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My Life In Songs 1954 – 2024

Boy, the lists are getting longer with each passing year. Music is becoming really important to me as I get older. I think you may have realised by now that I cross over to many genres. You miss out on a lot of great music if you stick to the one style of music.

Studio & Recording Advancements

  • Automatic Double Tracking (ADT): Developed at Abbey Road by Ken Townsend for The Beatles, this allowed vocals to be “doubled” automatically, saving singers from manual re-recording.
  • Tape Loops & Varispeed: Artists began using manipulated tape loops and varying tape speeds (varispeed) to create “otherworldly” textures, most notably on “Tomorrow Never Knows”.
  • Backmasking: 1966 saw the first significant use of reversed vocals and instruments (backward tapes) in pop music, specifically in The Beatles’ “Rain”.
  • Close Miking: Engineers began placing microphones closer to instruments (such as drums and acoustic guitars) to achieve a more “intimate” and punchy sound. 

Genre Evolution & Instrumental Shifts

  • Birth of Psychedelic Rock: Landmark tracks like The Yardbirds’ “Shapes of Things” and The Byrds’ “Eight Miles High” pioneered distorted guitar tones and modal improvisation.
  • Raga Rock: The integration of Indian classical music became a trend, with The Rolling Stones featuring the sitar on a #1 hit (“Paint It Black”) and The Beatles exploring Hindustani structures on “Love You To”.
  • Symphonic Pop & High Production: Brian Wilson’s production on The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds set a new standard for complex arrangements, utilizing orchestral instruments and unusual sound effects in a pop context.
  • Concept & Double Albums: The Mothers of Invention released Freak Out!, one of the first double albums and an early example of a rock concept album. 

Technological & Industry Changes

  • Portable Radios & Amplification: The rise of solid-state technology made portable transistor radios common. Larger PA systems and higher-wattage amplifiers were introduced to handle growing concert crowds.
  • The Synthesizer: While invented earlier, the Buchla modular synthesizer began commercial sales in 1966, providing a new palette for electronic music.
  • FM Rock Radio: New York’s WOR-FM became the first station to adopt a rock format, leading a shift away from strictly Top 40 AM radio toward “freeform” broadcasting.
  • The Radiorecorder: The precursor to the “boombox” was invented by Philips in 1966. 

Just as drugs was going hand in hand with the music scene Paul Revere and the Raiders released the anti-drug song “Kicks”. Sam and Dave’s hit “Hold On I’m Coming” was banned by some radio sations because of its supposed sex references. The same for Ray Charles’ song “Let’s Get Stoned” for drug reasons. Has there ever been a more pleading love song than Percy Sledge”s “When A Man Loves A Woman”. Sledge was a hospital orderly and part-time singer when the song became the first #1 Southern Soul hit.

Let me know in the comments what the initials in the Joe Tex Song “S.Y.S.L.J.F.M. (The Letter Song) stand for . The Grateful Dead were originally called the Warlocks (Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir).

The Song 96 Tears band name ? & The Mysterians is not a typo! It only took one song, the organ-driven number one smash “96 Tears,” to make ? ((Rudy Martínez) & the Mysterians into garage rock legends. Eccentric frontman Question Mark (actually spelled “?,” once he had his name legally changed) cultivated an aura of mystery by never appearing in public without a pair of wraparound sunglasses; he frequently claimed he had been born on Mars and lived among the dinosaurs in a past life, and that voices from the future had revealed he would be performing “96 Tears” in the year 10,000. On a more earthly level, the Mysterians’ sound helped lay down an important part of the garage rock blueprint, namely the low-budget sci-fi feel of the Farfisa and Vox organs (most assumed that “96 Tears” had featured the former, but ? later remembered using the latter). What was more, they were one of the first Latino rock groups to have a major hit, and ?‘s sneering attitude made him one of the prime suspects in the evolution of garage rock into early punk.** The keyboard player Frankie Rodríguez was only 14 years of age!

The Beach Boys “Good Vibrations” was their first stab at the every increasingly popular Psych Rock. “Crosscut Saw” was the first major label Stax hit for the legendary Bluesman Albert King. Stax did not give him any royalties for 8 years so he left them. The song has became a classic and has been recorded by artists such as  Eric Clapton, who popularized it further in rock. Other notable artists covering the track include Stevie Ray Vaughan, R.L. Burnside, Lonnie Brooks, Otis Rush, Earl Hooker, and modern blues guitarists like Tab Benoit and Robben Ford.

‘Gimme Some Lovin” Spencer Davis Group was written by the 17 year-old Steve Winwood. Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” was their third single and was written by Steve Stills.

nineteen and sixty-six

  • (We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet – The Blues Magoos
    19th Nervous Breakdown – The Rolling Stones*
    96 Tears – ? & The Mysterians
    All Or Nothing – Small Faces
    All Your Love – John Mayall*
    Allergic To Work – Crosscut Saw
    Barefootin’ – Robert Parker*
    Batman Theme – Link Wray & The RayMen
    Bend It – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
    Black is Black – Los Bravos
    But It’s Alright – JJ. Jackson
    California Dreaming – The Mamas & The Papas
    Can’t Satisfy -The Impressions
    Cool Jerk – The Capitols
    Crosscut Saw – Albert King
    Day Tripper – The Beatles
    Daydream – The Lovin’ Spoonful
    Devil with a Blue Dress On -Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels
    Diddy Wah Diddy – Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
    Don’t Ease Me In – Grateful Dead Double
  • Crossing Time – John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers & Eric Clapton
    Dry Your Eyes – Brenda & The Tabulations
    East-West – Paul Butterfield Blues Band
    Eight Miles High – The Byrds
    Eleanor Rigby – The Beatles
    Five O’Clock World – The Vogues
    Friday on My Mind – The Easybeats
    Funky Broadway Part – Dyke and the Blazers
    Get Ready – The Temptations
    Getaway – Georgie Fame
    Gimme Some Lovin’ – The Spencer Davis Group
    God Only Knows – The Beach Boys
    Good Lovin’ – The Young Rascals
    Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys
    Green Green Grass of Home – Tom Jones*
    He’ll Be Back – The Players
    Hey Leroy, Your Mama’s Callin’ You – Jimmy Castor
    High Flyin’ Bird – Richie Havens
    Hitch Hiker – Bobby & Laurie*
    Hold on I’m Comin’ – Sam & Dave
    Holy Cow – Lee Dorsey
    How Can We Hang on To a Dream – Tim Hardin
    I Can’t Quit You Baby – Otis Rush
    I Feel Free – Cream
    I Fooled You This Time – Gene Chandler
    I Had Too Much to Dream – The Electric Prunes 
    I’ll Be Lovin’ You Forever – The 5th Dimension
    I’II Make You Happy – The Easybeats
    I’m A Believer – The Monkees
    I’m A Boy – The Who*
    In The Midnight Hour – Wilson Pickett
    It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World – James Brown
    I’ve Got the Blues – Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs*
    Just A Little Misunderstanding – The Contours
    Just Like a Woman – Bob Dylan*
    Keep On Running – The Spencer Davis Group
    Kicks – Paul Revere & The Raiders
    Knock on Wood – Eddie Floyd
    Land Of 1000 Dances – Wilson Pickett
    Let’s Go Get Stoned – Ray Charles*
    Li’l Red Riding Hood – Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs
    Little Girl – Syndicate of Sound
    Pretty Flamingo – Manfred Mann
    Mercy, Mercy, Mercy – Cannonball Adderley
    Mercy, Mercy – Don Covay & The Goodtimers
    Monday, Monday – The Mamas & The Papas
    Morningtown Ride – The Seekers
    Ninety-Nine and One-Half – Wilson Pickett
     No Milk Today – Herman’s Hermits
    No- No- No- No- No -Billy Boy Arnold
    Omar Khayyam – The Rubaiyats
    Out of Time – Chris Farlowe
    Paint It, Black – The Rolling Stones
    Papa’s Got a Brand-New Bag – James Brown
    Paperback Writer – The Beatles
    Pass The Hatchet – Roger & the Gypsies
    Pay Day – Mississippi John Hurt
    Pretty Flamingo – Manfred Mann
    Psychotic Reaction – The Count Five
    Pushin’ Too Hard – The Seeds
    Reach Out I’ll Be There – The Four Tops
    Right Track – Billy Butler
    River Deep Mountain High – Ike & Tina Turner
    S.Y.S.LJ.F.M.(The Letter Song) – Joe Tex
    Sally Free and Easy – Bert Jansch
    Season Of the Witch – Donovan*
    Semi-Detached, Suburban Mr. James – Manfred Mann
    Shapes Of Things – The Yardbirds
    She Comes in Colors – Love
    Sitting In the Rain – John Mayall &The Bluesbreakers
    Sloop John B – The Beach Boys
    Somebody Help Me – The Spencer Davis Group
    Someone To Love – The Great! Society
    Spann’s Boogie – Otis Spann
    Stop Stop Stop – The Hollies
    Stop! In The Name of Love – The Supremes
    Talk Talk – The Music Machine
    Tell It Like It Is – Aaron Neville*
    The Jerk – The ID Featuring Jeff St. John*
    The La La Man – Oliver Morgan
    The Mojo Boogie – J. B. Lenoir
    The Sound of Silence – Simon & Garfunkel
    The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore – The Walker Brothers
    Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye – The Casinos
    They’re Coming to Take Me Away – Napoleon XIV
    This Old Heart of Mine – The Isley Brothers
    Time Has Come Today – The Chambers Brothers
     Try A Little Tenderness – Otis Redding
    Visions Of Johanna – Bob Dylan
    Wedding Ring – The Easybeats
    What Becomes of The Brokenhearted – Jimmy Ruffin
    When a Man Loves a Woman – Percy Sledge
    Wild Thing – The Troggs
    With A Girl Like You – The Troggs
    Working in the Coal Mine – Lee Dorsey
    Wouldn’t It Be Nice – The Beach Boys
    You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me – Dusty Springfield
    You’re Gonna Miss Me – The 13th Floor Elevators
  • *Seen perform live
  • ** Alll Music Guide https://www.allmusic.com
     
     

? & The Mysterians

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My Life in Songs 1954 – 2024

What a year for classic Rock, songs that are as fresh today as when they were released back in’65. Smokey Robinson is listed and as many of you know he has been accused of some very serious crimes against women. It raises the question do you disregard an artist’s body of work because of horrible behavior? I guess you could add in Ike Turner as another of those who did some horrid things.

The Guess Who’s “Shakin’ All Over” was originally released by Johnny Kid & the Pirates in 1959. Do you believe that Mae West recorded it in 1966 and then Billy Idol in 1987.

The Them’s “Gloria” has been sung by everyone including Patti Smith and the Doors. They named themselves after a 1954 sci-fi horror Film. Gloria was the “B” side to the single “Baby Please Don’t Go“. Them’s “Here Comes the Night” features a young studio guitarist in Jimmy Page. Them’s “Here Comes the Night” features the young studio guitarist Jimmy Page.

The Impression’s’ “People Get Ready” is an anthemic Civil Rights song. For the time Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone” helped break the mould of the 3-minute single. Clocking in at 6:13 minutes it was an A and B side single release. Because of listener demand many radio stations were forced to play both sides. Although Barry McGuire’s “Eve of Destruction” was a bit of a one hit wonder it is still as relevant today as when it was released.

The Animals ‘We’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place” became a popular anthem for those conscripted for the Vietnam war. Before drummer Rick Allen of Def Leppard became a one-handed drummer due to a 1984 car accident there was Victor Molton of the Barbarians. Their song “Are You a Boy Or Are You a Girl” was a reference to The Rolling Stones, Liverpool hair styles and skintight pants.

The Bobby Fuller Four’s “I Fought the Law” has been covered by diverse artists such as Hank Williams Jnr. (1978) the Clash (1979) and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (1992). I guess we would all be more familiar with Hendrix version of “Hey Joe” (1967) than that of the Leaves.

The Who’s “My Generation” was banned by the BBC because Daltrey’s vocals resembled stuttering and might be deemed to be offensive.

A couple of my absolute favourites of 1965. Son House with “Death Letter“, Slim Harpo’s “Baby Scratch My Back the Byrds, “Chimes of Freedom”, Junior Wells’ “Hoodoo Man Blues” and Donovan’s “Universal Soldier“. Unfortunately, Sir Mack Rice’s “Mustang Sally” has lost its shine due to the fact that nearly every bar room Blues Band offers up a rendition. Of course, every Beatles song listed is a favourite

ninteen and SIXTY-FIVE

  • (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – The Rolling Stones*
    1-2-3 – Len Barry
    99 Plus One – June Gardner
    A Lover’s Concerto – The Toys
    A Taste of Honey – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass*
    A Well-Respected Man – The Kinks
    All I Really Want to Do – The Byrds*
    Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl? – The Barbarians
    Baby Scratch My Back – Slim Harpo
    Barbara Ann – The Beach Boys
    Big Chief – Professor Longhair
    Blues Run the Game – Jackson C. Frank
    Can’t Seem to Make You Mine – The Seeds
    Catch The Wind – Donovan*
    Catch Us If You Can – The Dave Clark Five
    Chimes of Freedom – The Byrds
    Club-A-Go-Go – The Animals
    Concrete And Clay – Unit 4 + 2
    Could You Would You – Them feat. Van Morrison
    Darling Baby – The Elgins
    Death Letter – Son House
    Desolation Row – Bob Dylan*
    Desperado – The Playboys
    Dirty Water – The Standells
    Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) – Frank Wilson
    Do You Believe in Magic – The Lovin’ Spoonful
    Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – The Animals
    Draft Dodger Rag – Phil Ochs
    Eight Days A Week – The Beatles
    Eve Of Destruction – Barry McGuire
    Feeling Good – Nina Simone
    Finger Poppin’ – lke And Tina Turner
    First, I Look at The Purse – The Contours
    Five Long Years – Eddie Boyd
    Fool, Fool, Fool – Ray Brown and the Whispers
    For Your Love – The Yardbirds
    Friday on My Mind – The Easybeats
    Get Off of My Cloud – The Rolling Stones
    Gloria – Them
    Going To a Go-Go – Smokey Robinson
    Grab This Thing – The Mar-Keys
    Green Green Grass of Home – Tom Jones*
    Heart Full of Soul – The Yardbirds
    Help! – The Beatles
    Here Comes the Night – Them feat. Van Morrison
    Hey Joe, Where You Gonna Go? – The Leaves
    Highway 61 Revisited – Bob Dylan
    Hobo Blues – John Lee Hooker
    Hoodoo Man Blues – Junior Wells
    I Belong with You – Bobby & Laurie*
    I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) – The Four Tops
    I Can’t Stand It – The Spencer Davis Group
    I Do Love You – Billy Stewart
    I Fought the Law – The Bobby Fuller Four
    I Got Loaded – Lil Bob & The Lollipops
    I Got You Babe – Sonny & Cher
    I Want Candy – The Strangeloves
    If You Gotta Go, Go Now – Manfred Mann
    I’m Into Something Good – Herman’s Hermits
    I’m Your Witchdoctor – John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers*
    In My Life – The Beatles
    In the Midnight Hour – Wilson Pickett
    It Ain’t Me Babe – The Turtles
    It’s Not Unusual – Tom Jones
    John The Revelator – Son House
    Keep On Running – The Spencer Davis Group
    King Of the Road – Roger Miller
    L.S.D. – The Pretty Things
    Like a Rolling Stone – Bob Dylan 
    Maggie’s Farm – Bob Dylan
    Maiden Voyage – Herbie Hancock
    Matchbox Blues – John Jackson
    Monkey Dog – O.V. Wright
    Mr. Jones (Ballad of A Thin Man) – The Grass Roots
    Mr. Tambourine Man – The Byrds
    Mrs. Brown – Herman’s Hermits
    Mustang Sally – Sir Mack Rice
    My Generation – The Who*
    My Little Red Book – Manfred Mann
    Mystic Eyes – Them feat. Van Morrison*
    Never Again – The Whispers
    New Orleans – The Strangeloves
    Night Life – Willie Nelson*
    Nothing Can Stop Me – Gene Chandler
    Nowhere To Run – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
    OOO Baby Baby – Smokey Robinson
    People Get Ready – The Impressions
    Preachin’ Blues – Son House
    Railroad Bill – John Jackson
    Rescue Me – Fontella Bass
    Respect – Otis Redding
    Rock Me Baby – Otis Redding
    Shakin’ All Over – Normie Rowe & The Playboys*
    Shakin’ All Over – The Guess Who
    She’s About a Mover – Sir Douglas Quintet
    She’s So Fine – The Easybeats
    Shotgun – Jr. Walker And the All Stars
    Smokestack Lightnin’ – Howlin’ Wolf
    Soul Man – Sam & Dave
    Strange Fruit – Nina Simone
    Subterranean Homesick Blues – Bob Dylan
    Teasin’ You – Willie Tee
    The Carnival Is Over – The Seekers
    The Cheater – Bob Kuban & The In-Men
    The Dawn of Correction – The Spokesmen
    The End – The Union
    The Last Time – The Rolling Stones
    The Ostrich – The Primitives
    The Price of Love – The Everly Brothers
    The Tracks of My Tears – Smokey Robinson
    Ticket To Ride – The Beatles
    Too Many Fish in The Sea – The Marvelettes
    Trash – Duane Eddy
    Treat Her Right – Roy Head
    Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season) – The Byrds
    Turquoise – Donovan
    Twisting Time – King Curtis
    Universal Soldier – Donovan
    Uptight (Everything’s Alright) – Stevie Wonder*
    Wang Dang Doodle – Koko Taylor
    We Gotta Get out of This Place – The Animals
    We’re Gonna Make It – Little Milton
    Whip It on Me – Jessie Hill
    Whittier Blvd. – The Midniters
    Wild About You – The Missing Links
    Wild Thing – The Troggs
    Wolly Bully – Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs
    Yes, I’m Ready – Barbara Mason
    Yesterday – The Beatles
    You – Marvin Gaye
    You’re Gonna Make Me Cry – O.V. Wright
    You’re Gonna Miss Me – The 13th Floor Elevators
    You’ve Got Your Troubles – The Fortunes
    You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling – The Righteous Brothers
    Zydeco Sont Pas Sale (Snapbeans Ain’t Salty)-Clifton Chenier
  • * Seen perform live with some qualifications – The Byrds no but I did see McGuinn, Hillman and Clark. Bobbie &Laurie no but I have seen Bob Bright (R.I.P.) sings on numerous occasions, and he was a dear friend of mine.
     
     
Copyright HAG ©2009

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My Life In Songs – 1954 – 2024

We are really getting into British Invasion territory now. Eight songs from the Fab Four. Sums up what an influence they were on me. Slow Down’ was a cover version of Larry Williams’ 1958 song. It was their final chart hit of vintage material (for the most part).

The Stones, the Who, the Animals, the Kinks all get a listing. Two of the great Civil Rights movement anthems – Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” and The Impressions “People Get Ready” are incredible powerful songs. “Cilla Black had a close working relationship with The Beatles, who helped launch her career after John Lennon introduced her to their manager, Brian Epstein”***

“Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (29 December 1946 – 30 January 2025) was an English singer and actress who achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her UK top 10 single “As Tears Go By” ( written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Rolling Stones’ manager Andrew Loog Oldham). She became one of the leading female artists of the British Invasion in the United States”.***

Beau De Glen “Mance” Lipscomb (April 9, 1895 – January 30, 1976) Although not as well known as many other Bluesmen he is a favourite of mine.

Nothing sings more of New Orleans than the great Professor Longhair. The Animals “Boom Boom” is a John Lee Hooker classic.

The Fugs were an out there band. I love the songs CIA Man. The Fugs is an American rock band formed in New York City in late 1964, by poets Ed Sanders and Tuli Kupferberg, with Ken Weaver on drums. Soon afterward, they were joined by Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber of the Holy Modal Rounders. Kupferberg named the band from a euphemism for fuck used in Norman Mailer‘s novel The Naked and the Dead.***

Who can kill a general in his bed?
Overthrow dictators if they’re Red?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man! (full lyrics below) PS nothing has changed much in America

Memphis Slim’s “Dedicated to Pete Johnson” (March 25, 1904 – March 23, 1967) is about his respect of the Boogie Woogie Pianist. The Georgia Satellites did a great cover of The Swinging Blue Jeans “Hippy Hippy Shake” in 1989. Jan and Dean’s “Dead Man’s Curve” as suggested by the title has some dark lyrics. Unfortunately as life sometimes imitates art, Jan Berry had a serious car crash two year later effectively ending the duos career!

Manfred Mann’s “5-4-3-2-1” were from the opening of Ready Steady Go T.V. show. The Stones’ “Not Fade Away”, was a Crickets song from1957.

The Hollies were named after Buddy Holly and led by Graeme Nash who as we know went on to Crosby, Stills Nash and Young. Chuck Berry’s “No Particular Place to Go” was written while he was in prison as was “Promised Land”!

Was there ever a brothel “House of the Rising Sun” as sung by the Animals. There is a lot of conjecture still to this day. “While a specific, definitively identified “House of the Rising Sun” brothel from the song is debated by historians, a leading theory points to a brothel at 826-830 St. Louis Street in the 1870s run by a madam named Marianne LeSoleil Levant, whose name means “Rising Sun” in French. Other theories suggest it may have been a syphilis ward for prostitutes or even a women’s prison, and some historians believe the location never actually existed as a single, verifiable place”.*** Still in is a great song.

There are two listings for the song “It’s All Over Now” and many of you will easily associate the song with the Stones however the original version (The Valentinos) was recorded two month early than the Stones version. Martha and the Vandellas “Dancin’ In the Street” has been recorded by the Grateful Dead, David Bowie and Mick Jagger, Phil Collins, the Kinks and Van Halen.

Sam the Sham was Domingo Samudio, and Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs were an Mexican-American band formed in 1961, and at one time included Trini Lopez.

The Skatalites instrumental “The Guns of Navarone” has an interesting background: The song “Guns of Navarone” is the theme music from the 1961 film of the same name, and its lyrics describe the plot of the film: an Allied commando mission to destroy a massive German fortress and its giant guns on the fictional Greek island of Navarone during World War II***.

So what is the “Killin’ Floor” as sung by Howlin’ Wolf: The “killing floor” in the Howlin’ Wolf song is a metaphor for being in a bad relationship, as explained by his guitarist Hubert Sumlin. While it can also refer to a slaughterhouse, Wolf used the term to describe a situation where a woman was treating him so badly it felt like he was being destroyed or “killed,” often referencing a specific incident where a woman shot at him.

The Beau Brummels “Laugh Laugh Laugh” introduced the early San Francisco sound to the world. The song is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s – “500 songs that shaped Rock ‘n’ Roll”. An interesting side note is that Sly Stone produced some of the early recordings.

One of my favourite finger pickin’ Bluesmen is The Reverend Gary Davis: Gary D. Davis (April 30, 1896 – May 5, 1972), known as Reverend Gary Davis and Blind Gary Davis, was a blues and gospel singer who was also proficient on the banjo, guitar and harmonica. Born in Laurens, South Carolina, and blind since infancy. His influenced so many people and still does to this day: His students included Stefan Grossman, David Bromberg, Steve Katz, Roy Book Binder, Larry Johnson, Alex Shoumatoff, Nick Katzman, Dave Van Ronk, Rory Block, Ernie Hawkins, Larry Campbell, Bob Weir, Woody Mann, and Tom Winslow. He also influenced Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead, Wizz Jones, Jorma Kaukonen, Keb’ Mo’, Ollabelle, Resurrection Band, and John Sebastian (of the Lovin’ Spoonful). On the Roy Book Binder live album “Don’t Start Me Talkin” there is an 11 minute version of Davis’ “Candy Man” which includes a long monologue of Binder meeting the Rev.

Mississippi John Hurt (March 8, 1893 – November 2, 1966) is another fantastic performer who was rediscovered again in his later life: In 1952, musicologist Harry Smith included John’s version of “Frankie and Johnny” and “Spike Driver Blues” in his seminal collection The Anthology of American Folk Music which generated considerable interest in locating him. The The Lovin’ Spoonful took their name from a recurring phrase in Hurt’s song “Coffee Blues“.***

Mose Allison’s “Parchman Farm” is the Mississippi State Penitentiary. A notorious maximum security prison and a number of well known bluesmen spent time there. Among them: Bukka White R. L. Burnside, John “Big Bad Smitty” Smith, Terry “Big T” Williams, and, reportedly, Aleck “Rice” Miller (Sonny Boy Williamson No. 2), while songs with Parchman themes were recorded by Charley Patton, Wade Walton, and others.. Read more here: https://msbluestrail.org/blues-trail-markers/parchman-farm

Tom Paxton was another of the Greenwich Village folkies (what an incredible breeding ground the Village was. His song “What Did You Learn in School Today? The song is likely referring to the 1964 folk song “What Did You Learn in School Today?” and was famously covered by Pete Seeger. It is a satirical song that asks the question from the perspective of a child and then provides an answer to those questions the idealized or propagandized versions of history and government often taught in schools. See below for the lyrics. The song resonates today as the American Govt. is hell bent of rewriting and sanitising its own history.

Nineteen and sixty four

(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me – Sandie Shaw
5-4-3-2-1 – Manfred Mann
A Change Is Gonna Come – Sam Cooke
A Hard Day’s Night – The Beatles
A World Without Love – Peter And Gordon
All Day and All of The Night – The Kinks
All I Really Want to Do – Bob Dylan*
Anyone Who Had a Heart – Cilla Black
As Tears Go By – Marianne Faithfull
Baby I Need Your Loving – The Four Tops
Baby Let Me Take You Home – The Animals
Baby Love – The Supremes
Baby, Don’t Lay It on Me – Mance Lipscomb
Big Chief – Professor Longhair
Bits and Pieces – The Dave Clark Five
Boom Boom – The Animals
California Dreaming – The Mamas & The Papas
Chapel Of Love – The Dixie Cups*
Chimes of Freedom – Bob Dylan
CIA Man – The Fugs
Come See About Me – The Supremes
Crawling Up a Hill – John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
Dancing In the Street – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
Dead Man’s Curve -Jan & Dean
Dedication to Pete Johnson – Memphis Slim
Didn’t It Rain – Sister Rosetta Tharpe**
Do Wah Diddy Diddy – Manfred Mann
Do You Love Me – The Dave Clark Five
Do You Want to Know A Secret – The Beatles
Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – The Animals
Don’t Throw Your Love Away – The Searchers
Down Home Girl – Alvin Robinson
Downtown – Petula Clark
Every Little Bit Hurts – Brenda Holloway
Everybody Needs Somebody to Love – Solomon Burke*
Farmer John – The Premiers
Glad All Over – The Dave Clark Five
Go Now – The Moody Blues
Goin’ Out of My Head – Little Anthony & The Imperials
Going Back to Louisiana – Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown
Good Times – Sam Cooke
Guns Of Navarone – The Skatalites
Have I the Right – The Honeycombs
Heart Of Stone – The Rolling Stones*
Hello Dolly! – Louis Armstrong
Hey Little Bird – The Barbarians
Hi Heel Sneakers – Tommy Tucker
High on a Hill – Scott Hendricks
House of the Rising Sun – The Animals
How Do You Do It? – Gerry & The Pacemakers
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You) – Marvin Gaye
I Ain’t Gonna Give Nobody None of This Jelly Roll – Sweet Emma Barrett
I Can’t Explain – The Who*
I Feel Fine – The Beatles
I Saw Her Standing There – The Beatles
I Want to Hold Your Hand -The Beatles
I Wish You Would – The Yardbirds
I’m into Something Good – Herman’s Hermits
In The Midnight Hour – Wilson Pickett
It’s All Over Now – The Valentinos
It’s All Over Now – The Rolling Stones
Just One Look – The Hollies*
Keep On Pushing – The Impressions
Killing Floor – Howlin’ Wolf
La La La La La – The Blendells
Laugh Laugh – The Beau Brummels
Leader Of The Pack – The Shangri-Las
Lewis Boogie – Jerry Lee Lewis
Little Red Rooster – The Rolling Stones
Long Legged Baby – Graham Bond
Long Tall Sally – The Kinks
Love Me Do – The Beatles
Luci Baines – The American Four
Memphis – Johnny Rivers
Mercy, Mercy – Don Covay & The Goodtimers
Mornin’ Train – Reverend Gary Davis
Mr. Tambourine Man – The Byrds
My Baby – The Red Onion Jazz Babies
My Boy Lollipop – Millie Small
My Diary – Jimi Hendrix feat. Rosa Lee Brooks
My Generation – The Who
My Girl Sloopy – The Vibrations
My Girl – The Temptations
My Guy – Mary Wells
My Home Is in The Delta – Muddy Waters
My Time After Awhile – Buddy Guy*
Nadine (Is It You?) – Chuck Berry
Needles and Pins – The Searchers
Neighbour, Neighbour – Jimmy Hughes
No Particular Place to Go – Chuck Berry
Nobody’s Dirty Business – Mississippi John Hurt
Not Fade Away – The Rolling Stones
Oh No, Not My Baby – Maxine Brown
Oh, Pretty Woman – Roy Orbison
Opportunity – The Jewels
Out Of Sight – James Brown
Parchman Farm – Mose Allison
People Get Ready – The Impressions
Pride of Man – Hamilton Camp
Promised Land – Chuck Berry
Remember (Walkin’ In the Sand) – The Shangri-Las
Slow Down – The Beatles
Soon My Work Will Be Done – Reverend Gary Davis
Steal Away – Jimmy Hughes
Stoned – The Rolling Stones
Subterranean Homesick Blues – Bob Dylan
Tell Me – The Rolling Stones
The Boy From New York City – The Ad Libs
The Hippy Hippy Shake – The Swinging Blue Jeans
The Jerk – The Larks
The Last Thing on My Mind – Tom Paxton
The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena) – Jan & Dean
The Sound of Silence – Simon & Garfunkel
The Way You Do the Things You Do – The Temptations
Time Is on My Side – Irma Thomas*
Twine Time – Alvin Cash
Twist And Shout – The Beatles
Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um – Major Lance
Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers
Under the Boardwalk – The Drifters
Up On the Roof – The Drifters
Walk on By – Dionne Warwick
We’ve Gotta Get out of This Place – The Animals
What Did You Learn in School Today? – Tom Paxton
What Kind of Man Is This – Koko Taylor
Where Did Our Love Go – The Supremes
Wooly Bully – Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs
Yeh-Yeh! – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames
Yes I’m Ready – Barbara Mason
You Never Can Tell – Chuck Berry
You Really Got Me – The Kinks
You’re My World – Cilla Black
You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling – The Righteous Brothers

C.I.A. man (The Fugs)

Who can kill a general in his bed?
Overthrow dictators if they’re Red?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!

Who can find a counter-agent quick?
Especially the ones, themselves, of it?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!

Who can plan a riot in Vietnam?
Who can have the troops restore the calm?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!

Who can buy a government so cheap?
Change a cabinet without a squeak?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)

CIA Man!

Who can get a budget that’s so great?
Who will be the 51st state?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)

CIA Man!

Who has got the secret-est Service?
The one that makes the other service nervous?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)

CIA Man!

Who can cypher anything with zeros?
Not well known, but simply worth the heros.
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)

CIA Man!

Who can take the sugar from its sack
Pour in LSD and put it back?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!

Who can squash republics like bananas?
Simply if they do not like their social manners?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!

Who can train guerrillas by the dozens?
Send them out to kill their untrained cousins?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!

Who can mine the harbors Nicaragua?
Out hit all the hitmen of Chicag-ua.
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!

Who can be so overtly covert?
Sometimes even covertly overt.
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!

Who’s the agency well-known to God?
The one that copped his staff and copped his rod?
Fucking-a man! CIA Man!
Fucking-a man! CIA Man!
Fucking-a man! CIA Man!
CIA Man! CIA Man!
CIA Man! CIA Man!
CIA Man!
C I A

What did you learn in school today (tom paxton)

What did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine?
What did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine?

I learned that Washington never told a lie
I learned that soldiers seldom die
I learned that everybody’s free
And that’s what the teacher said to me
And that’s what I learned in school today
That’s what I learned in school

And what did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine?
What did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine?

I learned that policemen are my friends
I learned that justice never ends
I learned that murderers die for their crimes
Even if we make a mistake sometimes
And that’s what I learned in school today
That’s what I learned in school

And what did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine?
What did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine?

I learned that war is not so bad
I learned about the great ones we have had
We fought in Germany and in France
And someday I might get my chance
And that’s what I learned in school today
That’s what I learned in school

And what did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine?
What did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine?

I learned our government must be strong
It’s always right and never wrong
Our leaders are the finest men
And we elect them again and again
And that’s what I learned in school today
That’s what I learned in school

Posted on by treme54 · 4 Comments

My Life In Songs – 1954 – 2024

So here we are in 1963. I turn 9 years old and the music is amazing. Of course I didn’t hear all the songs listed below in that same year. The beauty of being a music lover is always discovering both new and old songs.

If you talk to any musician that plays the Hammond they will invariably mention Jimmy Smith as an influence. His Bobliness makes an appearance. Phil Ochs was one of the stand-outs of the early sixties folk scene of Greenwich Village. I never say Johnny Copeland play but I have seen his fabulous daughter Shemekia play up a storm.

(Booker T. Washington)”Bukka” White (November 12, 1906 – February 26, 1977) was an American Delta blues guitarist and singer who was a tremendous influence on his cousin Mr. B.B.King. Eric Bibb released the album Booker’s Guitar in 2010 “The genesis of this deeply moving album was in an almost chance encounter at a London hotel, where Eric Bibb had just played a set. He was approached by a fan with a beat-up guitar case, which turned out to contain a 1930s National steel guitar that had been owned and played by legendary Delta blues legend Bukka White. Bibb was inspired to write a half-spoken, half-sung ode to White, which he then recorded in London using that guitar“***.

The great Sonny Boy Williamson II “Help Me” is such as intense pleading song about obviously getting help from a lover. Why is he named the second Sonny Boy Williamson . Because there was another of the same name. John Lee Curtis “Sonny Boy” Williamson (March 30, 1914 – June 1, 1948) was an American blues harmonica player and singer-songwriter. He is often regarded as the pioneer of the blues harp as a solo instrument. He played on hundreds of recordings by many pre–World War II blues artists. Under his own name, he was one of the most recorded blues musicians of the 1930s and 1940s. Williamson’s harmonica style was a great influence on postwar performers. Later in his career, he was a mentor to many up-and-coming blues musicians who moved to Chicago, including Muddy Waters. In an attempt to capitalize on Williamson’s fame, Aleck “Rice” Miller began recording and performing as Sonny Boy Williamson II in the early 1940s, and later, to distinguish the two, John Lee Williamson came to be known as Sonny Boy Williamson I or “the original Sonny Boy”****. How confusing it that Sonny Boy the second was born earlier that Sonny Boy the first. Both of them died very early.

Those four Liverpudlians now enter the charts. The Beatles were a huge influence on my music life and I followed them relentlessly. They revolutionized songwriting and recording techniques, elevating the album to an art form, popularizing new genres like folk rock and psychedelic rock, and profoundly influencing pop culture and fashion. They moved beyond simple pop songs to incorporate complex arrangements, classical music, and non-Western sounds, pushing rock and pop into new creative territories. And I went along for the ride with them. The great singer-songwriter Glen Cardier released his album “Wild at Heart” in 2019. It included the song “Are You Beatles, Are You Stones“, in my formative years I was definitely Beatles! Interesting to note that the release of “Please Please Me” on the first American release misspelled their name as The Beattles!

The New Orleans Gospel icon Mahalia Jackson’s song “If I Can Help Somebody” is listed. I never saw Mahalia sing (more the pity) however I did have an epiphany when I was privileged to see Leonard Cohen play at the Mahalia Jackson theatre in New Orleans (28/03/2013).

Ellis Marsalis (born in New Orleans) “Ellis Louis Marsalis Jr. (November 14, 1934 – April 1, 2020) was an American jazz pianist and educator. Active since the late 1940s, Marsalis came to greater attention in the 1980s and 1990s as the patriarch of the Marsalis musical family, when sons Branford and Wynton became popular jazz musicians“****.

There seems to be a lot of songs about Surfin’ and not just by The Beach Boys! Jan and Dean’s hit sounds a lot like a Beach Boys song. Maybe because Brian Wilson wrote it and also did the harmonies. The Penguins “Memories Of El Monte” was a retro Doo Woop song co-written by Frank Zappa. “On Broadway” by the Drifters became a major hit for George Benson in 1978.

Inez and Charlie Foxx’s “Mockingbird” has been covered by Aretha Franklin, Barry Goldberg and Carly Simon & James Taylor. “Surfer Bird” by The Trashmen (what a great band name) has been covered by The Ramones and The Cramps. Betty Everett’s “You’re No Good” has been covered by among others Linda Ronstadt and Elvis Costello

nineteen and sixty three

  • A Breathtaking Guy – The Supremes
  • Atlantis – The Shadows
  • Back At the Chicken Shack – Jimmy Smith
  • Banjo In the Hollow – The Dillards
  • Be My Baby – The Ronettes
  • Blowin’ In the Wind – Bob Dylan*
  • Blue Bayou – Roy Orbinson
  • Can I Get a Witness – Marvin Gaye
  • Come And Get These Memories – Martha & the Vandells
  • Cry Baby – Garnet Mimms & the Enchanters
  • Da Doo Ron Ron – The Crystals
  • Davey Moore – Phil Ochs
  • Devil With the Blue Dress – Shorty Long
  • Do-Wah Diddy – The Exciters
  • Down on Bending Knees – Johnny Copeland
  • Drunken Leroy Blues – Bukka White
  • Easier Said Than Done – The Essex
  • El Watusi – Ray Barretto
  • Everytime I See You – The Heartbreakers
  • Fiberglass Jungle – The Crossfires
  • Fingertips – Stevie Wonder*
  • From Me to You – The Beatles**
  • Good Luck Charm – Elvis Presley
  • Groovy Baby – Billy Abbott and the Jewels
  • Hanky Panky – Tommy James and the Shondells
  • Harlem Shuffle – Bob &Earl
  • Hello Stranger – Barbara Lewis
  • Help Me – Sonny Boy Williamson II
  • Here I Stand – The Rip Chords
  • He’s so Fine – The Chiffons
  • Hi-Heel Sneakers – Tommy Tucker
  • Hot Pastrami – The Dartells
  • Hot Tamales – Bobby Hatfield
  • How’s Your Bird? – Baby Ray and the Ferns
  • If I Can Help Somebody – Mahalia Jackson
  • If You Need Me – Solomon Burke*
  • I’m Gonna Build Me a Web – K.C.Douglas
  • I’m Leaving It Up to You – Dale & Grace
  • It’s All Right – The Impressions
  • It’s Gonna Work Out Fine – Ike and Tina Turner
  • It’s Too Late – Wilson Pickett
  • Java – Al Hirt
  • Just One Look – Doris Troy
  • Little Latin Lupe Lu – The Righteous Brothers
  • Lost and Lookin’ – Sam Cooke
  • Louie Louie – The Kingsmen
  • Magnolia Triangle – Ellis Marsalis*
  • Mean Woman Blues – Roy Orbinson
  • Memories Of El Monte – The Penguins
  • Mockingbird – Inez and Charlie Foxx
  • My Babe – The Righteous Brothers
  • My Boyfriend’s Back – The Angels
  • Night Train – The Oscar Peterson Trio
  • No Title Yet Blues – Clarence White
  • Not Me – The Orlons
  • On Broadway – The Drifters
  • Packing Up – The Famous Ward Singers
  • Pain in My Heart – Otis Redding
  • Penetration – The Pyramids
  • Please Please Me – The Beatles
  • Pride and Joy – Marvin Gaye
  • Prisoner Of Love – James Brown
  • Ring of Fire – Johnny Cash
  • Ruler of My Heart – Irma Thomas*
  • She Loves You – The Beatles
  • So Far Away – Hank Jacobs
  • So Much in Love – The Tymes
  • Streamline ‘Frisco Limited – Reverand Robert Wilkins
  • Streamline Special – Bukka White
  • Sugar and Spice – The Searchers
  • Summer Holiday – Cliff Richards & the Shadows
  • Surf City – Jan & Dean
  • Surfer Girl – The Beach Boys
  • Surfin’ Bird – The Trashmen
  • Surfin’ U.S.A. – The Beach Boys
  • Sweets for My Sweet – The Drifters
  • Take Five – Quincey Jones
  • The Big Surfer – Brian Lord & the Midnighters
  • The Cruncher – The Rotations
  • The Martian Hop – The Ran-Dells
  • The Monkey Time – Major Lance
  • The Nitty Gritty – Shirley Ellis
  • Then He Kissed Me – The Crystals
  • Those Lonely, Lonely Feelings – Johnny “Guitar” Watson
  • Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um – Major Lance
  • Walking the Dog – Rufus Thomas
  • Watermelon Man – Quincy Jones
  • Wham! – Lonnie Mack*
  • What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am) – The Tams
  • Who Do You Love – Ronnie Hawkins
  • Wipe Out – The Sufaris
  • Yeah Yeah – Georgie Fame
  • You’re No Good – Betty Everett
  • *Seen perform live
  • **The only Beatle I have seen perform live was Ringo (front row at Festival Hall)
  • ***All Music
  • ****Wikipedia
Posted on by treme54 · 2 Comments

My Life In Songs – 1954 – 2024

So here we are 1962. My lists are tending to get longer the further I get into my seventy years of music.

John Lee Hooker (Boom Boom), now that’s how to boogie. In 1995, John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom” was included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame‘s list of “The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. The Animals did a version of Boom Boom in 1964. Chubby Checker sure had a lot of songs with Twistin’ in the title.

We get the debut single from the one and only Otis Redding. Stevie Wonder in his early career was known as Little Stevie Wonder. The Beatles recorded a version of the Isley Brothers ‘Twist and Shout” in 1964. “You’ll Lose a Good Thing” by New Orlean’s Barbara Lynn included Mac Rebbeneck aka Dr. John on piano. The song was recorded at the famous Cosimo Matassa’s J & M Studios. Although no longer a studio (it is a laundromat) there is a plaque on the building recognising its significance to New Orleans. Little Eva’s “Locomotion” has been recorded by many artists over the years but my favourite cover is by Grand Funk Railroad in 1974. Booker T’s classic 12 bar blues “Green Onions” is a classic instrumental. If you get a chance to visit the Stax Records museum in Memphis you can stare at the Hammond used in the recording. “Stubborn Kind of Fellow” was Marvin Gaye’s first hit for the Motown label (although not his first recording). Now you might say to me why the novelty song “Monster Mash” by Boris Pickett? I did tell you in an earlier post that I am a sucker for a novelty song. “Song to Woody” by Bob Dylan is of course a homage to the great Woody Guthrie

Nineteen and Sixty – Two

  • (You’re My) Dream Come True – The Temptations
    409 – The Beach Boys
    All These Things – Art Neville
    Alligator Man – Jimmy C. Newman
    Any Day Now – Chuck Jackson
    Beechwood 4-5789 – The Marvelettes
    Big Boss Man – Frank Frost
    Big Girls Don’t Cry – Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
    Boom Boom – John Lee Hooker
    Boss – The Rumblers
    Bring It Home to Me – Sam Cooke
    Bustin’ Surfboards – The Tornadoes
    Cinnamon Cinder – The Pastel Six
    Do You Love Me – The Contours
    Do You Want to Dance – Cliff Richard & The Shadows
    Do-Re-Mi – Lee Dorsey
    Down In the Valley – Solomon Burke*
    Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream) – Roy Orbison
    Funny How Time Slips Away – Willie Nelson*
    Green Onions – Booker T.* & The MGs
    Having a Party – Sam Cooke
    He Hit Me (And I Felt Like a Kiss) – The Crystals
    Help Me – Sonny Boy Williamson
    He’s a Rebel – The Crystals
    Hitch Hike – Marvin Gaye
    Howlin’ For My Darling – Howlin’ Wolf
  • Humpty Dumpty Heart – Jim Cava
    I Ain’t Got No Home – Ramblin’ Jack Elliott*
    I Call It Pretty Music but The Old People Call It the Blues Pt 1 – Stevie Wonder*
    I Can’t Stop Loving You – Ray Charles*
    I Need Your Loving – Don Gardner
    I Sold My Heart to the Junkman – Patti Labelle And the Bluebelles
    I’ll Try Something New -The Miracles
    It’s Raining – Irma Thomas*
    I’ve Made Nights by Myself – Albert King
    Keep on Naggin’ – Jimmy Anderson
    La La La La La – Stevie Wonder
    Land of 1000 Dances – Chris Kenner
    Let Me In – The Sensations
    Let’s Dance – Chris Montez
    Let’s Go (Pony) – The Routers
    Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette) – Benny Spellman
    Loop De Loop – Johnny Thunder
    Mama Didn’t Lie – Jan Bradley
    Mashed Potato Time – Dee Dee Sharp
    Monster Mash – Bobby “Boris” Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers
    Moon River (From “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”) – Danny Williams
    Mumblin’ Blues – Sylvester Buckley
    My Man He’s a Lovin’ Man – Bettye LaVette
    Night Train – James Brown
    Oh, My Angel – Bertha Tillman
    Only One – Scotty Wayne
    Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel) – Roy Orbison
    Palisades Park – Freddy Cannon
    Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow – The Rivingtons
    Party Lights – Claudine Clark
    Pipeline – The Chantays
    Playboy – The Marvelettes
    Queen of My Heart – René And Ray
    Remember the Night – The Atlantics
    Return to Sender – Elvis Presley
    Shake For Me – Howlin’ Wolf
    Shake Sherry – The Contours
    Sheila – Tommy Roe
    Sherry – Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
    Shout Bamalama – Otis Redding
    Slow Twistin’ – Chubby Checker
    Soldier Boy – The Shirelles
    Something’s Got a Hold on Me – Etta James
    Song to Woody – Bob Dylan*
    Soul Twist – King Curtis And the Noble Knights
    Spoonful – Howlin’ Wolf
    Stubborn Kind of Fellow – Marvin Gaye
    Surfin’ Safari – The Beach Boys
    Take It Off – The Genteels
    Tell Him – The Exciters
    Tell Him – The Drew-Vels
    Telstar – The Tornados
    The Back Door – Badeaux & Louisiana Aces & D.L. Menard
    The Loco-Motion – Little Eva
    The Lonely Bull (El Solo Toro) – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass*
    The One Who Really Loves You – Mary Wells
    The Red Rooster – Howlin’ Wolf
    The Syracuse – Felix Cavaliere & The Escorts
    The Town I Live In – McKinley Mitchell
    The Wah Watusi – The Orlons
    These Arms of Mine – Otis Redding
    Too Many Cooks – Buddy Guy*
    Twist and Shout – The Isley Brothers
  • Twistin’ The Night Away – Sam Cooke
    Two Lovers – Mary Wells
    Up On the Roof – The Drifters
    Venus in Blue Jeans – Jimmy Clanton
    Village of Love – Nathaniel Mayer & The Fabulous Twilight
    Walk On with The Duke – Gene Chandler
    Watermelon Man – Mongo Santamaria
    What’s a Matter Baby – Timi Yuro
    Wiggle Wobble – Les Cooper
    Working for the Man – Roy Orbison
    Yes Indeed – Pete Fountain
    You Beat Me to The Punch – Mary Wells
    You Better Move On – Arthur Alexander
    You’ll Lose a Good Thing – Barbara Lynn
    You’ll Never Cherish a Love So True (Till You Lose It) – Johnny O’Keefe*
    You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me – The Miracles
  • * Seen perform live I have seen Booker T. backed by the Drive By Truckers
     
     
Posted on by treme54 · 2 Comments

MY LIFE IN SONGS 1954 – 2024

There are some new artists to sample in my list for 1961.

The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is a song originally written and recorded by Solomon Linda under the title “Mbube” for the South African Gallo Record Company in 1939. Linda’s original was written in Zulu, while the English version’s lyrics were written by George David Weiss.

There are a couple of Jimmy Reed classics “Big Boss Man” and Bright Lights, Big City”. Interesting to note that Phil Spectre played guitar on the Ben E. King classic “Stand By Me”. John Lennon also recorded Stand By Me for his Rock ‘n’ Roll album which was produced by a then very crazy Phil Spectre. “During the sessions, Spector fired a gun in the studio, and the bullet reportedly skimmed past Lennon’s ear. Lennon responded, “Phil, if you’re going to kill me, kill me. But don’t f**k with my ears. I’m a musician, I need ’em!”.

The Mar-Keys, formed in 1958, were an American studio session band for Stax Records, in Memphis, Tennessee, in the 1960s. As the first house band for the label, their backing music formed the foundation for the early 1960s Stax sound. The Ikettes were Ike Turner’s all-femala backing group.

I’m pretty sure that the band Big Sambo and the Housewreckers would not be a name chosen today. The Falcons and Band had a young Wilson Pickett in the line-up. Pickette rerecorded the song “I Found Love” in 1967. New Orleans Champion Jack Dupree is a huge favourite of mine. “William Thomas “Champion Jack” Dupree (July 23, 1909 or July 4, 1910 – January 21, 1992) was an American blues and boogie-woogie pianist and singer. His nickname was derived from his early career as a boxer. and he was the lightweight champion of Indiana“.

Walter E. “Furry” Lewis was an American country blues guitarist and songwriter from Memphis, Tennessee. He was one of the earliest of the blues musicians active in the 1920s to be brought out of retirement and given new opportunities to record during the folk blues revival of the 1960s.  Joni Mitchell‘s song “Furry Sings the Blues” (on her album Hejira) is about her visit to Lewis’s apartment and a mostly ruined Beale Street on February 5, 1976.

nineteen and sixty-one

  • Big Bad John – Jimmy Dean
    Big Boss Man – Jimmy Reed
    Bleeding Heart – Elmore James
    Blue Moon -The Marcels
    Bright Lights, Big City – Jimmy Reed
    Bristol Stomp – The Dovells
    Bumble Boogie – B. Bumble & The Stingers
    Buttered Popcorn – The Supremes
    Calinda – Jim Smoak
    Candy Man – Roy Orbison
    Chain Gang – Sam Cooke
    Check Mr. Popeye – Eddie Bo
    Come Back, Baby – Dave Van Ronk
    Crazy – Patsy Cline
    Daddy’s Home – Shep & The Limelites
    Dog Patch Creeper – Velveteens
    Du Dee Squat – Little Luther
    Duke of Earl – Gene Chandler
    Dupree Special – Champion Jack Dupree
    Every Beat of My Heart – Gladys Knight
    Everybody’s Gotta Pay Some Dues – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
    Free, Single & Disengaged – Huey “Piano” Smith
    Gin House Blues – Nina Simone
    Goin’ To Kansas City – Furry Lewis
    Got Me a Louisiana Woman – Lightnin’ Hopkins
    Gypsy Woman – The Impressions
    Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart) – Ricky Nelson
    Hey! Baby – Bruce Channel
    Hide Away – Freddy King
    Hit the Road Jack – Ray Charles*
    I Found a Love – The Falcons
    I Just Want a Little Bit – Magic Sam feat. Eddie Shaw
    I Know (You Don’t Love Me No More) – Barbara George
    I Like It Like That Part 1 – Chris Kenner
    I Pity the Fool – Bobby “Blue” Bland*
    I Want a Guy – The Supremes
    If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody – James Ray
    I’m A Fool to Care – Joe Barry
    I’m Blue – The Ikettes
    Jamie – Eddie Holland
    John Henry – Furry Lewis
    Last Night – The Mar-Keys
    Lazy River -Bobby Darin
    Let Me Down Easy – Freddie King
    Let’s Go Trippin – Dick Dale
    Life Is Just a Struggle – Johnny Adams
    Lonely Blue Nights – Rosie & The Originals
    Love Me Baby – Shakey Jake
    Lover’s Island – The Blue Jays
    Memphis Slim U.S.A. – Memphis Slim
    Midnight Special – Jimmy Smith
    Mother-In-Law – Ernie K-Doe
    My Girl – Charles McCullough
    My True Story – The Jive Five
    Night Train – James Brown
    Not me – Gary US Bonds
    Oh, Mother of Mine – The Temptations
    One Mint Julep – Ray Charles*
    Only the Lonely – Roy Orbison
    Peanut Butter – The Marathons
    Please Mr. Postman – The Marvelettes
    Pony Time – Don Covay & The Goodtimers
    Quarter To Three – Gary U.S. Bonds
    Raindrops – Dee Clark
    Rainin’ In My Heart – Slim Harpo
    Runaround Sue – Dion
    Runaway – Del Shannon
    Running Scared – Roy Orbison
    She Put the Hurt on Me – Prince La La
    Soothe Me – Sim Twins
    Stand By Me – Ben E. King
    Stick Shift – The Duals
    Surfer’s Stomp – The Marketts
    Surfin’ U.S.A. – The Beach Boys
    Swear I’ll Tell the Truth – Earl Hooker
    Swing Down Chariot – The Staple Singers
    Tears of Sorrow – The Primettes
    Tears On My Pillow -Little Anthony & The Imperials
    The Fly – Chubby Checker
    The Lakes of Pontchartrain – Jim Smoak
    The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh) – The Tokens
    The Mountain’s High – Dick & Dee Dee
    The Rains Came – Big Sambo & The House Wreckers
    The Roach – Gene & Wendell
    The Wanderer – Dion & The Belmonts
    The Watusi – The Vibrations
    The Young Ones – Cliff Richard & The Shadows
    Underwater – The Frogmen
    Up on the Roof – The Drifters
    Walk Right Back – The Everly Brothers
    Walked Down So Many Turn Rows – Mercy Dee Walton
    When We Get Married – Bill Deal and The Rhondels
    Wild Wind – John Leyton
    Ya Ya – Lee Dorsey
    Ye Jacobites By Name – Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger
  • * Seen perform live
     
     
Posted on by treme54 · 2 Comments

My Life in songs 1954 – 2024

Now we start on the “Swinging Sixties”. In my humble opinion the 60’s were the most innovated decade of music on record (pardon the pun). The 1960s were a musical explosion — a decade that reshaped sound, culture, and creativity forever.

Youth Rebellion & Counterculture: The post-war baby boomers came of age, challenging norms through music. Civil rights, anti-war protests, and feminist movements fuelled powerful lyrics and bold experimentation.

British Invasion: Bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones brought fresh energy and global appeal, transforming pop and rock music into cultural phenomena.

Folk Revival: Artists like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez used music as protest and poetry, giving voice to social change

Psychedelic Rock: Acts like The Doors and Jefferson Airplane pushed boundaries with surreal sounds and mind-expanding themes.

Motown Magic: Detroit’s Motown Records introduced soulful, polished pop with stars like Marvin Gaye and The Supremes, creating “The Sound of Young America”.

Fusion & Experimentation: Folk rock, progressive rock, and avant-garde styles emerged, blending genres and defying musical conventions

  • Woodstock & Music Festivals: These gatherings became symbols of peace, love, and artistic freedom.
  • Film & Pop Music: Soundtracks and music-driven films amplified pop’s reach and impact.

The 60s weren’t just a decade — they were a turning point. Music became a mirror of society, a tool for change, and a playground for innovation.

A few observations of some of the below songs: Two classics from Etta James “All I Could Do Is Cry”and “At Last”. Jesse Hill’s “Ooh Poo Pa Doo” a song I first heard sung by Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs. Jackie Wilson’s “Night” is listed. In 1972 Van Morrison released the album St Dominics Preview which included the song “Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile”. How about the song ‘LSD-25′ by the Gamblers, a daring song title for 1960. The label execs were convinced it was about a Naval ship! Johnny Kidd and the Pirates “Shakin’ All Over”, I have great memories of Way Out West’s Patron Saint Chris Wilson singing this classic at our Christmas gigs. New Orlean’s piano virtuoso James Booker’s “Gonzo” is a classic. Booker was a flawed genius and he also recorded a song titled “Smacksie” and then ironically went to the slammer for drug usage. Harry Connick Snr. was the D.A. and Booker’s lawyer and he kept Booker from a jail sentence in exchange for piano lessons for his son Harry Connick Jnr.! You may remember Ringo Starr (1974) doing a cover of Johnny Burnette’s hit “You’re Sixteen”. What is it with old men singing about 16 year olds and school girls? Slim Harpo’s created a new genre, Swamp Blues with the song “Rainin’In My Heart”.

I have been to New Orleans 10 times. Every time I hear Fats Donino’s song “Walking to New Orleans” I have a hankering to go back again.

Ninteen and sixty

  • A Fool In Love – Ike and Tina Turner
  • A Thousand Stars – Kathy Young & The Innocents
  • All I Could Do Is Cry – Etta James
  • Alley-Oop – The Hollywood Argyles
  • Angel Baby – Rosie & The Originals
  • Angel On My Shoulder – Shelby Flint
  • Apache – The Shadows
  • At Last – Etta James
  • Baby Sittin’ Boogie – Buzz Clifford
  • Baby, What You Want Me To Do? – Jimmy Reed
  • Beatnik Sticks – Paul Revere & The Raiders
  • Big Boy Pete – The Olympics
  • Big Chief – Professor Longhair
  • Big Mr. C – The Link Eddy Combo
  • Blues Come to Texas – Lil’ Son Jackson
  • Boss Man Blues – Smoky Babe
  • Bye Bye Baby – Mary Wells
  • Call Me Juke Boy – Juke Boy Bonner
  • Carnival Time – Al Johnson*
  • Cathy’s Clown – The Everly Brothers
  • Chain Gang – Sam Cooke
  • Charlena – The Sevilles
  • Chills and Fever – Johnny Love & His Orchestra
  • Church Key – The Revels
  • Come On, Pt.1&2 – Earl King
  • Crawdad Song – Doc Watson, Clarence Ashley and Group
  • Cry to Me – Solomon Burke*
  • Diamonds and Pearls – The Paradons
  • Do The Chicken – Earl Hooker
  • Doggin’ Around – Jackie Wilson
  • East LA. – Bob Arlin
  • Fannie Mae – Buster Brown
  • Finger Poppin’ Time – Hank Ballard & The Midnighters
  • Fortune Teller – Benny Spellman
  • Freeway – The Fugitives
  • Georgia on My Mind – Ray Charles*
  • Gonzo – James Booker
  • Gun Slinger – Bo Diddley
  • Hangover – Roosevelt Sykes
  • Have Love Will Travel – Richard Berry
  • He Will Break Your Heart – Jerry Butler
  • Holy One – Freddy Fender
  • I Am the Black Ace – Black Ace
  • I Count the Tears – The Drifters
  • I Love The Way You Love – Mary Johnson
  • If You Believe in Me – Phil Sloan
  • Image of a Girl – The Safaris
  • It Will Stand – The Showmen
  • It’s Now or Never – Elvis Presley
  • John Brown’s Body – Pete Seeger
  • Juicy – Lynn Hope
  • Just a Little Bit – Rosco Gordon
  • Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go – Hank Ballard
  • Let’s Have A Party – Wanda Jackson
  • Little by Little – Junior Wells
  • Boogie Jake Loaded Down – Boogie Jake
  • Lonely Weekends – Charlie Rich
  • Louisiana Man – Doug Kershaw*
  • LSD-25 – The Gamblers
  • Madison Blues – Elmore James
  • Messin’ With The Kid – Junior Wells’ Chicago Blues Band
  • Mission Bell – Donnie Brooks
  • Mississippi Heavy Water Blues – Robert Pete Williams
  • Mope-Itty Mope – The Boss-Tones
  • Mother-In-Law – Ernie K-Doe
  • Mule Skinner Blues – The Fendermen
  • My Babe – Little Walter
  • My Old Man’s a Dustman – Lonnie Donegan
  • Mysteries Of A Hobo’s Life – Cisco Houston
  • New Orleans – Gary U.S. Bonds
  • Night – Jackie Wilson
  • Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out – Nina Simone
  • On the Rebound – Floyd Cramer
  • Ooh Poo Pah Doo – Jessie Hill
  • Over You – Aaron Neville*
  • Red River Blues – Lil’ Son Jackson
  • Richmond is a Hard Road to Travel – The New Lost City Ramblers
  • Road Runner – Bo Diddley
  • Rooster Blues – Lightnin’ Slim
  • Save the Last Dance for Me – The Drifters
  • Shake ‘n‘ Stomp – Dick Dale
  • Shake Your Moneymaker – Elmore James
  • Shaking All Over – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates
  • Shop Around – The Miracles
  • Shopping for Clothes – The Coasters
  • Shortnin’ Bread – Paul Chaplain and His Emeralds
  • Spanish Harlem – Ben E. King
  • Spoonful – Howlin’ Wolf
  • Standing At The Crossroads – Elmore James
  • Stay – Maurice Williams
  • Stewball – Memphis Slim
  • Stompin the Boogie – Roosevelt Sykes
  • Stone Crazy – Buddy Guy*
  • Surf Beat – Dick Dale
  • Take A Little Walk With Me – Otis Spann
  • The Hoochi Coochi Coo – Hank Ballard
  • The Madison Time – Ray Bryant Combo
  • The Old Payola Roll Blues (Pts. 1 & 2) – Stan Freberg
  • The Twist – Chubby Checker
  • Theme from “A Summer Place” – Percy Faith And His Orchestra
  • There Is Something on Your Mind – Bobby Marchan
  • Think – James Brown
  • This Magic Moment – The Drifters
  • This Old Heart – James Brown
  • Those Oldies But Goodies – Little Caesar & The Romans
  • Today I Sing the Blues – Aretha Franklin
  • Tonight’s The Night – The Shirelles
  • Too Close Blues – Lightnin’ Slim
  • Train Done Gone – Eddie ‘Blues Man’ Kirkland
  • Walking to New Orleans – Fats Domino
  • Wild Weekend – The Rockin’ Rebels
  • Will My Man Be Home Tonight – Lillian Offitt
  • Will You Love Me Tomorrow – The Shirelles
  • Won’t be Long – Aretha Franklin
  • You Been Torturing Me – The Four Young Men
  • You Talk Too Much – Joe Jones
  • Your Dice Won’t Pass -Sally Doston, Smoky Babe & Hillary Blun
  • You’re Sixteen – Johnny Burnette
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My Life in Songs 1954 – 2024

And so we head into the last listing of the 50’s. What do you think so far are there any songs that I should have added? The legendary New Orleans’ Jazz clarinettist Pierre Dewey LaFontaine Jr known as Pete Fountain (30/7/1930 – 06/08/2016) is first on the list. Fountain opened his club, the French Quarter Inn, located in the heart of the famed French Quarter district, at 800 Bourbon Street, in the spring of 1960. I do love old style Dixieland Jazz. Frankie Ford, Robert Parker and Irma Thomas are New Orleans’ R ‘n’ B legends. Bo Diddley continues to pump out hits. Dolly Parton recorded her first single as a 13 year-old! The legendary Saxophonist Big Jay McNeely (April 29, 1927 – September 16, 2018) continues his honking’ R ‘n’ B. I am still blowin’ away that he performed at our club in Jan. of 2013. Big Jay was an elderly man and clearly suffering from illness, however that did not stop him from putting on an incredible show. His first words to the Way Out West crowd were “we gunna have fun children”. The Wailers are not the Bob Marley Wailers. Both the Beatles and the Stones covered Barrett Strong’s “Money”. Charlie Ryan’s “Hot Rod Lincoln” was covered by Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen. I was fortunate to see Commander Cody alumni Bill Kirchen perform the song at a New Orleans Jazz Fest.

Nineteen and fifty – nine

  • A Closer Walk with Thee – Pete Fountain
  • A Teenager In Love – Dion & The Belmonts
  • All Night Long (Parts 1 & 2) – Robert Parker*
  • Baby Talk – Jan & Dean
  • Baby, What You Want Me To Do – Jimmy Read
  • Back In The U.S.A. – Chuck Berry
  • Breaking Up Is Hard to Do – Jivin’ Gene
  • Bumbershoot – Phil Harvey (Phil Spectre)
  • Class Cutter (Yea Yea) – Dale Hawkins                                    
  • Crackin’ Up – Bo Diddley
  • Crap Shootin’ Sinner – Cile Turner
  • Dance with Me –   The Drifters
  • Depend on Me – The Miracles
  • Don’t Mess With My Man – Irma Thomas*
  • Dream Lover – Bobby Darin
  • Farmer John – Don & Dewey
  • Flat Foot Sam – Elmon Mickle
  • Go to the Mardi Gras – Professor Longhair
  • Good Good Lovin’ – James Brown
  • Guess Who – Jesse Belvin
  • Handy Man – Kimmy Jones
  • Hot Rod Lincoln – Charley Ryan
  • Hully Gully – The Olympics
  • Hushabye – The Mystics
  • I’d Rather Be Burned As A Witch – Eartha Kitt
  • I’m A Stranger – John Lee Hooker
  • I’m Ready – Fats Domino
  • I’m Sorry – Bo Diddley
  • It Was I – Skip and Flip
  • It’s Too Late – Tarheel Slim and Little Ann
  • Kansas City – Wilbert Harrison
  • Kissin’ Time – Bobby Rydell
  • Linda Lu – Ray Sharpe
  • Love Potion No. 9 – The Clovers  
  • Love You So – Ron Holden
  • Mack the Knife – Bobby Darin
  • Mary Lou – Ronnie Hawkins
  • Midnight Stroll – The Revels
  • Mona Lisa – Carl Mann
  • Money – Barrett Strong
  • No Depression in Heaven – The New Lost City Ramblers
  • Papa Lemon’s Blues – Lemon Nash
  • Personality – Lloyd Price
  • Please Don’t Be Mad – Bobby Rydell
  • Poison Ivy – The Coasters
  • Puppy Love – Dolly Parton
  • Rave On – Sonny West
  • Roberta – Frankie Ford*
  • Rockin’ Robin – Bobby Day
  • Sandy  – Larry Hall
  • Say Man – Bo Diddley
  • Sea Cruise – Frankie Ford (Frankie Guzzo)*
  • Sea of Love – Phil Phillips
  • Shout, Pts. 1 & 2 – The Isley Brothers
  • Sleep Walk – Santo & Johnny
  • So Fine – The Fiestas
  • Stagger Lee – Lloyd Price
  • Suzie Baby – Bobby Vee
  • Tall Cool One – The Wailers (not the Bob Marley Wailers)
  • Tallahassee Lassie – Freddy Cannon
  • That’s My Little Suzie – Ritchie Valens (Postmortem Hit)
  • The Big Hurt – Toni Fisher
  • The Caterpillar Crawl – Strangers
  • The Great Pretender  – The Platters
  • The Hippy Hippy Shake – Chan Romero
  • The House On Haunted Hill – Movie Trailer Feat. Vincent Price
  • The Sky is Crying – Elmore Jones
  • The Twist – Hank Ballard
  • There Is Something on Your Mind – Big Jay McNeely**
  • There’s a Moon out Tonight – The Capris
  • Three Stars – Tommy Dee
  • Tom Dooley – The Kingston Trio
  • Trip To Bandstand – B.B. Cunningham
  • Wasted Days And Wasted Nights – Freddy Fender
  • We Got Love – Bobby Rydell
  • What A Difference A Day Makes – Dinah Washington
  • What’d I say, Pt. 1 & 2 – Ray Charles*
  • Who Shot the Lala – Oliver Morgan
  • Will My Man Be Home Tonight – Lillian Offitt
  • Woo-Hoo – The-Rock-A-Teens
  • You Got Me Dizzy – Jimmy Reed
  • You’re So Fine – The Falcons

* Seen Perform Live ** Performed at Way Out West Roots Music Club Inc.

Pat Powell, Big Jay McNeely and Me (2013)

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My Life In Songs 1954-2024

A good year for some classic blues and rock ‘n’ roll songs, and another Aussie (Johnny O’Keefe) makes the list with his song “The Wild One (Real Wild One)”. Now, before yáll go, wasn’t that an Iggy Pop song? The answer is yes, but it was a cover. Also staying with Johnny O’Keefe, I saw him at the Sunbury Music Festival (1973). I thought his style of rock music would be out of place. He wandered out on stage in a white suit, and I waited for the boos. I was blowin’away with his performance. After only one song, he had the pot heads and the piss heads in the palm of his hands.

It is interesting to note that several songs on the ’58 list were first heard by me on records by other bands as I began exploring music in the ’60s. I first heard “Dizzy Miss Lizzy” and “Money” sung by the Beatles; the Rolling Stones also did a cover of “Dizzy Miss Lizzie”. I first heard “Summertime Blues” sung by the Who at Woodstock. Also listed are some groundbreaking instrumentals by artists such as Duane Eddy, Link Wray, the Shadows, and Little Walter.

The song “I’m Battie Over Hattie”, sung by the out there Esquerita, who often wore heavy makeup, sunglasses, and two wigs, piling his pompadour high on his head. Little Richard ( also on this list) was greatly influenced by Esquerita (photo below).

The Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly and pilot Roger Peterson all died in a plane crash on February 3rd 1959. The event is infamously known as “The Day the Music Died,” a name popularised by Don McLean’s song “American Pie”.  

A couple of interesting notes: The Beach Boys song “Surfin’ U.S.A. (1962). Listen to the song and you will hear Chuck Berry’s ‘Sweet Little Sixteen”, so much so that Chuck eventually collected a writer’s credit and royalties! How politically incorrect in today’s world is The Pips singing “Ching Chong”? Jimi Hendrix recorded Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B.Goode in 1972. The Zanies Novelty Hit “The Blob” was from the movie of the same name

“Stagger Lee” by Lloyd Price dates back a long way. Variously known as “Stack O’Lee”, “Stack O’Lee Blues” and sung by so many old-time Blues singers. The earliest recorded version of the song I have is “Stack O’Lee Blues” by Ma Rainey (1926). The “Twist” by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters was, of course, made famous by Chubby Checker in 1961.

Ninteen and fifty – eight

  • All American Boy – Bill Parsons
    All I Have to Do Is Dream – The Everly Brothers
    Big Man – The Four Preps
    Bluebirds Over the Mountain – Ershel Hickey
    Candles – The Crests
    Cha Dooky-Doo -Art Neville *
    Chantilly Lace – The Big Bopper
    Chisholm Trail – Cisco Houston
    Cigarettes and Coffee Blues – Lefty Frizzell
    Come On, Let’s Go – Ritchie Valens
    Didn’t It Rain – Evelyn Freeman
    Dizzy Miss Lizzy – Larry Williams
    Do You Wanna Dance? – Bobby Freeman
    Donna – Ritchie Valens
    Don’t You Just Know It – Huey ‘Piano’ Smith
    Don’t Your House Look Lonesome – Cat-Iron
    Down by the Riverside – Sister Rosetta Tharpe
    Drip Drop – The Drifters
    Early in the Morning – The Ding Dongs
    Endless Sleep – Jody Reynolds
    Everything’s Gonna Be All Right – Magic Sam
    Evil – Howlin’ Wolf
    Fever – Peggy Lee
    For Your Love – Ed Townsend
    For Your Precious Love – The Impressions
    Forty Days – Ronnie Hawkins
    Gee Whiz – Bob & Earl
    Good Golly Miss Molly – Little Richard
    Got A Job – The Miracles
    Heartbreak Hotel – Elvis Presley
    He’s Gone – The Chantels
    High Blood Pressure – Huey ‘Piano’ Smith
    Hollywood Party – Dick Bush
    Honky Tonk – Dinah Washington
    How Many More Years – Howlin’ Wolf
    I Cried A Tear – LaVern Baker
    I Wonder Why – Dion & The Belmonts
    I’m A Mojo Man – Lonesome Sundown
    I’m Battie Over Hattie – Esquerita
    Itchy Twitchy Feeling – Bobby Hendricks
    Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Berry
    Juke – Little Walter
    Jungle Rock – Jim Bobo
    Junker Blues – Champion Jack Dupree
    Just a Dream – Jimmy Clanton
    Just Walkin’ In The Rain – The Prisonaires
    Justine – Don & Dewey
    Koko Joe – Don & Dewey
    La Bamba – Ritchie Valens
    Little Star – The Elegants
    Lonely Teardrops – Jackie Wilson
    Lovers Never Say Goodbye – The Flamingos
    Matilda – Cookie And The Cupcakes
    Memphis Boogie – Jesse Fuller
    Moanin’ At Midnight – Howlin’ Wolf
    Money – The Miracles
    Moonlight Bay – Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters
    My Starter Won’t Start – Lightnin’ Slim
    Nee Nee Na Na Na Na Nu Nu – Dicky Doo And The Don’Ts
    Need You – Donnie Owens
    One Night – Elvis Presley
    One Summer Night – The Danleers
    Ooh! My Soul – Little Richard
    Over And Over – Bobby Day
    Peggy Sue – Buddy Holly
    Poor Boy – The Royaltones
    Pretty Girls Everywhere -Eugene Church
     Rama Lama Ding Dong – The Edsels
    Ramrod – Duane Eddy
    Rave On – Buddy Holly
    Rebel Rouser – Duane Eddy
    Reelin’ And Rockin’ – Chuck Berry
    Rock And Roll Is Here To Stay – Danny & the Juniors
    Rockhouse – Big Maybelle
    Rockin’ Robin – Bobby Day
    Rumble – Link Wray & The RayMen
    Short Fat Fannie – Larry Williams
    Since I Don’t Have You – The Skyliners
    Sit and Cry (The Blues) – Buddy Guy*
    Smokestack Lightnin’ – Howlin’ Wolf
    So Blue – The Jades
    Splish Splash – Bobby Darin
    Summertime Blues – Eddie Cochran
    Sweet Little Sixteen – Chuck Berry
    Symbol of Heaven – Little Julian Herrera & Johnny Otis
    Tears On My Pillow – Little Anthony & The Imperials
    Tequila – The Champs
    The Blob – The Zanies
    The Twist – Hank Ballard & The Midnighters
    The Walk – Jimmy McCracklin
    The Wild One – Johnny O’Keefe*
    To Know Him Is to Love Him – The Teddy Bears
    Train To Nowhere – The Champs
    True, Fine Mama – Little Richard
    Try Me – James Brown
    Two People In the World – Little Anthony & The Imperials
    Under the Stars of Love – The Shadows
    Walkin’ With Mr Lee – Lee Allen
    We Belong Together – Robert & Johnny
    Western Movies – The Olympics
    What Am I Living For – Chuck Willis
    What’d I Say, Pt . 1 & 2 – Ray Charles
    Willie and the Hand Jive – Johnny Otis
    Yakety Yak – The Coasters
    You Cheated – The Shields
    You’re So Fine – Little Walter
  • *Seen perform live

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My Life In Songs 1954 – 2024

Blues, Doo-Wop, Soul, Pop, R ‘n’ B, Country, Surf Music, Gospel, Be-Bop and for the first time in my lists we get some skiffle. The first Aussie performer is noted (Slim Dusty). The first time I heard a version of C .C. Rider was by Aussie band Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs (1972ish), little did I know it went back To Ma Rainey (1925) when she recorded “See See Rider”. Bo Diddley’s “Mona” first came to my attention with the Rolling Stones 1964 cover. These “first heard” recollections will be a recurring theme i.e. a 6o’s bands recording old Blues, Soul and R’n’B numbers and in later years I would go on to research the origins of songs. In most cases I would say that the originals are better than the covers. As Big Mama Thornton (or was it Sonny Boy Williamson) once said “those white boys want to play the blues so bad and they do”. “Suzie Q” came to my attention when recorded by Creedence in 1968. I absolutely love “I’m a King Bee” by Slim Harpo which is another song recorded by the Stones. Elvis has many listings through the years, my first purchased Elvis recording was an E.P. that included “Cant Help Falling in Love” (1961). “At the Hop” came to my attention when I went to see “Woodstock” which was released here in Australia in Sept. 1970. The band Sha Na Na rocked that song. At Forest Hills High School in Queens, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel used the stage names Tom and Jerry and recorded the hit “Hey Schoolgirl”. I’d like a dollar for every time school girl is used in a song!

Ninteen and Fifty – Seven

  • 26 Miles (Santa Catalina) – The Four Preps
    A Pub with No Beer – Slim Dusty
    All of Your Love – Magic Sam
    All Shook Up – Elvis Presley ( see notes below 1)
    At The Hop – Danny & the Juniors
    Be-Bop Baby – Ricky Nelson
    Bertha Lou- Johnny Faire
    Black Slacks – Joe Bennett & The Sparkletones
    Bony Moronie – Larry Williams
    Book Of Love – The Monotones
    Buzz-Buzz-Buzz – The Hollywood Flames
    Bye Bye Love – The Everly Brothers
    CC Rider – Chuck Willis
    Chickee Wah Wah – Bobby Marchan (see notes below 2)
    Click-Clack – Dicky Doo and the Don’ts
    Dedicated To The One I Love – The “5” Royales
    Deserie – The Charts
    Diana – Paul Anka
    Don’t Let Go – Roy Hamilton
    Down in the Alley – The Clovers
    (Every Time I Hear) That Mellow Saxophone – Roy Montrell
    Fabulous – Charlie Gracie
    Farther Up The Road – Bobby “Blue” Bland *
    Fattening Frogs For Snakes – Sonny Boy Williamson
    Florence – The Paragons
    Flyin’ Saucers Rockin’ Roll – Billy Lee Riley
    Frog Hop – Earl Hooker
    Gangster of Love – Johnny “Guitar” Watson
    Get A Job -The Silhouettes
    Got My Mojo Working – Muddy Waters
    He’s Gone – The Chantels
    Hey School Girl – Tom & Jerry (Simon & Garfunkel)
    Honest I Do – Jimmy Reed
    Honky Tonk (Part 1) – Bill Doggett
    Hoodoo Blues – Lightnin’ Slim
    I’m A King Bee -Slim Harpo
    I’m Gonna Be a Wheel Someday – Bobby Mitchell And The Toppers
    I’m Walking – Fats Domino (3. See notes below)
    Is Your Love for Real? – Hank Ballard & The Midnighters
    It Hurts Me Too -Elmore James
    It’s You, Baby – Sunnyland Slim
    Jailhouse Rock – Elvis Presley
    Jim Dandy – LaVern Baker
    Jungle Hop – Don & Dewey
    Keep A Knockin’ – Little Richard
    Leavin’ It All Up To You – Don & Dewey
    Let’s Have a Party – Wanda Jackson
    Let’s Make It – James Brown
    Little Bitty Pretty One – Thurston Harris
    Little Darlin’ – The Gladiolas
    Louie Louie – Richard Berry
    Love Bandit (Gangster of Love) – Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson
    Love Me With A Feeling – Magic Sam
    The Maybe – The Chantels
    Mess Around – Ray Charles *
    Messed Up – Harold Burrage
    Mona – Bo Diddley
    Mr. Lee – The Bobbettes
    New Orleans Blues – Chris Barber’s Jazz Band
    New Orleans Hop Scop Blues – Dave Van Ronk
    No Seas Cruel – Baldemar Huerta & Los Romanceros
    Not Fade Away – Buddy Holly and The Crickets
  • Over The Mountain, Across The Sea – Johnnie & Joe
    Party Doll – Buddy Knox
    Peanuts – Little Joe & the Thrillers
    Peggy Sue – Buddy Holly and The Crickets
    Raunchy – Ernie Freeman
    Red Hot – Billy Lee Riley
    Reet Petite – Jackie Wilson
    Rip It Up – Little Richard
    Rock And Roll Music – Chuck Berry
    Rock Island Line -Lonnie Donegan’s Skiffle Group
    Rockin’ Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu – Huey “Piano” Smith
    ‘Round Midnight – Miles Davis
    School Day – Chuck Berry
    Searchin’ -The Coasters
    Sick and Tired – Chris Kenner
    Sitting in The Balcony – Eddie Cochran
    Susie-Q – Dale Hawkins
    Take My Hand, Precious Lord – Mahalia Jackson
    Talking Columbia Blues – Jack Elliott
    That’ll Be Day – Buddy Holly and The Crickets
    The Monkey – Dave Bartholomew
    The Stroll – The Diamonds
    The Sun Is Shining – Jimmy Reed
    Think – The “5” Royales
    This Is the Nite – The Valiants
    Too Much – Elvis Presley
    Wake up Little Susie – The Everly Brothers
    Walkin’ After Midnight – Patsy Cline
    Walkin’ With Mr. Lee – Lee Allen
    Walking to New Orleans – Fats Domino
    Whispering Bells – The Dell Vikings
    Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On – Big Maybelle
    Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On – Jerry Lee Lewis
    Words Of Love – Buddy Holly and the Crickets
    You Know You Don’t Want Me – Mojo Watson
    You Send Me – Sam Cooke
    Young Blood – The Coasters
     
     
  1. I never got to see Elvis perform but I have been to Graceland
  2. Chickee Wah Wah is also a great music club in New Orleans
  3. Never got to see the Fat Man but I have been to his house in New Orleans

*Seen perform live