The Fifties
Music
in the fifties was like going from black and white into Technicolor. It was a
explosion that created rock and roll, country legends, and a great soundtrack. It’s
going to be tough to pick just ten songs.
10
How
High the Moon
Les Paul and Mary Ford 1951
While
Les and Mary never penned the song, Morgan Lewis and Nancy Hamilton wrote it. What
Les and Mary did with the song with the use of double tracking was extremely
innovative on both vocals and guitar. Les was influential on many of the guitar
greats that would become prominent in the following decade.
9
I
Walk the Line
Johnny Cash 1956
This
song broke Johnny Cash through to
the mainstream with his first number one after several moderate chart successes.
Originally, a slow ballad, Sun studio producer Sam Phillips suggested a more
up-tempo approach and thus the first of many of Johnny’s classics.
8
Be
Bop a Lula
Gene Vincent 1956
This
song just oozes sex appeal, with the bands laid back sultry groove with Gene’s
near orgasmic crooning. Combine all of that and you have a classic rockabilly
standard. However, no one can top that magic take Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps did.
7
Sleepwalk
Santo & Johnny 1959
Written
in the small hours of the morning in their apartment, Santo & Johnny wrote “Sleepwalk.” The song is pure melody, a
simple Hawaiian phrase over the progression I VI IV V created a wonderful dream
like melody. Sleepwalk has been recorded by acts like The Shadows, Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani, and The Stray Cats. The song
is still timeless.
6
What’d
I Say?
Ray Charles 1959
Ray
recorded this piano blues barnburner in one take. The song was written on the
spot at a concert. Ray had 12 minutes to fill so he decided to improvise and
asked the band to follow him. During the performance, he could feel the room
shaking and bouncing and later people asked him where to get the record. After
testing the song out some more, he recorded it and the rest is history.
5
Cold,
Cold Heart
Hank Williams 1951
This
is possibly William’s most personal heart breaking track; the story is the song.
It is about Hank’s wife Audrey’s bitterness and resentment towards him. The
song opened the door for pop acts to perform country songs.
4
That’ll
be the Day
Buddy Holly & the
Crickets 1957
The
song that sums up the entire decade filled with optimism and wholesome
feelings. Buddy wrote the song after watching “The Searchers” after John Wayne
uttered the line “That’ll be the Day” Buddy and his band had a light bulb
moment. His life might have ended at 22, but Buddy’s music still lives.
3
Great
Balls of Fire
Jerry Lee Lewis 1957
The
song with its maniacal piano and vocal set the charts on fire literally, as it
sold one million copies in just ten days after release. Jerry just exploded on
this song; it’s as if the lyrics and music wanted out all at once. It’s still a
classic like burgers and green glass bottles of Coke.
2
Tutti
Frutti
Little Richard 1957
With
his crazy feminine, cry of “A-wop-bom-a-loo-mop-a-lomp-bom-bom!” Little Richard made juke joints, jump
and jive with “Tutti Frutti.” The song scared the crap out of white America with
its loud vibrant sound. They created a safe version of the song sung by Pat Boone. Little Richard once said, “They were in the same house but in
different locations.” The teenagers would have hid Little Richards original. This
record had an impact on the next generation of sixties musicians. It’s still
boisterous and full of life.
1
Heartbreak
Hotel
Elvis Presley 1956
The
song heralded Elvis arrival and changed culture, as we know it. After this,
nothing was the same. Although critics hated it, NME (New Musical Express) was
one of them and the BBC put it on their restricted playlist. It didn’t stop the
song from being his first UK hit. George
Harrison, John Lennon, Robert Plant, and Keith Richards, they were all moved by the songs powerful presence.
There something about the blues vocal, and silence that connects with primal
emotions. Paraphrasing Billy Connolly Heartbreak Hotel saved us all.
Stuart Ritchie
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