GOOD ROCKING TONIGHT

Created on 18/01/2006
Latest update on 23/02/2024

Artist: Roy Brown
Author: Roy Brown
Label: DeLuxe
Year: 1947

With Bob Ogden's orchestra at Cosimo Matassa's studio. First song with the word "rocking" in the title. Inspired by Sy Oliver's There's Good Blues Tonight ('46), covered by Lucky Millinder. Roy first tried to convince his idol Wynonie Harris to cut it. When Wynonie rejected it, Roy was convinced by Cecil Gant to do his own version and he intruduced him to DeLuxe Records boss Jules Brown. One condition: "Do me some more songs". That's when Roy added Lollypop Mama (see there). Became the most popular race record of the year.

Covers:

1948:

Wynonie Harris [n°1 R&B; version proclaimed one of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock 'n Roll by the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame; years later as Good Mambo Tonight]

1949:

Lionel Hampton

1954:

Elvis Presley [following Roy Brown's original, rather than Wynonie Harris' hit version; first one to sing "Have YOU heard the news" instead of "I heard the news, there's good rockin' tonight"]

1954:

Link Davis [as Have You Heard The News]

1956:

Treniers

1958:

Ricky Nelson [as There's Good Rockin' Tonight]

1959:

Buddy Holly

1959:

Pat Boone

1959:

John Barry Seven

1965:

Link Wray

1967:

James Brown

1971:

Jerry Lee Lewis

1973:

Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen

1974:

Montrose

1977:

Eddy Mitchell [as Et la voix d'Elvis]

1985:

Honeydrippers [as Good Rockin' At Midnight]

1991:

Paul McCartney

1993:

Solomon Burke

2007:

Shawn Camp & Billy Burnette [The Bluegrass Elvises]

2024:

Rod Stewart with Jools Holland

Of all names listed only Pat Boone had a US pop hit with it. See also: Ain't It A Shame, Long Tall Sally and Tutti Frutti. Roy still has to be inducted in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.

Contact


If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:

Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)

info@originals.be

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