Where did Rock and Roll come from?

[@arcanics1971]

Probably the most fascinating take on the Rock n Roll phenomenon I've ever watched- scratching my linguistics and history itches at the same time. Great work!

[@Alliterative]

Wow, thank you! I loved putting it together, so that's great to hear!

[@qwertyTRiG]

A lot of culture and history in this one, not just etymology. Extra fascinating. Thank you.

[@robertfletcher3421]

I was about to say the same, a great presentation.

[@Alliterative]

Thank you!

[@qwertyTRiG]

@@Alliterative Etymology is wonderful, of course, but it's nice to have a bit more besides.

[@Artur_M.]

Meanwhile, in Poland and some other countries of the Eastern Block, where Rock and Roll was starting to get popular in the 60s, it was often called "Big-beat" (in English, also spelled "bigbit") to avoid the name Rock & Roll, as it was officially banned and considered "degenerate" and "imperialist" by the authorities, but still sound cool and western. The term was supposedly first used by a journalist Franciszek Walicki, also involved in founding several classic Polish Rock bands, the first one being literally called Rhythm and Blues.

[@Alliterative]

Very interesting! Thank you!

[@yanikkunitsin1466]

This term (big-beat) was used in USSR too, and it's fusion of all afformentioned genres - R'n'R, Do-wop, Rhythm and Blues, Soul and also skiffle. Bands were almost always denoted as "Jazz-quintet" because it was Khrushchev's "warming up" times and Jazz was finally allowed officially, while in Stalin times there was this rhymed adage - "Сегодня он играет Джаз, а завтра Родину продаст" (~And if today - he's playing Jazz, tomorrow he'll barter Fatherland from us)

[@lastprod]

I have been a fan of early jump blues, rhythm and blues, and the roots of rock and roll for 30 years, and this video taught me stuff I didn't know and introduced me to artists I've never heard of (Lucky Enois!) I'm watching it a second time at .75 speed 'cause it's packed with such great info and I know there's more to learn! Thank you for this rabbit hole! Crazy, man, crazy!

[@Alliterative]

Thank you so much, that’s great to hear!

[@ambiguism]

The degree of historical, intellectual, cultural complexity present here is genuinely inspiring. It really is that good

[@Alliterative]

Thank you! It’s a story I care about.

[@myselfapretend]

Lovely. As an amateur lover of etymology, I often find myself doing these sorts of digs. Sometimes my sources aren't so reliable, though. I'm glad to have a lot of what I've found about this stuff confirmed here.

[@Alliterative]

Thanks! It's so much fun to go down these rabbitholes. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@WizardOfDocs]

This was a journey I was not prepared for, but one I really needed to take. Thank you for doing the homework.

[@Alliterative]

Thank you! It was a pleasure, this one in particular.

[@marcasdebarun6879]

Wow, that connection with THE Moondog and Freed's show was unexpected. I'm a big fan of Moondog and it's interesting to know that he had a special place in the emergence of the rock n roll genre itself.

[@FFVison]

One thing I would point out. The Beatles were indeed influential on American Rock & Roll musicians, but there were American Rock & Roll acts that started right around that time as well. I'm thinking about how The Beach Boys got their start in the early 60s and, if memory serves, went out on tour abroad and by the time they got back home, The Beatles became a hit in the United States.

[@pillmuncher67]

Hank Williams and The Maddox Brothers and Rose would have deserved a mention. And the influence of Bob Wills on Rock'n'Roll cannot be overstated. Playing down the white influences on Rock'n'Roll is as wrong as playing down the black influences on Country Music, which also everyone pretends don't exist. For me, as a non-American, seeing these connections is probably easier because I'm not involved in American race politics, and TBH, racism. Aside from that, great video.

[@TheEggmaniac]

Interesting video. There were a lot of 'call and response' songs that came from England and other parts of Britain in the 17th century. Which would have been imported to America. They were particularly used in hymns and psalms. This style of singing died out in England by the mid 19th century. Though it has survived the from of Gaelic psalms, still used in the western islands of Scotland.

[@fugithegreat]

Fascinating, as always!

[@Alliterative]

Thank you!

[@alouped]

Incredible video!

[@Jess38044]

Super enjoyed this video!! Great info, nice shirt, noticed the rockin intro (very nice), super appreciate the transcript and most surprised by the playlist in the description and listening to it now!! Thank you!

[@Alliterative]

So glad you enjoyed it! And picked up all the little details that I enjoyed adding in. :) Have fun with the playlist, it's such great music.

[@grahamrankin4725]

This reminded me of the incident in the TV history of Buddy Hollow and the Crickets were hired to appear at the Apollo Theater assuming they were Black based on their recordings.

[@Ashutosh-wp6kc]

omg,this is so infromative and well done!

[@Shadowbannddiscourse]

Dont forget jazz was also called jack ass music ="which was shortened to " jass " it was spelled like thst ealrier on .

[@likebot.]

Part of this reminds me of one of Jackson Crawford's episodes on -colors- colours in old Norse times. Since before I knew there was a cultural difference in the perception of colours, I wondered where we got the word "black" instead of a word descended from schwartz or nikkro as in "swarthy" or "night". ON has "svartr" to mean dark, after all. The ON "blikr" referring to wan colours such as pale yellow, pink, grey and white sounds like "bleach" and follows from the grey-white ashes of a wood fire. There would be black coals remaining as well and I've often wondered did black come from that word for ashes as well.

[@Alliterative]

Yes -- the whole world of colour terms is fascinating. I went into some of that in more detail a while back in a video about Colours: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipKnlGiAZ7F3Zpo

[@likebot.]

@@Alliterative Oh, thanks for the link to that. I have so many subscriptions that I rarely look through the catalogues, a shame of mine when it comes to channels such as this. Edit: It looks familiar, I think I did watch before and will do again right now regardless.

[@Alliterative]

It was several years ago, and very long and detailed, no worries! 😁

[@altamontdarby2819]

Rosetta Tharpe is the Queen of Rock & Roll. The End. R.I.P. Great lady.🙏🏾

[@Eric-gc4xj]

She was a great forerunner but rock'n'roll? NO, sorry, call it gospel, call it rhythm'n'blues if you want but not rock'n'roll, even though her guitar playing was definitely an influence.

[@Profess84]

This is the greatest detailed video of music history that I have ever seen. Well done!!!

[@Alliterative]

Thank you! That's quite the compliment!

[@Profess84]

@@Alliterative Your welcome. You make great content!

[@bluellamaslearnbeyondthele2456]

This is fascinating as always, especially if you speak the languages you touch on. But this would have been even better if what we see at 20:35 for example, were to be also giving our ears the beats you were talking about. While I kinda still follow you on that bit, the more technical you get on music later on, the more I miss a sample. You might want to do this over or.... else I'll have to rewatch in 2 years after some music theory classes... I guess I'm not the only one here hunting for all the intricacies though.

[@Alliterative]

Yeah, I thought about that, but it was already such a long video -- but maybe I can put out a short companion that illustrates the music theory bits. (I would have loved to include clips of the actual songs but of course there are copyright issues with that!)

[@bluellamaslearnbeyondthele2456]

@@Alliterative yes, I thought about the copyright hurdle and fair use and and and. But maybe a guitar and someone who plays it, would get away with just a few notes...?

[@Alliterative]

I'll see what I can do. :)

[@randted]

African Americans did not "pick up" the term from anywhere other than their own cultural expressions. Jazz and Blues musicians used the term adopting it from the Black community. Just because something was said in the distant past does not automatically connect it to the term used later on. There was no connection. We can't just go back in time and find anyone who said anything in a totally different context and then automatically connect it to any references to, or expressions of, it in the future. We have to demonstrate the connection, not assume it. If the term or phrase was widely known, then a probability exists. However, it was not a common phrase. Just as hardly anyone knew anything of it's historical use in the various situations mentioned in this video, hardly anyone knew of that history when the African American community began to use it. It was simply African American slang created to denote sexual activity based on what occurs during that activity. The term and the music originated in the Black community.

[@davidhollingsworth1723]

During this period there was a Radio Station in Newark, NJ (can't remember the name ) with Danny Stiles - the Catman who played all Kinds of R & B, Doowop, and rock music. This station was also mentioned in one of Philipp Roth's novels (American Pastoral?) Lotsa teenagers and Young adults listend to it One guy's father would call it "ignorant N....r music. Anyway, just sayin'

[@frankiereinares8892]

roseta thorpe was an influencelil richard with all the yelling of tutti frutti,as well as chuck berry.whew!! harris rocket 88 would be it.i hope you xan do a feature on clyde mcphatter.overall i learned a lot with the etymology of rock and roll.

[@bookbagloser1573]

awesome video!!

[@paparage2.027]

Alan Freed was not the first to bring the term Rock and Roll to Americans. He only brought it to WHITE Americans. Black Americans were already using the term and you're right, it was sexual connotation. It had nothing to do with boats! The first person to make it mainstream(albeit Rhythm and Blues) was LOUIS JORDAN!!!

[@johncallaghan3097]

Wonderful! My second foray into your videos. Do you plan an infographic?

[@Alliterative]

Thanks! And we can certainly do one-we’ve been uploading them to Redbubble basically when someone asks for one, but this would be a particularly good one, you’re right. I’ll get on that!

[@Alliterative]

Here it is in the shop: www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/98125483

[@lainiwakura1776]

Would be cool if you did the evolution of rock n roll too. But this was very informative, amazing how well connected the early rock n rollers were.

[@musicalintentions]

What an amazing story, and your video is a tour de force!

[@Alliterative]

Wow, thank you!

[@rickyjogai8849]

Namaste from India 🙏This is one of the most detailed piece of information in any video I have ever watched. As a rock n roll music fan I always wondered where did it came from? I am glad that I somehow landed on your channel and I am addicted now to other videos too. Thank you very much for your work. A must recommended channel on youtube 👌

[@Alliterative]

Thank you! I am very glad you found it!

[@mcmasti]

Wow! How deep you go! I paused and listened to a lot of the tunes you name -- great education and so rich in nostalgia and talent.

[@Alliterative]

That's great -- we would have loved to include snippets of all the songs, but copyright issues make that hard. :)

[@ronaldharrison4205]

Rock and roll evolved from the blues

[@towardstar]

you didn't touch on the role of guitar amplifiers and the distortion they enabled. once you get to the 80s tritone usage starts to fade from usage

[@Alliterative]

Oh, yes, there's a lot of things I had to leave out, especially in terms of some of the technical innovations over the 20th century. Maybe another video some day...

[@user-ng4nn4zw6r]

Is this video about etymology or about music?

[@Elwrt455]

Sister Rosetta Tharpe started it all

[@Gnophkehs]

Now do metal! 🤘

[@Mialamorena1]

I am really glad you included ALL the history, including the slave influences😃😃😃 I am really sad that part has been completely ignored, forgotten, and that there are so few descendants of slaves who continue in the rock tradition 😕😕😕😕🥵

[@shmapple29]

that shirt is fire I want one where'd you get it

[@Alliterative]

It did seem appropriate! I got it from a company called Shibely, though the same novelty shirts seem to be available from a bunch of sellers. It took a long time to arrive (coming from China!) but it was worth it. Thanks for noticing!

[@marceloleal1957]

Amazing video as always. I just wanted to mention to you that the "playlist" link in your description is the same as for the first song. And the link for Tutti Frutti of Pat Boone is broken. I made a provissional playlist of the first one (not including the "Other songs mentioned" list), for anybody who wants to use it while you fix the problem: kzbin.info/aero/PLrO1PondfWy3E6FsLiEaALQ8HSYEwCPvR Have a good year! (Edit: Now I see the problem you had, when you share a playlist, you have to take the link from the playlist page, and not from the playlist reproduction page, if you don't do so, it only gives you the link to the song you're actually playing. To open the playlist page you just have to click the name of the list in reproduction page)

[@Alliterative]

Thank you -- I'm sorry the link wasn't right, that was a silly mistake on my part. I've corrected it now, thanks for the heads-up!

[@gastredner6044]

Bill Haley was the true Father of what we call Rock 'N' Roll today. 'Rock Around The Clock' burst the Jail open.

[@randted]

Yeah, keep attempting to alter the real history.

[@johnwright291]

There was a genre of music in the 1940s that is little known and quite hard to categorize. I can't remember the name it was called so I'm having a hard time finding it again but it was light years ahead of its time and closer to rock from the late 60s and early 70s than anything. I couldn't believe it when i first heard it and it would be about from 46 to 50. I have been trying to find what a corner brusher was as a popular song from the early 70s speaks of a corner brusher in 51 named john.

[@cerberaodollam]

Hang on. Haaaaaaang on. Is this Blue Monday the same thing as Orgy's Blue Monday (that describes my relationship with my mother and first ex), from the 80s?!

[@RoverT65536]

Wow

[@Stefan_der_Oberfranke]

A nice shirt you have. I see Chuck Berry and Bill Haley. Great. Thanks a lot for your post. I think Louis Jordan is one of the real pioneers of early rock and roll. In the 1950s a white guy by the name of Bill Haley was the first who brought this genre into mainstream. In Memphis it was Carl Perkins who began to play rockabilly.

[@TheMichaelseymour]

Salman rushdie likes rock n roll ???? cool .

[@thecognacsipper]

cant wait uuuhhh

[@bobbyschannel349]

Sorry, but African-American did not pick up the term rock and roll from White sailors, knock it off. Black American vernacular English is organic.

[@alarcon99]

As thorough as this video was and without detracting from the foundational influence from black people and country music, I’m sad that Latino culture’s influence didn’t merit a mention. For more information I recommend you listen to the Latino USA podcast on Rock and Roll and how Latino influence was there from the beginning.

[@Alliterative]

Yes, that's fair. That could be its own episode. I've also just been pointed to some resources about Indigenous influence on early blues. Maybe I can revisit this topic in a year or two, and add those (lesser known, but no less important) stories.

[@user-ng4nn4zw6r]

It is misleading to label the early Black musicians as being Blues or gospel singers as if they weren't also Rock and Roll singers, too. It is the sound, the intonation, the melody, and the rhythm of such that leaves the mouth and is perceived by the listener that makes it Rock and Roll. Baked chicken, fried chicken, bar be que chicken, and boiled chicken all share chicken in common. However, if you ordered fried chicken and was served boiled chicked you would protest because what you got was not prepared and served in the manner that you anticipated, thus boiled chicken does not appeal to your taste buds, your desire for chicken in the same manner as fried chicken would have done. Both are chicken in form but not in taste and texture. Thus, boiled chicken ain't the same as fried chicken even if cooked in the same type of pot/skillet. So, labeling someone as a Blues singer does not negate that the product that came out of the mouth is Rock and Roll. If the same person sings the blues, rock & roll, and gospel music, it doesn't matter which genre was sung first by the artist, that artist is a blues, rock & roll, AND gospel singer. If one can walk and chew gum at the same time, then that person is a walker AND A gum chewer. The purpose of attempting to separate the genre from the artist is to attribute the genre elsewhere and away from its CREATORS. BLACK AMERICANS, ALONE, CREATED THE SOUND OF ROCK & ROLL! Others enjoyed it so much that they emulated it. When there is a debate about who is the G.O.A.T. in basketball, some narrow it down to Michael Jordan and LeBron James. However, neither comes up when the discussion is about who is credited for INVENTING the game of basketball. The same logic applies to Rock and Rolls origin. Who invented or created the sound of Rock and and Roll? The answer is Black Americans. To say that it doesn't matter or should not matter is to say that patents and copyrights shouldn't matter either, i e., why should anyone care who gets the credit?

[@yanikkunitsin1466]

46:40 - Ramstein is pronounced "Ram-SHtain" ->🥑 ≠ 🐻 (Staten Island misspelling of Jewish/Ukranian surname)

[@steveeliscu1254]

Great job on this history. I taught it - pretty much as you did - to middle school music classes from 1972 to 2008. My students were almost entirely white (as am I) and I felt it my duty to show them how the music they loved came originally from black culture. One slight disagreement: The guitar is obviously important here, but you can't HAVE rock music without the drumset (or something imitating it). You can have rock music without the guitar, however. (Also, I realize it would make the video nearly twice as long - and put you into some copyright territory - but I sure wish there could have been aural examples.)

[@Alliterative]

Fair enough, drums are important too! And I would have loved to include audio samples, but it would have meant copyright strikes for sure. KZbin isn't set up for that kind of fair use, even if it's technically allowed (and it would be a grey area at best, legally).

[@NiteDriv3r]

A wave of White Artist's was already playin' rock n roll before Chuck Berrys first hit was released it was already Happening they were chuck berry's and little Richard's peers not ripoffs

[@WallaceWellons]

U A JOKE LOL

[@user-ng4nn4zw6r]

Missleading title and introductiry. The origins of the SOUND known as Rock and Roll was CREATED SOLELY BY Black Americans. This round-about approach is to siphon of credit to others who did not create the sound. It would be like saying break-dancing had its origins in the waltz because the waltz is a dance that preceded break-dancing. To do so is improper because it implies that break-dancing existed within the waltz and was present all of the time. White Americans, unlike Europeans, the British, are in no way confused about the origins of Rock and Roll music being a CREATION of Black Americans. Why so? Because they know how badly Black Americans were treated in the USA, so much so that many talented American Blacks took their talents to Europe and flourished in Europe. An example is Little Richard went Europe, was fawned over by a very young British group that mimicked Little Richard, then that same group packaged Little Richard into themselves, then came to the USA and became known as the BEATLES.

[@cerberaodollam]

Now do this with metal!

[@cerberaodollam]

Hahahaha! The cold war part! My dad is an avid rock n roll guy and the communists banned that stuff here pretty harshly, considering it "Western corruption". So hearing that "mainstream society" in the US was just as scared of it is ... hilarious 🤣

[@TheWheelofLife100]

All music came from Greece,the gateway to earth.

[@PabloRuizMega]

country music, blues, jazz inspired rock and roll and rock and roll was invented before the 1950's do not know what year but could be 1949

[@mew11two]

Stopped watching once the term 'cultural appropriation' cropped up. Shame, it was interesting otherwise.

[@pillmuncher67]

So, your feelings got hurt, you precious little snowflake? Poor you!

[@anotherspawn]

Haha jazz and jizz

[@Alliterative]

😝

[@wademchenry1560]

THE DEVIL

[@darrylevans4401]

Rock N Roll was invented by us black folks that's it.

[@siffoine]

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

[@fakeaccount8342]

Wrong....

[@dreadallans1]

@@fakeaccount8342 it 's truth...rock n roll is a cover and imitation of jump blues, example the pattern of drums highlighted in jump blues didn' t exist in white country music(jimmy preston,harry wynonie...)etc..

[@paparage2.027]

Let me see if I can get this straight... The connotation of Rock and Roll came from white Europeans... referring to the sea, then black people in America picked it up for the Rhythm and Blues genre? Where's the connection? You went from 1870 to black Americans in 0-60 seconds without a connection! I think you had too much Manischewitz wine and unleavened bread...

[@ericsutter6385]

The natural rock and roll of ships on the ocean led to songs with sea legs which led to the crazy legs of Rock 'n' Roll. It was a natural progression from nature's own.