Eric Hoffer gave the classic line, “Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket”. Well, before it became a racket, rock and roll had an energy and pulse that was palpable.
This is the fourth release of a series that explores the tap root of rock and roll in the 50s, when it was more of an extension of rhythm and blues. You’ve got some classic R&Bers like Big Joe Turner and “Shake, Rattle and Roll” and a pre-fingerpopping Hank Ballard on “Tore Up Over You”. Dorsey Burnette croons through the bubbly “Don’t Let Go”. There’s a good dose of Doo Wop as well, with an early Four Seasons delivering “Why Do Fools Fall In Love” and The Drifters in an enchanting mood for “I’ll Take You Home”. Angst driven white teenagers are in abundance, as Jerry Lee Lewis shouts out “Good Golly Miss Molly” and Gen Vincent Rockabilly’s “Git It”. And of course, Bobby Freeman’s “Do You Wanna Dance” is an irresistible paene to teen age love, almost overpowering in its spartan delivery , and teenagers were able to dance to tunes such as “Walk, Don’t Run” and “Pipeliner”. Where did we go wrong?