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Bill Haley and His Comets performing the classic Rock ‘n’ Roll track ‘Rock Around the Clock’. It was recorded in 1954 and went on to become big global hit, going to number 1 in both the UK and US. It was one of the first major rock ‘n’ roll hits and was popularised in the film ‘Blackboard Jungle’ which was a story about teenage rebellion. Rock ‘n’ Roll was born in America in the 1950s and has roots in Jazz, Gospel, the Blues and Country music. It is a style of dance music, like Swing, but with syncopated rhythms that were fast and frantic. Lead singer and electric guitar were at the forefront. Features the following concepts - verse, strumming, electric guitar, solo, chorus, riff, syncopation, saxophone, repetition, double bass.

This piece, or similar, could be performed as a group task. Following this clip, learners could explore the social and cultural impact of the emergence of the rock ‘n’ roll era. The clip could also be used as a stimulus to explore the role of music in film soundtracks.