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Hail Hail Rock & Roll

Frayed Knot Feb 03 2019 04:19 PM

Today's assignment, in honor of today's 60th anniversary of 'The Day the Music Died', is to pick Five songs from Rock's early days that you think best define the early R&R era, or those songs you'd pick to play as an introduction to someone previously ignorant of the form, or those that were/are just plain your favorites. Let's bracket this as being post-'Rock Around the Clock' but also pre-British Invasion, iow: songs from 1954-1963 Mine, in no particular order: RAVE ON -- Buddy Holly JOHNNY B. GOODE* -- Chuck Berry GREAT BALLS OF FIRE -- Jerry Lee Lewis THAT'S ALL RIGHT -- Elvis Presley BE MY BABY -- The Ronettes * I could go with just about any early Chuck, but wound up choosing between this and MAYBELLINE

Edgy MD Feb 03 2019 04:37 PM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll

"Speedo" — The Cadillacs "Yakkity Yak" — The Coasters "Something Else" — Eddie Cochrane "You Can't Catch Me" — Chuck Berry "Hound Dog" — Mr. P.

Fman99 Feb 03 2019 07:50 PM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll

Peggy Sue - Buddy Holly You Never Can Tell - Chuck Berry (Jan 1964, so, technically, just before the Beatles break) Come On Let's Go - Ritchie Valens Good Golly, Miss Molly - Little Richard Ain't Got No Home - Clarence "Frogman" Henry (I also really like the cover of this one done by the Band)

smg58 Feb 04 2019 06:18 AM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll

Johnny B Goode by Chuck Berry Tutti Frutti by Little Richard Well All Right by Buddy Holly Who do You Love by Bo Diddley Mystery Train by Elvis Presley

Vic Sage Feb 04 2019 11:51 AM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll Edited 4 time(s), most recently on Feb 07 2019 10:46 AM

This is an impossible task. I couldn't get a list of less than 12 songs from the golden age of r&r that I loved or that I thought defined the period. So, instead, I divided the era into the 5 dominant styles of r&r emerging in that period and picked a single exemplar of each, as follows: 1 - BLUES/R&B - "ROCK N ROLL MUSIC": The Blues/R&B roots of R&R include songs from Little Richard, Fats Domino, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and Bo Diddley, but the style was dominated by Chuck Berry, so I picked "Rock n Roll Music" because of its subject matter, but I could have just as easily gone with MAYBELLINE, JOHNNY B. GOODE, or ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN; 2- COUNTRY/Rockabilly -[CROSSOUT] THAT'LL BE THE DAY [/CROSSOUT]"THATS ALL RIGHT": R&R's country roots were best exemplified by the Sun Records stable, including Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis, as well as other Rockabilly artists like Bill Haley, Duane Eddy, the Every Brothers and Buddy Holly, but Elvis is the king for a reason, and this one is considered one of the first hits described as R&R. MYSTERY TRAIN and SUSPICIOUS MINDS are also faves [EDITED. thanks, Cal.) ; 3- DOO WOP - "THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT": The Doo Wop sound originally came out of Philly but spread and became a major sub-genre throughout the period, with groups like Cadillacs, Coasters, Crests, Platters, Dion & the Belmonts, Del-Vikings, Drifters, Miracles, Orioles, 5 satins, the Chords, the Imperials, and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. I intended to pick The 4 Seasons hit, "Walk Like a Man", but I picked the Tokens' hit because its unique vocal opening gets stuck in my head every time I think of it, so that means something; 4- GIRL GROUPS - "WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW" : after the guys on the streetcorner came along, The songs of the Brill Building emerged from the all-girl groups of the early 60s like the Teen Queens, Chantels, the Ronettes, Shangri-Las, and The Crystals, but the greatest of them was The Shirelles, who had their biggest hit with this Carole King classic; and 5- SURF MUSIC - "SURFIN' USA": The last sub-genre of RR to emerge before the British Invasion, Surf Music was a unique American westcoast sound that included groups like Jan & Dean, The Safaris, The Ventures, and The Rivieras. I might have gone with an instrumental like "Misrlou" by The Del-Tones or the Safaris' "Wipeout", but Surf Music is synonymous with its greatest progenitors, The Beach Boys, and this is their first top 10 single. There were also a lot of white pop stars (like Pat Boone and Ricky Nelson) who covered (and watered down) the songs of black artists to make them palatable for radio airplay during the era, but I didn't want to dignify that exercise in cultural appropriation with a category and a representative on this list.

cal sharpie Feb 04 2019 12:25 PM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll

That'll Be the Day was Buddy Holly, not Elvis. Maybe you meant That's All Right, Mama which would be my vote for that genre. Surfin' USA is a ripoff of SWEET LITTLE SIXTEEN. Happy to have surf music in there but if you want early Beach Boys surf songs a better choice is SURFIN' SAFARI.

Johnny Lunchbucket Feb 04 2019 06:37 PM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll

I don't think I am qualified to have picks that would define 50s music but just to play along, Rumble- Linc Wray When I Was Single- The Jive Five Oh Boy - Crickets Come On Let's Go - Richie Valens Shake Rattle and Roll - Bill Haley and His Comets

MFS62 Feb 04 2019 07:24 PM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll

Nice list and reasons by Vic. I tried to spread the glory, too. My list is: Elvis - Heartbreak Hotel Jackie Wilson - Lonely Teardrops Bill Haley - Rock Around the Clock Joan Jett (and the Blackhearts) - I love Rock and Roll Danny and the Juniors - At the Hop I asked this of a co-worker who is a Mets fan and a rock guitarist. (I also invited him into the crane pool). His list: Beatles - Twist and Shout Kinks - Girl You Really Got Me Bill Haley - Rock Around the Clock The Contours - Do You Love Me? Isley Brothers - Shout. Later

41Forever Feb 04 2019 08:00 PM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll

Little Richard -- Long Tall Sally Richie Valens -- La Bamba Jerry Lee Lewis -- Great Balls of Fire Chuck Berry -- Johnny B. Goode Elvis -- Hound Dog

RealityChuck Feb 05 2019 07:49 AM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll

Johnny B. Goode -- Chuck Berry Yakety Yak -- the Coasters/Leiber and Stoller Jailhouse Rock -- Elvis Wake Up Little Susie -- Everly Brothers Rock Around the Clock -- Bill Haley

Vic Sage Feb 07 2019 10:39 AM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll

Let's bracket this as being post-'Rock Around the Clock' but also pre-British Invasion, iow: songs from 1954-1963 some of youse is cheatin! ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK and post-British Invasion songs are not eligible.

MFS62 Feb 07 2019 02:03 PM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll

Vic Sage wrote: Let's bracket this as being post-'Rock Around the Clock' but also pre-British Invasion, iow: songs from 1954-1963 some of youse is cheatin! ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK and post-British Invasion songs are not eligible. Replace him on my list with Bobby Day's Rockin' Robbin. Later

Vic Sage Feb 08 2019 10:33 AM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll

who are you replacing Joan Jett with?

MFS62 Feb 08 2019 07:14 PM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll

Vic Sage wrote: who are you replacing Joan Jett with? The Silhouettes - Get a Job But you'll have to tell Joan she's off my list. I don't have the nerve. She'd kick my arse all over the street. Later

Theoldmole Feb 19 2019 03:10 PM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll

Little Richard - Long Tall Sally Carl Perkins - Blue Suede Shoes The 5 Satins - In the Still of the Night Elvis Presley - That's Alright, Mama Fats Domino - Ain't That a Shame

smg58 Feb 19 2019 04:21 PM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll

Oh, forgot about "In the Still of the Night." My dad would probably not forgive me for that one.

cal sharpie May 08 2019 01:24 PM Re: Hail Hail Rock & Roll

So, these guys have ranked every R&R HOFer (in tiers) based on various criteria. I'd have some quibbles of course but their list doesn't seem egregious, especially looking at the bottom tier I pretty much go along with that one wholeheartedly. https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2019/04/ranking-every-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-inductee-by-tiers.html