Good Rockin' Tonight
Wynonie Harris All Stars Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, I heard the news, there's good rockin' tonight
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

I want you to bring along my rockin' shoes
'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

Overall Meaning

"Good Rockin' Tonight" is a song that talks about the excitement surrounding a rock and roll dance party. The lyrics are an invitation for everyone to come and join the party because there is "good rockin' tonight." The singer tells his girl to come along and bring his dancing shoes because tonight he is going to rock away all blues. The main message is to dance and let loose, forget about the worries and have a good time.

The verses in this song describe how the singer's girl will know he's a mighty man and he is going to hold her tight. The song is not just about dancing, but also about a romantic relationship, where the man wants to show his spirit and passion. The chorus repeats the invitation to come and rock, and the emphasis is put on dancing and having a good time.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, I heard the news, there's good rockin' tonight
I have received word that there is an opportunity for enthusiastic and lively music tonight

I'm gonna hold my baby as tight as I can
I plan to embrace my beloved with great affection

Tonight she'll know I'm a mighty, mighty man
This evening, my partner will recognize my strength and ability as a capable and confident individual

I heard the news, there's good rockin' tonight
I have received word that there is an opportunity for enthusiastic and lively music tonight

I said, meet me and a-hurry behind the barn
Let us convene hastily behind the agricultural structure

Don't you be afraid 'cause I'll do you no harm
There is no need for apprehension, as I will not inflict any damage upon you

I want you to bring along my rockin' shoes
Please bring my footwear specifically intended for dancing to energetic music

'Cause tonight I'm gonna rock away all our blues
I plan to use this occasion to figuratively rid myself and others of any negative emotions such as sadness or distress through lively music and movement

I heard the news, there's good rockin' tonight
I have received word that there is an opportunity for enthusiastic and lively music tonight

Well, we're gonna rock
We will engage in lively and upbeat music

We're gonna rock
We will engage in lively and upbeat music

Let's rock
Let us commence lively and upbeat music

Come on and rock
Please join me in lively and upbeat music

We're gonna rock all our blues away
Together we will use lively and upbeat music to rid ourselves of any negative emotions or stress

Have you heard the news, everybody's rockin' tonight
Have you received word that there is an opportunity for lively and upbeat music this very evening for everyone to enjoy?

I'm gonna hold my baby as tight as I can
I plan to embrace my beloved with great affection

Well, tonight she'll know I'm a mighty, mighty man
This evening, my partner will recognize my strength and ability as a capable and confident individual

I heard the news, there's good rockin' tonight
I have received word that there is an opportunity for enthusiastic and lively music tonight

Well, we're gonna rock, rock, rock, rock
We will engage in lively and upbeat music with great enthusiasm

Come on and rock, rock, rock, rock
Please join me in engaging in lively and upbeat music with great enthusiasm

Let's rock, rock, rock, rock
Let us commence lively and upbeat music with great enthusiasm

Well, let's rock, rock, rock, rock
It is time to commence engaging in lively and upbeat music with great enthusiasm

We're gonna rock all our blues away
Together we will use lively and upbeat music to rid ourselves of any negative emotions or stress

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management US LLC
Written by: ROY (USA) BROWN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@carlo6230

ELVIS NAILED IT

@northlight1908

2y↑50

The first true rock 'n' roll record, for my money. Heavy backbeat. This is the one that kicked it all off.

@Aqua.man045

1y↑5

Still Jump blues but the tempo is very rock and roll.

@ericm.7754

1y↑1

Sister Rosetta Tharpe's Strange Things Happening Every Day is a little earlier, but this one rocks a little more than that one.

@hyzercreek

27w

@@ericm.7754 She sure was great. Rocking in the bosom of Abraham. She was Rocking the Cradle of the Lord. She

@hipnogger

11w

What about Arthur Big Boy Crudup, came out 2 years earlier.

@justawitness4963

10w↑1

I agree 100%. This song has a classic early rock and roll feel to it.

1 More Replies...

@jabezcreed

21w↑3

I've been on a personal quest to understand rock and roll, and I appreciate that this recording shows all the signs of rock and roll as opposed to the heavy syncopation of the Roy Brown original. The backbeat is now emphasized, and the lyrics have the more free wheeling aspect over many blues style lyrics.

@larrybuxton4614

45w↑3

This is more rock n roll to me than Rock Around the Clock, for sure.

@rayley1

37w↑6

I've listen to "Good Rocking Tonight" by Wynonie Harris' released in 1948 many many times and cannot understand why it is never mention as a possible contender for the title of first rock 'n' roll record. Who can't help listening to the refrain, "Well I heard the news, there's good rocking tonight and not say this is a true rock n' roll record !

@ccarrick

2y↑7

Came here because of the amazing podcast "A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs" by Andrew Hickey - Episode 7. Highly recommended!!

@ronfowlermusic

3y↑13

Big influence on rock n roll artists in the 50s.

@BigMickRocks

4y↑22

Yeah !!! True rock and roll from the 40s !!!

@motorradundfahrrad725

Just a primitive, abused and simplified form of Western swing.

@hyzercreek

@@motorradundfahrrad725 You are a fo0l. Western swing was the 1930's and had nothing to do with rock and roll. You are deaf. Rock and roll was a new name for R&B

@irenemccann7032

26w↑2

Terrific

@zander1020

this track & rocket 88 best stuff ive heard today & in years,hand clappin foottappin golddust.

@Zickcermacity

2y↑2

You say you don’t know about Wynonie Harris?

You can’t handle the truth!

One of the founding fathers of rock & roll and R&B

@alfrednawrocki8061

38w

Great music. My band Category 5 and The Storm Horns covered a few of his tunes. We were out of PSL, FL. We had a 12 yr run ending in 2018.

@rillesttalk

13w↑1

Before it was coined Rock-n-Roll, it was called “Jump Blues”. Check out Louis Jordan’s 1945 hit “Caldonia”. It’s been said he had been performing Caldonia as early as 1941.

@timmy841212

3y↑19

Roy Brown, Wynonie Harris and Sister Rosetta Tharpe were the true founders of rock and roll.

Fun fact: this was recorded before the year-long recording ban of 1948 but it saved Wynonie's career: it was his first number one hit.

@zoso73

2y↑21

Speed up the tempo and this is pure rock and roll ... in 1948.

@Aqua.man045

1y↑2

Yes almost rock and roll

@jamesschaidt1096

1y↑4

@@Aqua.man045 No...this IS rock N roll, the real deal. You want it heavier & faster ? Give the Montrose version w/Sammy Hagar belting it out. 🎸🤘

@davide.robinsoniii5869

4y↑27

This is early rock 'n' roll, which came out of "jump blues" of numerous black recording artists. I have this record (on a 78 rpm - same label).

@Imani_AM

3y↑17

Loving discovering the history of Rock 'N Roll 😊 Wynonie's one of my favorites now 🎶

@millermark445

2y↑7

Pure, raw, unadulterated rock and roll. Perhaps the first R&R song recorded years before Allan Freed coined the term.

@motorradundfahrrad725

This is rhythm and blues, without country there can be no R&R. I'm also not saying that dance jazz and jump blues were copied from white swing.

@northlight1908

1y↑5

@@motorradundfahrrad725 Late 1940s/early 1950s rhythm 'n' blues was simply renamed "rock 'n' roll" to make it more palatable and salable to the mainstream (white) market. Country or hillbilly-infused rock 'n' roll simply added another inflection to the music and some different instrumentation. Country was not necessary to create rock 'n' roll.

@northlight1908

1y↑1

@@hyzercreek ???? I didn't say you needed to add country to R&B to make rock 'n' roll. I agree that early rock 'n' roll was essentially rhythm 'n' blues, renamed for the mass (white) market.

@hyzercreek

@@motorradundfahrrad725 True. You dont need country to make rock and roll. The country added to R&B made rockabilly which is rock and roll plus hillbilly but R&B by itself was rock and roll already and came first.

@jamesschaidt1096

Freed did NOT coin the term rock & roll...do your research.

7 More Replies...

@RockNRollSurf

3y↑13

Set this song at 1.25x speed for 1940s Whole Lotta Shaking Going On experience. Thank me later

@hyzercreek

Yeah that's incredible, play at 1.25 for Good Rocking

@northlight1908

Pretty cool.

@hyzercreek

2y↑4

Recorded December 1947, (released and charted beginning of 48 but recorded in '47.)

@northlight1908

The session just made it under the wire before the Petrillo recording ban. Many tunes recorded in 1947 were not heard by the public until well into 1948. Very little was recorded in '48 itself (the recording ban finally ended in mid-November).

@hyzercreek

1y↑1

@@northlight1908 Yes you are correct. But good Gosh almighty did the rocking R&B records explode in 1949!!!!!!!!!!!

@bethwilton8075

1y↑3

Thank you for another gem!

@buddimack

2y↑1

First time i heard this other then when Elvis did it and i like it

@TheTuubster

4y↑6

The music revolution is beginning ...

@411Soulman1

4y↑5

Boogie woogie!

@jimervin1637

1y↑1

Oh ya. Excellent beat and you can really dance to it. Reminds me of Joe Turner's Shake Rattle & Roll.

@erickperez7356

16w

Rock and Roll early

@johnthrussell1377

Great recocrd wish I could seen them

@pjriverdale8461

5y↑15

King later released this with very slight added tape echo and tried to do a more gradual "correction" of the first recorded example of electronic fade out.
The fade effect on the original pressings of "GRT" is a bit uneven.
The engineer didn't do a gradual fade but abruptly cut the gain by about half and then half again with a bit of "print through"/"ghosting" at the very end.
This seems like it may be one of the later 50's pressings.
Versions released on King compilations in the 70's also included the added insult of RCA (fake) stereo with further "improvements" to the end fade.
Originally recorded 12/27/47 direct to disc( pre-tape) at King Records Cincinnati, Ohio.

@9a6lop-og6tb

15w

31/3 - 7/5

@juancarloscabreramenendez7628

21w↑5

People are very lost, this is not rock&roll, it's R&B. What was later called Rock&Roll was born with the natural fusion of black and white rhythms, practically all the white pioneers came from the Country circuit: Halley, Presley, etc... History is what it is and not what you would like to you. Rock is a fusion of various styles, and the whites contributed theirs.

@JoseFlores-dr5xd

3y↑1

O yeah puro rock and roll exelente

@Nocturnal11Guy

4y↑3

The only version that I love.

@Nocturnal11Guy

4y↑2

Yeeesss!!!

@kevinlowercase

43w

Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant recorded a remake called "Rockin' at Midnight" in 1984, under the band name The Honeydrippers. He said he wanted to focus on a "roots of rock" sound.