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.
Pat-A-Cake
Bill Haley Lyrics
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Bake me a cake just as fast as you can
Roll it, pat it, mark it with a 'B'
Put it in the oven for my baby and me.
And I'm gone
Pattin' and bakin' I'm gone
Shakin' and a quakin' I'm gone
Rompin' and a stompin' I'm gone
Gone gone
gone gone gone gone gone gone gone
Pat a cake, pat a cake, drummer man
Knock me a beat just as fast as you can
Romp it, stomp it, rock it with glee
Play it like crazy for my baby and me.
And I'm gone
Pattin' and bakin' I'm gone
Shakin' and a quakin' I'm gone
Rockin' and rollin' I'm gone
Rompin' and a stompin' I'm gone
Gone gone
gone gone gone gone gone gone gone
I'm gone
Pattin' and bakin' I'm gone
Shakin' and a quakin' I'm gone
Rockin' and rollin' I'm gone
Rompin' and a stompin' I'm gone
Gone gone
gone gone gone gone gone gone gone
The lyrics of Bill Haley's "Pat-A-Cake" seem at first to be a simple request for a cake. However, the deeper meaning of the song lies in its rhythm and the effect it has on the listener. The first verse sets up the familiar children's rhyme of "pat-a-cake," but the addition of the baker's man and the request for speed creates a sense of urgency and excitement. The instructions to roll, pat, and mark the cake are delivered in rapid-fire succession, implying that something important is about to happen.
The second verse continues this frenetic pace, but with a slightly different focus. This time, the drummer man is the one being asked to perform, and the request for a beat is met with a romping, stomping response. The lyrics suggest that music is not just background noise but an essential part of life, something to be celebrated and enjoyed with those we care about. Throughout the song, the use of repetition, rapid-fire lyrics, and a driving beat combine to create a feeling of motion and energy that is impossible to ignore.
Line by Line Meaning
Pat a cake, pat a cake, baker's man
Addressing the baker, the singer requests the baker to prepare a cake for him as soon as possible
Bake me a cake just as fast as you can
The singer requests the baker to bake the cake with great haste, indicating a sense of urgency
Roll it, pat it, mark it with a 'B'
Instructions for cake preparation indicating rolling, patting, and marking the cake with a 'B,' perhaps indicating the celebrant's name
Put it in the oven for my baby and me
The artist wishes the cake to be placed in the oven to prepare for consumption, for both himself and his baby
And I'm gone
Pattin' and bakin' I'm gone
Shakin' and a quakin' I'm gone
Rockin' and rollin' I'm gone
Rompin' and a stompin' I'm gone
Gone gone
gone gone gone gone gone gone gone
The artist expresses his excitement through a series of actions, indicating his readiness to enjoy the cake. This is further emphasized by the repetition of 'gone' several times and a sense of hurriedness in performance
Pat a cake, pat a cake, drummer man
The singer calls out to a drummer, requesting him to drum up a beat for the celebration
Knock me a beat just as fast as you can
The singer implores the drummer to provide a quick, lively beat to match his excitement
Romp it, stomp it, rock it with glee
Instructions for the drummer to perform his role with energy and joy, complementing the celebratory mood
Play it like crazy for my baby and me
The artist emphasizes that the music is for his enjoyment and that of his baby, reinforcing the theme of celebration
And I'm gone
Pattin' and bakin' I'm gone
Shakin' and a quakin' I'm gone
Rockin' and rollin' I'm gone
Rompin' and a stompin' I'm gone
Gone gone
gone gone gone gone gone gone gone
As with the first stanza, the artist reiterates his excitement and readiness to enjoy the celebration through a series of actions, further emphasizing the overall mood of the song
I'm gone
Pattin' and bakin' I'm gone
Shakin' and a quakin' I'm gone
Rockin' and rollin' I'm gone
Rompin' and a stompin' I'm gone
Gone gone
gone gone gone gone gone gone gone
The song concludes with this last repetition of the previous stanza, as the singer continues to express his excitement and joy for the celebration he is about to embark on
Contributed by Madison Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
ginger1959able
Great!
richard Bégot
Le premier Bill et il Haley bien