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.
Real Rock Drive
Bill Haley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's time for a ball on Saturday night
People gather 'round like bees on a hive
And boys start a-rocking out the real rock drive
And I'm gone! Till the break of day
It's a real rock drive and they play it in a real gone way
Oh, you grab a little gal and you circle like a top
Your pants rolled up and you're truckin' on down
With a pretty little gal in a red silk gown
And I'm gone! Till the break of day
It's a real rock drive and they play it in a real gone way
Dance the real rock drive and you ask for more
And your feet keep kickin' up splinters in the floor
You gotta be sharp and you gotta look alive
'Cause the joint's really rockin' to the real rock drive
And I'm gone! Till the break of day
It's a real rock drive and they play it in a real gone way
If you wanna be happy and glad you're alive
Just take off your shoes and do the real rock drive
Feelin' sort a low? You're bound to get a treat
Just slippin' and a slidin' to a real rock beat
And I'm gone! Till the break of day
It's a real rock drive and they play it in a real gone way!
The lyrics to Bill Haley's song Real Rock Drive are about the joy and excitement of attending a ball on a Saturday night, where people gather around and start dancing to the real rock drive in a real gone way. The lyrics mention the moon shining bright and the sun going down, setting the stage for an all-night dance party. The song encourages listeners to grab a partner and start dancing, describing moves like circling like a top, skipping and hopping, and truckin' on down. Haley urges people to take off their shoes and dance the real rock drive, promising that it will make them feel happy and alive.
The lyrics also emphasize the importance of being sharp and looking alive, indicating that the real rock drive is a dance that requires energy and engagement from participants. The song suggests that the dance is so fun and compelling that people could keep dancing until the break of day. Overall, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of a lively dance party where people are letting loose and having a good time, showcasing the enduring appeal of rock and roll music.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the sun goes down and the moon shines bright
As the sun sets and the moon takes its place in the sky, it signifies a time to indulge in joyful activities
It's time for a ball on Saturday night
Saturday night calls for a festive gathering where music and dance can bring people together
People gather 'round like bees on a hive
The event draws a crowd like bees to their hive, all eager to participate and enjoy the celebration
And boys start a-rocking out the real rock drive
Young men enthusiastically start dancing to the beat of the 'real rock drive' genre of music
And I'm gone! Till the break of day
The artist is totally absorbed in the excitement of the moment and will remain so until dawn
It's a real rock drive and they play it in a real gone way
The music being played is 'real rock drive', and it is being performed with a lot of energy and excitement
Oh, you grab a little gal and you circle like a top
The singer is describing a popular dancing style where men dance with their partners in a circular fashion
When you jump across the floor with a skip and a hop
The energy of the dance includes little hops that move the dancers across the floor
Your pants rolled up and you're truckin' on down
The artist describes the fashion of rolling up one's pant legs, as it helps with dancing movements and enhances the excitement of the moment
With a pretty little gal in a red silk gown
The artist is dancing with a woman dressed in a beautiful silk gown, adding to the glamor and excitement of the moment
And I'm gone! Till the break of day
The singer is so caught up in the moment that they plan to dance until dawn
Dance the real rock drive and you ask for more
People who participate in the 'real rock drive' dance will enjoy it so much that they will want to continue dancing to the same music genre
And your feet keep kickin' up splinters in the floor
The movement and energy of the dance are so intense that the dancers' feet are causing splinters in the floor
You gotta be sharp and you gotta look alive
In order to keep up with the energy of the dance, one must be alert and ready to respond to the rhythm of the 'real rock drive'
'Cause the joint's really rockin' to the real rock drive
The energy of the music and dance is so intense that it is causing the whole room to shake and rock to the rhythm of the 'real rock drive'
And I'm gone! Till the break of day
The artist has become so engrossed in the moment that they continue dancing until dawn
It's a real rock drive and they play it in a real gone way
The 'real rock drive' music genre is being played with a lot of enthusiasm and energy, adding to the excitement of the gathering
If you wanna be happy and glad you're alive
Dancing to the 'real rock drive' music genre can bring about feelings of immense happiness and appreciation for life
Just take off your shoes and do the real rock drive
The singer is suggesting that taking off one's shoes will help them more fully engage in the excitement of the dance
Feelin' sort a low? You're bound to get a treat
If someone is feeling down, participating in the 'real rock drive' dance will bring them great joy and lift their spirits
Just slippin' and a slidin' to a real rock beat
The movement and energy of the 'real rock drive' dance involves a lot of sliding and slipping in order to keep up with the rhythm of the music
And I'm gone! Till the break of day
The artist continues to dance and enjoy the 'real rock drive' music until dawn
It's a real rock drive and they play it in a real gone way!
The energy and enthusiasm involved in the 'real rock drive' dance is unmatched and unparalleled, making for a truly exciting experience
Contributed by Lucas F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Peter Racippo
Early Rock at it's best done by the one the best Rock bands of the fifties.
Paul Pasca
Bill Haley the Master of Rock n Roll music.
germanico
NUNCA MAS HABRA OTRO IGUAL. EN EL ROCK...RIP. BILL HALEY...🌹🌹🌹👍👍
1905HALCHASE
Danny Cedrone plays the lead here. He is the lead of Rock Around The Clock- Cedrone dies shorty after and never reaches his true potential of Rock and Roll greatest. If only. Such a great talent.
Very early Rock and Roll. His riff in Around the Clock will live on. On this song also for early times was cool.
Gene Greathouse
Danny Cedrone used the same guitar solo on Rock Around The Clock that he used a couple of years earlier in Rock This Joint.
MrGeno502
One of the best songs. Ever!
James Larkin
The Blasters covered this on their first album on Rollin Rock records in 1980.😎🎸
ginger1959able
Still one of Bills Best!!!!!
martin farley
rock'n'roll as it should be and always be
ginger1959able
One of Bills best.