Big Joe Turner’s 1954 original of “Shake, Rattle and Roll” was a milestone in blues and early rock'n'roll. It topped the R&B charts for 12 weeks. The lyrics were quite risqué for the time, so Haley’s and later Elvis Presley’s covers cleaned them up for mainstream audiences. Haley’s 1954 version (with Bill Haley & the Comets) hit #7 pop, helping launch rock's mainstream explosion.