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There are no wrong answers. All answers will help with my project.
Those who lived through the 50s, what particular song stands out in your memory as THE one that epitomizes R&R.
This is a project assignment for my nursing home Activities Director.
TIA
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Anything by Little Richard
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Chubby Checker "The Twist"
EDIT: Oops, that was a wrong answer. Apparently "The Twist" was released in July 1960. I assume you want songs written or performed in the 50s. Time to think again...
Last edited by Matt Finley; 05/31/12 07:39 PM.
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"Rock Around the Clock." Certainly not the best, or my favorite, but... well, it was in a movie that all the white kids saw, so... 
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I can't narrow it down to just one! There were so many great songs from the Fifties! Short list of records my older sister played over and over and drove my parents crazy and made me want to be a musician.
Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
Rocket 88 - Jackie Brenston
Lawdy Miss Clawdy - Lloyd Price
Money Honey - Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter
I've Got A Woman - Ray Charles
Maybellene - Chuck Berry
Be-Bop-A-Lula - Gene Vincent
Great Balls Of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis
Yakety Yak - Coasters
Love Potion No. 9 - Clovers
Mack The Knife - Bobby Darin
What'd I Say - Ray Charles
Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran
Rocking Pneumonia & the Boogie Woogie Flu - Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns
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Hi Don,
Here's my choice (and 3 extras) along with my reasons.
Didn't do the 50's teenage thing (dances, etc.); I'm not old enough. But I'm responding because the 1950's is my favorite musical decade (narrowly over the 1960's). Ironically, for me, that's because of the NON-rock 'n' roll records (many of which I think are brilliant) coupled with the energy and the great songwriting of the rock 'n' roll explosion.
Doo-***** (vocal harmony) has become my favorite genre, period.
Anyway, since you said there are no wrong answers... (!!!)
My first choice is fairly obscure (already a bad move), came late (1959), was not that big a hit (#35 Billboard peak), and is by a Canadian to boot. Though recorded in 1958, it sounds like 1956 to my ears.
It is, I think, my favorite rockabilly recording and definitely one of my all-time Top 40 recordings.
"The Way I Walk" by Jack Scott (Jack wrote the song too!)
Here are some things to recommend this record.
It's raw. Incredibly, the released version is a demo. They tried to do the "real" version, but gave up, as they couldn't match the feel of the demo. (That's ROCK 'N' ROLL!)
I much prefer the mono version of this recording to the stereo version. (I got the Jack Scott Bear Family boxed set maybe 5 years ago because of this recording. Although he had some giant hits, the boxed set is entitled "The Way I Walk", so there are others who think this is a great record.)
This record has ATTITUDE. If possible, he out-cools Elvis, and that's not easy.
("The way I walk is just the way I walk" (!!!))
It has a fantastic sax part and a fantastic guitar part (both staples of 1950's rock 'n' roll.) Bonus points for the standup acoustic bass (played by Stan Getz)!
The background vocals are perfection! The Chantones (blind Canadian guys) came up with something that is the equal of anything the Jordanaires ever did, and I've become a major fan of the Jordanaires!
Jack Scott's "The Way I Walk" has become one of my all-time Top 40 recordings.
"Rock Around The Clock" Bill Haley and the Comets (1953, #1 Billboard (1955), #1 record of 1955)
I'm tired of this, but I think it deserves consideration for a couple of reasons.
The first is its obvious historical importance to rock 'n' roll.
The second is that, given the importance of the guitar to the advent of rock 'n' roll, this recording has one of the greatest guitar solo's ever put down. Absolutely blistering. That fact that it stands up 59 years after it was recorded is astonishing.
It's easy to miss it today, given everyone's (over)familiarity with "Rock Around The Clock".
"Rock Around The Clock" is, after all, the only song to open 2 major feature films ("Blackboard Jungle" and "American Graffiti")!
My next suggestion will probably be summarily dismissed because it will be considered pop and not rock 'n' roll. Based on reading and listening, I believe in the context of that time (not now) this is incorrect. Also, it's late to the party (1959).
"Lipstick On Your Collar" Connie Francis
Here are some things to recommend it.
It's a story song, about a record hop (a 1950's staple) and it's a dance record to boot.
It's a major hit ( million seller, #5 Billboard) by a major 1950's FEMALE recording artist whose recordings were aimed at teenagers. (I think it's Connie Francis' finest recording.) The stereo version is excellent.
(Tiny reason) You can't help but laugh at the way the record begins and reflect on the lyric calling card years later of four lads from Liverpool.
(Big reason) "Lipstick On Your Collar" has the most amazing guitar solo (!!!), so it has the same guitar argument that "Rock Around The Clock" did.
(personal) George Barnes guitar solo is my all-time favorite. Not Hendrix. Not Clapton. Not Chet or James Burton. Not Les Paul. George Barnes. This one is a complete counter-melody (and it's a good one!) of chords and single notes. When you listen to it, you can clearly hear (if you're a musician) when the solo will end. There's not enough time. It sounds like he's stuck, and then he machine guns in a bunch of notes at the last instant (and they are beautiful notes)!
A couple of years ago Eric Clapton released his autobiography and I got it. In the book he mentioned George Barnes' guitar solo in "Lipstick On My Collar", among others, as guitar solos he admired and was influenced by.
The fact that he knew the name of the guitarist was telling. It took me a couple of decades (pre-internet) to find out who did it.
("Lipstick On My Collar" is one of my all-time Top 40 recordings.)
Finally,
"Sweet Little Sixteen" Chuck Berry
To me, Chuck rivals Elvis for importance in the early history of rock 'n' roll. This 1958 recording (#2 Billboard, not a million seller then) is my favorite by Chuck.
The preceding guitar argument applies (in a different form, his general guitar artistry).
The story song form and that fact that Chuck wrote it.
The fact that the story is about the 1950's rock 'n' roll youth culture.
The stops. A staple of great rock 'n' roll (and dance) records.
The influence. ("Surfing USA" was the Beach Boys' first million seller.)
("Sweet Little Sixteen" is one of my all-time Top 40 recordings.)
Probably a thousand good suggestions for you Don. But these are mine.
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Don.
It's quite simple - it has to be BLUE SUEDE SHOES!
ROG.
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Many music historians point the finger at either the Lionel Hampton band of the early 50s, or Louis Jordan and the Tympani Five as being where it all started.
IMO, the Rock 'n Roll idiom owes quite a bit to the Pentacostal and COGIC musicians of the previous decade as well.
--Mac
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Wow! You folks are wonderful! Excellent choices, all. Keep 'em coming.
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Good Golly Miss Mollie!!!
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First artist in mind was Chuck Berry (never cared much for Elvis in the early years)
and song would be "Johnny B. Goode" - his guitar riffs defined that era's rock and roll.
Ian
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Runaround Sue, Dion and the Belmonts Just good old fashioned fun.
Andrew Lloyd
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Anything by Chuck Berry. I ruined all of my early Berry albums trying to learn his leads. You old guys know what I’m talking about, needle on-scratch-needle off–scratch. IMHO if Chuck Berry were white he would have been the king of Rock and Rock.
Rumble by Link Ray is another biggie on my list.
As is Summertime Blues by Eddie Cochran.
There are a ton of others, rock, blues and jazz, that I like in that era as the 50s and 60s were the best years for music for me.
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.
>>...IMO, the Rock 'n Roll idiom owes quite a bit to the Pentacostal and COGIC musicians of the previous decade as well...>>>
I have never heard of COGIC as a type of music. Are there any examples on Youtube that illustrate this style?
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Quote:
IMO, the Rock 'n Roll idiom owes quite a bit to the Pentacostal and COGIC musicians of the previous decade as well.
Having been raised in that tradition, I agree. Music was never dull. Elvis and a whole lot of others came from the Pentecostal churches and brought their music with them.
Don S.
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I was born in 54 so was pretty much a little kid through out the 50's, but there is one song that sticks out as one I use to play all the time on an old record player I had.
Hound-Dog by Elvis Presley.
Tim
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Tim, I'm considerably older than you but that one evokes wonderful memories. I tried to nail down Scotty Moore's guitar break.
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Quote:
.
>>...IMO, the Rock 'n Roll idiom owes quite a bit to the Pentacostal and COGIC musicians of the previous decade as well...>>>
I have never heard of COGIC as a type of music. Are there any examples on Youtube that illustrate this style?
COGIC = Church of God in Christ
Although the modern stuff you might find on places like YouTube nowadays is nothing like what I'm talking about that occurred in the immediate post WWII era. As with all living languages, for better or worse it has moved on as successive generations practiced the art, just like with R&R, R&B, or any other genre.
If you can find some of the old stuff, you will find that the licks, riffs, rhythms, etc. are pretty much identical to a lot of the same in early Rock 'n Roll.
--Mac
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How ironic . . . I played a Oldies Party today and here was my playlist in no particular order: The Great Pretender Only You Blue Berry Hill The Valley of Tears Feel So Good (Shirley & Lee) Blue Monday My Girl White Sport Coat Spanish Harlem When You Dance Midnight Hour Then You Can Tell Me Goodby The Sea of Love Pledging My Love Twisting The Night Away My Prayer My Happyiness Who's Sorry Now When A Man Loves A Woman You Must Know I love You Shake Rattle & Roll Maybelline He Don't Love You The Glory of Love Mack The Knife Mother In Law (Ernie K-Doe New Orleans artist) Lost in The 50's Still of the Night Earth Angel OK . . . I know not all from the 50's but don't tell my audience as I left them believing they were all 50's tunes.  later,
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Wow, Danny! What a wonderful playlist! You musta played several hours with that list. I think some of those were 60s but I won't tell anyone.
"Thanks for the memories!" -- Bob Hope
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