Rock And Roll In The 1940s Essay

The development of rock and roll in the 1950 's coincides with the advent of the teenager and youth culture in post-war America. Initially, white teens began to rebel against the music of their parents and the conservative norms of the times by listening to rhythm and blues over the AM radio (Covach 79). Teens were rebelling against the prudish, inhibited, old-fashioned culture that was dominant in post-war America; rhythm and blues, and eventually rock and roll, was the perfect platform for that rebellion. Consider the style of Patti Page 's “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window” in comparison to Big Joe Turner 's “Shake Rattle and Roll.” While Turner 's song isn 't blatantly explicit in nature, it is sexually suggestive and is a far cry

He hit the stage with strong country and rhythm and blues influences paired with lots of suggestive dance moves; both the musical influence and the dancing was a shock to the parents of teenagers at the time. The faster pace of his music, the use of electric guitar, and his reputation as a “hip-swiveling menace” was a direct reaction to the benign songs of earlier years (Covach 100). Other artists, such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly brought their own bits of rebellion to the stage as well; Lewis with lively lyrics and a performance style reminiscent of Little Richard, and Buddy Holly with a vocal style full of “vocal hiccoughs” that differentiated him from the smooth crooners (Covach 102;

Disco railed against what was considered to be “listening music,” such as Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band; and culturally, disco fans became known for dancing their lives away, conspicuous promiscuity, and acceptance of androgyny/homosexuality (Covach 262, 363). Again, this was a rebellion against the music of the day and older generations ' mainstream conservative culture. Punk took a different approach to opposing “listening music.” The punk style had a distinct “DIY aesthetic,” was relatively simple in form, and was a direct response to big-business rock and roll (Covach 385). In addition to a rough, amateurish, musical style, promotional materials tended to have a homemade look, and clothing was intentionally distressed and often included bondage-style accessories (presumably to shock the older folks). Song lyrics embraced the banality of day to day existence and frequently brought the darker side of life to the forefront, nothing like the hippie music that took you on a “trip.” The punk movement developed an element of irony as some of the bands became more successful and signed with major labels, completely going against their proposed ideology. This is especially poignant as punk was initially driven, in the UK at least, by poor economic circumstances. Can a punk rocker with a big record deal