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.
Move It On Over
Bill Haley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That baby of mine wouldn't let me in
So move it on over (move it on over)
Move it on over (move it on over)
Move over little dog cause the big dog's moving in
She's changed the lock on my front door
My door key don't fit no more
Scoot it on over (move it on over)
Move over skinny dog cause the fat dog's moving in
This dog house here is mighty small
But it's better than no house at all
So ease it on over (move it on over)
Drag it on over (move it on over)
Move over old dog cause a new dog's moving in
She told me not to play around
But I done let the deal go down
So pack it on over (move it on over)
Tote it on over (move it on over)
Move over nice dog cause a mad dog's moving in
She warned me once, she warned me twice
But I don't take no one's advice
So scratch it on over (move it on over)
Shake it on over (move it on over)
Move over short dog cause the tall dog's moving in
She'll crawl back to me on her knees
I'll be busy scratching fleas
So slide it on over (move it on over)
Sneak it on over (move it on over)
Move over good dog cause a mad dog's moving in
Remember pup, before you whine
That side's yours and this side's mine
So shove it on over (move it on over)
Sweep it on over (move it on over)
Move over cold dog cause a hot dog's moving in
The lyrics to Bill Haley's "Move It On Over" are about a man who comes home late at night, only to find that he is locked out of his home by his significant other. He then proceeds to beg her to "move it on over" and make room for him, even if it means the dog has to move over to accommodate him. He acknowledges that he messed up and broke her trust, but he still wants to come back home. The lyrics also use the metaphor of dogs to represent the power dynamic in the relationship, with the "big dog" representing the man and the "little dog" representing his significant other. Overall, the song is a lighthearted and humorous ode to the struggles of relationships.
One interesting fact about "Move It On Over" is that it was one of Bill Haley's earliest hits, released in 1954 before he became a household name with "Rock Around the Clock." The song was co-written by Hank Williams, who also recorded his own version of the song. Another interesting fact is that the song has been covered by numerous other artists over the years, including George Thorogood and the Destroyers, who had a hit with their cover in 1978. Additionally, the song features prominently in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, where players can hear it on the in-game radio stations.
Here are the chords for "Move It On Over," in the key of G:
Verse 1:
G / G / G / G
C / C / G / G
D / C / G / G
D / C / G / G
Chorus:
G / G / G / G
C / C / G / G
D / C / G / G
D / C / G / G
Verse 2:
G / G / G / G
C / C / G / G
D / C / G / G
D / C / G / G
Chorus:
G / G / G / G
C / C / G / G
D / C / G / G
D / C / G / G
Bridge:
G / G / G / G
C / C / G / G
D / C / G / G
D / C / G / G
Chorus:
G / G / G / G
C / C / G / G
D / C / G / G
D / C / G / G
Outro:
G / G / G / G
C / C / G / G
D / C / G / G
D / C / G / G
Line by Line Meaning
Came in last night at half past ten
I arrived home late last night at 10:30 PM
That baby of mine wouldn't let me in
My girlfriend locked me out of the house
So move it on over (move it on over)
I need to find a way to get inside the house
Move over little dog cause the big dog's moving in
I am going to assert my dominance in this relationship
She's changed the lock on my front door
My girlfriend changed the locks to keep me out
My door key don't fit no more
My key won't unlock the door anymore
So get it on over (move it on over)
I need to find a way to enter the house
Move over skinny dog cause the fat dog's moving in
I am going to take control of this situation, even if I am not the ideal candidate
This dog house here is mighty small
The house I am sleeping in is very cramped
But it's better than no house at all
I'd rather have somewhere to sleep than nowhere at all
So ease it on over (move it on over)
I need to make do with what I have
Move over old dog cause a new dog's moving in
I am taking over this living space
She told me not to play around
My girlfriend warned me not to cheat
But I done let the deal go down
But I cheated on her anyway
So pack it on over (move it on over)
I need to move on from my mistakes
Tote it on over (move it on over)
I need to take responsibility for my actions
Move over nice dog cause a mad dog's moving in
My girlfriend will soon regret pushing me away
She warned me once, she warned me twice
My girlfriend warned me twice not to cheat
But I don't take no one's advice
But I never listen to anyone's advice
So scratch it on over (move it on over)
I need to move on and forget about her warnings
Shake it on over (move it on over)
I need to forget my past mistakes and move forward
Move over short dog cause the tall dog's moving in
I am taking back control of this relationship
She'll crawl back to me on her knees
My girlfriend will come back begging for forgiveness
I'll be busy scratching fleas
But I won't be too preoccupied with her begging
So slide it on over (move it on over)
I will take her back, but not without asserting my dominance
Sneak it on over (move it on over)
I will forgive her, but only if she promises to behave
Move over good dog cause a mad dog's moving in
I am coming back with a vengeance
Remember pup, before you whine
Remember, don't complain
That side's yours and this side's mine
Know your place
So shove it on over (move it on over)
So, just let me take control
Sweep it on over (move it on over)
Just let me run things here
Move over cold dog 'cause a hot dog's moving in
I am taking back my rightful place in this relationship
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HANK WILLIAMS SR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind