On this day in 1955 Bill Haley and His Comets hit #1 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart with “Rock Around the Clock” the first Rock and Roll single to reach #1. The song was originally released in 1954 and was b-side of a single. It’s big success in 1955 was due to it being used in the soundtrack of the film “Blackboard Jungle.” It would shoot to #1 and stay their for 8 weeks. Haley would have other hits, he had 9 top 20 hits from 1954-56 but this was the historic one- and the one he is remembered for. He was an unlikely hero- he was 30 years old but looked older. He would be quickly disposed of when that fellow from Memphis Elvis Presley and others came along. I understand the historical significance of this song but I’ve never cared for it. Maybe it was one of those “you had to be there at the time” songs.

The remainder of Bill Haley’s life would be a troubled one. He would die at 55 of a suspected heart attack in 1981.