youthful rebellion and energetic spirit, with the repeated refrain of "we're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight" emphasizing the sense of unbridled excitement and freedom that comes from dancing and socializing with friends.
The first verse of the song sets the stage for the wild night to come, with the lyrics counting up the hours from one to twelve and declaring the intention to "rock around the clock." The second verse looks forward to the excitement of the dance floor as the band plays on into the early morning hours. The later verses describe the intensity of the party as the hours tick by, with the dancers getting more and more energized until they are "rockin' round the clock again" as the dawn breaks.
Overall, the lyrics to Rock Around the Clock capture the spirit of the 1950s rock and roll era, when young people were breaking free from traditional social norms and embracing a more rebellious and carefree lifestyle. The song became an anthem for this new generation of music and dance lovers, and it remains a beloved classic to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock, rock
Let's start rocking from the first hour of the day and keep going until the fourth hour.
Five, six, seven o'clock, eight o'clock, rock
We will continue to rock until the eighth hour of the day.
Nine, ten, eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock, rock
Let's keep rocking until the twelfth hour of the day.
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight
We plan on having an energetic and exciting night filled with music, dancing, and good company.
Put your glad rags on and join me, hon'
Get dressed up and come join me for a fun night out.
We'll have some fun when the clock strikes one
We'll be ready to let loose and have a great time when the clock strikes one.
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight
We'll continue to dance and party until the sun comes up.
When the clock strikes two, three and four
Even in the early morning hours, we'll still be dancing and enjoying the music.
If the band slows down we'll yell for more
If the band stops or slows down, we'll ask them to keep playing so we can keep dancing.
When the chimes ring five, six and seven
As the morning hours continue, we'll still be having a great time.
We'll be right in seventh heaven
We'll be extremely happy and content enjoying ourselves.
When it's eight, nine, ten, eleven too
Even as the day goes on, we'll keep dancing and enjoying the music.
I'll be goin' strong and so will you
We will still have plenty of energy to keep dancing and having fun all night long.
When the clock strikes twelve, we'll cool off then
Once it's midnight, we'll take a break and relax for a bit.
Start a rockin' round the clock again
After our break, we'll get back to dancing and enjoying the music all over again.
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight
We intend on dancing and partying all night long, no matter what time it is.
Lyrics © BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Max Freedman, James Myers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ThaiThom
It makes me nostalgic for a time I never lived in.
@robertovaldez7925
Cristian nodal
@SoulllessStary
Feel the same way it’s pretty weird but I like it ya know
@theprofessor3684
Probably heard it in a past life
@tazionuvolari8142
It makes me nostalqic on 2010
@paolaoviedo137
/vvvghffff(ffwrc
@Windows-ie6th
Hey everyone 100 years from now we’re all dead now enjoy life while you’re young !
@stealthghostbr1801
Makes sense
@ryabryab2676
thanks for making me have an existential crisis
@fiftiesonly9579
Don’t give me warnings about death I’m only 17....