written by Max C. Freedman and Jimmy DeKnight

produced by Milt Gabler

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(This is another instance in which time got away from me yesterday,

and so) I’m making this page on July 7th, 2021, the day after what

would have been the 96th birthday of William John Clifton Haley,

or Bill Haley, one of the original pioneers of rock and roll, and by

extension of logic, of course, leader of Bill Haley & His Comets. Happy After-Life Birthday, BH. The year 2021 also happens to be the 40th anniversary of his death.

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Bill was born in Michigan, and maintained good vision in both his eyes until he was four. At four, he had an inner-ear mastoid operation which broke an optic nerve and rendered him blind in his left eye the rest of his life. As he became a rock and roll star, he adopted a kiss curl above his right eye as a signature, which some said was an intention to distract attention from his blind left eye, but others said was a mere trademark to go with his hit material. Bill struck out from home at fifteen and starved for years trying to make it as a musician, and one day joined the Down-Homers. He became what was known as a cowboy yodeler in the ’40s, in a group called The Saddlemen which played country music. In the early ’50s, they began delving into the still very new territory of rock and roll, and gave their band a new name to go with the genre shift: Bill Haley & His Comets.

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“Rock/Clock” is probably the hit song and ancient classic Bill and the Comets are best known for, though in their heyday—this same year, 1954, as a matter of fact—the group also banged out a hit rendition of Big Joe Turner’s “Shake, Rattle And Roll,” as well as a dozen or so additional hit singles, most of which as per the early rock ‘n’ roll curriculum were written with what to us now would seem like funny, bizarre, wacky lyrics and wordplay (“Razzle Dazzle,” “See You Later, Alligator,” “Hot Dog Buddy Buddy,” “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie,” “Skinny Minnie”). The ’50s brought the Comets the most success, even scoring them one more Australian #1 in ’59—“Joey’s Song”—though they kept recording and performing up till Bill’s death in 1981. His death was attributed to, most likely, a heart attack; otherwise, natural causes were cited. As of this writing, this is the oldest song I’ve covered on the site, though I do have a few older ones that will make their way on up here one day.

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Kids of my generation might know Bill & His Comets (or Bill & his voice at least) best from an alternate version of “Shake, Rattle And Roll” (a different one from their hit version that exists on record) played over the closing credits of the movie adaptation of Clue, the hilariously over-the-top 1985 cult film set in 1954. It was the lone song featured from that movie along with The Crew Cuts’ “Sh-Boom.”

RIP Bill, 7/6/25 to 2/9/81.

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Have notes to add? Let me know!

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YT:

full version #1

full version #2