1956 Songs: See You Later, Alligator

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How about another song that’s 70 years old now! Some of these songs definitely sound dated, and some of them are timeless. This one is a little bit of both: hokey, certainly, but if I could still roller skate I’d be out there dancing to it. Here’s today’s song. See You Later, Alligator - Bill Haley and His Comets This big hit version is a cover. It was originally written by Robert Guidry, a Louisiana musician who also contributed Fats Domino’s great “Walking to New Orleans” as a songwriter. Guidry originally recorded it as “Later, Alligator,” using the stage name of Bobby Charles (his first and middle names). Back in ‘52, when Guidry did it, the song was pushed more as a “rhythm and blues” song (although Guidry was white). Then along came rock and roll, rockabilly, “rock-billy,” or whatever they called it. Nobody knew what to do with it. I mean, look at the video clip, and you see a guy playing steel guitar! I’ve mentioned in previous discussions how Bill Haley was resentful of how he was treated for his contributions to the advent of rock and roll’s popularity. Guidry, in contrast, was quite happy with his status in the background, a “regional” musician (although he is in the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame), and lived a good life with those royalties. He died in 2010 at the age of 71. The two never met, as best as I can tell, but they did team up for an unforgettable classic. See You Later, Alligator Written by Robert Guidry Recorded by Bill Haley and His Comets Released as a single, 1956 Nearly made me lose my head: