Log Cabin Stories: Bill Haley on Decca

Bill Haley and His Comets - Rock-a-Beatin' Boogie (Decca 9-29713), 1955

This record was one of my acquisitions last year and although I was very familiar with the songs on it, having them on CD and in digital format, I thought it was nice to have them on original 45rpm record. You can't go wrong with Bill Haley and the Comets. I consider him being the first real star of rock'n'roll music.

"Rock-a-Beatin' Boogie" was recorded on September 22, 1955, at Decca's recording studio at the Pythian Temple in New York City. Present that day were Haley on vocals and rhythm guitar, Franny Beecher on lead guitar, Billy Williamson on steel guitar, Rudy Pompillli on saxophone, Johnny Grande on piano, Al Rex on bass, and Cliff Leeman on drums. It was the first session for Rex and Pompilli as Comets, as they replaced bassist Marshall Lytle and sax player Joey Ambrose. Rex had performed earlier with Haley when he was still playing more country music oriented material. Studio drummer Cliff Leeman was brought in for Dick Richards, who had left as well. Also recorded that day was the song "R-O-C-K" and, the next day with the same line-up, "The Saints of Rock'n'Roll" and "Burn That Candle".

Billboard October 22, 1955, pop review

Billboard November 12, 1955

Sound-wise, all four recordings followed the pattern of Haley's big 1954 hit "Rock Around the Clock". "Rock-a-Beatin' Boogie" had been written by Haley three years earlier for his former guitarist Danny Cedrone, who had his own version released in September 1954 with his Esquire Boys on Guyden Records. Haley's own version was coupled with "Burn That Candle" on Decca #29713 in November 1955. It became a #16 Billboard pop best sellers hit in the US and #4 hit in the UK for Haley and the Comets.