Bill Haley and the Comets’ 1955 album, “Rock Around the Clock.”
Yes, “Rock Around the Clock.”
I realize that most people don’t think of the 1955 rock landmark as a Jersey song: Bill Haley and His Comets were, after all, from the Philadelphia area, and not usually associated with New Jersey. But Haley and his pre-Comets band, the Saddlemen, developed their sound while playing regularly at the Twin Bar (now known as Jack’s Bar and Grille) in Gloucester City, Camden County, and the Comets first played “Rock Around the Clock” for an audience in Wildwood, in 1954. So, that’s Jersey enough for us.
“Rock Around the Clock” was a No. 1 hit, and though it wasn’t the first rock song, it was the one that brought the sound of rock to the masses, and set the stage for Elvis Presley to become rock’s first real superstar.
New Jersey celebrated its 350th birthday from Sept. 2014 to Sept. 2015. And in the 350 Jersey Songs series, we marked the occasion by posting 350 songs — one a day, for almost a year — that have something to do with the state, its musical history, or both. The complete list is here.
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1 comment
Your evidence is compelling … I’m convinced. “Rock Around the Clock” is a Jersey song. Hooray!