The Rock Of Pop Rock

Elvis Presley was signed to Sun Records in 1954. This was monumental for Phillips’s stand on racial boundaries in music. Elvis drew national attention to Sun Records which, in part, sparked slight popularity for other Sun artists such as Howlin’ Wolf, B.B. King, and Roscoe Gordon (Sun Records 1). This point in time is known as the origin of Rock and Roll. Contrary to what Rock and Roll is now, it was only popular within a certain demographic of people for a long time

After five cutting-edge singles, Elvis’s contract was sold to RCA Records and then his career rapidly took off (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame). His first number one single was “Heartbreak Hotel,” and his first album was Elvis Presley (biography.com). By 1956 Presley was an international sensation. Although many of the teenagers of Elvis’s time was very intrigued by his diverse musical styles, sexy dance moves and good looks, much of the older generations were outraged by his gyrating hips and music (biography.com). One of Elvis’s most controversial instances was on the Ed Sullivan Show where he sang “Hound Dog,” for the first time on television (Comprehensive History of Elvis Presley’s Dynamic Life). He was already considered to be a rebel and no one knew what

The response from listeners was immediately ecstatic, and Dewey demanded that Elvis return to the station for an interview. Soon after that, Scotty Moore became Presley’s manager. With Scotty’s help, “That’s All Right” and “Blue Moon of Kentucky” became Presley’s first ever hit. For a while, Elvis only played local shows, until that fateful night at Grand Ole Opry. Presley played at the Grand Ole Opry on September 25, and was considered by all who attended to be untalented and a major flop. It has even been said Opry’s talent coordinator asked Elvis what his original profession was, and when he replied that he drove trucks, he was told by the coordinator to go back to driving trucks.

While there are some similarities between Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton and Elvis Presley’s versions of the song Hound Dog, I am of the opinion that there were more differences. The obvious similarities would be the lyrics retained in Elvis’ version of the song, though the interpretation of those lyrics were very different. Perhaps what I feel is colored by growing up in a household where my mother was an Elvis fan who played his version, and my father, who was a coal miner’s son born in the 1920s in the “hills” of Virginia, sang and played a much loved copy he had of Big Mama Thornton’s version. While my father masculinized the song when he sang it, he did so retaining much of the spirit Thornton’s recording had. Early on I was too young to understand any of the risqué meanings behind the lyrics, but I knew it had a deeper meaning than the fun version my mother and her sisters would bounce to while it played.

The Beatles are one of the most innovative rock bands of all time. They have not only changed the way rock and roll is looked at, but also the way that the music is recorded. They have influenced the artists of the 60s and the 70s, and also many generations later and to come. Originating from Liverpool, England, the Beatles, or the Fab Four, consists of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Topping the charts in ’63 with “Love Me Do,” and bringing in the highest rated viewing in history while performing on the Ed Sullivan Show, the Beatles are definitely a band that broke the sound barrier of rock

“ Some people tap their feet, some people snap their fingers, and some people sway back and forth. I sorta de’ em all together, I guess. ” - Elvis Aaron Presley. Elvis Presley also known as the King of Rock ‘N’ Roll got his first guitar when he was 12. Who knew that guitar would make the one and only Elvis into who he was.

It was then many other artists started to name their songs after Rock ‘N’ Roll. It was none other than Elvis Presly who made it mainstream. When his first record was released it was an instant hit. Elvis was not a dull performer; he would tap his foot and jiggled with the music. He introduced the music of rockabilly to white teenagers. It was the beginning of the era of young adults and public sexuality.

Presley didn't stick to one genre throughout his career, he was a very diverse artist. He had many talents, not only as a musician but as a performer as well. He was able to capture the audiences attention through his body movement and his expressions. Throughout his career Presley evolved, he changed with the tides of music. Music is always shifting and what popular changes with the times especially in his time frame, when contemporary music was evolving at such a fast pace. Presley was a man who changed with the

Hound Dog, originally sang by Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, is accredited to the “King of Rock and Roll”, Elvis Presley. This version is fast paced, with slightly different lyrics than the original. Elvis is accompanied by the bass fiddle, the guitar, and the drums. You also can hear background claps and “ahs”. It also includes an extended guitar break by Pete Lewis. Although Thornton’s version is considered 12-bar blues or rhythm and blues, Elvis’ rock and roll hit top the charts at number one; it was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The duration of the chart-topping single is about two minutes sixteen seconds (2:16) with 175 beats per minute. Hound Dog essentially serves as the hit that pushed the youth movement and kicked off

     From the sounds of Elvis many other important bands of the sixties were inspired, even people a thousand miles away from America. One of these important bands was the Beatles. The Beatles took the rock sound and added more lyrical and musical complexity to the sound. The Beatles were the starters of the “British Invasion” in 1963 when they released “I want to Hold Your Hand” (Kallen, 2012, 31). After their first single they had immense success with other hits such as “She Loves You” and “Woooo!” The Beatles continued to reinvent their music on the various other albums throughout the sixties delving into complex, heavy existential concepts and psychedelic elements, becoming the most relevant influence for modern rock.

This soulful beat, legend song Hound Dog, has had many covers as the years have past. The first date recorded was August 13, 1952. Hound Dog, is classified in the classic blues in 1952 and Willie Mae Thornton was the first to press this through the recording studio. This song hit the blues genre of music in the early 1950’s, and later doubled into rhythm and blues before taking off onto rock and roll with Elvis Presley. Fans raved as Elvis moved to the beat of Hound Dog and moved soulfully to the rhythm as Jimi Hendrix pumped out the melody.

The Beatles were more than their music. They influenced the lives of millions of people unlike any musicians before them. They were the first and most popular band in one of the most important music movements in American history, the British Invasion. The year 1964 was the year both the British Invasion and “Beatlemania” came to America and forever changed the landscape of music in the United States by introducing the genre of pop, as it is today. The Beatles changed the rules of music. Many things that are considered normal now were pioneered by the Beatles such as: creating compilation albums, expressing their views on world happenings through the media, musicians in movies, and even mass media advertising. The beatles

As one of the most popular music genres, rock music has grown and expanded to incorporate many styles throughout the years. A rock band usually consists of a vocalist, an acoustic drum kit played with a strong beat, usually a back beat, and features electric and acoustic guitars. From its beginnings in the late 1950s and early 1960s until the present day, rock has changed styles seemingly every decade as new bands become popular because of their unique style of music. Throughout the years rock has influenced our culture and helped shape the world we live in today.

For thousands of years, music has been influencing people in extraordinary ways. The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band should not be mistaken as an ordinary album. Without a doubt, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, an incredibly innovative album, stands as the most influential album of all time; it stands as a true masterpiece. People all around, especially artists, were influenced greatly by the innovations the album brought to the world of music. Many people have said that from the moment they heard the first track of the album, it was life changing. Like the first falling domino tile of a domino show, June 1, 1967, would mark the start of the influence of many generations of music to come. The album helped popularize concept albums, in which songs are connected to a theme, which would inspire many musicians to do the same. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was a psychedelic rock album; a manifestation of life in the 1960’s. This genre of rock is home to the work of numerous artists who were influenced by the album’s use of this style of rock. The hours of work put into by the Beatles to create this album surpassed those of any of their albums. Not only that, it altered the way music was recorded by creating their own recording techniques. Surely, these recording techniques and tactics were used by future artists in their work which then led to the creation of legendary music. Sgt. Pepper’s opened the gate to innovation; an album whose impact on

The Beatles were one of the most influential music groups of the rock era. They were able to conquer and influence pop culture with their music. Initially they affected the post-war baby boom generation of Britain and the W.S. during the 1960s, and later the request of the world. Certainly they were the most successful group, with global sales exceeding 1.3 billion albums. During the sixties, The Beatles using revolutionary ideas in their music inspired a generation of young adults across the globe to look at life from their perspective.