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ROCK & ROLL TIMELINE
VA - Rock & Roll, When the Fire Was New (1938-1963) (A Butterboy Compilation) (4 x CDs)
Before you drop the needle on this first track, let me tell you what you’re about to hear, because this isn’t just a box set, it’s a journey, and it’s meant to be heard in order.
What you’ve got in front of you is a timeline. Not a greatest-hits package, not a list of familiar names pulled out of context, but a story that unfolds track by track, year by year, from 1938 to 1963.
I start in 1938 because that’s where the ingredients are already on the table. There’s no such thing as rock & roll yet, no name for it, no category, but you can hear the forces gathering. Gospel fire, blues phrasing, jump-band swing, rhythm starting to matter more than polish. The music is getting louder, leaner, more physical. You can feel it wanting to move.
As this set rolls into the late 1940s, you’ll hear something click into place. By 1947, records start aiming directly at the body. The beat hardens. “Rocking” stops being a metaphor and becomes instruction. By 1949, the sound isn’t a fluke anymore, different artists, different studios, all arriving at the same rhythmic truth. That’s when rock & roll becomes recognizable, even before it’s officially named.
Around 1951, you’ll hear the moment when the world starts calling this thing rock & roll. DJs say the words. Labels market it. Cars, speed, youth, rebellion, it’s all suddenly right there in the grooves.
Then comes the stretch most people think they already know, 1954 to 1958, but here, you’ll hear it as part of a flow, not a highlight reel. This is rock & roll at full voltage, short records, big attitude, no filler. Rockabilly, R&B, vocal groups, instrumentals, all coexisting, all pushing the same beat forward. One thing to listen for here: no artist repeats. That’s intentional. This music wasn’t built by a few giants, it was built by many hands, often just passing through the charts once, but changing everything while they were there.
As we move into 1959 and beyond, listen closely, because this is where things start to stretch and pull apart. The sound gets smoother in places, stranger in others. Dance records, girl groups, surf guitars, soul polish, folk influence, rock & roll is everywhere now, but it’s no longer one voice. It’s becoming many.
And that’s why this set ends in 1963. Not because the music stops, far from it, but because the story changes. After 1963, rock & roll doesn’t disappear… it evolves into rock. Bands take over. Albums matter. Scenes form. The rules are different.
So, this box captures how rock & roll is born, how it finds its voice, how it peaks, and how it finishes becoming what it was always meant to be.
My advice is don’t shuffle this. Let it play straight through. Listen to how the beat hardens, how the attitude shifts, how the edges smooth out, and how, by the end, you can hear the door opening to an entirely new era.
This isn’t nostalgia. This is history, spinning at 45 revolutions per minute. In The majority of cases, I have used the original label mono versions.
Alright… let’s go back to the beginning. (B)
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Track lists
CD1
01 Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Rock Me 2:36 1938
02 Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five - Caldonia 2:44 1945
03 Big Bill Broonzy - Rockin Chair Blues 2:51 1945
04 Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup - That's All Right - Mama 2:56 1946
05 T-Bone Walker - Call it Stormy Monday 3:02 1947
06 Roy Brown - Good Rockin' Tonight 2:56 1947
07 Julia Lee - King Size Papa 2:41 1947
08 Wynonie Harris - Good Rockin' Tonight 2:45 1948
09 Wild Bill Moore - We're Gonna Rock, We're Gonna 2:41 1948
10 Amos Milburn - Chicken Shack Boogie 2:30 1948
11 Bull Moose Jackson - I Love You, Yes I Do 2:59 1948
12 Hal Singer - Cornbread 2:58 1948
13 Paul Williams - The Hucklebuck 3:06 1949
14 Goree Carter - Rock Awhile 2:42 1949
15 Jimmy Preston and His Prestonians - Rock The Joint 2:39 1949
16 Fats Domino - The Fat Man 2:47 1949
17 Todd Rhodes - Blues for the Red Boy 2:41 1949
18 Big Joe Turner - Roll 'em Pete 3:42 1951
19 Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats - Rocket 88 2:51 1951
20 Ike Turner - Cubano Jump 2:18 1951
21 Dominoes - Sixty Minute Man 2:30 1951
22 Esther Phillips - Ring-A-Ding-Doo 2:55 1952
23 Lloyd Price - Lawdy Miss Clawdy 2:30 1952
24 Johnny Ace - My Song 3:01 1952
25 Ruth Brown - (Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean 2:57 1953
CD2
01 Elvis Presley - That's All Right 1:55 1954
02 Bill Haley & His Comets - Rock Around the Clock 2:12 1954
03 Hank Ballard & The Midnighters - Work With Me Annie 2:47 1954
04 Big Joe Turner - Shake, Rattle and Roll 3:01 1954
05 Chuck Berry - Maybellene 2:20 1955
06 Little Richard - Tutti Frutti 2:25 1955
07 Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley 2:44 1955
08 Carl Perkins - Blue Suede Shoes 2:17 1956
09 Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps - Be-Bop-A-Lula 2:35 1956
10 Johnny Burnette Trio - The Train Kept A-Rollin 2:14 1956
11 Wanda Jackson - Fujiyama Mama 2:15 1956
12 Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers - Why Do Fools Fall in Love 2:18 1956
13 Screamin' Jay Hawkins - I Put a Spell on You 2:24 1956
14 Howlin' Wolf - Smokestack Lightnin' 3:06 1956
15 Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On 2:53 1957
16 Buddy Holly & the Crickets - That'll Be the Day 2:17 1957
17 Everly Brothers - Bye Bye Love 2:19 1957
18 Larry Williams - Bony Moronie 3:03 1957
19 Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues 2:00 1958
20 Link Wray - Rumble 2:25 1958
21 Coasters - Yakety Yak 1:50 1958
22 Ritchie Valens - La Bamba 2:06 1958
23 Faron Young - Sweet Dreams 2:46 1958
24 Elegants - Little Star 2:42 1958
25 Duane Eddy - Rebel Rouser 2:22 1958
CD3
01 Ray Charles - What'd I Say (Pts 1 & 2) 6:28 1959
02 Drifters - There Goes My Baby 2:16 1959
03 Wilbert Harrison - Kansas City 2:25 1959
04 Barrett Strong - Money (That's What I Want) 2:39 1959
05 Bobby Darin - Dream Lover 2:34 1959
06 Isley Brothers - Shout (Pts 1 & 2) 4:29 1959
07 Flamingos - I Only Have Eyes for You 3:23 1959
08 Hank Ballard & The Midnighters - The Twist 2:36 1959
09 Lloyd Price - Personality 2:37 1959
10 Brook Benton - It's Just A Matter of Time 2:28 1959
11 Rosco Gordon - No More Doggin' 2:38 1959
12 Connie Francis - Everybody's Somebody's Fool 2:41 1960
13 Shirelles - Will You Love Me Tomorrow 2:40 1960
14 Chubby Checker - The Twist 2:33 1960
15 Roy Orbison - Only The Lonely 2:28 1960
16 Ventures - Walk, Don't Run 2:05 1960
17 Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs - Stay 1:38 1960
18 Ben E. King - Spanish Harlem 2:52 1960
19 Sam Cooke - Chain Gang 2:38 1960
20 Johnny Tillotson - Poetry in Motion 2:34 1960
21 Del Shannon - Runaway 2:21 1961
22 Gary U.S. Bonds - Quarter to Three 2:29 1961
23 Beach Boys - Surfin' U.S.A. 2:30 1961
24 Ernie K-Doe - Mother in Law 2:35 1961
25 Marvelettes - Please Mr. Postman 2:30 1961
CD4
01 Booker T. & the M.G.'s - Green Onions 2:53 1962
02 Crystals - He's a Rebel 2:32 1962
03 Shirelles - Soldier Boy 2:40 1962
04 Dick Dale and the Del-Tones - Misirlou 2:14 1962
05 Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - You've Really Got A Hold on Me 2:57 1962
06 Martha and the Vandellas - Come and Get These Memories 2:28 1962
07 Little Eva - The Loco-Motion 2:28 1962
08 Four Seasons - Sherry 2:33 1962
09 Neil Sedaka - Breaking Up is Hard to Do 2:16 1962
10 Jan & Dean - Surf City 2:31 1963
11 Ronettes - Be My Baby 2:39 1963
12 Bob Dylan - Blowin' in The Wind 2:49 1963
13 Johnny Cash - Ring of Fire 2:38 1963
14 Lonnie Mack - Memphis 2:30 1963
15 Kingsmen - Louie, Louie 2:45 1963
16 Trashmen - Surfin' Bird 2:22 1963
17 Angels - My Boyfriend's Back 2:15 1963
18 Jimmy Soul - If You Wanna Be Happy 2:08 1963
19 Barbara Lewis - Hello Stranger 2:37 1963
20 Tymes - So Much in Love 2:10 1963
21 Exciters - Tell Him 2:38 1963
22 Lou Christie - Two Faces Have I 2:45 1963
23 Rip Chords - Hey Little Cobra 2:00 1963
24 Major Lance - The Monkey Time 2:47 1963
25 Dionne Warwick - Anyone Who Had A Heart 2:53 1963
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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.
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Thank you Butterboy.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, Don4it.
DeleteI hope you will enjoy it.
Cheers.
Yet another great compilation.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
(Bet you had trouble deciding which songs didn't make the cut.)
Thank you, baz.
DeleteYou’re right, shaping a set that spans this many years means plenty of worthy tracks end up on the sidelines. That’s part of the fun though, finding the balance between the essentials and the sparks that tell the wider story. Glad to hear you like it.
Cheers.
The Blues had a baby, and they named it Rock & Roll. Brilliant set BB, I'm guessing this will spread all over the web. Thanks for sharing. and yes it could have been 8,12 or 20 cds. Good job K didn't get the idea, we would never have seen the end of it. Thanks, one to treasure.
ReplyDeleteHi lemonflag,
DeleteThat line always rings true. You can hear the Blues’ fingerprints on every corner of early rock.
This one easily could’ve grown into a monster, but keeping it tight gives the spark a clearer shape. Really glad it feels like one worth holding onto.
Cheers.
Thank you BB, nice to read/hear some music history. Love it!
ReplyDeleteHi Christiaan111,
DeleteSo much of early rock carries its own built‑in history. You can hear the shifts, the sparks, and the roots all unfolding as the years roll by. Really glad the notes and the music added something extra to the listen for you.
Cheers.
This collection is a thorough lesson, an analysis of the colorful canvas that composes the masterpiece of rock and roll.
ReplyDeleteAlright, let's go back to the beginning to remember and sort out the sounds and feelings of our youth!
Many thanks BB!
Thank you, John,
DeleteI love the way you beautifully put it. Those early sides really do paint the full canvas, from the first sparks to the full‑blown roar. Revisiting them is like stepping back into the rooms, radios, and moments where it all first hit us. Glad the set brought those memories back into focus.
Cheers.
Thank you for a great compilation. There are many ways to go from 1956 when Elvis stepped up.
ReplyDeleteThe way you choose of the coming and going of US rock n Roll makes it very comprehensive.
Another way might have been to explore how the fire spread and from England to Indonesia,
From Australia, South Africa to Argentinia the whole world embraced the first wave of Rock N Roll.
Thank you, Richard,
DeleteYou’re right once that spark caught in the mid‑fifties, it didn’t stay put for long. The US story is the backbone here, but the way those early sounds leapt borders and took on new shapes around the world is a whole other fascinating thread. Every country added its own accent to the beat. A global follow‑up would be quite a journey.
Cheers.
Oh wow Butterboy, this is a veritable history lesson in rock 'n' roll and the rise of the teenage voice out of the rubble of the second world war. It caused much consternation among the establishment, being branded goon music for degenerates. Initially almost universally condemned, attempts were made to ban it until all those controlling promoters, impresarios and agents realised there was money to be made from the emerging teenage market, tunes were changed and exploitation began. Once the fire was started the process of deregulation(?) was slow but inevitable. I am old enough to have been there at the start and looking back I now wonder at the giant leaps made by those nascent rockers. The joy of Little Richard tutti fruiting with Long Tall Sally is as fresh in my mind as it was sixty or seventy years ago. Your genius blog is a most wondrous place - long may it prevail. Your love of music (in all its genres) shines through and provides education for those willing to listen. Many thanks for your long hours of dedication in curating (bit of a poncy word - 'compiling' is perhaps more suitable) such brilliant postings. Best wishes from Mordor.
ReplyDelete
DeleteHi Man from Mordor,
You’ve captured the era perfectly, that sudden surge of teenage energy shaking off the dust of the post‑war years, baffling the gatekeepers, and reshaping the culture almost overnight. Those early rockers really did leap forward in giant steps, leaving a trail that still feels electric today. It’s wonderful to hear the music still sparks such vivid memories for you. Thanks for the kind and generous words about the blog, sharing these sounds is a joy.
Cheers.
thank you B.B love this
ReplyDeleteGreat to have this collection of songs that ALL are older than me. Also good that it is in four parts, to allow for a (short) break between all the goodness. Thanks BB.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this thoughtfully created set!
ReplyDelete