If we are now concerned about the influence of sexy R&B clips, in the 1950s it was rock 'n' roll that threatened morality.
In the 1950s, a new kind of music came over from America:rock 'n roll. Adults reacted strongly to it:they were afraid that young people would break loose because of the exciting rock 'n' roll music. The lyrics were often sexually charged and the girl's skirt went up during dancing! And then the name, rock 'n' roll, which would even be a symbol for the sex act.
The fears of parents and the authorities were not entirely unfounded. The youngsters also did a bit of slacking. The American music film ‘Rock around the Clock’ with Bill Haley, for example, caused enormous excitement throughout the Netherlands in 1956. Even in the cinema, young people imitated the dance moves from the film.
Once outside, they were completely unstoppable, also due to the presence of the police. Riots broke out, for example in Leeuwarden. Young people here pelted agents with ice and flower pots, after which the mayor banned further showing of the film. In Gouda, the youth could only see the film without sound and the mayor of Apeldoorn banned the film altogether. Young people then occupied the mayor's house and the police station.
With the end of the movie, the excitement didn't end. Rock 'n' roll star Elvis Presley's sexy hip movements have given many parents sleepless nights. Although few Dutch people still owned a television and could therefore see images of Elvis, they knew:this should be banned!