Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie is a 1952 song composed by Bill Haley and first recorded by The Esquire Boys in 1952. Bill Haley and the Comets recorded the song in 1955 for Decca. The song was featured in the 1956 movie Rock Around the Clock.
Danny Cedrone recorded the first version of the song with his group The Esquire Boys. The first release was as a 78 single on Rainbow 200 backed with "If It's Love You Want To Borrow" with Kay Karol in 1953.[1] The second release of "Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie", as Guyden 705-A, reached no. 42 on the Cash Box pop singles chart on October 30, 1954.[2]
"Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie" was also recorded by Bill Haley and the Comets in 1955 and was released as a single in the U.S. on Decca, 29713, backed with "Burn That Candle", as Brunswick 5509 in the UK, as Festival SP45-807 in Australia, and as Decca 333510A in Argentina as "Boogie En Rock". "Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie" reached #23 on Billboard, #24 on Cash Box, and #4 on the RU charts in January, 1956.[3] The single appeared on the 1955 Decca album Rock Around the Clock. The recording was featured on the 1989 song "Swing the Mood" by Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers.
The song was also recorded by Buddy Morrow on Mercury, Johnny Curtis with the Toppers on Tops, Gabe Drake and his Rockets with the Orchestra under Maury Laws on Prom 1135, Willie Restum and His Music on Capitol, Georges Richard on the French 1957 LP Paris Microsill Gem 81, Teddy Raye on a 1961 EP, Fontana 460 788, the Deep River Boys on HMV in 1956, Ivor and the Basil Kirchin Band in the UK, Artie Malvin and the Rhythm Rockets on Waldorf Music Hall Records MH 33 149 in 1955 on the Rock and Roll album, Artie Malvin with the Deerhill Dudes on the Waldorf 33 BU 2 Rock 'N Roll Jamboree album in 1958, the Cuban group Los Llopis, The Treniers on Okeh 7023, Truck Stop in 1973, Bogusław Wyrobek, Orchester Klaus Kovarik as an Austrian 45 Donauland single as part of a medley "Rock 'n' Roll-Party", Omar Lamparter, the Dutch band The Tykes, Boris & The Telstars, The Alleycats, the Japanese band Levi Dexter and Magic on 1993 Meldac album, The Original Band, Phil Haley and His Comments, Jean Rich, Mary Dunne, and Sharron Skelton on the UK TV show Oh Boy in 1980, The Danish Sharks, the German band Hugo Strasser Und Sein Tanzorchester on the 1979 LP Die Tanzplatte Des Jahres '80, Major Schiffer & Majories, Czech band Olympic on their 1982 Supraphon album Rock and Roll, Rock-Rolf & Hans Satelliter in Sweden, Australian band Trevor Gleeson & Chiodo on an EP, The Jodimars in 1955 for Capitol which was unissued, Boston Rockabilly on the 2005 album It's About Time on REG, J. Lawrence Cook on player piano originally issued as QRS 9224 and reissued as part of a 3-song medley entitled "Bill Haley Hits No. 1" on QRS XP-440, and the Brian Setzer Orchestra in 2000 as a bonus track on the album Vavoom! released in Japan.