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June 2010
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Perkin's Wiggle
Carl Perkins
“Perkin’s Wiggle” by Carl Perkins [1956]
Random Music History Song of the Day
“Perkin’s Wiggle” is the perfect example of a transitional record. The song references boogie-woogie (e.g. this), a craze that lasted from about 1938 well into the ’50s and the rhythm guitar clearly owes a debt to Hank Williams honky tonk style. The excessive echo, however, places the song squarely in the new genre of rockabilly.
Carl Perkins recorded “Perkin’s Wiggle” for Sun Records in mid December 1955, quite possibly the same day he recorded “Blue Suede Shoes.” That record would be released as a single two weeks later and change the face of popular music forever when by April 1956 it had reached at least #2 not only in the country chart, but also in the pop and R&B charts.
Perkins released a few more singles in the same vein as “Blue Suede Shoes” in 1956 and ‘57, but was almost immediately overshadowed by the similar-sounding man who he perceived to be Sam Phillip’s favorite, Elvis Presley. “Perkin’s” Wiggle” remained unreleased until nostalgic interest in Sun Records brought the full studio sessions of many Sun musicians into publication.
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rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, and emerged in the early 1950s.
The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock (from rock ‘n’ roll) and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music (often called hillbilly music in the 1940s and 1950s) that contributed strongly to the style’s development. Other important influences on rockabilly include western swing, boogie woogie, and rhythm and blues. While there are notable exceptions, its origins lie primarily in the Southern United States.
The influence and popularity of the style waned in the 1960s, but during the late 1970s and early 1980s, rockabilly enjoyed a major revival of popularity that has endured to the present, often within a rockabilly subculture.
A significant reason for the continuing phenomenon of new generations discovering and embracing rockabilly is their dissatisfaction with mainstream culture, music, and stylistic icons. Rockabilly often becomes a way of life or lifestyle to those involved, who consider the larger group to be a brotherhood.