What makes a good rockabilly song? I guess you could come up with a million answers to that question, but to me one write back kind of sums it all up: A good rockabilly tune delivers a punch. The enthralling thing though, is that distinct songs deliver distinct types of punch. It's not fully predictable. While the rockabilly label conjures up definite images, when you look more closely, you see that there are surely many facets to the rockabilly diamond. So, what is this "punch" that rockabilly delivers? Let's take a look at a few possible answers.
The Beat
Drum Snare
First and maybe most recognizable punch the music delivers is the beat. Typically rockabilly tunes have a strong, steady backbeat in case,granted by the drummer. Regularly it's the particular snare shot on the twos and fours that drive the tune. Many times the snare hits look like pistol shots that ring out and leave no doubt as to the beat of the song. But if you dig a dinky deeper into the genre, some enthralling things begin to develop.
Some rockabilly tunes don't follow the great backbeat rule. Some have more of a shuffle feel to them that makes these songs a dinky more easy flowing and laid back. And yet, this rhythm makes these songs no less rockabilly than songs in the first category.
If you're surely paying attention, you realize that the snare drum is surely not surely requisite to rockabilly at all. In fact, much of the first rockabilly didn't even highlight drums on the recordings! Elvis' very early Sun Records recordings are the perfect example. Johnny Cash's early Sun recordings and songs by other artists were also drumless. So, it can't be just backbeat in case,granted by the drums that delivers the punch.
The Guitars
Ok then, it must be the guitar work and distinctive guitar sounds that furnish the punch. Heavily county-influenced guitar riffs and solos are surely a hallmark of rockabilly. Lead guitar work is Regularly based around chords with lots of single-note licks thrown in for seasoning. The hollow-body galvanic guitar sound is a dead giveaway, although lots of superior recordings highlight solid-body galvanic guitar work too. And, not to be left out, many songs were based around an acoustic guitar not just for rhythm, but also for leads. So that's it; rockabilly relies on the lead guitar for the punch.
Hold on though...What about Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich, and other rockabilly greats whose songs were built more around the piano than the guitar? Right; that proves you can make a great rockabilly song without the guitar taking front and center.
The Slap Bass
Well, it's got to be the bass then. A big stand-up bass fiddle played with a slapping, snapping style to originate lots of string noise and thus a rhythm. Indeed, it was this slap-bass style that enabled those early Elvis and Johnny Cash recordings to rock out fully even without drums. Yep; it's got to be the slap bass that gives the music the punch.
The Vocals
But wait; what about the vocals? Regularly the vocals are sparse with just a lead singer wailing away. The trademark hiccup style that so many rockabilly singers perfected is just the start. Total vocal abandon is surely what rockabilly's all about. A guy didn't have to have the greatest voice in the world, he just had to have good command of it and then let loose with no reservation and an overabundance of energy. A few well-placed screams, growls, moans, and other various vocal noises could surely ratchet a song up a notch or two. Yes, it must be the vocals that furnish the punch.
All of the Above!
So, what is it? From where does rockabilly music get its punch? Naturally, the write back is "all of the above" and more. Honestly, I think it's surely just the attitude, the energy, and the sincerity of the music that gives it such a punch. Rockabilly music is just good, pure fun. If you let yourself go with it and let rockabilly take you where it will, then either you can define the punch or not, you'll feel it! That's the charm of rockabilly music.
A Good Rockabilly Tune Delivers a Punch