I've often said that there's something about rockabilly music. Something that just makes you feel good. It makes you want to move when you hear it. It picks you up and makes you smile. But as often as I've said that, I'm not sure I've ever been able to successfully describe what that "something" is. What is it that makes rockabilly so wonderful? It's an indefinable essence that seeps into your soul and lifts your spirits.
You can spend a lot of time thinking about and discussing what rockabilly music is, where it came from, and how it was formed. You can argue for hours over who the first true rockabilly artists were and what song was the first one that can truly be labeled rockabilly. And believe me, lots of people have spent lots of time arguing over these topics! And still, I'm not sure that anyone's successfully done it: defined the essence of rockabilly. Certainly no one has done it to the satisfaction of all involved. Why is it such a difficult thing to identify and describe?
Rockabilly grew from a melding of styles. The great musical melting pot that combined blues, country, rhythm and blues, gospel, jazz, and other influences into a rock and roll stew that tastes a little bit like all of them but not completely like any of them.
It shouldn't be too surprising then that it's difficult--if not simply impossible--to arrive at definitions and decisions that everyone can agree on. If you're a fan of old R&B music, then you'll probably hear music that those cats were making even back into the 1940s that you insist sounds just like rockabilly. On the other hand, you classic country fanatics will point to your heroes and say, "You can tell that this music was transformed from hillbilly boogie to rockabilly music with this song or this band."
The arguments have raged. And the frustrating part is that everybody seems to be just as right as they are wrong! Blues lovers can easily point to Junior Parker and say, "See; if that isn't the precursor to rockabilly, then I don't know what is!"
And they'd be completely right in saying so.
But in the next breath, country fans could say, "Listen to this Maddox Brothers and Rose recording from the late 1940s and try to tell me that's not the precursor to rockabilly."
And they too have a point.
So what is it? What defines the essence of rockabilly? The best I can come up with is the word "joy." The music fills me with joy. It does make me want to move and it does make me want to smile. It lifts my spirits every time I hear it. Even the nasty songs or the ones with angry lyrics can't hide the music's charm.
Obviously that's far from a technical description of the essence of the music. But it's what's real. To me, the music's ability to fill the dance floor with smiling fans of all ages and from all walks of life...to lighten the burdens of the listener's day...to notably alter the mood of the listener...that's what makes it wonderful. And if you ask me, that's a pretty good essence to possess!
You can spend a lot of time thinking about and discussing what rockabilly music is, where it came from, and how it was formed. You can argue for hours over who the first true rockabilly artists were and what song was the first one that can truly be labeled rockabilly. And believe me, lots of people have spent lots of time arguing over these topics! And still, I'm not sure that anyone's successfully done it: defined the essence of rockabilly. Certainly no one has done it to the satisfaction of all involved. Why is it such a difficult thing to identify and describe?
Rockabilly grew from a melding of styles. The great musical melting pot that combined blues, country, rhythm and blues, gospel, jazz, and other influences into a rock and roll stew that tastes a little bit like all of them but not completely like any of them.
It shouldn't be too surprising then that it's difficult--if not simply impossible--to arrive at definitions and decisions that everyone can agree on. If you're a fan of old R&B music, then you'll probably hear music that those cats were making even back into the 1940s that you insist sounds just like rockabilly. On the other hand, you classic country fanatics will point to your heroes and say, "You can tell that this music was transformed from hillbilly boogie to rockabilly music with this song or this band."
The arguments have raged. And the frustrating part is that everybody seems to be just as right as they are wrong! Blues lovers can easily point to Junior Parker and say, "See; if that isn't the precursor to rockabilly, then I don't know what is!"
And they'd be completely right in saying so.
But in the next breath, country fans could say, "Listen to this Maddox Brothers and Rose recording from the late 1940s and try to tell me that's not the precursor to rockabilly."
And they too have a point.
So what is it? What defines the essence of rockabilly? The best I can come up with is the word "joy." The music fills me with joy. It does make me want to move and it does make me want to smile. It lifts my spirits every time I hear it. Even the nasty songs or the ones with angry lyrics can't hide the music's charm.
Obviously that's far from a technical description of the essence of the music. But it's what's real. To me, the music's ability to fill the dance floor with smiling fans of all ages and from all walks of life...to lighten the burdens of the listener's day...to notably alter the mood of the listener...that's what makes it wonderful. And if you ask me, that's a pretty good essence to possess!
No comments:
Post a Comment