The Rise of the Top 40

John Morthlands The Rise of The Top Forty is a fascinating chronicle of the birth of Rock and Roll Radio and the advent of its master of ceremonies: the DJ. I had always assumed that the birth of Television was the death knell for radio, but it only signified the beginning of the end of radio serials,  dramatic soaps, and action shows which shifted to television. The empty space was then filled by Disc Jockeys, who became the outlet for those  interested in the "Music" above all else.  The idea of independent radio stations using disc jockeys to "explore what music their local audiences liked" and letting them freely expose their listeners to it, makes radio that much more personal. And that's the idea that resonates with myself, the personal aspect of radio, listening to it in the confines of your private room, not in the communal living room where the TV resides, and your parents but in your own space. Its no wonder to me that the personal aspect of radio thus created a personality suitable to expose it. I understand now especially after seeing the documentary on Allen Freed, why he became so popular. I liken it to having a friend whose speaking directly to you and  who secretly knows what you are felling and wanting, regardless of the color of the skin of the person whose singing the songs you want to hear. How progressive were the teenagers in the fifties who accepted the racial equality of music unlike many of their parents or gatekeepers of their time.  For the advent of Rock and Roll radio to have not just one but many different disc jockeys speaking directly to you and exposing you to new and wonderful sounds must have been a magical experience.
  I loved reading about Wolfman Jack, who my parents grew up listening to on the radio. I was only exposed to him through the film American Graffiti and the soundtrack which kept his interludes on it which was great. Reading about Wolfman Jack and how he "worked for a pirate radio station across the Mexican border from Del Rio Texas" created the perfect image for me of him howling through the midnight hour blasting music through the suburban void of America, on the fringes of society unafraid to express himself. That's what is so disheartening for me is then learning about the corporatization of radio. The introduction of chain radio stations operating from a specific business model, where music is now ordered, and packaged. How sad that the dick jokey essentially had his power stripped away. Eye opening for me is how "heavily researched popularity charts" now determined what songs where to be played and how often. So my question is, whoever is researching the popularity charts to determine and decide what gets played? And how is that notion any less transparent and honest than payola? Is it more ethical for large music companies to determine the market than mere individuals? And on top of that how sad that the disc jokey was then relegated to endeavor embarrassing theatrics of show, like broadcasting atop a flag pole, or going down a river, when their profession centered around them not being seen.
  For me growing up I loved listening to the radio, stations like KOOL 105 back when they played actual Rock and Roll from the 50 and 60's, and every Sunday night they would play Doo-Wop which was nostalgic fun. And they still had DJ's on the air who I felt remembered a time before they just introduced the play list, and maybe it wasn't like it used to be for them but it was still nice hearing a live human voice on the radio.

Juvenile Delinquency of the 50's.

I found it incredibly interesting reading and learning more about the juvenile delinquency problems of the 50's with the onset of Rock and Roll and Blackboard Jungle. Reading the article "Rock Around the Clock" Bill Randal is quoted as saying "Rock and Roll doesn't cause delinquency it reflects it." couple this with "sexually aggressive lyrics coated in euphemisms it becomes a total breakdown about sex." I always felt music itself is polarizing especially when the establishment is challenged. I remember asking my mom about that. She had four other sisters, so naturally they were all consumed by the new sounds coming from the subsequent  heartthrobs of their time, Bill Haley excluded. Mom would always tell me that at home Perry Como was always playing in the background while  Grandma  watched Lawrence Welk. Years later mom and I were watching Lawrence Welk on TV on PBS and she looked over at me and said "Now I'm an old lady, because I'm watching Lawrence Welk which I swore I would never do." I told her "this show was hilarious because you don't get to see people play the accordion on TV very often." Anyways I asked her if the music caused any problems at home growing up. she said, "not really." She said Blackboard Jungle came out the same year the Mickey Mouse club debut. So we listened to Rock Around the Clock, on record in our rooms then watched Annette Funicello. I asked her if the lyrics ever seemed racy, she said she was to naive to assume Great Balls of Fire meant anything than just that. She did add that being that my Grandparents were Italian growing up in Welby Colorado which was all Italians she was insulated from the problems that arose across the country, "my parents didn't mind us all listening to race records, but when my aunt Bernice dated a black guy....well then that was a different story." But I digress. Mom always told me that in high school "we dressed up to go to the movies, riots never broke out, we went to the sock hops to dance,  but since it was an all Catholic school they never played rock and roll music, they couldn't even wear patent leather shoes, cause the boys could see up the dress of the girls, but on our own and  on the radio was when we got to listen to our music, she told me. Then she pulled out an old 45 of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers from 1956, the title I'm
Not a Juvenile Delinquent.

Chuck Berry is the music of my childhood.

      Above all things I am grateful for in my life, I am most grateful for my mother who instilled in me a inherent love of all things culture related. Film, Novels, classic T.V. shows and most importantly music. I was born in 1983, which makes me older than most of the kids I go to college with, but that just makes me more culturally advanced than they are. HaHa. Anyway my mom didn't have me until she was 42. So when I was growing up, I was listening to and learning all about the music of her generation. She graduated high school in 1959, so she experienced first hand Rock and Roll music from its inception, which was great  because I loved learning about the 50's, 60's and 70's.  On top of that my mom had a great record collection that spanned all kinds of genres of music. Whenever she was cooking or it was the weekends she would always play her old vinyls for me. And I would always go through and look and them and just pick randomly from them to listen. I remember listening to Dion and the Belmont's, Runaround Sue, Teenager in Love. I can still see that cover of Alone with Dion with the girl with pink gloves reaching around him. Classic. But the one I remember  hearing first when I a kid was this two record set featuring Chuck Berry. It was bright yellow and it had Chuck doing his duck walk, guitar in hand  across the front cover.It was called the great Twenty Eight.We had these two large old speakers from the 80's and an Onkyo record player. And when I put that needle down and Maybellene came on, I was blown away. I felt that I were their live in person listening to him play. It was awesome!! Watching Hail Hail Rock and Roll the other day in class It was a nostalgic trip to my childhood even though it wasn't music of my own generation it was still apart of my childhood. I guess that's the testament to his music in that is possesses a simplistic timelessness to it that is devoid of pretension. When he talked about writing these songs to appeal to those who go to school, fall in love, and likes cars he appeals to everybody. That's why when I was a kid the first tape I ever got to play in my Walkman was the best of Chuck Berry, the second was the best of the Coasters, cause Yakety Yak was cool. But Chuck Berry will always be the father of rock and Roll, beholden to no one.