MM/LT + Rock'n'Roll

[larriva9/11]

Having watched "Rabbit Romeo" lately, I'm wondering--what's the first reference to "rock'n'roll" (by name, that is) in a MM/LT?

[Marty26]

I think that one, actually.

[Matthew Hunter]

Not sure of the term "Rock N' Roll", but there are references to Elvis Presley in "Dog Tales" and "Hare-Abian Nights".

[Marty26]

Not sure of the term "Rock N' Roll", but there are references to Elvis Presley in "Dog Tales" and "Hare-Abian Nights".

Both of which were released after Rabbit Romeo. There's a reference to Elvis Presley in A Waggly Tale as well (also released after Rabbit Romeo).

[Nick]

If we're going to include other studios, the Woody Woodpecker cartoon, "Fodder and Son" features Windy doing an Elvis impression in order to gourd teenagers to give him food.

From the way this example and the others above, were executed, it seems that the aging cartoonists at the time didn't think very much of his music.

[Marty26]

If we're going to include other studios, the Woody Woodpecker cartoon, "Fodder and Son" features Windy doing an Elvis impression in order to gourd teenagers to give him food.

From the way this example and the others above, were executed, it seems that the aging cartoonists at the time didn't think very much of his music.

They probably didn't. Hence the fact that Elvis was usually shown in a silly way in the late-50's/early-60's when it came to classic cartoons.

[J. J. Hunsecker]

They probably didn't. Hence the fact that Elvis was usually shown in a silly way in the late-50's/early-60's when it came to classic cartoons.
Well, let's be fair, most musicians were shown in a silly way in classic cartoons, even the ones the cartoonists enjoyed: Cab Calloway, Frank Sinatra, Eddie Cantor, Al Jolson, etc.

[Leviathan]

Well, Friz apparently also wasn't too kind to Bing Crosby.

[Marty26]

Well, let's be fair, most musicians were shown in a silly way in classic cartoons, even the ones the cartoonists enjoyed: Cab Calloway, Frank Sinatra, Eddie Cantor, Al Jolson, etc.

Yeah, but historically speaking, the birth of Rock And Roll in the mid-50's signified a massive split between the younger and older generations. One that still goes on today and probably will go on forever. Up until then, popular musicians like Frank (Frankie) Sinatra and Bing Crosby were universally enjoyed by everybody from teenyboppers to old ladies. Once musicians like Elvis Presley and Chuck Billy took over, however, a lot of older people listened to their music and wondered, "What the Hell is this?" Meanwhile, the younger (under-30) generation embraced these artists and the new form of music they birthed.

Seeing as to how Freleng, Jones, etc. were probably well into their 40's by the mid-1950's, I wouldn't doubt that they were among the many middle and senior aged adults at the time that looked down on rock music.

[larriva9/11]

If we're going to include other studios, the Woody Woodpecker cartoon, "Fodder and Son" features Windy doing an Elvis impression in order to gourd teenagers to give him food.

From the way this example and the others above, were executed, it seems that the aging cartoonists at the time didn't think very much of his music.

Is that the one where he literally sings "rock n' roll, rock n' roll"? I know what you mean.

Then when it comes to rock's immediate pre-history, "Real Gone Woody" must count as an all-around benchmark...

[J. J. Hunsecker]

Yeah, but historically speaking, the birth of Rock And Roll in the mid-50's signified a massive split between the younger and older generations. One that still goes on today and probably will go on forever. Up until then, popular musicians like Frank (Frankie) Sinatra and Bing Crosby were universally enjoyed by everybody from teenyboppers to old ladies. Once musicians like Elvis Presley and Chuck Billy took over, however, a lot of older people listened to their music and wondered, "What the Hell is this?" Meanwhile, the younger (under-30) generation embraced these artists and the new form of music they birthed.

Seeing as to how Freleng, Jones, etc. were probably well into their 40's by the mid-1950's, I wouldn't doubt that they were among the many middle and senior aged adults at the time that looked down on rock music.
Rock and Roll shocked a lot of older people, but so did Jazz in it's day. In the 20's and 30's the older generation thought of Jazz as immoral and threatening. It was associated with Negroes and Speakeasies. (The Roaring 20's was a wild and decadent time in general for young people, and Jazz & Boogie Woogie fit the era.)

Granted, by the 40's, when the animated cartoon really hit it's stride, Jazz became more acceptable, with white musicians playing big band Swing on the radio. (The famous crooners like Sinatra and Crosby sang slower songs that people could dance to.) By the 50's, with Bebop, it became the music of sophisticates.

The animators in the 30's were at the right age to enjoy Jazz, and you're right that they were middle-aged in the 50's, and therefore not the right audience, when Rock and Roll came around. Of course not all the classic animators liked Jazz. Shamus Culhane thought it was junk and preferred Classical music. Bob Cannon listened to Opera records when animating.

[larriva9/11]

To some extent, it actually might have been less of a "rock" thing, than a "teenage" or "bobbysoxer" thing, that was held up to an implicit ridicule--perhaps long before rock (think of "Little Red Riding Rabbit").

When it came to purely musical terms, though, there wasn't necessarily that kind of hostility--consider Freleng's reverent "Three Little Bops". Though it's also telling that, beyond taking the safe road of Bill Haley rather than Elvis or Chuck or Jerry Lee, 3LB frames its music in "jazz" terms (note: "Bops" rather than "Rockers"); and even, judging by the straw/wood/brick venues, as a "music of sophisticates"...