Monumental musical anniversary: Rocket 88 was recorded exactly 75 years ago today

[Eric B]

https://youtu.be/buIcKKLeJgo?si=Xxupjrr2-fJdQZoM

 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/buIcKKLeJgo?si=NBz5Rad6VhCWUkwb" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

I guess I don’t know how to embed videos. Oh well. I know this is one of the few communities on the web that doesn’t need a YT video to know what Rocket 88 is. 

Edited yesterday at 02:18 PM by Eric B

[Dan Gould]

👍

 

[Rabshakeh]

I never quite understood why Rocket 88 is considered early rock and roll. To my ears it sounds fairly squarely R&B. I guess the lyrics are about driving around getting teenage kicks.

[Dan Gould]

On 3/3/2026 at 9:18 AM, Eric B said:

 

 

I guess I don’t know how to embed videos. Oh well. I know this is one of the few communities on the web that doesn’t need a YT video to know what Rocket 88 is. 

I've never had trouble just copying and pasting video URL into the body of the post.

As to the question of "early rock n roll" maybe Ike got it right (from Wiki):

In a later interview, however, Ike Turner offered this comment: "I don't think that 'Rocket 88' is rock 'n' roll. I think that 'Rocket 88' is R&B, but I think 'Rocket 88' is the cause of rock and roll existing"