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CHAPTER 2 1955–1960, The Birth and First Flourishing
of Rock and Roll
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CHAPTER 2: The Birth and First Flourishing of Rock and Roll
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which 1950s movie featured Bill Haley’s “(We’re Gonna) Rock around the Clock”?
a. Rebel without a Cause c. Blackboard Jungle
b. Leave It to Beaver d. The Wild One
2. Alan Freed began his career in
a. Cleveland. c. Memphis.
b. New York City. d. New Orleans.
3. The Rock and Roll Party was
a. a 1950s film depicting a rebellious youth culture.
b. Dewey Phillips’s regional radio show in Memphis.
c. the first rock-and-roll song to become a pop hit.
d. Alan Freed’s radio show in New York.
4. The practice of payola involved
a. independent labels creating manufacturing plants.
b. white artists covering songs originally performed by black artists.
c. creating business friendships with disc jockeys by offering gifts.
d. selling artist contracts to major record labels.
5. The country and western chart was originally called
a. sepia. c. pop.
b. hillbilly. d. southern.
6. A crossover song is
a. a song covered by a white artist that was originally recorded by a black artist.
b. a song recorded by an artist who did not write the song.
c. a song or record appearing on multiple music charts.
d. an original song released by both independent and major record labels.
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MATCHING
Match the item to the description below.
a. crossover success for Jerry Lee Lewis
b. radio show hosted by Alan Freed
c. received coauthor credit for the song “Maybellene”
d. the American Society of Composers, Artists, and Performers
e. Chuck Berry’s first hit on Chess Records
f. Elvis Presley’s manager
g. trademark of Buddy Holly
h. original marketing term for rhythm and blues
i. female rockabilly singer
j.
song originally performed by Big Joe Turner
1. The Moondog Show
2. “race” records
3. “Maybellene”
4. “Shake, Rattle, and Roll”
5. Colonel Tom Parker
6. “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”
7. Brenda Lee
8. vocal hiccup
9. ASCAP
10. Alan Freed
1955–1960, The Birth and First Flourishing of Rock and Roll | 37
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ESSAY
1. Taking into consideration the conservative social and cultural context of the United States in the
1950s, discuss how rock and roll developed as a musical style within this climate. How did musical
styles change during this time? How did radio and television affect the way people consumed and
reacted to the growth of rock and roll?
ANS:
answers vary
PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult
2. How did the music industry cope with the sudden growth of rock and roll in the 1950s? What steps
were taken by both independent and major labels to ensure they remained viable in the changing
musical climate?
ANS:
answers vary
PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult
3. Compare and contrast the musical output of the following musicians: Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, Elvis
Presley, and Buddy Holly. How were their approaches to rock and roll similar and/or different? In
your answer, consider their role in 1950s rock and roll, their musical and performance style, and their
influence on later musicians.
ANS:
answers vary
PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult
4. The year 1955 is pinpointed in the text as the year in which rock and roll became a viable music genre
in the United States.Why is this date important in rock-and-roll history? Why is it difficult to name a
particular year when rock and roll began?
ANS:
answers vary
PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult
5. Discuss the primary factors that led to the demise of rock’s first wave. How had rock music changed
by 1960? Who were the individuals out of the music business and why? Include, in your discussion,
the ways in which payola contributed to rock’s downfall.
ANS:
answers vary
PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate
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TRUE/FALSE
1. Most of rock’s originators and many of the independent labels they worked for were out of the music
business by 1960.
2. Both independent and major record labels used payola.
3. Cover versions of rhythm and blues songs by white artists very rarely performed better on the pop
charts than the rhythm and blues originals.
4. Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard were all artists recorded on independent labels.
5. White artists covering Little Richard’s music left out much of the sexual innuendo in his lyrics.
6. It was a common practice for major record labels to watch the country and western charts for hits and
then cover those songs for the pop market.
7. Before Elvis signed a major record deal, major labels were NOT interested in rock and roll.
8. Elvis is best thought of as a master songwriter who wrote in a variety of pop genres.
9. Both Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry wrote music that was intended for a pop audience with influences
of country and western and rhythm and blues.
