Tag Archives: rocknroll

Let’s Rock ‘n Roll! – Joke

Nationality: Chinese-American
Age: 20
Occupation: Undergraduate Student at the University of Southern California
Residence: Icon Plaza Apartments in Los Angeles, CA
Language: Chinese

Text:

Let’s Rock ‘n Roll!

Context:

“We have this friend, [rREDACTED], who we met last year on set. He was DPing and one time before a shot, he said, ‘Okay guys. Let’s Rock ‘n Roll!’ We just thought it was so silly and corny because he just kept saying it: before starting a new shot, after breaks, and even outside of film contexts like before every ride at Disney Land. Sometimes we’d just be doing random stuff and he’d say ‘Let’s Rock ‘n Roll!’ and everyone will kinda groan in a teasing way. We now all quote him and our friend group’s name is ‘rock n roll.’ When someone uses ‘Let’s Rock ‘n Roll!’ ironically or unironically, we all know it’s kinda playing on his saying.”

Analysis:

“Let’s Rock ‘n Roll!” popularized with rock culture in the late 1900s and typically means “Let’s go have fun!” or “Let’s go!” The slang became more popular as it was commonly used in TV, shows, and radio. It makes sense that this friend would be well-aquainted with the phrase as he was a Director of Photography and their friend group consists of primarily University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts majors. It seems that the phrase originally started out as a proverb–based on modern icons–and eventually evolved in a joke on their in-group would understnad. Eventually, the joke seemed to progressed into a ritual where they say the phrase whenever the group does an activity regardless of this activity is “fun” or not.

Rock Climbing Safety

Nationality: American
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Language: English

Text:

“Dude on rock?”

“Rock on dude.”

Context:

The informant, TG, is originally from San Jose and grew up rock climbing at summer camp as a teenager. He explained that rock climbers must go through a safety procedure before they begin climbing. After all of the gear is properly equipped, the climber has a verbal exchange with person belaying them (this person controls the rope slack and tension to ensure the climber does not fall) that typically goes like this:

Climber: “On belay?”

Belayer: “Belay on.”

Climber: “Climbing.”

Belayer: “Climb on.”

[Climber begins climbing.]

TG said that this exchange is important because it signals that both people are ready and actively engaged to ensure proper safety. “Dude on rock?” / “Rock on dude” is a playful variation of this, and would take place immediately after “On belay?” / “Belay on.”

Analysis:

Rock climbing is an activity that comes with the inherent risk of serious injury. TG suggested that fun riffs on these safety procedures help the climbers to feel more casual and relaxed. The phrase is also a play on words, with rock’s double meanings as a solid mineral and as a music genre. Furthermore, TG grew up in close proximity to San Francisco, which was notable for its psychedelic rock and hippie culture during the 1960’s and 1970’s — hence the influence of the phrase “Rock on!”