Rock Music 101: Early films show the roots of rock 'n' roll music

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette

With nothing else much on TV late Friday night, I tuned to Turner Classic Movies to see what was playing.

Movie poster from the 1958 rock 'n' roll movie classic "Go Johnny Go!" starring Alan Freed, Jimmy Clanton and many others.

I was absolutely delighted to find a gem of a classic from the early days of rock 'n' roll, "Go Johnny Go!"

The movie was released in 1958, the fifth and final movie featuring Alan Freed. By this time Freed was a household name nationally, and he had long since been tagged as the person who first coined the phrase "rock and roll."

"Go Johnny Go!" is a predictable little trip in the WayBack Machine, back to a time when every guy or gal who had good looks and could carry a tune hoped to be a rock and roll star ... kind of the 1950s version of "American Idol."

That's the plot that surrounds "Go Johnny Go!": Freed receives a demo recording from a mystery singer known only as "Johnny." Freed and his companions (one of which is a very young Chuck Berry) go searching to locate the mystery talent.

Freed, who plays himself, was no actor -- nor were the musical acts who fill out the balance of the film. But you don't watch a movie like this for the acting, you watch it because it's a wonderful slice of music history.

This film was Chuck Berry's screen debut. He performs "Memphis," Johnny B. Good" and "Little Queenie." There are a host of other notable performances too -- for example, this film features the only on-screen appearance of Richie Valens. One of my favorite early rockers, Eddie Cochran, performs in the film, as does Harvey Fuqua of Harry & The Moonglows fame.

The mysterious Johnny is played by Jimmy Clanton, who hit it big the year this movie was released with "Just A Dream." His other hits were "A Letter to an Angel," "My Own True Love," "Go Jimmy Go," and probably the one everyone recognizes, "Venus In Blue Jeans." Few people know that "Venus" was penned by a young singer/songwriter named Neil Sedaka who thought Clanton's smooth voice was perfect for the song.

And Clanton's hairdo in this film is certainly memorable and enviable. If I could have one like that, I'd be the one cool cat (though I'm not sure it would look as smart with more-salt-and-less-pepper hair color).

Other performances worth mentioning include Jackie Wilson, The Cadillacs, Jo-Ann Campbell and The Flamingos.

I also enjoyed checking out the vintage electronics and music gear in the movie. For example, Cochran is shown playing his trademark Gretch 6120 hollowbody guitar. The studio microphones include a Shure 55 Unidyne(the original "large" body mic, not the later "smaller one") for the lead singer. The background singers are gathered around a wonderful stand-mounted Western Electric 633 "salt shaker" microphone.

For what it is, "Go Johnny Go" is a good film to see periodically, just to remind yourself of how popular music has evolved.

One of the best of the best of these kinds of rock 'n' roll movies was "The Girl Can't Help It" featuring the always-beautiful Jayne Mansfield. Seeing Little Richard sing the theme song is certainly worth the price of admission -- it's a great slice of music history.

And while we're talking rock 'n' roll movies, I also recently caught on late-night cable Glenn Ford in his role as teacher Richard Dadier in "Blackboard Jungle." The cast included an excellent Sidney Poitier, Anne Francis (as Dadier's wife Anne), Vic Morrow, Paul Marzursky and a much-younger Jamie Farr, listed in the credits by his Lebanese name, Jameel Farah.

Ford plays a middle-aged school teacher who winds up in a tough, urban high school filled with thugs. This film was Sidney Poitier's first "big" movie role.

Bill Haley and His Comets circa 1955.

"Blackboard Jungle" is not a movie about rock 'n' roll music. The movie, released in 1955, is deemed responsible for launching the "Rock 'n' Roll Era" with the selection of "Rock Around The Clock" as its theme song. The song, performed by the fabulous country-swing-rockabilly artist Bill Haley and his Comets, was selected for the movie because it was one of the records Glenn Ford's son Peter had in his collection.

Bill Haley was not a Johnny-come-lately musician by 1955. He had been singing and recording for several years with regional success. He had a minor national hit with his 1952 tune "Rock The Joint," and his 1954 tune "Crazy Man, Crazy", a song Haley wrote based on what he was hearing teen-agers say at high school dances he played. Haley lifted the staccato backing instrumental style for "Clock" directly from the first song he recorded in 1951, "Rocket 88." He incorporated teen-aged phrases into many of his subsequent recordings, though none were as successful as "Rock Around The Clock."

All of these films present a fascinating look at the early development of rock 'n' roll -- particularly Alan Freed's films, which feature a wide range of styles under the "rock 'n' roll" banner, from Pat Boone to Little Richard. I doubt Roper or Ebert would give them a thumbs-up rating, but from where I sit they all generally are worth a Friday night with some microwave popcorn and your favorite beverage. Rock and Roll History 101 class dismissed. Rock on!