Bill Haley And His Comets - Rock Around The Clock - 1955 Vinyl LP - Black Label

$

22

Bill Haley And His Comets
Rock Around The Clock
DL 8225

Original 1955 US pressing of Bill Haley And His Comets' "Rock Around The Clock" LP on the Decca label. Original balck Decca labels.

Grading:
Sleeve:  VG   Solid, shelf-wear, no splits, legible spine
Vinyl:  VG   Sounds great, but has a few scattered light background crackles

Notes:
After leaving Essex Records in the spring of 1954, Bill Haley signed with Decca Records, and the band's first recording session was set for April 12, 1954 at the Pythian Temple studios in New York City. The recording session almost failed to take place because the band was traveling on a ferry that got stuck on a sandbar en route to New York from Philadelphia. Once at the studio, producer Milt Gabler insisted the band work on a song entitled "Thirteen Women (and Only One Man in Town)", which Gabler wanted to promote as the A-side of the group's first single for Decca.

 Near the end of the session, the band finally recorded a take of "Rock Around the Clock," but Haley's vocals were drowned out by the band. A second take was quickly made with minimal accompaniment while Sammy Davis, Jr. waited outside the studio for his turn behind the microphone. Decca engineers later combined the two versions together into one version. (Comets piano player Johnny Grande tells a slightly different version, claiming that the only reason a second take was recorded was that the drummer made an error.)

 As Gabler intended, "Rock Around the Clock" was first issued in May 1954 as a B-side to "Thirteen Women (and Only One Man in Town)." While the song did make the American Cashbox music charts, it was considered a commercial disappointment. It was not until 1955, when "Rock Around the Clock" was used under the opening credits of the film "Blackboard Jungle", that the song truly took off.

 On July 9, 1955 "Rock Around the Clock" became the first rock and roll recording to hit the top of Billboard's Pop charts, a feat it repeated on charts around the world. The song stayed at this place for eight weeks. The Bill Haley version also hit number three on the R&B charts.

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