Certain folks warned us not to go and see this show but I’m going anyway, are you kidding? Anything that sounds this nasty is right in my wheelhouse. Link Wray was playing this back in the 50’s. Can you imagine? It scared so many people it got banned. Anything this good was going to get heard and it was. Man am I glad about that.
– Link Wray Live! – Rumble – Cincinnati Babyhead
This raw and untamed ‘iconic’ instrumental was rejogged to my memory from a recent article by blogger colleague Cincinnati Babyhead. Upon hearing the live version he posted I immediately recognised the tune from the Pulp Fiction soundtrack. It appears in the Uncomfortable Silence scene at Jack Rabbit Slim’s and is tucked away in Collector’s edition bonus tracks. I always thought it was just a grandiose reverb sound that sounded way-cool, and that was that. Heck, I didn’t even know it had a title. So when I read CB‘s article I was surprised to learn a little about the legacy of Runaway.
Most of the remaining information was extracted or paraphrased from various Wikipedia articles:
Rumble is an instrumental by American group Link Wray & His Wray Men. Released in the United States on March 31, 1958, as a single (with “The Swag” as a B-side), Rumble utilized the techniques of distortion and tremolo, then largely unexplored in rock and roll. In 2018, the song was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a new category for singles and inducted to National Recording Registry by Library of Congress.
It’s remarkable to consider that such a brazened and indelible tune was born in 1958, during an era when rock ‘n’ roll was still in its infancy. Fred Lincoln “Link” Wray Jr. (1929 – 2005). a Native American guitarist known for his innovative playing style, composed the song almost by accident. The track was conceived during a live performance at a dance in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Wray’s band was playing a cover of “The Stroll” by The Diamonds when a spontaneous instrumental break led to the creation of a gritty, blues-infused riff that captivated the audience. The song’s title, Rumble, was suggested by a member of the audience, who noted that the music evoked the feeling of a gang fight. Wray’s manager, Fred Lincoln “Link” Wray Sr., recognized the potential of this raw, powerful sound and urged the band to record it.
Rumble became a massive success. It climbed to number 16 on the Billboard chart, an impressive feat for an instrumental track. It was banned from several radio stations across the United States for its perceived association with juvenile delinquency and gang violence, even though it had no lyrics. This ban, ironically, only fueled the song’s mystique and popularity among rebellious teenagers. The innovative use of power chords and distortion, made it a forerunner of the heavy metal and punk rock genres.
References:
1. Link Wray Live! – Rumble – Cincinnati Babyhead
2. Rumble (instrumental) – Wikipedia
3. Link Wray – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
That raw guitar sound is cool for sure. It’s almost like an early version of garage rock without vocals.
I adored hearing it in Pulp, but when CB posted the live version which was even grittier and more nasty and it had a ‘name’ and everything, I knew it had to be in the collection. I like your description ‘early version of garage rock without vocals’. Cheers Christian.
Good piece Matt. You dug into some interesting history. We pick up new music, revisit stuff from our listening past etc. Bottom line is we are music lovers and share that feeling and experiences. Lets “Rumble”.
I am just grateful you gave this awesome ‘sound’ a name and a band otherwise I would have just thought it was a cool reverb sound from the movie. That live version you posted is just so bad! lol Cheers CB
You have a very eclectic mix on your site. I applaud your open mindedness to music of all kinds.
Thanks CB. That’s so kind of you.
Rumbling, churning like a runaway train…nice…