The song is told from the point of view of a teenager who comes home early from a date, and catches her parents attempting to dance to one of her rock and roll records; only, having no frame of reference, the couple tries to waltz to the music.
The Kay Starr recording of the song, made in 1955, reached number one on the Billboard singles chart in 1956, staying there for six weeks.
[3] She had a number of lesser chart entries on RCA Victor in 1955, including "Good and Lonesome" and "Turn Right".
At first, she thought it was a joke when the A&R staff at RCA Victor brought it to her, it was a marked departure from what she usually recorded.
[3][5] Other artists who recorded this song include Ann-Margret (in 1962), Annette Funicello (in 1961), Lawrence Welk and His Champagne Music with Alice Lon on vocals (in 1956, Coral EC 81128), and George Wright in his 1984 album Red Hot and Blue.