Sock hop

Sock hop at Shimer College, Illinois, in 1948

A sock hop or sox hop, often also called a record hop[1]: 199  or just a hop, was an informal (but officially organized) dance event for teenagers in mid-20th-century North America, featuring popular music.

The term sock hop came about because dancers were required to remove their shoes to protect the varnished floor of the gymnasium.[1]: 200 

History

Sock hops were held as early as 1944 by the American Junior Red Cross to raise funds during World War II.[2] They then became a fad among American teenagers in 1948.[3] Sock hops were commonly held at high schools and other educational institutions, often in the school gymnasium or cafeteria.

Students removing their shoes for a sock hop.

The music at a sock hop was usually played from vinyl records, sometimes presented by a disc jockey.[1]: 200  Occasionally there were live bands. In later years, "hops" became strongly associated with the 1950s and early rock and roll.[1]: 200  "At the Hop", a song by Danny & the Juniors that debuted in 1957, names many popular and novelty dances and otherwise documented what occurred at a hop.[1]: 199–200 

In subsequent decades, with the widespread popularity of sneakers and other types of indoors-only footwear, the practice of removing shoes was dropped. The term then came to be applied more generally to any informal dance for teenagers.[4]

Revival

The term caught on in England in the late 1970s during a British rockabilly revival, led by groups like The Stray Cats. "Life Begins at the Hop", a song celebrating sock hops, became the first charting single for XTC.[5] The Owl City song "Fireflies" makes reference to the sock hop in the second verse.

See also

  • Sokkie - a similar idea in South Africa
  • School dance - modern incarnation of sock hops, shoes typically being mandatory for safety purposes (to avoid slipping and falling, shoe theft, etc.)
  • Prom - formal school dance in North American high schools, usually held for seniors (and sometimes juniors in a 'junior prom') at the end of the school year
  • Social dance
  • Bobby soxer

References

  1. ^ a b c d e McBride, Tom; Nief, Ron (2014). The Mindset List of the Obscure: 74 Famously Forgotten Icons from A to Z. Sourcebooks. ISBN 9781402293474.
  2. ^ "Juniors to Hold Important Jobs in War Fund Drive". Evening Star. Washington, DC. 1944-02-27. p. 37.
  3. ^ "Teen-Agers". Life. 1948-12-20. p. 67.
  4. ^ Partridge, Eric (2006). The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English. Routledge. p. 1811. ISBN 9780415259385.
  5. ^ Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2001). All Music Guide: The Definitive Guide to Popular Music. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 425. ISBN 0879306270.