Talk:Rocket 88

Rocket 88 car

 * "Step into my rocket and don't be late, baby, we're pullin' out about half past eight".The real Rocket 88 - (the car you can see below), advertised as "the lowest priced car with "rocket engine" - was a chrome sparkling symbol of of the American postwar prosperity that even poor people were getting a taste of at the time.General Motors billed the Olds 88 engine as "Futurmatic".Even a young black man in the segretated South could dream about driving a rocket, movin'on out and cruisin' along. Stephan KŒNIG 09:15, 6 July 2006 (UTC)

Jackie Brenston

 * I suggest a separate article for Jackie Brenston. Verne Equinox 04:57, 29 July 2006 (UTC)
 * I have no idea why that redirect exists. Apparently it was created 2 years ago because someone didn't like the article that had been created on the singer. I have deleted the redirect, creating a redlink intentionally. Now a proper article can be created. I'll do the same with Brenston itself if I find it's another redirect. 23skidoo 15:18, 29 July 2006 (UTC)
 * A separate article for Jackie Brenston has been created and I have fixed the redirects accordingly. 23skidoo 16:31, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


 * I put the redirect in two years ago. There were at that time *two* articles, one about Brenston, one about the record, neither one mentioning Ike Turner.  I consolidated the two articles (with credit to Turner) into the "Rocket 88" and put a redirect on Benson, not because I "didn't like" the article, but because the article was inaccurate and the only significant accomplishment of Brenston's life was that one doubtfully applied credit.  (I also just now went to the Brenston article and changed "recorded" "Rocket 88" to "credited" with "Rocket 88".  I have no beef about Brenston, but Ike Turner was a founder of rock and roll and Brenston was a sideman for awhile.  Great record, great honking sax and vocal by Brenston (and we still haven't identified the other sax player called "Raymond" on the reconrd by Brenston).  Ortolan88 04:44, 6 November 2006 (UTC)
 * No worries. I didn't even realize a Brentson article had been created until I was sorting out "What links here" after shifting the band to its own article. 23skidoo 05:41, 6 November 2006 (UTC)


 * I've added refs to the Tosches and Dawson / Propes books, which have sections on "Rocket 88" which were main sources for my contributions. Incidentally, they make it clear that the sax on the record was by Raymond Hill, not by Brenston. Also see discussion at Jackie Brenston.Ghmyrtle 09:41, 6 November 2006 (UTC)

Rocket 88 band
I have created a separate article at Rocket 88 (band) for this group, as this article should only be about the song. 23skidoo 16:24, 5 November 2006 (UTC)

Prove it
I took this out of the article:


 * An alternate explanation maintains that Brenston, an accomplished pianist, wrote the song to showcase his skill, hence the "88" (the number of keys on a standard piano).

Ike Turner played piano on the cut. Brenston was a sax player. I hate the little {fact} tag things, so I moved this here where it can be properly dealt with. Who can forget Alfred Brendel's "Rocket 105", played on the bg wide Boesendorfer piano? Ortolan88 04:44, 6 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Bill Haley, in a 1972 radio interview that I have on tape, goes with the theory that the song was simply named after the car. The fact there's 88 keys on the piano is probably more a coincidence. Of course if anyone can provide a source to support the piano keys assertion, I see no objection to including it at that point. 23skidoo 05:41, 6 November 2006 (UTC)

The "88" in my stagename comes from Dr. John's boast about a piano break, "Dat's what dey call radiatin' on the 88". Ortolan88 14:29, 6 November 2006 (UTC)

Pete Johnson's Rocket 88
Interesting discussion page. Am including the following reference: All the above versions were in fact preceded by Pete Johnson's track, originally recorded for the Swingtime label in 1949. 83.180.164.137 16:50, 9 November 2006 (UTC)

Authorship
The article states unequivocally that the song was written by Ike Turner. There is no question whatsoever that Turner had a major and probably lead role in what was recorded in March 1951. However, the credits say - for whatever reason - that the song was written by Brenston. It is also clear that, like many songs, it borrowed freely from earlier sources, including Jimmy Liggins' "Cadillac Boogie". The balance of evidence is that the band - including in all probability both Turner and Brenston - worked it up together in rehearsals before the recording. My only point is that it is overstating the case to state unambiguously that the late great Ike Turner was its SOLE author. Ghmyrtle (talk) 22:42, 12 December 2007 (UTC)


 * I agree with you Ghmyrtle. Brenston was a minor R&B singer in his own right, not only a Turner sideman. There are discs released under his name with many sides recorded, though he'll always be associated with the best one, Rocket 88. Authorship was credited to Jackie Brenston, though Turner claimed for many years that he himself had written it. We’ll probably never know the truth. Turner had ample opportunity to “state his case” – he lived about 30 years longer than Brenston, and became much more famous later on. Was Brenston credited as the writer of any other sides he sang on in the 50’s? Also, what would Sam Phillips or his label have to gain by crediting Brenston and not Turner? If there are no objections, I will tone down the unequivocal claims in a week or so. — Preceding unsigned comment added by The 2000 Man (talk • contribs) 15:17, 26 March 2013 (UTC)
 * Hmm. I hadn't noticed before that User:BrothaTimothy - who is an editor I respect - changed the writing credit in the infobox from Brenston to Turner, in this edit in 2012.  But, the record label credits Brenston.  I think the infobox should be changed back.  Turner's role as bandleader is made clear in the article.   Ghmyrtle (talk) 15:51, 26 March 2013 (UTC)

Deleted content
I'm sorry, but the following text which I removed and was reinstated (with revisions) still doesn't work, because especially given the fact a "Citation needed" tag has been added to the article, such material needs to have a third-party source. Find a book or article that talks about this, and then we can add it. Otherwise it could be seen as a WP:NOR issue. Here is the content I deleted:
 * While open to debate, like much of the origins of Rock and Roll music itself, Brenston's and Turner's Rocket 88 might have found inspiration in Big Joe Turner's 1949 classic jump blues number "Fuzzy Wuzzy Honey." Rocket 88 has a strikingly similar, almost note-for-note, horn ending as Big Joe Turner's song half way through. The fact that Big Joe was accompanied by Pete Johnson, who recorded "Rockett 88 Boogie" as mentioned, easily leaves room for the possibility that Ike Turner was influenced by it.

In order to make this acceptable, a source needs to be added that says Ike Turner was influenced by the song cited. Or a source related to Joe Turner that claims Rocket 88 was based upon Fuzzy Wuzzy Honey (?) or Rockett 88 Boogie. 23skidoo (talk) 20:28, 24 January 2008 (UTC)

Deleted paragraph
''Those who subscribe to the definition of rock and roll as the melding of country music with rhythm and blues believe that it is Haley's version of the song, not the Turner/Brenston original, that is the first rock and roll record. No matter which version deserves the accolade, "Rocket 88" is seen as a prototype rock and roll song in musical style and lineup, not to mention its lyrical theme, in which an automobile serves as a metaphor for romantic prowess.''

No references to this, OR -- 82.209.225.33 (talk) 07:25, 22 April 2008 (UTC)
 * Actually there are references to part of that. I'm reinstating part of it. 23skidoo (talk) 18:02, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

backbeat?
I took this out:

"starting with a strongly stated back beat by drummer Willie Sims, and"

because there is no strongly stated backbeat. Certainly not by a snare drum accent as for example used in good rockin' tonight by Wynonie Harris (the first example of a backbeat throughout an entire song).

there is a sense of backbeat, which is created by the harmonic content of a boogie woogie itself. I think this is important to get right technically.

the boogie woogie guitar line which doesnt change at all through the song goes like this (in terms of the actual notes):

E EG G#B BC#B (basic boogie in E)

also done in the other keys in the 12 bar blues structure: ie I, IV, V, appropriately.

in this boogie the forward momentum is gained by the minor note (G) and the major 6th (C#) especially as they resolve to the G# and B respectively.

Couple this with the vocal rhythm which is repetitive and hypnotic, not to mention awesome, and the rhythm of the horns compliment this. This taken together created the strong sense of a backbeat (you can easily clap to this song), but technically, there is no snare accent. (which I believe is the definition of a back beat).

one last thing, the drums are playing a double shuffle (both the snare and hihats are shuffling) at approximately the same volume, throughout the song with a few fills on the floor tom and a the end there are hits to 'answer' the outro riff from the guitar/horns. the bass drum plays a regular and consistent 4 on the floor. (bass drums every count)

thats why i removed that sentence. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.161.82.164 (talk) 05:46, 23 September 2010 (UTC)


 * Completely correct. Original research (listening to the damn song) reveals no strongly stated or laid-back or steady-as-she-goes or any other kind of back beat.  It's very much a jump band song.  What makes it a pioneer rock and roll song was its crossover appeal.  That said, it sure does rock, thanks to the fuzz guitar, the piano intro, Raymond Hill's sax, and Willie Sims who shuffled like mad.  Ortolan88 (talk) 23:02, 24 May 2012 (UTC)

Possible reference
Billboard for July 1951, shows Rocket 88 at number 3 in R&B and still number 1 most played R&B on jukeboxes. I'm putting it here as a placemarker, would be good if this info could be incorporated into the article somehow. Going to try and find the edition of Billboard where it's number one: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ah8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA126&dq=billboard+may+1951&hl=en&ei=df22Tq7eDsW0hAeHm82NBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CDsQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=billboard%20may%201951&f=false It's so great now that practically every billboard ever is available online. Kaleeyed (talk) 21:47, 6 November 2011 (UTC)
 * I have - and frequently use as a reference - Joel Whitburn's Top R&B Singles 1942-1995 book, which sets out the chart placings from Billboard. What would be the point, in this case, of linking to the magazine itself?  It wouldn't add any additional information - would it add interest for WP readers?   Ghmyrtle (talk) 21:54, 6 November 2011 (UTC)

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just added archive links to 1 one external link on Rocket 88. Please take a moment to review my edit. If necessary, add after the link to keep me from modifying it. Alternatively, you can add to keep me off the page altogether. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20120315043131/http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/pics/d01/1795.htm to http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/pics/d01/1795.htm

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Cheers.—cyberbot II  Talk to my owner :Online 17:44, 27 February 2016 (UTC)

Willie Kizart
The first mention is a confusing reference to Kizart’s amp. As the guitarist he should be mentioned before then in any case. 2601:19B:4284:63F0:8D1A:896:4FFC:2177 (talk) 00:02, 9 May 2024 (UTC)