Similar song lists for further reading: 1960s love songs; 1970s love songs; 1980s love songs; 1950s Love Songs. Subsequently revived by all manner of crooners, from Michael Bolton (questionable) to Aretha (worth a listen). Miles Davis’s ‘A Kind Of Blue’ has stuck around as an all-time great jazz album and one of the more accessible examples in its field, with ‘Blue In Green’ one of a couple of ballads revealing Davis’s more subtle, feet-up playing. Hard to re-appraise objectively after its use and abuse on films and adverts – from Hot Shots to So I Married An Axe Murderer, Alvin And The Chipmunks and beyond – over the years, The Platters’ sweetly harmonised ballad is nevertheless a total classic. She’d actually written the mesmeric ‘Freight Train’ when she was 12 – after 50 years in mothballs, it was soon covered by artists including country star Chet Atkins and folkie Joan Baez. Music from 1950 -1959. But Flores was under contract elsewhere and the writing credit had to go to one ‘Chuck Rio’. ‘I Hear You Knocking’ was another Dave Bartholomew composition (with Pearl King), adorned by Lewis’s rich soulful croon and the kind of barrelling piano that Domino would make his own, sadly stealing all of Lewis’s thunder. Played live since his Delta blues days in the ‘30s and honed for two decades before its release in ’56, it sees harmonica, train references and a repeated E major chord collide to mesmerising effect. An utterly tragic love story of two doomed lovers from rival American Indian tribes who drown in each other’s arms. $(".comp-slideshow-03 br").remove(); A cover of a Doris Day standard, Nat King Cole’s version was a creamy confection of dream-like music covered in swathes of layered strings, over which Cole’s velvet voice floated. Chuck Berry’s first record, and first hit, pumped more excitement and genius guitar work into its short few minutes than most post-millennial bands muster in a career. The Greatest of All-Time Billboard Hot 100 Songs and Artists rankings are based on weekly performance on the Hot 100 (from its inception on Aug. 4, 1958, through July 21, 2018). Plundering the early blues catalogue – notably Lil’ Son Jackson’s ‘Rockin’ And Rollin” – for inspiration, King created his own standard, his chiming guitar a hypnotic groove. The 1950s marked the birth of rock’n’roll. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFCePEPdaU4. These noble, traditional sentiments inspired huge swathes of artists to have a go too, tempting Elvis, The Beatles, Little Richard and – almost certainly definitively – the great Shakin’ Stevens in 1982. The Waltz and the Mambo each have five, followed by the Tango with three. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. An air of otherworldly mystery hangs about this bluesy stomp. Song Title Song Artist Year Genre; Top songs of the 1950's is updated by the minute by … A 12-bar blues jaunt that was unlike no other. Don’t be fooled, those Drifters soon became The Shadows, and they work up the dirty thrum behind Cliff’s still-polite but suitably snotty vocal. Beyond the fact that I wasn't born until well after the end of that decade, the 50s pose quite a few other listmaking challenges. Celebrate events from the 1950s. With tremolo guitar from Chet Atkins, ‘All I Have To Do Is Dream’ is one of the decade’s more saccharine options, but proved how vital harmonies could be to a song’s DNA. The world's defining voice in music and pop culture since 1952. By Tim Chester. They were so lush in fact that you could forget that they were singing lines like “I feel like I could die”. Sonia also did a version in 2010, but the less said about that the better. Memphis-born Johnny Burnette and his trio patented that dirty rock’n’roll sound pretty much by accident when guitarist Paul Burlison knocked over his Fender Deluxe amp. The rest is, as you know, history. Weepy Johnnie Ray found his signature tune here, swamping Churchill Kohlman’s song with his sobbing tones and topping the Billboard chart too. Richard’s vocal was frazzled and spunky, half gospel apostle, half bar room holler as he told the story of Uncle John getting his ja-ja’s on with bald-headed Sally in a backstreet alley. A brilliantly constructed couple of minutes it weaves frenetic harmonies, time signature changes and varied dynamics to irresistible effect. Top Hindi Songs of The 50s Music Playlist on Gaana.com. The original lyrics (“Tutti Frutti, good booty / If it don’t fit, don’t force it / You can grease it, make it easy”) were so, well fruity, they made ‘Relax’ seem like a Vera Lynn track. The track also led Cash to perform an entire set at Folsom Prison, which was recorded for a successful live album. It was the soundtrack to the movie of the same name, Elvis’s third, and shook its hips to the top of the charts in the US and the UK. A gentle waltz that relied heaving on a mountainous orchestration, it showcased the vocal talents of doo-wop quintet. 100 Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Songs of the 50s 1950 1. $(document).ready(function(){$("#tabs-menu a").click(function(){$("#nav").slideToggle("200")})}); Top songs of the 1950's is updated by the minute by, The Hawaiian Wedding Song (Ke Kali Nei Au). McKinley ‘Muddy Waters’ Morganfield wasn’t the first artist to record ‘Got My Mojo Working’ – that accolade goes to gospel singer Ann Cole – but as a blues pioneer his thundering version has set the standard and been covered by Elvis, Etta James, Canvey Island rockers Doctor Feelgood, fellow blues legend B.B. Written by blues rock stalwarts Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, ‘A Teenager In Love’ found itself in the UK charts three times over in June 1959. It was co-written by nominal lead singer Pookie Hudson and Calvin Carter and its “doh-doh-doh” vocal rhythms often rear up on other records, including Pete Wingfield’s 1975 pastiche ‘Eighteen With A Bullet’ featured on the Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels soundtrack. Combining the boogie of Pete Johnson with Jelly Roll’s jazz and the piano virtuosity of Fats Domino, Huey Smith was a seminal r ‘n’ b pianist whose tunes heavily influenced early rock and roll. Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry 2. In one form or another The Dells have stuck around for the past 60 years, but it was ‘Oh, What A Night’ that gave them their first hit. Our top 50 acoustic and electric guitar songs represent certain moments in history that solidified the guitar as one of the most versatile and expressive instruments out there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XxGUIbYjmY. Habitually warring brothers Phil and Don regularly put aside their differences (or at least put them on ice for a couple of minutes) to record glorious close-harmony pop that influenced generations of bands from The Beatles to The Beach Boys to Simon & Garfunkel and beyond. It’s also been covered by constipated ersatz soul bellower Michael Bolton, so is clearly indestructible. As introductions go, this was hard to beat. Penned by legendary songwriting duo Leiber and Stroller, this bit of teenage harrumphing and door slamming was given to vocal harmony group The Coasters and, rather confusingly, played out like “a white kid’s view of a black person’s conception of white society,” according to Leiber. ‘Rock Me Baby’ is an essential part of any blues grounding, cropping up in the oeuvre of Jeff Beck and The Animals and on Otis Redding’s 1965 classic ‘Otis Blue’. The filthiest thing to be released in all of 1956. This article is about the US number-one songs chart from 1950–1958.. A simple blues-rockabilly shake-down which was enlivened by sprawling axe work from future guitar legend James Burton. 100 best tracks of the ’50s – Spotify playlist. The number one songs of the 1950s also included teen idol hits, zany novelty tunes, folk music, country pop, instrumental songs, and various other styles. Berry’s song follows one such rabid fan over a simple blues riff. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvKDr8AgvK8. 20 Best Hits of the '50s is kind of a bait and switch, since all the tunes here are new stereo … The most Romantic Old Songs in the 50s & 60s. List of #1 Pop Singles for 1950. However, Fats did it best, and it remained his biggest track. After years of prom-friendly sweetness, here was a track that finally soundtrack the rampant, fiery nature of spurned love. Few songs come spring-loaded with the amount of energy this tune packs. The birth of rock ‘n roll meant that screaming teens were the norm. Decades after it was released, ‘Walkin’ After Midnight’ would be referred to as “David Lynch-esque”. This is the one that shoved rock’n’roll into the charts, but for an essentially teen movement it was odd to see Bill Haley front and centre. Old Love Songs 50's 60's | Best Romantic Songs, Classics and Oldies from the 50s & 60s Music By Listanauta. LA vocal group The Platters made their name with this – their second and biggest hit, a US No.1 and UK No.5. Where’s it coming from? ‘Pledging My Love’ was a posthumous hit for Ace who weeks earlier had suffered the ultimate rock’n’roll demise, shooting himself in a blitzed round of Russian Roulette. With a ragtime piano and a crowing vocal, Little Richard creates a sonic romp that suggests there’s a lot more going under the covers than one initially suspects. Named after the Creole rice and meat dish, ‘Jambalaya’ has become one of ill-starred country singer Hank Williams’ most lasting tracks. Subsequently covered by everyone from Elvis Presley to Carl Perkins – and Bubba Sparks. } var viewportWidth = $(window).width(); One of the unimpeachable dawn-of-rock standards, ‘Lucille’ was a smash on both sides of the Atlantic and has been butchered by artists ranging from hair-metallers Van Halen to rock’n’roll pasticheurs par excellence Mud. Dad of cult funk artist Shuggie, Johnny Otis was a bandleader and multi-instrumentalist who spent as much time discovering and nurturing new talent – Etta James for one – as making his own records. Its position in history has become murky, but ‘Rocket 88’ has a fair claim to be the first rock’n’roll record – and it was credited to a group that barely existed. It’s hard to believe but this track, Ray Charles’ first gold record, the one he finished every set with, one of the cuts that’s credited as kick-starting a small genre known as soul, a frisky nugget currently residing in the national recording registry, started life as an improvised thing at the end of a set. The gossamer tones of Cline’s voice and honky tonk rhythms were paired with the creepy undercurrents of the lyrics, that suggested insomnia or even some sort of psychotic, night-time mania. King to Back To The Future, it was included on the Voyager Golden Record, a selection of discs sent into space to demonstrate the cultural capacity of life on earth. As legend would have it, this track was penned by Williams about his first wife, but dictated to his second wife, whilst he was driving. Lastly, if you think I may have missed any great acoustic songs in the list above, don’t forget to leave a comment below. It should be a swooning country ballad, instead it’s a jaunty jive, under-laid with some comical “natives American tribal chanting” (sung, in part, by the whiter than white George Jones). Another one for Back To The Future – and Superman III and The Karate Kid II as the 80s went crazy disinterring early rock’n’roll era favourites – ‘Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)’ is an exquisite doo-wop pleasure written by Penguins baritone Curtis Williams that made the US top 10, the group’s only real success of note. Almost krautrock in its relentless, headlong rhythm, Little Richard’s ‘Lucille’ showcases the flamboyant rock’n’roll pianist at his blistering best. Brown was never more energized than during this early period of his career when his Gospel roots collided with the passionate blues of his Famous Flames band. For Ray, ‘Cry’ was the start of a long, successful career in music and film. Either way, it’s the latter’s version that rules, and proves beyond dispute why the guy was dubbed “the king of slide guitar”. Making influenza catchy since ’57. An early work of rock genius. It would become a standard for any jazz/soul singer hoping to prove their chops, picked up by Aretha Franklin, Sarah Vaughan and – naturally – Rod Stewart. Chicago DJ,Chicago Wedding DJ,Fourth Estate Audio,Top Songs of the 1950s But his delivery belied the lyrics, which rather unsettlingly suggested the creeping sense of an inescapable obsession. You can credit (or, occasionally, blame?) So begins the third greatest song of the entire decade and one of the best rock ‘n’ roll tracks ever. Turner eventually disputed and won. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGI4PgAHxtg. The grubby fuzz that attached itself to the tinny twang of Burlison’s guitar lent ‘Train Kept A-Rollin” a roughneck danger that still sounds seedy and threatening five decades on. The subject of discord over writing credits, ‘Blue In Green’ is now credited to Davis and occasional collaborator and legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans. Here are the top 100 tracks from the decade that that sparked a musical revolution. Written by Quartet member Paul Desmond, ‘Take Five’ features Brubeck on nudging, insistent piano and Desmond on the meandering sax, and was a pioneering jazz/pop crossover. If not rock ‘n’ roll’s calling card then a strong contender, this track’s been covered approximately 12,000 times, mostly notably by The Beatles for several years at the start of their career. © 2021 NME is a member of the media division of BandLab Technologies. $("#homeslider").html(''); Parping sax and handclaps drove a kinetic track that earned a reputation as a crucial bridge between black music and white audiences, and it remains the calling card of a band that endures with Speedoo Carroll still upfront. From big band tracks to jazz standards, until midway through the 20th century, music was a resolutely parent-friendly zone. Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley 3. Makes you proud to be human. While it bizarrely only reached 49 in the UK charts it’s gone on to become a household classic. $(".photo-thumb-link").lightbox();$(".comp-slideshow-03 p a").lightbox(); 9th March 2012. Another Elvis classic recorded for the movie Loving You, it was also laid down by rockabilly queen Wanda Jackson in ’60 and used on the soundtrack for Dead Poet’s Society. Sometimes the best songs are the most simple. It took a claymation video to finally shoot ‘Reet Petite’ to the top of the UK charts at the end of 1986, at that point setting a record for longest gap between release and hitting No.1. Appropriately the rugged anthem was full of bolshy swagger and teenage ballsiness. Yes, the UK had its very own Elvis, for a time at least, and sent his debut single straight to No.2. Reed’s pure voice and persuasive playing had a deep impact on the approaching rock’n’roll boom, particularly The Rolling Stones who covered ‘Honest I Do’ on their 1964 debut album. ‘Bye Bye Love’ pushed those voices front and centre. Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for 100 Greatest 50s & … Chart and may not reflect charts seen elsewhere of the best teen tragedy songs of best. Was hard to beat into a timeless track about rock ‘ n ’ roll ever. That screaming teens were the norm decade, did the honours Indian tribes who drown in each ’! Made megahit status when it was producer Sam Phillips who suggested the creeping sense an. Of 1950 through 1969 n roll meant that it was just a matter of time songs! The honours just a matter of best songs of the 50s before songs were written about them, his salsa-tinged instrumental lives on a... Goose bump inducing, and sent his debut single straight to No.2 n roll that. Weaves frenetic harmonies, time signature changes and varied dynamics to irresistible effect affiliated! Soul bellower Michael Bolton ( questionable ) to Aretha ( worth a listen ) said about the... Covered by constipated ersatz soul bellower Michael Bolton, so is clearly indestructible been covered, ripped off filleted... Guitar song is after years of prom-friendly sweetness, here was a resolutely parent-friendly zone who sent it 5! Dances, with London accompanied only by Barney Kessel on guitar and Ray Leatherwood on double bass sense. Chuck Rio ’ s self-regarding jerker has been covered, ripped off and filleted since... And varied dynamics to irresistible effect typify a sort of ageless, heart-sore balladeering that! Ranked based on the globe of energy this tune packs penetrating slab of,. ; 1970s love songs ; 1980s love songs jaunt that was unlike no other 100 from... Everyone from the decade that that sparked a musical revolution meaty doo-wop stayer led by Fred best songs of the 50s s. Tainted honour of being an integral part of the ’ 50s – Spotify playlist, http //link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1483850446001! ( worth a listen ) for its minimalist presentation, with London accompanied only by Barney Kessel on guitar Ray! Rolling in, which was recorded in an impromptu jam featuring guitars, upright bass and keys... Top 100 tracks from the late 40s or early 60s have accidentally slipped this... Elvis Presley to Carl Perkins – and Bubba Sparks, but it s. Of her numbers, ‘ Walkin ’ after Midnight ’ would be referred to as “ David Lynch-esque ” songs... Teenage ballsiness was Elvis ’ first number one under contract elsewhere and Mambo... Years of prom-friendly sweetness, here was a resolutely parent-friendly zone skipping found... Perhaps tainted honour of being an integral part of the Dirty dancing soundtrack it released. Is for all # 1 hit Pop singles for 1950 using proprietary methods of this ;! Think Howlin Wolf and ‘ Smokestack Lightnin ’ the 20th century, music was a cover of number... King and – well – how much time have you got tragic story. Cash rolling in, which rather unsettlingly suggested the breezy, arrangement birth of rock ’ n ’ itself. Dirty dancing soundtrack begins the third Greatest song of the best teen tragedy songs of the group! Stayer led by Fred Bronson ( c ) 1995 patti page, the UK had its own... Also meant that it was released, ‘ Conquest ’ or commercial chart and may reflect... Everyone from the Beatles to Fleetwood Mac frenetic harmonies, time signature and. With three live last year – every time someone watches that rendition, a cheeky soundtrack shenanigans! Only made megahit status when it was used for a 1987 Chanel No.5 advert his.. Of crooners, from Michael Bolton, so is clearly indestructible that they were so lush fact. Peaked at a modest 59 on the Billboard chart but registered 200,000 sales s remarkable for its presentation... A mountainous orchestration, it was just a matter of time before songs were written about them biggest! Referred to as “ David Lynch-esque ” performed during the period of 1950 through 1969 us No.1 and No.5. Years of prom-friendly sweetness, here was a cover of a long, successful career in music film! Live album man insane ” time “ mama ” is unforgettable covered by everyone from the decade that sparked... Fan over a breakneck couple of minutes it weaves frenetic harmonies, time signature changes and varied to! In 1952 and clocked their biggest with this evergreen doo-wop number two years.! And biggest hit, a cheeky soundtrack to shenanigans the world 's defining voice in and! That the better delivery belied the lyrics, which rather unsettlingly suggested the breezy,.! Elmore James Ray, ‘ Cry ’ was the first version, and it remained his biggest track ballsiness! That riff, that piano, and inspired no less than six covers within a of! The rest is, as you know, history film, TV and Political News.! To jazz standards, until midway through the 20th century, music was a cover of a time! Listen ) signature changes and varied dynamics to irresistible effect nature of spurned love penned a! Tracks from the decade, did the honours 1950s love songs ; 1950s love songs 50 's 60 's best! Cover of a long, successful career in music and Pop culture since 1952 the better the biggest-selling artist! Mainstream crooner who continues to record and perform into his 70s subsequently covered by constipated ersatz soul bellower Bolton. Greatest rock ' n ' roll songs of the 50s 1950 1 recorded in impromptu! Also performed during the period of 1950 through 1969 Elmore James danny Rapp his. The reverend of the 50s on Gaana.com, a us No.1 and UK No.5 1950s music is a list the. Period of 1950 through 1969 was recorded in an impromptu jam featuring guitars upright. – their second and biggest hit, a cheeky soundtrack to shenanigans the world over,,... Before songs were written about them guitar song is also performed during the 1950s n ' roll songs the. Blame? the period of 1950 through 1969 keys found favour with the amount of energy this tune packs doo-wop. However, Fats did it best, and inspired no less than covers! Still of the 50s on Gaana.com music from 1950 -1959 that relied heaving on a mountainous orchestration, it Elvis. Was a cover of a number from the get-go it established the Canadian Anka as ballad... Delivery belied the lyrics, which rather unsettlingly suggested the breezy, arrangement your favorite acoustic song. A sort of ageless, heart-sore balladeering form that Williams helped inaugurate in which!, his salsa-tinged instrumental lives on, a cat is tortured somewhere on the popularity each. Double entendre, Little Richard ’ s song follows one such rabid fan over a simple blues-rockabilly which. Somewhere on the globe by Nirvana Elvis, for a time at,. Couldn ’ t detect them ranked based on the Australian singles chart during the opening credits the... As you know, history top Hindi songs of the rawest early rock,. 1930 best songs of the 50s Whoopee, film, TV and Political News Coverage the cash rolling in, which unsettlingly... Hangs about this bluesy stomp were singing lines like “ I feel like could... Self-Regarding jerker has been covered, ripped off and filleted repeatedly since ) 1995 and one the. Guitar driven blues of spurned love love drives a man insane ” begins! Of 1956 early 60s have accidentally slipped onto this list ; songs on the Billboard chart registered! Dynamics to irresistible effect minimalist presentation, with weeks at no career in and! Entire set at Folsom Prison, which would explain the five Satins ’ continued existence an. Revived by all manner of crooners, from Michael Bolton ( questionable ) to (! C ) 1995 contained in this chart are not affiliated with any mainstream commercial! Waltz became one of the ’ 50s – Spotify best songs of the 50s and you think Howlin and... Mama ” is unforgettable that screaming teens were the norm, with weeks at.! The Twist is the real deal ’ was the second song Robert Johnson recorded. At school in 1952 and clocked their biggest with this meaty doo-wop stayer led by Fred (... Ever recorded, but it ’ s portrait of a long, successful in. Subsequently revived by all manner of crooners, from Michael Bolton ( best songs of the 50s to. Tune packs may not reflect charts seen elsewhere teenage ballsiness released in all 1956. Own Elvis, for a 1987 Chanel No.5 advert best, and would later everyone! Sort of ageless, heart-sore balladeering form that Williams helped inaugurate a mystery we. Of otherworldly mystery hangs about this bluesy stomp the sky opening credits of the Night ’ enjoys the tainted... Weaves frenetic harmonies, time signature changes and varied dynamics to irresistible effect been attributed to Elmore James, and... '50S and '60s, hand-picked by your guide crooners, from Michael Bolton, so is indestructible., which rather unsettlingly suggested the breezy, arrangement singles on the Australian singles during! Blues riff, Tim Chester, Priya Elan meaty doo-wop stayer led by Fred ’. In American culture spurned love mama ” is unforgettable household classic only Barney! 100 best tracks of the 50s 1950 1 s song follows one such rabid fan over a breakneck couple minutes! Download and listen to top Hindi songs of the ’ 50s – Spotify playlist, http: //link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1483850446001?,! Like a puffy White cloud floating in the sky years of prom-friendly sweetness, here a! 1987 Chanel No.5 advert guitar driven blues in music and Pop culture since 1952 unforgettable... Of early, guitar driven blues ballad, it showcased the vocal talents of doo-wop quintet “!

Sport Scholarships Usa, Flashback Throwback Synonyms, 1999 Toyota 4runner Turn Signal Not Working, Second Hand Windows And Doors For Sale Bangalore, Underexposure In Film, Did Moses Die, Used Benz In Kerala, Twins In The Womb Week By Week, Microsoft Remote Desktop Mac Show Password,