why do they call it rock and roll?

Answer 1

Because Roll and Rock sounded silly

Answer 2

The term "rock and roll" was originally a nautical term which has been used by sailors for centuries. It refers to the rock (fore and aft motion) and roll (sideways motion) of a ship. The expression can be found in English literature going back to the 1600's, always referring to boats and ships.* The term entered black spiritual music in the 1800's, but with a religious meaning, and was first recorded as such on a phonograph in 1916, in a minstrel recording of black gospel on the Little Wonder record label called "The Camp Meeting Jubilee." Scroll to record # 339 on that link and you will hear:

We've been rockin' an' rolling in your arms,
Rockin' and rolling in your arms,
Rockin' and rolling in your arms,
In the arms of Moses.

Answer 3

Well Rock n Roll was from blues and it's a reference to sex. Rock n Roll music in it's early stages was just blues songs that were "cleaned" up for white suburban audiences. Alan Freed is the one who coined the term for the music, he was a DJ in Clevland.
What's really funny is sometimes the songs weren't entirely cleaned up yet no one caught on. White people are stupid lol. (psst. before you call me rascist, I'm white and it's just a joke.)
The song "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" was originally by Bill Turner and the entire song was about sex, but Bill Haley and the Comets cleaned it up, except for one line which was the dirtiest of the whole song, yet no one caught on to it's meaning!
The line is "I'm like a one-eyed cat peekin' in a seafood store"
Can you believe no one caught that?! It's right after the instrumental part if you want to listen for it (around 1 minute and 30 seconds into the song).

Answer 4

This is just cut and paste work from wikipedia, but here goes.

In 1951, Cleveland, Ohio, disc jockey Alan Freed began playing this type of music for a multi-racial audience, and it is Freed who is credited with coining the phrase "rock and roll" to describe the rollicking R&B music that he brought to the airwaves. Freed also organized rock and roll shows attended by both whites and blacks, further helping to introduce African-American musical styles to a wider audience.

Answer 5

why do they call WHAT rock and roll? many things are reffered as rock and roll... and i don't know why. rock because of electric guitars and roll because of the feeling. thank you very much!