200 MOST ESSENTIAL SONGS OF THE 1950s. This post: #80-71. Continues tomorrow.

Caffé Latté presents...

THE 200 MOST ESSENTIAL SONGS OF THE

1950s

Rhythm and blues, country and folk music were coming together to create the first rock and roll records. Cashed up youths started spending their money on the new genre. Radio exposed audiences to exciting new sounds and artists. Labels such as Sun, Atlantic and Chess began to flourish. The 1950s created a revolution with the arrival of rock music.

This countdown looks back on 200 recordings that had a lasting impact at the time, and- in most cases- beyond that decade. At the start of the 1950s, music was targeted to segregated audiences. Rock ‘n’ Roll was dismissed by many as a passing fad. By the end of the decade, rock was established as the dominant genre in popular music. These 200 sons form part of the soundtrack of rebellion…

80

MACK THE KNIFE

Bobby Darin

Bobby Darin proved he was far more than just a teen idol when he released his cover of "Mack The Knife" in 1959. The song was originally a German tune from the musical "Threepenny Orchestra". Darin's cool execution saw him expand his audience and demonstrated his versatility across genres such as pop, rock and jazz. The Graamy Award winning disc reached #1 in America and the UK.

79

W-O-M-A-N

Etta James

In 1955, Etta James delivered one of the first empowering songs about the female of the species. Arguably, it was too premature to take a 1950s public with her. "W-O-M-A-N" failed to chart, but paved the way for 1960s classics such as "Respect" and "You Don't Own Me".

78

BLUE MONDAY

Fats Domino

"Blue Monday" was featured in the rock 'n' roll film 'The Girl Can't Help It'. In 1956, the disc topped the R&B Chart and was one of the first such recordings to crack the Pop Top 100, climbing to #5.

77

MYSTERY TRAIN

Elvis Presley

The Elvis Presley of 1955 is captured armed with loads of potential on "Mystery Train". It was among his first recordings for Sun Records. The song was co-written by label head Sam Phillips. Presley's rockabilly remake reached #10 on the Country Chart. The following year, his audience would expand to fans of R&B and pop.

76

CHANTILLY LACE

The Big Bopper

J.P. Richardson (the credited writer of "Chantilly Lace") was best known as The Big Bopper. In 1958, his hit reached the US Top 10. Richardson's career was tragically cut short in February 1959 when he was killed in the plane crash that also caused the deaths of fellow musicians Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens.

75

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF LOVE

Harvey & The Moonglows

At the time of the release of "Ten Commandments Of Love", the vocal group was referred to as Harvey & The Moonglows. The name change highlighted the presence of Harvey Fuqua in the line-up. He is heard speaking on the 1958 single. Fuqua enlisted Marvin Gaye as a member (and Gaye is apparently on the track). They both later left Chess and joined Motown. Fuqua worked on various Gaye hits including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "If This World Were Mine" and "Sexual Healing".

74

LOVE POTION No. 9

The Clovers

"Love Potion No. 9" was another humorous and upbeat early rock 'n' roll hit written and produced by the team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The Clovers' version charted in 1959.

73

SCHOOL DAYS

Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry spoke for teens everywhere on "School Days (Ring! Ring! Goes The Bell)". The 1957 single described the day of the Fifties rock fan: waking up, heading to school, and- once the day is finally over- heading to the juke joint to dance to the latest rock 'n' roll songs. "School Days" reached #1 R&B and #5 Pop in the U.S.A.

72

GOT MY MOJO WORKING

Muddy Waters

Muddy waters was one of the most integral exponents of Chicago blues. "Got My Mojo Working" was issued on Chess Records in 1957.

71

FOLSOM PRISON BLUES

Johnny Cash

Such was Johnny Cash's skill as a songwriter that he evokes sympathy for an incarcerated man who has killed for a futile reason in "Folsom Prison Blues". The Man In Black unleashed the single in 1955 on Sun Records. A live re-recording reached #1 on the US Country Chart in 1968.

Check out the Caffé Latté 1950s playlist on spotify as new songs are added to coincide with each new update on this blog.