hello!

I'm wondering--what's your take on this? This weekend I watched the movie "Clue" from 1985 (first time--pretty cute), and this version of Shake, Rattle and Roll played under the credits. It's fantastic. But I can't figure out who it is!

"Clue" credits version




The film credits simply lists song and writer (Charles Calhoun aka Jesse Stone) but no performer. IMDB claims it's performed by "Bill Hailey & the Comets, uncredited," but I don't think it is.

For that to be so, the well-known Bill Hailey studio version would have to have bee slowed down, drums changed, background singers swapped out, and whole song remastered. In other words: the Clue version can't be Bill Hailey--it sounds nothing like him, totally different genre--the "Clue" credits version being R&B, Bill Hailey being soulful white rock n roll with rock-a-billy antecedents.

For example, in the Bill Hailey version he enunciates every word: "Get. Out. In. That. Kitchen. And. Rattle. Those. Pots. And. Pans." With the word "AND" before "rattle" coming squarely (in every sense) on the 1.

Hailey also does that rock-a-billy thing of adding an extra syllable "---cause I'm a hun-ga-ree-a mayan." In contrast, the "Clue" credits version says "Get out'in that kitchen----rattle those pots 'n' pans."

Bill Hailey version
video: [www.youtube.com]

It's also not the well-known Big Joe Turner version -- his first verse (like NRBQ's) is "Git outta that bed -- washyo face n hands," among other reasons -- plus there's no piano, and simply doesn't sound like him,




Big Joe Turner version




Also, it's interesting that the delicious verse --"Wearin' those dresses--sun come shinin' through"-- isn't in the "Clue" or the Bill Hailey version, and other lyrics are "cleaned up" or simply v. different from one version to another!

Here's a great range of versions - what a wonderful song! Each one make you wanna dance or at least shake your thang...




NRBQ version







Beautiful edgy manic version from Elvis







Buddy Holly's garage band-y sound version with nod to Elvis and brief Tequila interlude:







Living Archives Jerry Lee Lewis doin' it to it (starts out strong (but gets a little too polished with backup singers)




Anyway -- who is this under the "Clue" credits?

-swiss

Sounds like Bill Haley .....



ROCKMAN

According to [www.imdb.com] Rockee is correct, but of course he is

Shake, Rattle and Roll
By Charles F. Calhoun (as C. Calhoun)
Performed by Bill Haley and the Comets (uncredited)

Fun movie by the way.... did you see the version with all of the alternative endings?

I actually saw "Clue" in the theater back in day....

Three endings were shot, and a different one shown at each theater. All three are included on video. The DVD, however, aside from all three endings, also offers the option to play the movie with one randomly selected ending. In some cities, the newspaper print ads indicated which version ("Ending A", "Ending B" or "Ending C") was being shown at each theater.


... but I didnt know there were alt other endings until later.... which is even more fun.

And we used to play the game "Clue" (which the movie based) all the time back in the day.

COLONEL MUSTARD IN THE LIBRARY WITH THE CANDLE STICK!!!

It does sounds like Bill Haley but I'm not sure it's him singing. For comparison here's a 1974 live version recorded at the Wheeltappers & Shunters Social Club TV series:

Shake Rattle and Roll

Thanks for your thoughts.

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Rockman
Sounds like Bill Haley .....

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Cristiano Radtke
It does sounds like Bill Haley but I'm not sure it's him singing. For comparison here's a 1974 live version recorded at the Wheeltappers & Shunters Social Club TV series:

I agree with you guys that it sounds more like Bill Hailey than it does anyone else I've found. However, it's clearly not the hugely popular 1954 Top 40 version (posted above). The instrumentation, the drums are totally different, the back-up vox, his enunciation of the lyrics, and the overall swing and vibe of the recording.

The "Clue" version of the song definitely sounds more like Cristiano's posted 1974 (Wheeltappers & Shunters Social Club) version than the standard version -- in terms of Bill Hailey being looser with the vocals -- but is much more rockabilly than the "Clue" version.

As to the flick -- agreed: alternate endings was clever and fun!

-swiss

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HankM
According to [www.imdb.com] Rockee is correct, but of course he is

Shake, Rattle and Roll
By Charles F. Calhoun (as C. Calhoun)
Performed by Bill Haley and the Comets (uncredited)

Fun movie by the way.... did you see the version with all of the alternative endings?

....it's "Bill Haley and HIS Comets" ,,,,but a lot of mistakes have been made on articles and even record labels,,,,,

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BluzDude
....it's "Bill Haley and HIS Comets" ,,,,but a lot of mistakes have been made on articles and even record labels,,,,,

Good catch, BluzDude!
But regardless of spelling, any idea of what this recording is? As said above it isn't the Top 40 recording of Bill Hailey (et al.)

-swiss

Swiss, you could ask the owner of this website about it: [www.billhaley.co.uk]

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with sssoul
Swiss, you could ask the owner of this website about it: [www.billhaley.co.uk]

Brilliant, thank you, with sssoul! Not sure anyone's touched it in 15 years, but it's a lead



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-01-31 13:39 by swiss.