We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
Ike Turner died last week, as you all know. This 1951 version of Rocket 88, sung by Jackie Brenston with Ike Turner on guitar, is widely considered to have been the first Rock and Roll song (h/t, Grow a Brain):
It's a good song, but the first identifiably rock'n'roll song, for my money, is Louis Jordan's "Ain't That Just Like A Woman (They'll Do It Every Time.)" Listen to the opening guitar lick and tell me where Chuck Berry got it.
Interesting list of 1940s roots-rock songs at Digital Dream Door: http://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_songs40s.html