"(The) Rock and Roll Waltz" is a popular song with music by

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and lyrics by Roy Alfred in 1955, although the identity of the lyricist is in dispute. Other sources cite a Dick Ware, Dick Wise, or Dick Wine. As the title suggests this novelty song is a waltz in triple metre, but it also contains a bass riff that is reminiscent of typical boogie woogie and rock and roll riffs. The song is told from the point of view of a teenager who comes home early from a date, and catches her parents attempting to dance to one of her rock and roll records; only, having no frame of reference, the couple tries to waltz to the music. The

Kay Starr Katherine Laverne Starks (July 21, 1922 – November 3, 2016), known professionally as Kay Starr, was an American singer who enjoyed considerable success in the late 1940s and 1950s. She was of Iroquois and Irish heritage. Starr performed multip ...

recording of the song, made in 1955, reached number one on the ''Billboard'' singles chart in 1956, staying there for six weeks. The recording was released by

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also Aris ...

as catalog number 47-6359. It was Kay Starr's first recording of great significance for RCA Victor after leaving

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. She had a number of lesser chart entries on RCA Victor in 1955, including "Good and Lonesome" and "Turn Right". At first, she thought it was a joke when the A&R staff at RCA Victor brought it to her, it was a marked departure from what she usually recorded. The song turned out to be a number one hit, a million seller, and one of the early songs of the rock and roll era. The track also spent one week at No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart in March 1956. Other artists who recorded this song include Ann-Margret (in 1962),

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(in 1961), Lawrence Welk and His Champagne Music with

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on vocals (in 1956, Coral EC 81128), and George Wright in his 1984 album ''Red Hot and Blue''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rock And Roll Waltz 1955 songs 1956 singles Kay Starr songs Number-one singles in the United States Number-one singles in Australia UK Singles Chart number-one singles RCA Victor singles Songs with lyrics by Roy Alfred Songs about dancing Songs about rock music

See also

References