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.
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
Bill Haley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come on over, baby you know you can't go wrong
Come on over, a whole lotta shakin' goin' on
Come on over mama we got some chicken in the barn
Yeah come on over baby, yeah, I got the bull by the horns
Come on over, a whole lotta shakin' goin' on, woah
Shake, baby, shake it, woah
Shake, baby, shake it, you gotta
Shake, baby, shake it
Come on over, whole lot of shakin goin' on
Yeah, ahoo
Come on over, baby, whole lotta shakin' goin' on
Come on over, baby you know you can't go wrong
Come on over, a whole lotta shakin' goin' on
Well, come on over baby we got some chicken in the barn
Who's barn, what barn, my barn
Come over, baby, better got to move along
Come on over, a whole lotta shakin' goin' on, woah
Shake, baby, shake it, c'mon
Shake, baby, shake it, yeah
Shake, baby, shake it, you gotta
Shake, baby, shake it
Come on over, whole lot of shakin goin' on
Ahoo
The song "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" is an upbeat rock and roll classic that was originally recorded by Big Maybelle in 1955, but it was Bill Haley & His Comets' version that became most popular. The lyrics tell the story of a party or a gathering where there's a lot of shaking and dancing going on, with an invitation for everyone to join in the fun. The lines "Come on over, baby, whole lotta shakin' goin' on" and "Shake, baby, shake it" are repeated throughout the song to emphasize the invitation to join in.
The song can be interpreted in a number of ways. Some have interpreted the "shaking" as referring to sexual activity, while others see it simply as a metaphor for dancing and having a good time. Regardless of the interpretation, the song's catchy beat, pulsating rhythm, and upbeat lyrics have made it a beloved classic that is still played and enjoyed today.
The song's origins can be traced back to the 1940s and 1950s when rock and roll began to emerge as a powerful force in American popular music. Its popularity was fueled in part by the rise of television and the emergence of a youth culture that was hungry for new sounds and new forms of entertainment. "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" became a hit in 1957, reaching #3 on the Billboard Top 100 chart and cementing its place in rock and roll history.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on over, baby, whole lotta shakin' goin' on
Let's get together because there's a lot of excitement and energy happening right now.
Come on over, baby you know you can't go wrong
Join me, it's a sure thing and you won't regret it.
Come on over, a whole lotta shakin' goin' on
Once again, urging someone to come join in because there is a lot of activity and fun happening.
Come on over mama we got some chicken in the barn
Hey, I've got a food spread set up and ready for you to enjoy.
Yeah come on over baby, yeah, I got the bull by the horns
I'm in control and ready to lead the way, so follow my lead and have some fun.
Shake, baby, shake it, c'mon
Let's get moving and really shake things up.
Shake, baby, shake it, woah
Encouraging someone to keep up the energy and excitement with some dance moves.
Shake, baby, shake it, you gotta
Don't hold back, let loose and really get into it.
Come on over, whole lot of shakin goin' on
Same message as before, emphasizing the excitement and activity happening.
Well, come on over baby we got some chicken in the barn
Same as before, reminding someone that there's food waiting for them.
Who's barn, what barn, my barn
This is my place and my party, so come join me.
Come over, baby, better got to move along
Don't wait around, come join in the action.
Shake, baby, shake it, yeah
Keep up the energy and excitement, let's not slow down.
Ahoo
An expression of excitement and enthusiasm.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stefan_der_Oberfranke
The first boss of rock.
Juan Carlos Cabrera Menendez
Podían haber puesto el año de grabación de este tema.
satomisuperblack
Flyin' rhythm section
ginger1959able
PLAY LOUD!
Stefan_der_Oberfranke
the Krauts love beer, sauerkraut and rock and roll:)