6-3-1956

[953 nut 55,825]

 

                                    6-3-1956

Rock and roll is banned in Santa Cruz, California

In the early months of the rock-and-roll revolution, in fact, at a time when adult authorities around the country were struggling to come to terms with a booming population of teenagers with vastly different musical tastes and attitudes, Santa Cruz captured national attention for its response to the crisis. On June 3, 1956, city authorities announced a total ban on rock and roll at public gatherings, calling the music “Detrimental to both the health and morals of our youth and community.” 

It was a dance party the previous evening that led to this reaction on the part of Santa Cruz authorities. Some 200 teenagers had packed the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium on a Saturday night to dance to the music of Chuck Higgins and his Orchestra, a Los Angeles group with a regional hit record called “Pachuko Hop.” Santa Cruz police entered the auditorium just past midnight to check on the event, and what they found, according to Lieutenant Richard Overton, was a crowd “engaged in suggestive, stimulating and tantalizing motions induced by the provocative rhythms of an all-***** band.” But what might sound like a pretty great dance party to some did not to Lt. Overton, who immediately shut the dance down and sent the disappointed teenagers home early

It may seem obvious now that Santa Cruz’s ban on “Rock-and-roll and other forms of frenzied music” was doomed to fail, but it was hardly the only such attempt. Just two weeks later in its June 18, 1956 issue, Time magazine reported on similar bans recently enacted in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and in San Antonio, Texas, where the city council’s fear of “undesirable elements” echoed the not-so-thinly-veiled concerns of Santa Cruz authorities over the racially integrated nature of the event that prompted the rock-and-roll ban issued on this day in 1956.

[AMC RULES 37,134]

  Well, yeah...  

look what they were doing. 

[953 nut 55,825]

15 minutes ago, AMC RULES said:

look what they were doing.

That is rather tame compared to ABC's "Dancing With The Stars". Of course 60 years ago it was a bit risque.

[rmaynard 15,610]

And this guy is not focusing on his dance partner...

 

[AMC RULES 37,134]

Think that's the thousand yard stare...

everyone talks about.  

[clueless 3,012]

Chuck Higgins and his Orchestra ROCK!!!!

 

Chris in Florida.

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,353]

1 hour ago, AMC RULES said:

Think that's the thousand yard stare...

everyone talks about.  

No that is "sneak a peek " an age old male tradition .

[AMC RULES 37,134]

You mean, an age old, or...

an old male tradition?  

[roadapples 6,983]

Grew up with rock & roll and loved it. But I guess I`m showing my age when I say it seems things have really gone down hill in recent years...

[SPINJIM 1,981]

At least we could understand the words to the Rock & Roll songs of the late 50s and 60s.    I still sing along with the 'oldies' because I still remember the words from sixty years ago.    I just can't remember where I left my keys this morning.

    Jim

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,353]

 You mentioned understanding words ,my wife recently commented that she  now knows new country singers and the words to the their songs but rock and roll was now a foreign language. I lost a cup of coffee while typing this.

4 hours ago, AMC RULES said:

You mean, an age old, or...

an old male tradition?  

It is an any age male tradition.

[953 nut 55,825]

7 hours ago, rmaynard said:

guy is not focusing on his dance partner

I wondered how long it would take for some one to catch that.  

4 hours ago, roadapples said:

Grew up with rock & roll and loved it. But I guess I`m showing my age when I say it seems things have really gone down hill in recent years...

I still love it, the satellite radio in my wife's car is on 50s on 5 all the time and we have a god "Oldies" (hate that term but love the music) station in out little town.  

1 hour ago, SPINJIM said:

we could understand the words to the Rock & Roll songs of the late 50s and 60s.

With the possible exception of "Leuie Leuie"  

[DougC 2,641]

9 hours ago, rmaynard said:

And this guy is not focusing on his dance partner...

 

 

NAILED IT BOB..... LMAO   THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WOULD BE ........