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Clip description
This 30-second clip from 'Eagle Rock’ includes the start of the song and most of the first verse. It features the song’s arresting opening – ‘Now listen!’ – and the infectious guitar riff.
Curator’s notes
Ross Wilson came up with the memorable opening riff while practising his guitar picking – trying to play like John Lee Hooker. The title came next – after Wilson spotted a picture in a Sunday paper from the early 20th Century of African Americans dancing in a juke joint. The image was captioned ‘cutting the pigeon wing and doing the eagle rock’. The song grew from there.
Wilson was also inspired by 1920s and ‘30s Mississipi country blues and ragtime – a guitar version of a ragtime piano. The cheery, good-natured feel of the record harks back to the doo-wop bands of the 1950s and ensured its enduring popularity.
In 2001, APRA declared ‘Eagle Rock’ runner-up for best Australian song of all time, second only to Friday on My Mind (1966) by the Easybeats.
