Have you heard the news? It sounds like the future.
“Good Rockin’ Tonight” may or may not be the original rock and roll song. (If I’ve learned anything from Andrew Hickey’s excellent A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs podcast–and I’ve learned a lot–it’s a fool’s endeavor to try to pinpoint a single origin for rock and roll.)
But we can at least say this: if Roy Brown’s 1947 recording of “Good Rockin’ Tonight” isn’t the big bang of rock music, then it at least announced rock’s arrival with one of the greatest opening lines in history.
Brown’s recording of “Good Rockin’ Tonight” was a hit, peaking at #13 on the Billboard R&B chart.
But Wynonie Harris’ cover–released the following year–added the all-important backbeat and made it all the way to #1, refusing to leave the chart for six months. (Harris actually turned down an option to be the first to record and release “Good Rockin’ Tonight” when Brown, a fan of Harris, approached him first with the opportunity.)
“Good Rockin’ Tonight” also helped announce Elvis Presley’s arrival onto the rock and roll scene when it became his sophomore single in 1954. Elvis freshened the song, dropping its dated namechecks and adding a Scotty Moore guitar solo.
It was undoubtedly Elvis’ cover that made a lasting impression on Bruce Springsteen. When Bruce covered the song throughout his 1978 Darkness on the Edge of Town Tour, we can clearly hear (and see, in this remarkably clear bootleg video) Bruce imitate the King’s vocal stylings on phrases like “mighty, mighty man,” and the overall arrangement hews pretty closely to the Elvis version (but at a Harris tempo).
“Good Rockin’ Tonight” made a few follow-up appearances on the River Tour, but then it vanished from Bruce’s set list for more than a quarter-century. It finally reappeared for a one-off late on the Magic Tour and has made two follow-up appearances since.
In its last appearance (to date) on a Springsteen set list, Bruce brought “Good Rockin’ Tonight” almost full circle, taking full advantage of the E Street Band’s expanded horn section for an arrangement similar to the Harris version that first made the song a monster hit.
It’s been more than eight years since we last heard from one of rock’s earliest hits, but its milestone importance suggests we haven’t heard the last of it.
Good Rockin’ Tonight
First performed: August 19, 1978 (Philadelphia, PA)
Last performed: September 2, 2012 (Philadelphia, PA)
Great run through the song’s history. In the early part of the Brown version, I hear a horns line that Bruce and the Seeger Sessions band would later borrow for their live version of “Open All Night.”
“I know the newspapers are on strike. Have you heard the news?” (BS, 8.22.78, M.S.G.)
Ray Browne’s version makes declarative statements, “I heard the news, there’s good rockin’ tonight”. Wynonie Harris’ version does the same, but also adds the question, “HAVE you heard the news…?” Elvis’ version makes the statements and adds the question. Bruce, ONLY, asks the question, “Have you heard the news…?” (Two included versions (9.20.78 and 12.2.12) and the M.S.G. version mentioned above.)
IMO, the “question” is such a great set-up as Bruce and band blast into “Good Rockin'” at M.S.G. and into “Badlands” at the ’78/Passaic show. (Rock and roll!)
Thanks for including, Ken.
Congrats and thank you for five years of these, Ken! I looked this one up because was recalling a special rendition that Bruce did of this song at soundcheck in Cleveland, early River tour (thinking it was 10/7/1980). I was 19 years old and had an extra ticket to sell, so went to the show early, to do so. Sold it quickly and there was nothing to do but hang around the entrance along with maybe 100 other people. To my amazement, they let us all in while Bruce was soundchecking! Bruce was walking around Richfield Coliseum, listening to the sound from the many areas, and at one point jumped on stage and said, “we’re gonna do one for the arlybirds.” Everyone there gathered at the front of the stage, houselights full-up and the band launched into “Good Rockin’ Tonight”. The intensity with which they played it, in these circumstances, and to so few people was shocking (though not really!), and I needn’t add was quite an undertatement to the night ahead!
That super cool, Lee! Thanks for sharing that story!