Description

Rock, Rock, Rock! is a 1956 black-and-white motion picture featuring performances from a number of early rock ‘n’ roll stars, such as Chuck Berry, LaVern Baker, Teddy Randazzo, the Moonglows, the Flamingos, and the Teenagers with Frankie Lymon as lead singer. Future West Side Story (musical) cast member David Winters (choreographer) is also featured. Famed disc jockey Alan Freed makes an appearance as himself. The voice of the main character (Dori Graham) was sung by Connie Francis.

The movie has a fairly simple plot: teenage girl Dori Graham (played by then 13-year-old Tuesday Weld) can’t convince her dad to buy her a strapless gown and has to get the money together herself in time for the prom. The soundtrack album, also titled Rock, Rock, Rock (soundtrack), is nowadays widely regarded as Chuck Berry’s first album.

Featured songs

• “Rock, Rock, Rock” — Jimmy Cavallo & His House Rockers
• “I Never Had A Sweetheart” — Connie Francis
• “The Things Your Heart Needs” — Teddy Randazzo
• “Rock, Pretty Baby” — Ivy Schulman and the Bowties
• “Rock & Roll Boogie” — Alan Freed & His Rock & Roll Band w/Al Sears (saxophone)
• “I Knew From The Start” — The Moonglows
• “You Can’t Catch Me” — Chuck Berry
• “Would I Be Crying” — The Flamingos
• “The Big Beat”—Jimmy Cavallo & His House Rockers
• “Thanks To You”—Teddy Randazzo (announced as Tommy Rodgers)
• “Lonesome Train (On A Lonesome Track)” — Johnny Burnette Trio
• “Over and Over Again” — The Moonglows
• “Tra La La” — Lavern Baker
• “Ever Since I Can Remember” — Cirino & the Bowties
• “Baby Baby” — Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
• “I’m Not A Juvenille Delinquent”—Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
• “Won’t You Give Me A Chance”—Teddy Randazzo
• “Right Now, Right Now”—Alan Freed & His Rock & Roll Band with “Big” Al Sears (saxophone)

Production

This was the first feature film collaboration between Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg.