Songs to Remember

There's a lot of debate as to when the term 'rock 'n' roll was first coined and who gave the style of music a name. A lot of people think it was notable disc jockey Alan Freed in the 1950's, but prior to that in the 1940's, air plane mechanics may have used the term rockin' and rollin' to describe when their engines were working perfectly. They started to use the term when they were doing a fast dance on the dance floor. After the war they brought the term home with them.

Moreover, in 1948, blues singer Wynonie Harris made a song called "Good Rockin' Tonight." But even before that the term was used in a 1939 song called "Rockin and Rollin' Mama" by Buddy Jones.

But I think it can safely be said that Alan Freed and singer/songwriter Bill Haley of Bill Haley and the Comets popularized the term in the 1950s. Freed did it while using the term rock and roll as he broadcasted the R&B style of music from his highly influential radio station in New York City. Haley did it with his huge hit "Rock Around The Clock."

An odd fact about Rock Around the Clock is that it was not very well accepted here in the United States when it was first released in 1954. Then, came along a movie about juvenile delinquents in 1955 starring Glenn Ford, Sidney Poitier, and Vic Morrow. The production company used Rock Around The Clock as its theme song. The movie was a big hit and so was the song.

I recall in the 1980s a television interview with Antoine Dominique "Fats" Domino done in the 1950s. The interview was part of a History of Rock and Roll. A reporter asked a young Fats about the term rock 'n' roll and here is a paraphrase of what the great singer/songwriter said:

"We've been playing rock and roll in New Orleans for about 15 years now. But we call it rhythm and blues."

And while I love "Rock Around the Clock," the song considered by many to be the first rock 'n' roll song is "Rocket 88," by Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats. It came out in 1951. Interestingly, Ike Turner, of Ike and Tina Turner fame, was playing the rockin' piano on the tune. This one gets my top billing for a favorite song.

The decade of the1950s is characterized by the growing and evolving sound of rock 'n' roll. There were some early songs that were categorized as rock, later called "rockabilly. Songs by Hank Williams, Hank Snow, Lefty Frizzell, and Red Foley to name a few. There are a lot of songs from 1950 that I like, but I think I will limit it to five that stand out to me:

The Fat Man by Fats Domino
I'm Movin' On by Hank Snow
If You've Got The Money I've Got the Time by Lefty Frizzell
Chicken Blues by the Dominoes
And last but not least,
Safronia B by Calvin Boze

The top songs in 1951 are not necesarily what we today would consider rock songs, but still I like a lot of them, but for brevity's sake I am only listing 5. Remember, these are my top 5. Musicologists base their choices for songs during a particular decade based on if it was new or different, what was its effect on society, and did it play an important role in music development. My choices, based strictly on my own feeling as to whether I lked the beat or the words, the melody or all of them.

Sixty Minute Man by Billy Ward and his Dominoes (a classic)
Rocket 88 (already mentioned) by Jackie Brenston
I'm In The Mood by John Lee Hooker
Sentimental Journey by Les Brown and The Ames Brothers
Tell Me Why by The Four Aces

Depending on which chart you look at the top songs will be different. If you look at a strictly R&B chart for 1952 you will see less pop tunes such as that sang by Perry Como, Dinah Shore or Tony Bennett. But you will see some songs by Hank Williams and Les Paul and Mary Ford.

My songs for 1952 are:
Heart and Soul by the Four Aces
Unforgettable by Nat King Cole
The Glow Worm by the Mills Brothers
Lawdy Miss Clawdy by Lloyd Price
Have Mercy Baby by The Dominoes

1953: These are definitely not in the pop category but they are more the roots of rock 'n' roll. When you listen to "Big Mama" Thornton sing Hound Dog you get a sense of how she meant it that is a little lacking from the Elvis version (which I like), which came later of course.

Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean by Ruth Brown
Hound Dog by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton
Pedal Pushin' Papa by Billy Ward and his Dominoes
Tell Me Mama by Little Walter and His Jukes
Train,Train,Train by Danny Overbear

1954: (The big year of my birth). It gets easier to find a lot more songs that I like. But it is harder to only pick 5.
Sh-boom (Life Could Be A Dream) by The Chords
Shake, Rattle and Roll by Big Joe Turner
That's Alright Mama by Elvis Presley (I love this song).
Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and the Comets
Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash by the Clovers

There were so many really great rock songs from 1954 it was hard to choose only five. This is the year Elvis had a lot of hits. He did a version of the Father of Bluegrass Bill Monroe's classic "Blue Moon of Kentucky." In a televison interview with Bill Monroe before his death he said he was't too sure about having some rock and roll kid play his music, but when they started bringing him royalty fees "by the wheelbarrow" from the sale of the song after Elvis recorded it, Mr. Monroe had no doubts anymore. Elvis could record any song he wanted.

I feel I should also point out that the Crew-Cuts put out a cover version of the Chords' hit Sh-Boom. They did an excellent job. It's a really good song. However, when I hear the Chords sing it I get a welling of emotion that I don't quite feel with the Crew-Cuts.

1955:
Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and The Comets
Ain't That A Shame by Fats Domino
Maybelline by Chuck Berry
Smokey Joe's Cafe by the Robins
Learning the Blues by Frank Sinatra

1956:
Man! It's getting easier to pick 5 songs that I like, but harder to choose which ones. Fats Domino, Little Richard and Elvis are burning up the charts.
Memories Are Made Of This by Dean Martin (I like it, OK)
Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley
Long Tall Sally by Little Richard
My Blue Heaven by Fats Domino
Jim Dandy by LaVerne Baker

1957:
Whispering Bells by the Dell Vikings
Get A Job by the Silhouettes
Lucille by Little Richard
Rock and Roll Music by Chuck Berry
Keep a Knocking by Little Richard

1958:
Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (What the heck is this song you might ask?) aka Volare by Dominico Modugno
Lonely Teardrops by Jackie Wilson
SeaCruise by Frankie Ford
Don't You Just Know It by Huey "Piano" Smith
Rama Lama Ding Dong by the Edsels

1959:
Mack the Knife by Bobby Darin
Come Softly by the Fleetwoods
Money by Barrett Strong
Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin
Mary Lou by Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks

The 1960 was a decade of cultural revolution. Younger people were part of a counter-culture that rebelled and questioned all authority, daily mores and traditions. It was the decade where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated by a lone gunman, and his brother, Senator Robert Kennedy, was assassinated a few years later. For some it was a decade of excitement and discovery. For others it was radicalism bordering on treason. But all the while rock 'n' roll was right there reflecting the feeling of a changing society.

My top 5 pick for songs to remember for 1960 are:
Georgia On My Mind by Ray Charles
Chain Gang by Sam Cooke
Fingerpoppin' Time by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters
Harbor Lights by the Platters
Such A Night by Elvis Presley

An interesting side note about Hank Ballard, I listened to an interview with him once where he explained about how he came to write "Fingerpoppin' Time." He was staying at a hotel in New York City. It was very early in the morning and he couldn't sleep. He went out to a nearby coffee shop for a bite to eat. He didn't have a watch on him and he wanted to know what time it was, so he asked the customer next to him on the stool at the counter. The man turned to him and said, "Man, it's fingerpoppin time." Hank said when he left there he went back to his room with that phrase sticking in his mind. He wrote the song in about 10 minutes.

The year is 1961 and my favorite five are:
The Wanderer by Dion
Runaround Sue by Dion
Hit the Road Jack by Ray Charles
Blue Moon by the Marcels
Smoky Places by the Corsairs

The were many songs released during this year that were very good. I could toss a rock - not through a window - and hit a great song.

My songs to remember for 1962 are:
I Can't Stop Loving You by Ray Charles
Up On The Roof by the Drifters
Love Me Do by the Beatles
Ruby Baby by Dion
Boom Boom by John Lee Hooker

This was a year that saw the first woman in space as well as number of political assassinations. Martin Luther King marched on Washington and Ala. Gov. George Wallace has the police turn the fire hoses on Civil Rights Protesters. It was a time of great promise that ended in great tragedy.

Here are my top 5 picks for songs to remember for 1963:
Louie Louie by the Kingsmen
Blowin' In The Wind by Bob Dylan
Hippy Hippy Shake by the Swingin' Blue Jeans
Since I Fell For You by Lenny Welch
Drip Drop by Dion

My top picks for 1964:
My Girl by the Temptations
My Guy by Mary Wells
She's Not There by the Zombies
Under The Boardwalk by the Drifters
Saturday Night at the Movies by the Drifters

My top picks for songs to remember for 1965 are:
Eve of Destruction by Barry McGuire
Barbara Ann by the Beach Boys
King of the Road by Roger Miller
Five O'Clock World by the Vogues
I'll Be Doggone by Marvin Gaye

My top songs to remember for 1966 are:
You Can't Hurry Love by the Supremes
Summer in The City by the Lovin' Spoonful
Devil With A Blue Dress On (medley) by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels
Sunny Afternoon by the Kinks
This Old Heart of Mine by the Isley Brothers

Songs to remember for 1967 are:
Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Rag by Joe McDonald and The Fish
Gentle On My Mind by Glen Campbell
Spooky by the Classics IV
I've Been Lonely Too Long by the Rascals
San Francisco by Scott McKenzie

Songs to remember for 1968 are:
Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding
Build Me Up Buttercup by the Foundations
Who's Making Love by Johnny Taylor
Israelites by Desmond Dekker and the Aces
Going Up the Country by Canned Heat

Songs to remember for 1969 are:
Spirit in the Sky by Norman Greenbaum
Na Na Hey Hey by Steam
Don't Let Me Down by the Beatles
Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles
Give Me Just A Little More Time by the Chairmen of the Board

For 1970 there are a lot of great songs, but the one that I find myself singing frequently and causes me to turn up the radio when I hear it is "Montego Bay" by Bobby Bloom. Bloom was a singer/songwriter who helped co-write a number of hit songs until he made his one-hit-wonder with Montego Bay. Bloom died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 28,

My top 5 picks for 1970 are:
Montego Bay by Bobby Bloom
Lola by the Kinks
Black Magic Woman by Santana
In the Summertime by Mungo Jerry
Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell

There are so many great songs in the '70s. It was easy to pick 5 but it was hard to pick only 5.

The rock years of 1971, my top 5 are:
Maggie May by Rod Stewart
American Pie by Don McLean
Bang A Gong by T. Rex
Long Cool Woman by the Hollies
Take Me Home Country Roads by John Denver

For 1972 my top choices are:
Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple
Stuck in the Middle With You by Steelers Wheels
Honky Cat by Elton John
It Never Rains in Southern California by Albert Hammond
Amie by Pure Prairie League

Billy Joel

Joe Walsh

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Bruce Springsteen

Paul Simon

ZZ Top

My top picks for 1976:
Hotel California by the Eagles
Play That Funky Music by Wild Cherry
Still the One by Orleans
Rich Girl by Daryl Hall & Jon Oates
Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder

My top picks for 1977 are:
Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett
Mull of Kintyre by Wings
Black Betty by Ram Jam
Blue Bayou by Crystal Gayle
We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions by Queen

Top picks for 1978 are:
Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits
Old Time Rock and Roll by Bob Seeger
Hot Blooded by Foreigner
Shout by Otis Day and the Knights
Beast of Burden by the Rolling Stones

Top picks for 1979 are:
The Logical Song by Supertramp
Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen
Heartache Tonight by the Eagles
Cheap Sunglasses by ZZ Top
Escape (The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes

That ends it for 1979.