1) Roy "Good Rocking" Br… Read Full Bio ↴There are 2 artists with the name Roy Brown
1) Roy "Good Rocking" Brown (10 September 1925 – 25 May 1981) was a blues musician who brought a soul singing style (from gospel music) to the emerging genre of rock and roll.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Brown started as a gospel singer. His mother was an accomplished singer and organist in church. After a move to Los Angeles, California some time in the 1940s, and a brief period spent as a professional boxer in the welterweight category, he won a singing contest in 1945 at The Million Dollar Theater covering "There's No You" by Bing Crosby. In 1946 Brown moved to Galveston, Texas, where he sang in a club. His numbers included "Good Rocking Tonight". He returned to New Orleans in 1947.
Brown failed to interest Wynonie Harris in "Good Rocking Tonight" (at first), but got an introduction to the president of Deluxe Records, who signed him. The song was released in 1947 and reached no. 13 on Billboard's R&B charts (but was eclipsed by Harris' cover of it). Brown's version was a jump blues with a swing beat, but Harris's cover version can be considered closer to rock and roll. Elvis Presley covered the song for Sun Records in 1954 … later re-released on RCA Victor when his contract was sold to that record label in 1956.
Brown and his band "The Mighty Men" were spectacular performers, with the kind of crowd-pleasing stage histrionics for which Little Richard would soon be famous. Unfortunately, tastes changed and Brown could not keep up.
The decline of his fortunes coincided with his successfully winning a lawsuit against King Records for unpaid royalties in 1952, one of the few African-American musicians to do so in the 1950s. This has led some, such as author Nick Tosches (in his book Unsung Heroes of Rock 'n' Roll, which contains a chapter on Brown) to believe that Brown may have been blacklisted. His popularity was at its lowest at the end of the 1950s, but he sporadically managed to find work through the 1960s.
In 1970 Roy closed The Johnny Otis Show at the Monterey Jazz Festival. As a result of the crowd reaction he recorded "Love For Sale", which became a hit for the Mercury Label.
In the late 1970s a compilation LPs of his old work brought about a minor revival of interest. In 1978 he had a successful tour in Scandinavia following the release of Laughing But Crying and before the release of Good Rocking Tonight (Album). From 1980 until his death he enjoyed considerable popularity. Shortly before his death he was on a major upswing, performing at the Whisky A Go-Go in West Hollywood, California and headlining the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival during the spring of 1981.
2) Roy Brown (Puerto Rican musician)
Roy Brown Ramírez (born July 18, 1945) is a composer, singer and a fervent believer in the cause for the independence of Puerto Rico.[1] Some of his songs have been performed by several renowned international artists.
Discography
* Yo Protesto (1969)
* Basta Ya... Revolución (1971)
* Aires Bucaneros (1978)
* Profecía de Urayoán (1979)
* Nuyol (1983)
* Arboles (1988)
* Balada de Otro Tiempo (1989)
* Distancias en Vivo (1990)
* Nocturno (1991)
* Poetas Puertorriqueños (1991)
* Aires Bucaneros/Casi Alba (1993)
* En Fuga (1994)
* Colección (1996)
* Poeta en San Juan (1998)
* Distancias Clásico (1999)
* La Noche de Roy Brown (1999)
* Album (music)|Album (2000)
* Balcón del Fin del Mundo (2004)
* Que Vaya Bien (2006)
Good rocking tonight
Roy Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, I heard the news, there's good rockin' tonight
I'm gonna hold my baby as tight as I can
Tonight she'll know I'm a mighty, mighty man
I heard the news, there's good rockin' tonight
I said, meet me and a-hurry behind the barn
Don't you be afraid 'cause I'll do you no harm
'Cause tonight I'm gonna rock away all our blues
I heard the news, there's good rockin' tonight
Well, we're gonna rock
We're gonna rock
Let's rock
Come on and rock
We're gonna rock all our blues away
Have you heard the news, everybody's rockin' tonight
Have you heard the news, everybody's rockin' tonight
I'm gonna hold my baby as tight as I can
Well, tonight she'll know I'm a mighty, mighty man
I heard the news, there's good rockin' tonight
Well, we're gonna rock, rock, rock, rock
Come on and rock, rock, rock, rock
Let's rock, rock, rock, rock
Well, let's rock, rock, rock, rock
We're gonna rock all our blues away
The lyrics of Roy Brown's song "Good Rockin" are a clear indication of the influence of rock and roll music in the 1950s. The song is all about how the news of a good rockin' party has spread, and everyone is excited to be part of it. The repetition of the phrase "good rockin'" in the chorus highlights the excitement that the party brings to everyone.
The first verse emphasizes the singer's desire to hold his baby tight and show her how mighty he is. It speaks to the idea that rock and roll parties are a place to let loose and show off. In the second verse, the singer invites someone to meet him under the barn and reassures them that no harm will be done. This suggests that rock and roll parties were seen as a place of safety and escape from the tensions of daily life. The singer is eager to rock away their blues and enjoy the night without a worry.
The lyrics describe the atmosphere of a rock and roll party, where everyone is dancing and having a good time. The repeated phrases "let's rock" and "we're gonna rock all our blues away" encourage the audience to join in and experience the liberating aspects of rock and roll. The song reflects the youthful exuberance and the feeling of being part of a larger community that was common in the early days of rock and roll.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I heard the news, there's good rockin' tonight
I just heard some exciting news: there's going to be great music and dancing tonight!
I'm gonna hold my baby as tight as I can
I'm going to embrace my sweetheart as tightly as possible.
Tonight she'll know I'm a mighty, mighty man
After tonight, my baby will believe that I am a very powerful and impressive man.
I said, meet me and a-hurry behind the barn
I suggested that we meet quickly and sneak behind the barn.
Don't you be afraid 'cause I'll do you no harm
Don't worry about anything bad happening, because I won't cause any trouble.
I want you to bring along my rockin' shoes
Please bring my special shoes that are perfect for dancing to high-energy music.
'Cause tonight I'm gonna rock away all our blues
We're going to dance so much that we'll forget all of our problems and worries.
Well, we're gonna rock, rock, rock, rock
We are going to dance with great enthusiasm!
Let's rock, rock, rock, rock
Come on, let's dance in a thrilling way!
Come on and rock, rock, rock, rock
Put on your dancing shoes, and let's start moving with excitement!
Have you heard the news, everybody's rockin' tonight
Did you hear that everyone is going to be dancing tonight?
Well, let's rock, rock, rock, rock
Let's dance as if there were no tomorrow!
We're gonna rock all our blues away
Dancing to the rocking music will help us forget all of our worries and pain.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management US LLC
Written by: ROY (USA) BROWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Franchise
This original version is awesome, swings like crazy, has great sophisticated big band style horns, and killer stride piano. Definitely one of the classic jump blues songs. He even name checks other classic jump blues songs in the song, like Louis Jordan's "Caledonia." These songs were among the foundation for the rock and roll craze of the 1950s, along with greats from Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
When Elvis covered this song, it became guitar focused, a hybrid of the jump blues versions and what the labels called "hillbilly music" at the time. They called the hybrid "rockabilly."
Patrick Wall
Great song. Later made famous by Wynonie Harris, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley proving this song is a blues/R&B/rock 'n' roll history all by itself. Roy also wrote "Grandpa stole my baby", which Moon Mullican did as well. King Records produced excellent music and sowed the seeds for the Sun records.
Roger Phone
and later made famous again by a hit video game series
Victor Vernon
L
James Schaidt
And pretty much every bar band out there has covered it. I've covered it countless times in cover bands, always in a Van Halen style and it never failed to get a crowd jumpin'. 🎸🤘
Jordan Adams
@James Schaidt I'd like to hear that
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Roy Brown is absolutely essential listening when it comes to Jump blues.
Beth Butler
Born in 1925, Roy Brown brought out "Good Rockin Tonight" in 1947, hit the charts in June 1948, covered also by Wynonie Harris and made into a classic by Elvis on his second record at Sun. According to "Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans", this record first turned the national spotlight on to New Orleans
Donald Morrow
Roy Brown is one of the most important and underrated forefathers of both R&B and Rock and Roll. This record was pivotal in the transition from Jump Blues to Rhythm and Blues. It is so potent that it virtually began two huge careers: Wynonie Harris (who transformed from a Jazz-based Blues shouter to one of the first R&B superstars) and Elvis Presley (who released this song as one of his first records). Oh, and if you listen hard, you will hear a bit of what Jackie Wilson would sound like less than a decade later. And this guy was just getting started.
ExStock
This song is a great example of why parents were so freaked out when their kids started listening to "Rock & Roll" music--both "rocking" and "rocking and rolling" used to be slang for sex. So, their kids were telling them, "I love sex music!"