MU106 Great Composers
Sixties British Songwriters
"Rock with the Caveman"
Songwriters: Lionel Bart, Mike Pratt, Tommy SteelePublisher(s): Robbins Music Corporation, Ltd.
Musicians: Tommy Steele (vocals and guitar) with Ronnie Scott (tenor sax), Major Holly (or Benny Green, stand-up slap bass), Dave Lee (piano), Kirk Dunning (drums), and an unidentified electric guitarist.
YouTube: Montage of images related to the recording (some tenuously)
Date of Recording: 24 September 1956
Location of Recording: Decca Recording Studios, Hampstead (#3)
Date of Release: early October 1956
Label and Number: Decca F10795
Charts: 26 October 1956; UK #13
Producer: Hugh Mendl
Music Director / Arranger: Roland Shaw
Engineer(s): Arthur Lilley
Other Information:
Tommy Steele (Leigh 1996: n.p.): Lionel [Bart] was writing a lot of songs for the Billy Cotton Band Show and he wanted to get into the records. We were called the Cavemen and we played country songs and comedy. Our theme song was "Rock with the Caveman" and it was a joke, a spoof, the sort of thing Monty Python might have done, or the two Ronnies.
Lionel Bart (Oldham 2000: 24): Tommy Steele was my way in. All Tommy was doing was copying Bill Haley. When we made "Rock with the Caveman," we were at Decca no. 3 studio. I didn't really write music, so I didn't have any parts. There was Ronnie Scott, Dave Lee and Benny Green in this little control room, along with Tommy, his mum, dad and the dog..., and no band parts. We had a tea break and the boys, being jazz musicians, improvised an instrumental, which was pretty good — it was all done like that. Three days later the thing was a package and it was a hit. It wasn't easy; I was very lucky to be in the right place at the right time.
Lyrics
a. The old time cave dweller lived in a cave. This is what he did when he wanted a rave; Took a stick and he drew on the wall. Man I've heard he had himself a ball.
b1. Rock with the caveman; roll with the caveman; shake with the caveman; Baby, make with the caveman (oh boy), bake (?) with the caveman; Stalactite, stalagmite, hold your baby very tight.
c. His way with women was rather neat; love a girl right off her feet. You know the lyric writers never lied, where they got the saying "starry eyed."
b2. Rock with the caveman; roll with the caveman; shake with the caveman; Break with the caveman (ooo oh boy), make with the caveman; Stalactite, stalagmite, hold your baby very tight.
d. Piltdown pauper sings this song, "Archeology's done me wrong." British Museum's got my head. Most unfortunate, 'cause I ain't dead.
e. C. A. V. E. M. A. N. CAVEMAN!
Form
| Section | Meas. | Text | Description |
| verse | 4+4 | a | vocal solo over stop-time ensemble > continuous time |
| chorus | 12 | b | vocal with ensemble |
| verse | 4+4 | c | vocal solo over stop-time ensemble > continuous time |
| chorus | 12 | b | vocal with ensemble |
| verse | 18 | -- | saxophone solo |
| verse | 4+4 | d | vocal solo over stop-time ensemble > continuous time |
| chorus | 12 | b | vocal with ensemble |
| coda | 2 | e | vocal and ensemble punctuation |