The Best Of Bill Haley & His Comets: 20th Century Masters-(Millennium Collection)

Bill Haley & Comets - The Best Of Bill Haley & His Comets: 20th Century Masters-(Millennium Collection)

The Best Of Bill Haley & His Comets: 20th Century Masters-(Millennium Collection)
List Price: $11.98
Our Price: $3.50
You Save: $8.48 (71%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $2.42 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Listen soundtracks from this album



(Click here)
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store

CD Details

Artist: Bill Haley & Comets
Edition: Music CD
Format: Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 1999-04-20
Music Label: Mca
Soundtracks:
  1. (We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock
  2. Shake, Rattle And Roll
  3. Thirteen Women (And Only One Man In Town)
  4. Dim, Dim The Lights (I Want Some Atmosphere)
  5. Rudy's Rock
  6. Razzle Dazzle
  7. The Saints Rock 'N' Roll
  8. Skinny Minnie
  9. R-O-C-K
  10. Burn That Candle
  11. Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie
  12. See You Later, Alligator

Music reviews of The Best Of Bill Haley & His Comets: 20th Century Masters-(Millennium Collection)

Music Review: The Man Who Invented Rock and Roll
Rating: 5 Stars

The 20th Century Masters series is an excellent anthology series. The sound quality of the remastered CD is excellent. I would recommend this CD just on the remarkable sound quality. You can hear the instruments and studio sounds that were not available on the poor quality phonograph records. The musicianship of Bill Haley, who played a Gibson hollow-body electric, and Fran Beecher, the lead guitarist, is remarkable. Bill Haley the vocalist also shines on this remastered CD. You can hear that Haley was an excellent vocalist.
The songs selected to represent Haley's 1950s musical output is adequate. There could have been more selections but the series is one where only a small representative sample is chosen. FROM THE MASTER TAPES album is also excellent but that CD leaves off a Haley classic, "Skinny Minnie" (1958), Haley's last top 40 hit in the 1950s. So this CD is worth it just for the new remastered sound and the addition of "Skinny Minnie".
As noted in the liner notes, the term "rock and roll" was coined by Bill Haley in his songs "Rock-a-Beatin' Boogie", which is included on the CD, and "Two Hound Dogs", not included on this CD. Alan Freed always said that he got the term "rock and roll" from Bill Haley. "Rock Around the Clock" (1954) was the first no.1 rock and roll record. Billboard bases its charts on that event. The Rock and Roll Era began when Haley hit no.1. People forget about all this today. But more than anyone else, Bill Haley is actually the man who invented rock and roll, before Elvis Presley, before Little Richard, before Jerry Lee Lewis, before Chuck Berry, before Buddy Holly. Haley was doing it YEARS before any of them. In fact, Bill Haley had an earlier rock and roll career not even covered on this CD! In April, 1953, Bill Haley had the first rock and roll hit on the national and Billboard charts, "Crazy, man, crazy" which had all the rock and roll elements, the "go go go go" chorus, youth rebellion, going to a party, the appeal to the "younger generation", the lead guitar break, drums, all of it! The song was the first REAL rock and roll record. Haley was the first rock and roll star. He had many rock records on Holiday/Essex records before Decca. The point to remember is this: Bill Haley did not stumble into rock and roll by accident or chance or by "stealing" his stuff from others. Haley planned it all out, he had an artistic vision. In every Haley song, there is a guitar solo, sometimes a drum solo, and sax soloing. This is not by accident. With regard to Elvis Presley, the King was a close friend of Haley and was in fact an opening act for Haley. Elvis respected Haley as an innovator and pioneer, as did his other friends and associates Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Bo Diddley. Unfortunately, the rock critics and music fans have not been as appreciative. This is because not everything on this CD stands up well. Haley was a songwriter but he did COVERS that tended to destroy his reputation as an innovator. He didn't have a hit making machine like Little Richard at Specialty who had Bump Blackwell and John Marascalco to write songs for him. So not everything on the CD stands the test of time.
This music should be judged by its own criteria and standards. Bill Haley had a style that was different from the usual combo set up. Haley had a sax and a dance style orientation for his band. Judging his style with Elvis or Little Richard is like judging apples and oranges. Haley had his own style which was unique and remarkable. He had stuff that Elvis did not. This is therefore a unique listening experience.
This is the man who really invented rock and roll. The Rock Era began when "Rock Around the Clock" became the no.1. record for 8 weeks in 1955. Critics falsify these facts and engage in historical revision when it comes to Haley. But Haley got the last laugh. His vision endures. Rock and roll, a music idiom he invented, is still what we listen to, is still what we consider the greatest musical achievement of the 20th century. Buy this CD. You will enjoy the experience. And while only a very tiny selection of Haley's output, it gives the listener enough to appreciate the achievement of Bill Haley. Haley sang: "You gotta jump, you gotta jive, you gotta dance, to stay alive...rock...rock...rock...rock...everybody...go....go...go....go." It ain't Shakespeare, but it is rock and roll, man!
More The Best Of Bill Haley & His Comets: 20th Century Masters-(Millennium Collection) free music reviews:
1 2 3

Description of The Best Of Bill Haley & His Comets: 20th Century Masters-(Millennium Collection)

All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.
Bill Haley died convinced that his role in shaping and popularizing rock & roll was largely undervalued. If he was around today you'd have to agree with him, because his recorded legacy has been relegated on the one hand to bargain-basement hits collections and, on the other, to prohibitively expensive box sets that most folk will never hear. Haley's 20th Century Masters set is yet another too-slight selection of his groundbreaking work, though it does contain all the basics: "Rock Around the Clock," "Shake, Rattle and Roll," "See You Later, Alligator," and nine others. Haley is generally thought of as tame and conservative compared to, say, Elvis, which is probably true. But consider this unbelievably randy double-entendre from "Shake, Rattle and Roll": "I'm like a one-eyed cat / Peepin' in a seafood store." Yikes. If they'd chosen that as the theme to Happy Days, instead of "Rock Around the Clock" America would be a different nation today. --Daniel Durchholz

Classical CDs

Music Genres
Bestsellers in Classical CDs
Winterscapes ImageWinterscapes
by London Philharmonic
Prophetic Voice; Published: 2000-07; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $2.75
Price in other shops: $6.99
The Queen, the Bear, & the Bumblebee ImageThe Queen, the Bear, & the Bumblebee
by Dini Petty
Children's Group; Published: 2001-03; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $13.38
Price in other shops: $13.98
Beethoven Lives Upstairs Cdr ImageClassical Kids - Beethoven Lives Upstairs Cdr
Release date: 2000-04-05; Music CD
Best price: $24.97
Tchaikovsky (Life and Works (Naxos)) ImageTchaikovsky (Life and Works (Naxos))
by Malcolm Sinclair, Jeremy Siepmann
Naxos; Published: 2003-11; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $35.99
Jose Carreras - Jubileum Concert [VHS] ImageJose Carreras - Jose Carreras - Jubileum Concert [VHS]
Sling Shot; Release date: 2000-04-18; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $5.86
Price in other shops: $9.99
Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Nureyev, Park, Royal Ballet [VHS] ImageTchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Nureyev, Park, Royal Ballet [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1997-09-09; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.90
Price in other shops: $29.95
Lonely Town Lonley Street / Sergeant's Early Dream [VHS] ImageRambert Dance Company - Lonely Town Lonley Street / Sergeant's Early Dream [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1997-10-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops: $29.95
Winter Music: Composing the North ImageWinter Music: Composing the North
by John Luther Adams
Wesleyan; Published: 2004-11-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $25.27
Price in other shops: $25.95
Puccini - La Fanciulla del West / Santi, Domingo, Neblett, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS] ImagePuccini - La Fanciulla del West / Santi, Domingo, Neblett, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1999-05-25; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $6.38
Price in other shops: $29.95
Verdi - Falstaff / Giulini, Bruson, Ricciarelli, Nucci, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS] ImageVerdi - Falstaff / Giulini, Bruson, Ricciarelli, Nucci, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1999-05-25; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $12.95
Price in other shops: $29.95
Similar CDs
The Best of Connie Francis: 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection ImageConnie Francis - The Best of Connie Francis: 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection
Release date: 1999-11-02; Music CD
Best price: $2.74
Price in other shops: $11.98
Very Best of Richie Valens ImageRichie Valens - Very Best of Richie Valens
Release date: 2002-11-21; Music CD
Best price: $8.17
Price in other shops: $15.98
Dion & Belmonts - Greatest Hits ImageDion & Belmonts - Dion & Belmonts - Greatest Hits
Release date: 1999-09-27; Music CD
Best price: $7.60
Price in other shops: $15.98
Fats Domino Jukebox: 20 Greatest Hits ImageFats Domino - Fats Domino Jukebox: 20 Greatest Hits
Release date: 2002-03-12; Music CD
Best price: $4.36
Price in other shops: $8.94
Ricky Nelson - Greatest Hits ImageRicky Nelson - Ricky Nelson - Greatest Hits
NELSON,RICKY; Release date: 2005-12-27; Music CD
Best price: $8.77
Price in other shops: $11.94
Definitive Collection ImageJerry Lee Lewis - Definitive Collection
Release date: 2006-05-08; Music CD
Best price: $7.32
Price in other shops: $10.99
Greatest Hits: Walking To New Orleans ImageFats Domino - Greatest Hits: Walking To New Orleans
Release date: 2007-08-14; Music CD
Best price: $8.35
Price in other shops: $11.94
Very Best Of Little Richard ImageLittle Richard - Very Best Of Little Richard
Release date: 2008-07-29; Music CD
Best price: $6.09
Price in other shops: $11.98
The Best Of Buddy Holly: 20th Century Masters (Millennium Collection) ImageBuddy Holly - The Best Of Buddy Holly: 20th Century Masters (Millennium Collection)
Release date: 1999-04-20; Music CD
Best price: $2.38
Price in other shops: $5.98
Definitive Collection ImageChuck Berry - Definitive Collection
Release date: 2006-04-18; Music CD
Best price: $7.16
Price in other shops: $10.99
Compare prices and find music notes for more than one million Music CD titles