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.
Dinah
Bill Haley Lyrics
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Gave me Dinah;
I'm the proudest one
Beneath the Dixie sun.
News is spreadin'
'Bout our weddin';
I hear church bells ringin',
Dinah,
Is there anyone finer
In the state of Carolina?
If there is and you know her,
Show her!
Dinah,
With her Dixie eyes blazin',
How I love to sit and gaze in
To the eyes of Dinah Lee!
Yet, every night,
My, how I shake with fright,
Because my Dinah might,
Change her mind about me!
But if Dinah,
Ever wandered to China,
I would hop an ocean liner,
Just to be with Dinah Lee!
Dinah,
Is there anyone finer
In the state of Carolina?
If there is and you know her,
Show her!
Dinah,
With her Dixie eyes blazin',
How I love to sit and gaze in
To the eyes of Dinah Lee!
Yet, every night,
My, how I shake with fright,
Because my Dinah might,
Change her mind about me!
But if Dinah,
Ever wandered to China,
I would hop an ocean!,
Just to be with Dinah Lee!
The song "Dinah" by Bill Haley & His Comets is a cheerful tribute to a girl named Dinah who stole the singer's heart. The lyrics tell the story of how the singer met Dinah in Carolina, and proudly sings about her being the finest girl in the state. The news of their wedding is spreading and the singer is filled with joy when he thinks of her Dixie eyes gazing at him. Despite this happiness, the singer confesses that every night he shakes with fright, wondering if his beloved Dinah will change her mind about him. The song ends on a sweet note, with the singer declaring that he would go to the end of the world if Dinah ever wandered far away or changed her mind.
The song's lyrics are playful, with a catchy refrain that celebrates the beauty and allure of Dinah. Although the song was released in 1958, it remains a beloved classic to this day, and has been covered by numerous artists over the years. Some interpretations of the song suggest that it is a commentary on the social climate of the time and the complexity of interracial relationships, as Dinah is often a name associated with Black women from the South. Regardless of the meaning, the song's upbeat and catchy melody has made it a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
Carolina
The state where I met Dinah
Gave me Dinah;
Introduced me to Dinah
I'm the proudest one
Extremely proud to be with Dinah
Beneath the Dixie sun.
In the southern region of the US where Dixie flag was flown
News is spreadin'
People are talking about us
'Bout our weddin';
Regarding our marriage
I hear church bells ringin',
I hear wedding bells
Here's the song my heart keeps singin':
Here's the song I sing in my heart
Dinah,
My love, Dinah
Is there anyone finer
Is there anyone better
In the state of Carolina?
In the state where we met
If there is and you know her,
If there is anyone better and you know her
Show her!
Introduce her to me
With her Dixie eyes blazin',
Her eyes which reflect southern pride
How I love to sit and gaze in
I love to stare into her eyes
To the eyes of Dinah Lee!
To the beautiful eyes of my love, Dinah
Yet, every night,
Despite my love for her
My, how I shake with fright,
I fear losing her
Because my Dinah might,
Because Dinah could
Change her mind about me!
Stop loving me or leave me
But if Dinah,
However, if Dinah
Ever wandered to China,
Ever goes to China
I would hop an ocean liner,
I would go to the ends of the earth
Just to be with Dinah Lee!
Just to be with my love, Dinah
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Akst, Samuel M. Lewis, Joseph Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind