Talk:Rumble (instrumental)

Cite needed
It seems that the article is just the opinion of its writer. Maybe a citation from a reputable source saying that the song changed rock or something, but otherwise a NPOV is not present. Phydend 17:34, 9 May 2006 (UTC)

Removed

 * Pete Townshend stated in liner notes for a 1974 Wray album, "He is the king; if it hadn't been for Link Wray and 'Rumble,' I would have never picked up a guitar." Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Marc Bolan, Neil Young and Bob Dylan have all cited Wray as an influence. He was named as one of the hundred greatest guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, but still has not yet been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is, however, a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

I removed the above as it is about Ray, not the song. Hyacinth 00:15, 23 October 2006 (UTC)

This American Life
Can someone explain the connection between this instrumental and the public radio show This American Life? If there is no connection, "Rumble" should be taken off the TAL template and the template should be removed from this page. —Preceding unsigned comment added by TomStike (talk • contribs) 19:07, 16 August 2010 (UTC)

Bass guitar
The description paragraph says it features a bass guitar. Any citations for that? Sounds like a double bass to me personally. Gershake (talk) 01:59, 4 March 2011 (UTC)

In fact, after repeated listening I'm completely sure it's a double bass (the bassline isn't reproducible on a chromatic instrument, either, IMO). Since I can't cite this either, I changed "electric bass guitar" to the more general "bass" and the link from bass guitar to bass (instrument). Gershake (talk) 18:24, 28 March 2011 (UTC)

Phil Everly?
What is the source for Phil Everly naming it Rumble? Cub Koda's liner notes to the Rhino Records Best-Of have Bleyer's daughter naming the song Rumble because it reminded her of West Side Story. And Robert Rodriguiz's book (cited as a reference to this article) have Bleyer naming the song Rumble. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 205.175.225.22 (talk) 12:57, 5 October 2011 (UTC)

how about the sound itself? it imitates a rumbling. why does everything have to be an urban legend? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 46.115.35.178 (talk) 00:04, 18 December 2013 (UTC)

Not a blues instrumental
"Rumble" is one of the great early rock 'n roll instrumentals. Many popular instrumentals use a twelve-bar or blues form: "Wipe Out" (surf), "Batman Theme" (rock), "Night Train" (R&B), "Baby Elephant Walk" (novelty), etc. (see Twelve-bar blues). This does not make them "blues". Unless there is a reliable source that specifically identifies it as a blues number beyond "has the form of a twelve-bar blues", blues should not be listed as a genre. —Ojorojo (talk) 20:15, 2 January 2016 (UTC)
 * Tend to agree. We still have an unsourced claim in the "Description" section. Martinevans123 (talk) 20:23, 2 January 2016 (UTC)
 * Although it looks right, this whole section is unreferenced (& probably OR). I'll remove it if there are no objections. —Ojorojo (talk) 20:36, 2 January 2016 (UTC)
 * None from me. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:13, 2 January 2016 (UTC)

Misuse of term power chords....
Hi. I just wanted to point out that Link Wray is playing full chords and not power chords on this song, as stated at the beginning of the article. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.213.216.77 (talk) 03:28, 22 March 2017 (UTC)
 * Hello, IP address. The problem here is that there really is no official definition of "power chord".  I assume you understand it to mean that root-fifth-octave combination so often used in hard rock, but some authors understand the term to mean any sustained chord played on a distorted or overdriven electric guitar.  If I had my druthers, we all would just stop using the term, but that's unlikely to happen.  NewYorkActuary (talk) 13:38, 22 March 2017 (UTC)

Improving the article
This article is pretty poor - in particular, there are unresolved issues over the date the tune was first recorded - 1954, as it is said that Wray claimed, or 1958 - and the use of the term "power chord". On a first trawl, I can't find any reliable source that says that Wray first recorded "Rumble" in 1954 - or even that he claimed that he had - though there are plenty of secondary sources that state either of those claims as fact. Given that all other sources, and the article, state clearly that the tune recorded after the 1958 concert and had not been heard before, I have removed the 1954 claim. It appears that the reference used for it is simply wrong. Ghmyrtle (talk) 08:22, 13 September 2019 (UTC)

Wildly False
The comment about Rumble being the only instrumental ever banned on US radio is horribly inaccurate. There are dozens of classical composers that have been banned at various times. During WW1 there was a concerted effort to ban all living German composers from american airways,an effort that succeeded. Notably it is widely cited that Richard Strauss, the classical instrumental German composer was banned all over America including its radio. It might be true that Rumble is the only instrumental song banned from radio since the end of WW2, but it is certainly not "ever" there are many articles that talk about various Germans banned during both wars.

Dwarvenbierschneeman (talk) 01:22, 29 April 2022 (UTC)


 * I don't have anything to add, but I agree. Doctorhawkes (talk) 07:18, 29 April 2022 (UTC)
 * I have moved the claim out of the lead section, as an interim measure. Martinevans123 (talk) 12:27, 29 April 2022 (UTC)
 * It probably shouldn't say it was the only "instrumental" banned, as many classical pieces are without vocals. Perhaps it was the "only rock and roll instrumental" banned?  Ghmyrtle (talk) 12:58, 29 April 2022 (UTC)
 * That would make far more sense. Can the existing sources support that? Martinevans123 (talk) 13:23, 29 April 2022 (UTC)
 * The sources suggest that the bans were mostly because of its title. The only source that makes the uniqueness claim is the Rodriguez book, specifically discussing rock and roll, which describes it as "the only instrumental single banned from the radio airwaves". I would have thought that describing it as "...the only rock and roll instrumental ever banned..." would be justifiable.   Ghmyrtle (talk) 13:52, 29 April 2022 (UTC)
 * No objections. Martinevans123 (talk) 14:30, 29 April 2022 (UTC)