General Discussion

kwassa

(23,340 posts)

43. I have a question. Why is it called "rockabilly" ?

Fri Jan 24, 2014, 12:49 AM

Jan 2014

Most of this retro 50s fashion has nothing to do with the music known as rockabilly. Is this just a current marketing tag?

I remember the first 50s retro craze. It was in the late 60s, resulting in the band Sha Na Na, which appeared at Woodstock, and also the tv show Happy Days.

I remember seeing furniture like this commanding high prices in retro shops on Melrose Avenue in LA in the late '80s, including that oval TV set seen in one of the pictures in the OP. It was cool stuff, but real rockabillys were from poor backgrounds and never owned things like this. I was a fan of the Stray Cats back then, too, speaking of earlier revivals.

I still have an Eddie Cochran album I bought in the early 70s.

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Highlight:

Rockabilly community - people living like it's 1951 [View all] Liberal_in_LA Jan 2014 OP

Pleasantville sakabatou Jan 2014 #1

with color Liberal_in_LA Jan 2014 #2

may be color but the dominant tone is still white CBGLuthier Jan 2014 #65

Hope they aren't eating Pleasantville breakfasts: Ken Burch Jan 2014 #21

Ah yes... Lithos Jan 2014 #3

that's a beautiful car but I would like to see a seatbelt installed... if she drives it Liberal_in_LA Jan 2014 #5

Very few people could have afforded that car. Most cars were Cleita Jan 2014 #11

looks like a ranchero frylock Jan 2014 #12

I remember when cars had a rope strung across the front seats for those roguevalley Jan 2014 #17

Rock-a-Billy didn't come in to the pop scene til about 1954. Pyrzqxgl Jan 2014 #4

oops Liberal_in_LA Jan 2014 #6

Buddy Holly is credited with that. dipsydoodle Jan 2014 #64

White socks and all, the guy in #4 is kinda hot. nolabear Jan 2014 #7

I really love this style laundry_queen Jan 2014 #8

Didn't drinks come in bottles in the 1950s? femmocrat Jan 2014 #9

There were steel cans - you had to use the pointy end of a bottle opener csziggy Jan 2014 #22

My dad's Schlitz came in bottles at home Warpy Jan 2014 #26

Returnable bottles were by far the most common delivery system. MADem Jan 2014 #37

Millers Lite came out in the early seventies. Cleita Jan 2014 #41

"Miller High Life" was "The Champagne of Bottled Beers." MADem Jan 2014 #46

Millers High Life has bee around since probably the century before last. Cleita Jan 2014 #47

The beer can in the first picture is an anachronism. MADem Jan 2014 #50

It's disturbing when you had to live the real deal Cleita Jan 2014 #52

Think of it more as a social club around a shared interest--these guys aren't going to MADem Jan 2014 #60

I was served a beer in one of those glasses last week at a restaurant. progressoid Jan 2014 #51

How very...European! MADem Jan 2014 #61

It wouldn't have been a Miller Lite, either jmowreader Jan 2014 #53

I think thats a Miller Light and Miller Light didn't exist in the 50's notadmblnd Jan 2014 #68

I was eleven then and I wouldn't want to go back. Cleita Jan 2014 #10

I do miss lunch counters Warpy Jan 2014 #29

One thing I do miss is we didn't have homeless then. We had poor people Cleita Jan 2014 #30

Same here. Even the winos in Boston Warpy Jan 2014 #32

They locked a lot of those people up, involuntarily, in mental wards. MADem Jan 2014 #40

I've had this conversation here before and today those same homeless go to Cleita Jan 2014 #45

You aren't going to hear any arguments from me. MADem Jan 2014 #48

I don't want to tell others how to be happy, but it works for me. Jetboy Jan 2014 #13

So what do you think of the racism and misogyny of the era? n/t Cleita Jan 2014 #14

What do you think of the racism and misogyny of THIS era? n/t Jetboy Jan 2014 #16

Actually, we are doing something about it now instead of forcing women to Cleita Jan 2014 #18

Of course no one was working hard for progress back then. eye roll n/t Jetboy Jan 2014 #25

They weren't. That didn't happen until the sixties. Cleita Jan 2014 #28

That's a pretty big slap in the face to all of the civil rights workers from the 1950s. Jetboy Jan 2014 #31

I never saw it until the sixties. Cleita Jan 2014 #33

None of what you've said in this thread has anything to do with '50s fashion, music, cars, decor or Jetboy Jan 2014 #35

As a woman who had to wear fifties fashion, which was very Cleita Jan 2014 #38

Other people in this thead enjoy their mid century furniture. Jetboy Jan 2014 #58

You are at least using dial up right?> snooper2 Jan 2014 #71

Did you notice the lack of a girdles and hosiery? Egalitarian Thug Jan 2014 #62

I have a question. Why is it called "rockabilly" ? kwassa Jan 2014 #43

Good question. Its part marketing and part self described international subculture. The Midway Rebel Jan 2014 #54

Spot on especially regarding England's role in keeping it alive and also Jetboy Jan 2014 #57

People go crazy for authentic 1950s items whether they are clothes, cars, furniture Jetboy Jan 2014 #56

In this era, you have rights I do not have. You promote public figures who oppose Bluenorthwest Jan 2014 #70

What public figures? I promote no one. Cleita Jan 2014 #72

Like being back in my Grandma's house--she had that chrome table! TwilightGardener Jan 2014 #15

My grandma's house had VICTORIAN furniture.... MADem Jan 2014 #44

Retro? Hell, my kitchen is still from the fifties. postulater Jan 2014 #19

so THAT's who is hoarding all the mid-century furniture! grasswire Jan 2014 #20

That mid-century modern furniture is too cool! cyberswede Jan 2014 #23

Interesting concept... NaturalHigh Jan 2014 #24

I could finally listen to all Sleepy, all the time! MannyGoldstein Jan 2014 #27

I prefer psychobilly jollyreaper2112 Jan 2014 #34

I kind of like the style of clothes, furniture, and cars from back then but no way in hell liberal_at_heart Jan 2014 #36

Not alcohol maybe. Alcohol yes. Cleita Jan 2014 #39

A lot of them were on "uppers", too. Ken Burch Jan 2014 #49

I love midcentury modern styling. tammywammy Jan 2014 #42

Agreed - I love Mid-Century design sweetloukillbot Jan 2014 #55

How camp... defacto7 Jan 2014 #59

If they are having fun, good. They aren't hurting anyone. nt Demo_Chris Jan 2014 #63

I had my whole house done in this style. zabet Jan 2014 #66

I really love that style! nt Raine Jan 2014 #67

I like that kitchen table and chairs. Kingofalldems Jan 2014 #69