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

Here we are for the year 1956. We have Blues, R’n’B, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Pop and Doo Wop. I am sure you will know many of the artists listed but I am also pretty sure that some of the artists will be new to you. Why not check them out. Also, you will see a few “novelty” songs creeping in. I’m a sucker for a novelty song. I have an asterisk next to artists I have seen play live. Little Richard should have been noted as we had tickets in the 70’s to see him play at Festival Hall. Unfortunately, he rediscovered religion in Sydney and cancelled all subsequent shows! I’d still love to see your comments on who you think I should have added.

Nineteen and Fifty – Six

• A Casual Look – The Six Teens
• A Thousand Miles Away – The Heartbeats
• Ain’t Got No Home – Clarence “Frogman” Henry*
• Bacon Fat – Andre Williams
• Bad Boy – The Jive Bombers
• Be-Bop-A-Lula – Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps
• Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots – The Cheers
• Blast Off to Love – Douglas “Jocko” Henderson
• Blue Monday – Fats Domino
• Blue Suede Shoes – Carl Perkins
• Blue Suede Shoes – Elvis
• Blueberry  Hill – Fats Domino
• Brown Eyed Handsome Man – Chuck Berry
• Can This Be Mine – Freddie Hall
• Casey Jones – Pete Seeger
• Chonnie-On-Chon – James Brown
• Confidential – Sonny Knight
• Cops And Robbers – Bo Diddley
• Corrine Corrina – Big Joe Turner
• Dixie Fried – Carl Perkins
• Don’t Be Cruel – Elvis
• Down in Mexico – The Coasters
• Dust My Blues – Elnore James
• Eddie My Love – The Teen Queens
• Elvis Perez – Lalo Guerrero & El Mariachi De Meno Villa
• Every Time I Hear That Mellow Saxophone – Roy Montrell
• Fever – Little Willie John
• Flying Saucer (Part 1) – Buchanan & Goodman
• Give it up – Poka Dot Slim
• Goodnight My Love – Jesse Belvin
• Havana Moon – Chuck Berry
• Have a Good Time – Shakey Horton
• Heartbreak Hotel – Elvis
• Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! – Johnny Otis
• Honey Love – The Drifters
• Honky Tonk (Part 1) – Billy Doggett
• I Asked for Water – Howlin’ Wolf
• I Can’t Quit You Baby – Otis Rush
• I Put a Spell on You – Screamin ’Jay Hawkins
• I Walk the Line – Johnny Cash
• I’m Bad – Bo Diddley
• I’m Leaving You – Otis Rush
• In the Still of the Night – The Five Satins
• Jivin’ Around – Ernie Freeman
• Let The Good Times Roll – Shirley & Lee
• Lonely Avenue – Ray Charles*
• Lonely Lonely Nights – The Hearts
• Long Tall Sally – Little Richard
• Love Is Strange – Mickey & Sylvia
• Love Me Tender – Elvis
• Mardi Gras Mambo – The Hawketts
• Meet Me Halfway – Arbee Stidham
• Milk Cow Blues Boogie – Elvis
• Miss O’Malley’s Rally – George “Harmonica” Smith
• Nite Owl – Tony Allen & the Champs
• No Money Down – Chuck Berry
• O Solow – Dizzy Gillespie
• Oh, Baby Babe – Johnny Burnette
• Oh, What A Night – The Dells
• Ooby Dooby – Roy Orbinson
• Party Doll – Buddy Knox
• Pink Cadillac – Sammy Masters
• Please, Please, Please – James Brown
• Pledging My Love – Johnny Ace
• Purty Little Dollie – Clarence Garlow
• Rip It Up – Little Richard
• Rockin’ At Cosimo’s – Lee Allen
• Roll Over Beethoven – Chuck Berry
• Rubber Biscuit – The Chips
• Sh-Boom -The Chords
• She’s Fine, She’s Mine – Bo Diddley
• Skinny Jim – Eddie Cochran
• Slippin’ and Slidin’ -Little Richard
• Smokestack Lightnin’ – Howlin’ Wolf
• Smokey Joe’s Café – The Robins
• Speedoo – The Cadillacs
• Spiritual Trilogy: Oh Freedom / Come and Go –  Odetta
• Stranded In the Jungle – The Cadets
• Summertime – Billy Stewart
• Tear It Up – Johnny Burnette
• The Closer You Are – Channels
• The Fool – Sanford Clark
• The Girl Can’t Help It – Little Richard
• The Train Kept a Rollin’ – Johnny Burnette
• The Wind – The Diablos
• Three Hours Past Midnight – Johnny “Guitar” Watson
• Too Much – Bernard Harrison
• Too Much Monkey Business – Chucky Berry
• Transfusion – Nervous Norvus
• Whatcha Gonna Do? – The Drifters
• When You Dance – The Turbans
• Who Do You Love – Bo Diddley
• Why Do Fools Fall in Love – Frankie Lymon
• Witchcraft – The Spiders
• W-P-L-J – The 4 Deuces
• You Can’t Catch Me – Chuck Berry
• You Eat Too Much – Harold Burrage

• *Artists I have seen live