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Play List: See Below

1. "Ipsy Opsie Ooh" by Shirley Gunter and the Flairs, 1955
2. "Come Go with Me" by the Del Vikings, 1956 (Big hit in '57. Outstanding uptempo Doo-Wop. Note: I used this as my opening theme song while broadcasting on WSRN -Swarthmore, Pa. 1976-79.)
3. "Splish Splash" by Bobby Darin, 1958
4. "Grandpa Can Boogie Too" by Lil Greenwood and the Four Jacks, 1952 (Great rocker about an old reprobate: "We do believe that Grandpa gets high..")
5. "Bewildered" by Amos Milburn, 1948 (Superb bluesy ballad. Very soulful. James Brown redid it nicely in 1961.)
6. "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" by Sonny Til and the Orioles, 1949
7. "Auld Lang Syne" by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians, 1947
8. "Pot Holder" by Porkey Harris and the Sophisti-Cats (Lively R. & B. instrumental. My guess c. 1955-57.)
9. "As Long as I'm Moving" by Ruth Brown, 1955 (Hot rocker. I used this as my opening theme song about five years ago, some of you may recall.)
10. "By and By" by Sister Jessie Mae Renfro, 1952 (Absolutely superb mid-tempo bluesy Gospel.)
11. "God's Mighty Hand" by Rev. Utah Smith, 1944
12. "Can't You See?" by Chuck Willis, 1951 (Nice Blues. The start of a distinguished recording and composing career cut short by death on the operating table at age 30 in 1958. Best known for "C.C. Rider," a wonderful 1957 updating of the Blues first recorded by Ma Rainey in 1924.)
13. "Double Crossing Blues" by Little Esther, 1949
14. "Boogie Cocktails" by Maxwell Davis and his Band, 1950
15. "He's the Guy for Me" by Kitty Stevenson with Todd Rhodes and his Orchestra, 1950
16. "Little Mama" by the Clovers, 1953
17. "I Feel that Old Feeling Coming On" by James Brown and the Famous Flames, 1956 (Excellent rocker! However, Brown was only age 23 at the time!)
18. "The Dream" by the Bobbettes, 1958 (Soulful Doo-Wop ballad by the female group most famous for their lively 1957 hit, "Mr. Lee.")
19. "I've Got a Woman's Love" by the Varieteers, 1954
20. "Slow Walk" by Bill Doggett, 1956 (Compelling bluesy mid-tempo instrumental featuring Clifford Scott on Sax and Doggett on pulsing electdric organ. First recorded, earlier in 1956, by saxoophonist Sil Austin.)
21. "Thrill-La-Dill" by Dolores Ware, c. 1955 (A frantic rocker for sure.)
22. "That's All Right, Mama" by Elvis Presley, 1954 (The recording that started it all. Exciting melding of Blues and Country = Rockabilly/Rock 'n' Roll.)
23. "Blue Moon of Kentucky" by Elvis Presley, 1954 (Almost as exciting. The flip side of "That's All Right, Mama." "Blue Moon" is an exciting rocked up Country song first recorded by Bill Monroe in 1941.)
24. "My Happiness" by Elvis Presley, 1953 (From his VERY FIRST recording session. Intended for private, family consumption, thus not released at the time. 18-year old Elvis nicely sings this plaintive ballad accompanied by his guitar.)
25. "That's When your Heartaches Begin" by Elvis Presley, 1953 (See above. This is his interpretation of a ballad made famous by the Ink Spots in 1941. Elvis recorded it again, commercially, in 1957. Flip side of his big hit, "All Shook Up.")
26. "Good Rockin" Tonight" by Elvis Presley, 1954
27. "Baby, Let's Play House" by Elvis Presley, 1955
28. "I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine" by Elvis Presley, 1954
29. "Tweedlee Dee" by Elvis Presley, 1954-55 LIVE (Live performance at the Louisiana Hayride of LaVern Baker's perky R. & B. hit from 1954. Fascinating Country influences include a pedal steel guitarist accompanying Elvis!)
30. "Harbor Lights" by Elvis Presley, 1954
31. "Heartbreak Hotel" by Elvis Presley, 1956
32. "Throw Out the Lifeline" by the Sallie Martin Singers, 1951
33. "Keep the Fires Burning within Me" by the Wilson and Watson Singers, 1951
34. "I Love my Baby" by Bobby Hall and the Kings, 1953 (WOW!! Scorching rocker by the vocal group best known for soulful ballads such as "Fire in my Heart" or "A Sunday Kind of Love." Another plus: two saxophone instrumental breaks, one featuring tenor and the other featuring baritone sax.)
35. "I'm Goin' Home" by Myrtle Jones, 1957
36. "Skitter Skatter" by the Metrotones, 1957 (Absolutely frantic, almost exhausting uptempo Doo-Wop rocker. Hot sax solo too. Female lead with male group back-up.)
37. "Why, Oh, Why, Baby?" by the Companions, 1959

1. "Get on the Right Track" by Joe Clay, 1956 (Hot Rockabilly.)
2. "The Devil Made a Masterpiece" by Johnny Horton, 1959
3. "Little Bit" by Janis Martin, 1956
4. "Real Wild Child" by Ivan, 1958
5. "Where the Boys Are" by Connie Francis, 1960
6. "I Really Don't Want to Know" by Solomon Burke, 1962 (Simply superb Soul remake of the 1954 Country ballad original first recorded by Eddy Arnold.)
7. "Feels Good" by the Falcons, 1959 (Nice mid-tempo rocker. Sounds a bit like their big hit, "You're So Fine" from 1959. Male vocal group.)
8. "Another Ticket" by Big Boy Groves and Little Margie (Amusing stoptime rocker about a guy who gets far too many traffic tickets. My guess: 1955-56.)
9. "Sugar Candy" by the Miller Sisters, 1957 (The ORIGINAL version of this bluesy melodious mid-tempo rocker.)
10. "Sugar Candy" by the Belle-Aires, c. 1957 (Amazing remake of the Miller Sisters' number, see above. High-energy. Female vocal group.)
11. "A Soldier Not in Uniform" by the Sensational Nightingales, 1952 (Nice slow Gospel by this important male group. Very topical with the Korean War going on at the time.)
12. "Tell Jesus All" by the Simmons-Akers Trio, 1951
13. "Ready Teddy" by Little Richard, 1956 (Now THIS is Rock 'n' Roll!)
14. "Baby, Don't Do It" by the Five Royales, 1952 (Intense Gospel-flavored rocker.)
15. "Pachuko Hop" by Chuck Higgins, 1952
16. "Believe It" by the Deltones, 1956 (Excellent bluesy mid-tempo rocker by this female group. Nice sax instrumental break too.)
17. "Most of All" by the Moonglows, 1954
18. "A Woman's Intuition" by Tiny Topsy, c. 1957 (Amusing bluesy ballad with spoken commentary. Kind of resembles "Gabbin' Blues" by Big Maybelle from '52.)
19. "Mean Woman Blues" by Elvis Presley, 1957 (Great rocker. Apparently, the first recording of the song although Roy Orbison, who had a hit with it in 1963, apparently composed it. I know Roy had started recording in 1955 on Jewel and recorded more extensively on Sun c. 1956-58. Anyway, Elvis's version is - as always - excellent.)
20. "Big Blon' Baby" by Jerry Lee Lewis, 1959
21. "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" by Big Maybelle, 1955 (Although Jerry Lee Lewis recorded the definitive version in 1957, Big Maybelle recorded the ORIGINAL version a couple of years earlier. Stompin' fierce R. & B. Quite different but very good too.)
22. "Rocket Ride" by Floyd Turnham, 1952 (Driving instrumental featuring Turnham on baritone saxophone.)
23. "Please Be True" by Sugar Pie and Preston Love's Orchestra, 1955 (The start of a distinguished R. & B. recording career by Sugar Pie de Santo, real name Umpelia Balinton. Pleasant R. & B. ballad.)
24. "Don't Ever Leave Me" by Sugar Pie and Pee Wee, 1955-56
25. "It Won't Be Long" by Sugar Pie de Santo, 1961 (Decent remake of the cheerful New Orleans rocker originally recorded by Clarence "Frogman" Henry in 1957.)
26. "Soulful Dress" by Sugar Pie de Santo, 1964
27. "Slip-In Mules (No High-Heel Sneakers)" by Sugar Pie de Santo, 1964 (Answer song to Tommy Tucker's big 1964 bluesy R. & B. hit, "High Heel Sneakers.")
28. "Use What You Got" by Sugar Pie de Santo, 1964 (Tough uptempo bluesy Soul number celebrating how women of ALL sizes can turn on their man. Good message!)
29. "You and your Lovin' Ways" by Johnny Morisette, 1959 (Excellent soulful ballad.)
30. "My Last Dance with You" by Nathaniel Mayer and the Fabulous Twilights, 1961 (Excellent soulful ballad.)
31. "Come unto Me" by the Little Lucy Smith Singers, 1955
32. "How Much I Owe" by the Radio Four, 1955 (Just wonderful uptempo Gospel by this male vocal group. Intense and driving.)
33. "I'm Guilty" by Lonnie Johnson, 1952 (Wow! Tough Blues ballad with lots of saxophone as well as Johnson's electric guitar playing. Lonnie Johnson was a major Blues guitarist and singer on record starting in 1925. He sounds fully up to date for '52 here. His biggest hit, recorded in 1947, came in 1948 with the original version of the romantic ballad, "Tomorrow Night," which was also recorded nicely by LaVern Baker in '54.)
34. "Lovey Darling" by the Cardinals, 1953 (Wailing bluesy R. & B. uses the same melody as Lloyd Price's "Lawdy, Miss Clawdy" from '52. Although it sounds very much like New Orleans R. & B., the Cardinals male vocal group was from Baltimore.)
35. "If I Had Listened" by Linda Peters, 1955
36. "Such a Night" by Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters, 1954

1. "Mambo Baby" by Edna McGriff and the Tomcats, 1954 (Decent remake of Ruth Brown's 1954 R. & B. rocker. However, in my opinion, the best version of all is Dolly Wade's 1954 remake.)
2. "The Twist" by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, 1958 (The ORIGINAL version! Released 1959. While Chubby Checker's excellent version was the big hit in 1960 and again in 1962, Hank Ballard did it FIRST and in some ways best. Hank's version is a bit bluesier.)
3. "At the Hop" by Danny and the Juniors, 1957 (Can't get better than this as a great example of the fun and excitement of early Rock 'n' Roll. Outstanding piano too.)
4. "Hand Holdin' Baby" by Joan Shaw, c. 1956
5. "Perdelia" by the Continental Five, 1958 (Haunting lovely romantic Doo-Wop ballad by this male vocal group,)
6. "Please Be Mine" by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, 1955 (Flip side to their smash uptempo hit, "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" Best known for such great uptempo numbers, but they could also do soulful Doo-wop ballads such as "Please Be Mine.")
7. "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, 1955 (Their truly big one. 1956 hit. Has it all: lively fun vocals and a blastin' sax solo.)
8. "One Kiss Led to Another" by the Coasters, 1956
9. "Somebody's Knocking at your Door" by the Jewell Gospel Trio, 1956 (Outstanding uptempo Gospel by this female group. Nice piano too.)
10. "My Testimony" by Abner Jay, 1963
11. "Please Tell Me Why" by Jackie Wilson, 1961 (Almost hystrionic extremely bluesy ballad. The guy had such a smooth powerful voice!)
12. "Sleepless" by Ike and Tina Turner, 1961
13. "Lookin' for a Love" by the Valentinos, 1962
14. "Rock and Roll Heaven Part 1" by the Flares, 1962 (Humorous Gospel-flavored novelty concerning various artists in Heaven. Great and rather accurate parody vocals imitating Elvis Presley, the Platters, and others. Kind of like Tex Ritter's 1961 hit, "I Dreamed of Hillbilly Heaven" which was first recorded by Eddie Dean and his Frontiersmen in 1954.)
15. "Rock and Roll Heaven Part 2" by the Flares, 1962 (More of the excellent same. The Flares had a big hit in 1961 with "Foot Stompin'.")
16. "Ain't No Need" by Honey Brown, 1956-57
17. "My Heart's Desire" by the Opals, 1954 (Superb romantic Doo Wop ballad by this male group. Not the same song as "My Heart's Desire" by the Wheels from 1956 that I like to play on the show now and then.)
18. "Pledging my Love" by Johnny Ace, 1954 (Big hit in 1955. I'm pretty sure this wistful lovely ballad would have been a hit even without the huge publicity resulting from his accidental suicide by gun on Christmas 1954.)
19. "Poor Boy" by the Royaltones, 1958 (HOT instrumental!)
20. "Sweet Nothin's" by Brenda Lee, 1959
21. "Such a Night" by Bunny Paul, 1954 (Nice remake of the Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters' 1954 original which I played on the January 14 show, see above. Elvis Presley nicely redid it in 1960.)
22. "Brown" by Eddie "Tex" Curtis, 1954 (Effective R. & B. ballad concerning racial discrimination.)
23. "No Jim Crown in Heaven" by the Capitol City Quartette, 1950
24. "Ofay and Oxford Grey" by Louis Jordan, 1945 (Humorous uptempo R. & B. number asserts discrimination is on its way out. Hipster lingo: "ofay" = white and "Oxford grey" = African American.)
25. "If You're Brown" by Lord Kitchener (Calypso concerning racial discrimination. My guess: 1957-58 due to reference to recent Fall 1957 Little Rock, Ark. high school integration crisis.)
26. "Martin Luther King" by the Mighty Sparrow, 1963 (Simply wonderful Calypso concerning M.L.K., Jr. features the joyful refrain, "When Kennedy done we want Martin Luther King for President!")
27. "Since my Man Has Gone and Went" by Maya Angelou, 1957 (Yes, that Maya Angelou! From her 1957 album, "Miss Calypso.")
28. "Lord, Got Tomatoes: by Blind Blake and his Royal Victoria Hotel Calypsos, 1951 (Outstanding example of Bahamian Goombay music. Lively Calypso with humorous lyrics plus outstanding string band accompaniment.)
29. "These Are They" by Mahalia Jackson, 1950
30. "Canaan Land" by the Five Blind Boys of Alabama, 1950-51
31. "Red Rose Tea" by the Marquis Chimps, 1960 (Looney fun and frenzied instrumental that sounds more like a hot late 1940's R. & B. Jump Blues band. Brief male vocal repeating the name "Red Rose Tea." Yes, a commercial but very effective.)
32. "Tick Tock" by Marvin and Johnny, 1954 (HOT rocker by the duo most famous for recording the classic R. & B. ballad, "Cherry Pie." This is the rockin' flip side. Orgasmic saxophone solo too. Some may recall I used this as my theme song opener around 20 years ago or so on this show. Perhaps the social media company Tik Tok might want to license this?)
33. "I Feel Like a Million" by Mamie Bradley and Andy Gibson's Orchestra, 1958

1. "Back in the U.S.A." by Chuck Berry, 1959 (Great rocker featuring Chuck on enthusiastic vocals and hot electric guitar. This record reflects the optimism concerning our country so sadly missing nowadays.)
2. "Rockin' at the Hop" by the Cassidy Sisters and the Titanics, 1958
3. "A Wonderful Dream" by the Majors, 1961 (Such a cheerful uptempo Doo-Wop number! Saxophone solo is much too short. Lead vocals sound female but actually are by male singer Ricky Cordo singing falsetto.)
4. "Three Speed Girl" by the Royal Notes, 1957 (Catchy uptempo Doo-Wop. Lyrics compare romantic excitement to revolutions per minute phonograph record speeds: 33, 45, and 78 r.p.m.)
5. "Love Me Always" by Arthur Lee Maye and the Crowns, 1955
6. "Sweet as a Flower" by Miriam Grate and the Dovers, 1959 (Very appealing romantic Doo-Wop ballad.)
7. "Genie of the Lamp" by the Ly-Dells, 1961 (Wonderful catchy uptempo Doo-Wop by this male vocal group.)
8. "I'm Not Too Young to Fall in Love" by Lewis Lymon and the Teenchords, 1957 (Superb example of uptempo New York City Doo-Wop. Exciting and fun. Younger brother of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" fame. Great saxophone instrumental break too.)
9. "Mush" by Little Bobby Roach and his Combo, 1960
10. "Rockin' Bones" by Ronnie Dawson, 1959 (Great Rockabilly!)
11. "I've Weathered the Storm" by the Angelic Gospel Singers, 1957
12. "Without You, Lord" by Madame Edna Gallmon Cooke, 1961 (Beautiful slow Gospel. Just beautiful.)
13. "Speedo" by the Cadillacs, 1955 (Back on Sunday, February 1, 1976 at 5 a.m. on WSRN - Swarthmore, Pa. this was the first song I ever played as a disk jockey on radio.)
14. "Come Go with Me" by the Del Vikings, 1956 (Big hit in '57. Outstanding uptempo Doo-Wop. Note: I used this as my opening theme song while broadcasting on WSRN -Swarthmore, Pa. 1976-79.)
15. "How Could You?" by the Enchanters, 1952 (Hard charging uptempo female vocal group R. & B. Lyrics concern theme of her lover dumping her because she has grown too old. Not a gentleman!)
16. "Empty Bottles" by the Robins, 1953 (Tough R. & B. by this male vocal group who later on formed the nucleus of the Coasters. "There's a pile of empty bottles that don't mean a thing to you but they remind me, baby, of the best times I ever knew.")
17. "Tired of You" by the Gentlemen, 1954
18. "You Promised Love" by Annie Laurie, 1956
19. "That'll Be the Day" by Buddy Holly and the Crickets, 1957 (First real hit by the group. Excellent Rock 'n' Roll.)
20. "Think It Over" by Buddy Holly and the Crickets, 1958
21. "Chantilly Lace" by the Big Bopper, 1958
22. "Big Bopper's Wedding" by the Big Bopper, 1958 (Humorous rocker. Even better than his one big hit, "Chantilly Lace," say I.)
23. "La Bamba" by Ritchie Valens, 1958
24. "Donna" by Ritchie Valens, 1958
25. "Newscast: Plane Crash Report February 3, 1959." (Unfortunately, neither the radio station nor the announcer are listed. About 30 seconds concerning "the day the music died" when Buddy Holly, Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson), and Ritchie Valens died in a plane crash during a Winter storm in Iowa.)
26. "God Only Knows" by the Capris, 1954 (Heart-rending Doo-Wop romantic ballad featuring 14-year old Rena Hinton on lead backed up by male Capris plus piano.)
27. "It's Heavenly" by Annie Alford and Group, 1956
28. "Lord, I've Tried" by Lena Phillips with Rev. Kelsy and the Congregation of the Temple of the Church of God in Christ, Washington, D.C., 1947
29. "This Train" by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, 1947 (Wonderful uptempo Gospel featuring Sister Rosetta on vocals plus her HOT electric guitar.)
30. "My Babe" by Little Walter, 1955 (Tough Blues featuring Little Walter on vocals plus excellent harmonica. Identical melody and structure to "This Train" but with very secular lyrics.)
31. "I'm a Wild West Woman" by Eunice Davis, 1955
32. "The Things that I Used to Do" by Guitar Slim, 1953 (Big R. & B. hit in 1954. Gospel-influenced slow Blues. Passionate. His one big hit but, man, is it great. Yes, he also plays some fine stinging electric guitar as well as sings.)
33. "Down through the Years" by Guitar Slim, 1956 (Another powerful Blues ballad plus stinging electric guitar. While Guitar Slim - real name Eddie Jones - could rock very well indeed, he's best known for these powerful Gospel-drenched Blues ballads. My favorites include "Our Only Child" and "Something to Remember You By," both from 1954.)
34. "Swing Train" by Lynn Hope, 1953 (HOT saxophone instrumental! Hope was a male.)

1. "Rock, Everybody" by the Teen Queens, 1956 (Hot rocker that uses essentially the same melody and structure - but different words - of "Rag Mop." Many versions were recorded of "Rag Mop" but the ORIGINAL was recorded by Western Swing artist Johnny Lee Wills in 1949, a younger brother of the famous Bob Wills.)
2. "The Stroll" by the Diamonds, 1957
3. "Telephone Blues" by Eddie Gorman and Group, 1949 (Enjoyable Doo-Wop Jump Blues about how hard it is to reach his girlfriend by telephone.)
4. "Roll 'Em Boogie" by Freddie Mitchell, 1950
5. "My Last Phone Call" by Lynn Earlington, 1962 (Soulful ballad. Earlington was a male.)
6. "I Love You So" by the Chantels, 1960 (Very nice interpretation of the wistful ballad first recorded by the male group, the Crows, in 1954.)
7. "He's Mine" by Berna Dean, 1962
8. "Tell All the World about You" by Billy Lewis, 1960 (Simultaneously sounds like Gospel and New Orleans R. & B.)
9. "This Little Light of Mine" by the Ward Singers, 1952
10. "I Want to Be Ready" by the Quincette Singers, c. 1957
11. "To the Aisle" by the Five Satins, 1957 (Romantic Doo-Wop ballad. Years ago I used to think this song was kind of square, however, as I have become more mature, I realize how soulful it actually is.)
12. "Who's Sorry Now?"by Connie Francis, 1958 (One of many, many versions going back to Bob Thompson (pop singer) in 1923. Connie's version is probably the best remembered.)
13. "Boogie Woogie Baby" by the Tennessee Drifters, 1950 (HOT Hillbilly Boogie!)
14. "Ten Cats Down" by the Miller Sisters, 1956
15. "Waiting for a Train" by Hank Snow, 1963 (Very nice remake of the Jimmie Rodgers bluesy Country ballad of 1928.)
16. "Midget Auto Blues" by Paul Tutmark, 1953 (Catchy Hillbilly Boogie concerning midget auto racing cars. Wife Bonnie, better known as Bonnie Guitar, provides the vocals. Paul provides some excellent pedal steel guitar. Backed up by a small Country combo too.)
17. "I Can't Help It if I'm Still in Love with You" by Hank Williams and the Drifting Cowboys, 1951 (Heartrending soulful Country ballad concerning romantic despair as only Hank could do.)
18. "Midnight" by Margie Day and Buddy Griffin, 1952 (Decent R. & B. remake of the bluesy Country hit first recorded by Red Foley.)
19. "Little Richard's Boogie" by Little Richard with Johnny Otis and his Orchestra, 1953 (Nice uptempo rocker. Different style from his 1955-57 prime wilder rockers on Specialty but pretty compelling. Little Richard's recording career dates back to 1951 on RCA Victor. Recorded in '53 but not released until 1956 most likely because the Peacock Record company now saw Richard was a national-level star and so wanted to cash in on this previously unreleased number they had recorded with him.)
20. "Julocka Jolly" by the Jumping Jacks, 1953 (Exuberant Doo-Wop rocker uses same melody as Gospel standard, "Give Me that Old Time Religion.")
21. "Lovable Lilly" by Lillian Leach and the Mellows, 1954
22. "Pretty Baby (Come Back to Me)" by Gil Hmilton, c. 1960 (Pleasant rocker uses same melody as Marv Johnson's 1959 hit, "You've Got What It Takes.")
23. "Much Obliged" by Gil Hamilton, c. 1960
24. "Loop De Loop" by Johnny Thunder, 1963 (Melodious catchy mid-tempo hit rocker. Thunder's real name was Leroy Gilbert Hamilton. He had previously recorded under the name Gil Hamilton, see above.)
25. "Please Forgive Me" by the Du-Ettes, 1964 (Compelling Soul dance number. Sad lyrics are belied by the cheerful uptempo singing and hot musical accompaniment. Female vocal group.)
26. "Shake a Tail Feather" by the Five Du-Tones, 1963
27. "Mixed Up Faculty" by Gary U.S. Bonds, 1962 (Quite amusing proto-rap number concerning the confusion of high school teachers and employees and the resulting confusion of today's (1962) youth.)
28. "Gee. Whiz" by Carla Thomas, 1961
29. "Let Me Be Free" by Juanita Nixon, 1960
30. "In my Heart" by the Timetones, 1961 (One of my favorite uptempo Doo-Wop records. Just perfect: excellent singing by this male group; crisp musical backing, an irresistible melody; and plaintive lyrics about a hopeless love.)
31. "Lily Maebelle" by the Valentines, 1955 (Prime example of uptempo New York City Doo-Wop at its finest. Male group. Blasting sax instrumental break too.)
32. "Did You Stop to Pray?" by the Mighty Clouds of Joy, 1973 (Truly nice slow bluesy Gospel. Didn't know this was recorded in 1973; it sounds more like 1963.)
33. "Is It Too Late (to Enter at the Golden Gate)?" by the Bates Singers featuring Betty Jean Bates and L. Williams (Nice slow Gospel. My guess 1960-63. Mostly female group.)
34. "Route 90" by Clarence "Bon Ton" Garlow, 1954 (Exuberant piano-driven rocker concerns driving from California to New Orleans.)
35. "Sweet Little Sixteen" by Chuck Berry, 1958 (One of his classics! Uses same melody as Garlow's "Route 90" and has similar theme of listing different geographical locations.)
36. "'Nuff Said" by Judy Harriet, 1958
37. "Talking Guitar Part 1" by Royal Earl and the Swingin' Kools, 1958

1. "Jeannie" by the Thrashers, 1957 (Outstanding uptempo Doo-Wop by this vocal group. Complex harmonies. Talk about sounding busy! These guys must have practiced and practiced before recording.)
2. "Ooh Bop She Bop" by the Dukes, 1954
3. "Slop Time" by the Shirelles, 1958 (Pretty darn good rocker by this female Doo-Wop group. Nice sax work too. Song concerns the dance known as the Slop.)
4. "Blast Off" by the Satellites and the Space Man, 1959 (HOT instrumental!)
5. "A Schoolgirl in Love" by the Sharmeers, 1958
6. "For your Precious Love" by Jerry Butler and the Impressions, 1958
7. "Hole in the Wall" by Albinia Jones with Sam Price and his Rockin' Rhythm, 1949 (Excellent rocker somewhat resembles Roy Brown's 1947 "Good Rockin' Tonight." Lyrics even include the phrase "rock and roll." Band leader Sam Price was a great Boogie Woogie and Blues pianist. During this era he also appeared on a number of Sister Rosetta Tharpe's great Gospel sides.)
8. "You Got to Have What It Takes" by Betty Hall Jones, 1949 (Excellent singing and Boogie Woogie piano by Jones. Lyrics are borderline risque but fun.)
9. "The Drunkard" by the Thrillers, 1953 (A most unusual but excellent record. Alternates between Gospel-flavored uptempo Doo-Wop and spoken word over bluesy vocalizing. A sermon against drink.)
10. "And I Shook" by the Drifters, 1950 (Nice R. & B. remake of the bluesy Country novelty first recorded by Les Anderson in 1948. No, not THOSE Drifters! This was an earlier unrelated group to the much more famous Drifters most active c. 1953-65.)
11. "He Knows How Much We Can Bear" by the Roberta Martin Singers, 1949
12. "I Can't Feel at Home Anymore" by the Southern Sons, 1951
13. "Breathless" by Jerry Lee Lewis, 1958
14. "New Orleans Boogie" by Jerry Lee Lewis, 1952 (Previously unreleased piano instrumental when the future star was only 17 years old. Greast Boogie Woogie piano.)
15. "Don't Stay Away (Till Love Grows Cold)" by Jerry Lee Lewis, 1952 (Previously unreleased piano and vocal by the 17-year old future star. Nice remake of the Lefty Frizzell Country ballad from '52.)
16. "All Smiles Tonight" by Kitty Wells and the Tennessee Mountain Boys, 1950
17. "Blanche" by the Three Friends, 1956 (Nice Doo-Wop ballad by these guys. Their one hit but it was nice.)
18. "You Are the One" by the Hamilton Sisters, 1956
19. "The Hucklebuck" by Earl Hooker, 1958 (Nice version of this instrumental featuring Hooker on hot electric guitar. The pianist was excellent too. First a hit in 1948 for Paul Williams nad his Orchestra featuring saxophone. Best remembered version is by Chubby Checker from 1961 featuring vocals.)
20. "That'll Be the Day" by Buddy Holly and the Crickets, 1957
21. "Susie Darlin'" by Robin Luke, 1958
22. "Handy Andy" by Patty Mack, 1961 (Somewhat frantic - and lustful - rocker by a woman who admires her boyfriend's clothes and the way he "viberates.")
23. "Angel Baby" by Rosie and the Originals, 1960
24. "Lovable Girl" by the Butlers, 1963
25. "When I Grow Older" by the Butlers, 1963 (Catchy, almost haunting, uptempo Doo-Wop.)
26. "Why Should I Dance?" by the Sheiks, 1961(Amusing funky rocker with the good question: "Hey, if I can stay home and dig romance, why should I dance?")
27. "Come and Go to the Land" by Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers, 1954
28. "Marching to Zion" by the Davis Sisters, 1953
29. "Since You Left my World" by the Centurions, 1959
30. "Paint a Sky for Me" by Viola Watkins, 1952 (Dreamy romantic ballad.)
31. "Hastings Street Opera, Part 1" by Detroit Count, 1948 (Real name Robert White features the Count playing bluesy piano over which he speaks humorously, about various bars and other places of entertainment on Hastings Street, Detroit.)
32. "Hastings Street Opera, Part 2" by Detroit Count, 1948 (More of the same. Sample spoken verse concerns a bar where anyone age 102 can get a free drink - provided they are accompanied by both their mother and father!)
33. "Hastings Street" by Blind Blake and Charlie Spand, 1929 (Driving number features Blind Blake [Arthur Blake] on guitar and spoken vocals with Charlie Spand on smoothly rolling Boogie Woogie piano. Lyrics concern places of entertainment found on Hastings Street, Detroit. This really sounds A LOT like Rock 'n' Roll and would certainly have still sounded current in 1948 when Detroit Count made his recordings, see above.)
34. "Old Time Rock and Roll" by Champion Jack Dupree, 1957 (Tough rocker featuring Dupree on piano and vocals. He declares he's been rockin' since 1929: "I ain't gonna tell 'em my age [47], but I'll tell 'em how long I've been doin' it." Likely true since Dupree, born 1910, would have been age 19 in 1929. Same year as when Blind Blake and Charlie Spand recorded "Hastings Street," see above.)

1. "Crazy Bells" by Julie Stevens and the Premiers, 1956
2. "Pickin' on the Wrong Chicken" by the Five Stars, 1958 (Cheerful rocker concerns a reluctant girl. Saxophone solo is outstanding.)
3. "The Green Door" by Jim Lowe, 1956
4. "Tryin' to Please" by Jerry McCain, 1957 (Novelty rocker by this Alabama Bluesman. His woman rejects his first two musical attempts but she loves it when he plays Rock 'n' Roll. Hot harmonica and electric guitar plus singing.)
5. "Oh, What a Dream" by Ruth Brown, 1954 (Nice bluesy ballad. Written by Chuck Willis, most famous for his 1957 hit remake of Ma Rainey's 1924 Blues, "C.C. Rider.")
6. "Love Struck" by Chuck Willis, 1954 (Dramatic R. & B. ballad about falling in love.)
7. "Keep A-Driving" by Chuck Willis, 1958 (Excellent rocker.)
8. "Dance with Me, Henry" by Etta James and the Peaches, 1954 (Her first record and first hit. Great "answer" record to Hank Ballard and the Midnighters' sound-alike, "Work with Me, Annie.")
9. "I'm Going to Walk Out in His Name" by the Gay Sisters, 1951
10. "Holy Rock" by Billy H. Grady, 1965 (Uptempo Gospel featuring Grady on hot electric guitar and vocals.)
11. "Each Time" by the Ivy-Tones, 1958
12. "I Confess" by the Dots, 1957 (Nice female vocal group R. & B. remake of Paul Anka's first record from 1956. Anka wrote it too. Interesting: Anka became very successful primarily as more of a Pop than Rock 'n' Roll singer but you have to wonder: he had sort of started out as a white R. & B. singer.)
13. "Pizza Pie" by Norman Fox and the Rob Roys, 1958
14. "Thunderbolt" by Warren Lucky and his Combo, 1955 (Frantic saxophone-driven instrumental.)
15. "Kill It" by the Antwinettes, 1958 (Amusing but very funky and bluesy female Doo-Wop number concerning teen slang of the era.)
16. "Down in Cuba" by the Royal Holidays, 1959 (Either this was recorded before January 1, 1959 or, somehow, the group didn't realize Fidel Castro's revolution meant the end of Cuba as a fun holiday destination. Catchy uptempo Doo-Wop by this male vocal group.)
17. "I Was the One" by Elvis Presley, 1956 (Very nice soulful ballad. The forgotten flipside to his first national hit, "Heartbreak Hotel." "I Was the One" features the Jordanaires backing him and, really, this is a Doo-Wop ballad more than anything. Nice!)
18. "Harbor Lights" by LaVern Baker, 1958
19. "Linda Lu" by Ray Sharpe, 1959
20. "No Good Lover" by Mickey and Sylvia, 1956 (Fierce rocker of romantic rejection. Mickey's electric guitar smokes. There's even washboard accompaniment! Duo is most famous for their 1956 Calypso-like big hit, "Love Is Strange.")
21. "Sweet Little Angel" by B.B. King, 1956
22. "If I Could Be with You" by Miss La-Velle, 1958
23. "My Life's Desire" by the Verdicts, 1961
24. "The Mummy's Ball" by the Verdicts, 1961 (Amusing Halloween-type novelty rocker by this male vocal group.)
25. "Gulley Stomp" by Sam Price, 1956
26. "Why Can't You Be True?" by the Vernalls, 1958
27. "Oh, Me" by Little Clydie and the Teens, 1956
28. "The Life Story of Madame Bethune Part 1" by Otis Jackson and th Dixie Hummingbirds, 1955 (Inspiring Gospel number celebrating the life and accomplishments of African American educator and civil rights ativist Mary McLeod Bethune, who had just died. Spoken recitation over mellow wordless singing.)
29. "The Life Story of Madame Bethune Part 2" by Otis Jackson and the Dixie Hummingbirds, 1955
30. "My Boy Lollipop" by Millie Small, 1964 (Catchy Jamaican Ska. American white R. & B. singer, Barbie Gaye, recorded it first in 1956. Both versions are great but Millie had the hit.)
31. "My Baby" by Jackie Estick with Clue J and his Blues Blasters, 1960
32. "One Kiss for my Baby" by Lord Lebby, 1960 (Raucous rocker done Jamaican R. & B. sstyle.)
33. "My Sound that Goes Around" by Prince Buster, 1962 (Prime Jamaican Ska!)
34. "So Long, Baby" by the Marvelettes, 1961
35. "God Only Knows" by the Crystals, 1954 (Released 1955, this is a nice remake of the plaintive ballad first recorded by Rena Hinton and the Capris earlier in '54. This Crystals group is a male vocal group, NOT the much more famous female vocal group of the early 1960's.)

1. "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" by the Virtues, 1958 (Exciting update of the Country Boogie instrumental first recorded by Arthur "Guitar" Smith in 1945.)
2. "A Fool in Love" by Ike and Tina Turner, 1960
3. "Continental with Me, Baby" by the Vibrations, 1960 (Exciting dance raver.)
4. "Feel Like Lovin'" by the Sheppards, 1960 (Enjoyable uptempo Doo-Wop by this male vocal group.)
5. "Nobody but You" by the Trickets (Nice female Doo-Wop romantic ballad. My guess c. 1960.)
6. "Baby, Oh, Baby" by the Shells, 1957
7. "That's What You're Doing to Me" by the Capris, 1954 (Excellent basic rocker featuring 14-year old Rena Hinton backed up by the male Capris plus excellent Boogie piano. Very catchy when they go into an extended "Wop bop bop" vocal riff. Remake of the Gospel-flavored rocker originally recorded by Clyde McPhatter with Billy Ward and the Dominoes in 1952.)
8. "Ooh-Wah-Cha-Wah" by the Incredible Upsetters, 1957 (FRANTIC Doo-Wop rocker by this male group. HOT saxophone solos too. Now THIS is Rock 'n' Roll!)
9. "God Is a Battle Axe" by the Sallie Martin Singers, 1950
10. "Jesus Is Sweet to Me" by the Sensational Skylights, 1961
11. "Weekend Blues" by the Bachelors, 1950 (Very effective bluesy ballad.)
12. "I Love You, Yes, I Do" by Ella Mae Morse, 1953 (Nice remake of the Bull Moose Jackson 1952 R. & B. romantic ballad. Accompanied by Big Band horns.)
13. "Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy" by the Adams Sisters, 1963 (Novelty remake of the 1950 lively Country hit by Red Foley. Nice electric guitar and then electric organ solos too.)
14. "You're Gonna Change (or I'm Gonna Leave)" by Hank Williams and the Drifting Cowboys, 1949
15. "You Won't Believe This" by the Maddox Brothers and Rose, 1948
16. "There's a Honky Tonk in your Heart" by Marvin Rainwater, 1961 (Excellent uptempo Country. The superb honky tonk piano accompaniment really makes this distinctive.)
17. "Why Couldn't It Be Me?" by the Turquinettes
18. "Human" by Tommy Hunt, 1961
19. "Leaps and Bounds" by Bill Doggett, 1956
20. "Don't Throw your Love on Me So Strong" by Albert King and Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm, 1961
21. "Carnival TIme" by Al Johnson, 1959 (Catchy New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration featuring Johnson on vocals and piano.)
22. "Ike Iko" by the Dixie Cups, 1965
23. "Shrimp and Gumbo" by Dave Bartholomew, 1955
24. "Bon Ton Roula" by Clarence Garlow, 1949 (Note the phonetic spelling. Syncopated Mardi Gras rocker was his first and biggest hit. Following this, he was known as Clarence "Bon Ton" Garlow.)
25. "Zodico Stomp" by Clifton Chenier and his Zodico Ramblers, 1955
26. "Let the Good Times Roll" by Shirley and Lee, 1956
27. "Down the Road" by Roland Stone, 1961 (Nice remake of "Junco Partner" first recorded by James "Wee Willie" Wayne in 1951.)
28. "Mardi Gras in New Orleans" by Professor Longhair, 1949 (What Mardi Gras celebration would be complete without this iconic number? Features Longhair's appealing hoarse vocals and his amazing Calypso-influenced piano.)
29. "Mardi Gras" by Joe Lutcher, 1949
30. "Everybody's Blowin' Part 1" by Professor Longhair, 1962 (Wonderful rocker. Longhair's Boogie Woogie piano really drives this fun party record along.)
31. "While the Blood Runs Warm" by Madame Ernestine [Martin Smith], 1949
32. "Is the Blood Running Warm?" by the Rising Stars, c. 1949
33. "T-Bone Jumps Again" by T-Bone Walker, 1948 Catchy R. & B. instrumental. You can hear Walker's electric guitar style clearly as an influence on Chuck Berry.)
34. "I Didn't Like It the First Time (The Spinach Song)" by Julia Lee, 1947 (Amusing double-entendre number. Lee is on vocals and lively piano.)
35. "Sixty Minute Man" by Billy Ward and the Dominoes, 1951

1. "Our Day Will Come" by Ruby and the Romantics, 1963 (Smooth jazzy mid-tempo ballad. Has kind of a breezy feel to it.)
2. "Puppy Love" by Little Jimmy Rivers and the Tops, 1959
3. "The Wanderer" by Dion, 1961 (Tough enjoyable catchy Rock 'n' Roll.)
4. "Dance with Me, Henry" by the Leslie Sisters, 1955 (Decent remake of Etta James's first record from 1954 which, in turn, was a sound-alike "answer record" to Hank Ballard and the Midnighters' notorious 1954 release, "Work with Me, Annie.")
5. "'Til I Return" by the Masters, 1958 (Soulful Doo-Wop ballad.)
6. "I'm Leaving It Up to You" by Dale and Grace, 1963 (Soulful R. & B. ballad first reorded by Don and Dewey in 1957. Like many others my age and younger, I first heard it as done by Donny and Marie Osmond in 1974.)
7. "Prisoner Song" by Warren Storm, 1958 (Swamp Pop interpretation of the plaintive ballad first recorded in 1924 by early Country star, Vernon Dalhart.)
8. "Whooee, Sweet Daddy" by Katie Webster, c. 1958-59
9. "Congo Mombo [sic]" by Guitar Gable and the Musical Kings, 1956 (Appealing percussive instrumental.)
10. "Hook, Line, and Sinker" by Smiley Lewis, 1956
11. "I Bowed on my Knees and Cried Holy" by Mahalia Jackson, 1951 (Definitive slow bluesy Gospel by the great Mahalia in her prime.)
12. "He's So Wonderful" by Sister Jessie Mae Renfroe and the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, 1951
13. "K.C. Lovin'" by Little Willie Littlefield, 1952 (The ORIGINAL version of the song redone by many others as "Kansas City.")
14. "Kansas City" by Wilbert Harrison, 1959 (The exciting and definitive hit version featuring Harrison on vocals and funky piano plus the blazing electric guitar instrumental break by Wild Jimmy Spruill.)
15. "This Woman of Mine" by Wilbert Harrison, 1953 (Here's a musical curiosity. One of Harrisons' very first records. Different lyrics but IDENTICAL melody to "Kansas City!" Obviously, Harrison must have heard Littlefield's "K.C. Lovin'" at the time.)
16. "She Keeps Sittin' on It" by Thelma Lark and Orchestra, 1949 (Great rocker with suggestive lyrics. The "it" refers to a chair but any listener above, say, age 12 can figure out there's another meaning!)
17. "Sittin' on It All the Time" by Wynonie Harris, 1949 (Great rocker with suggestive lyrics. In this case Harris sings about a woman who "keeps sittin' on it all the time" from age 10 despite numerous invitations to do otherwise before deciding at age 63 to "go runnin' wild.")
18. "I've Got a Right to Be Blue" by Madeline Green and the Magichords, 1950
19. "Life Is but a Dream" by the Harptones, 1955
20. "Do You Wanna Go?" by the Miller Sisters, 1956 (HOT rocker!)
21. "Do, Baby, Do" by the Mellokings, 1957 (Great catchy uptempo Doo-Wop.)
22. "Chapel on the Hill" by the Mellokings, 1957
23. "Tonight! Tonight!" by the Mellokings, 1957 (Their one big hit. Excellent example of romantic Doo-Wop balladry.)
24. "Sassafras" by the Mellokings, 1957
25. "Whadaya Want?" by the Debs, 1955 (Nice female remake of the catchy Doo-Wop rocker first recorded earlier in '55 by the male group, the Robins.)
26. "I Want to Live So God Can Use Me" by Brother Willie Eason and his Gospel Guitar, 1951
27. "He Is Able" by the Songbirds of the South, 1953 (One of the swingin'est most joyful Gospel recordings ever! Female group. Things really kick into gear when soprano Cassietta Baker (better known as Cassietta George later on when she joined the Caravans), takes over as lead about halfway through. No matter how depressed you might be, this one will surely cheer you up!)
28. "C.C. Rider" by Chuck Willis, 1957
29. "What a Difference a Day Made" by Dinah Washington, 1959 (Beautiful jazzy interpretation of this romantic ballad.)
30. "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" by Johnny Cash, 1957 (Nice mid-tempo Country ballad. Quite a story!)
31. "Red River Rock" by Johnny and the Hurricanes, 1959
32. "From an Angel to a Devil" by Polly Tucker, 1957 (Obscure but excellent Rockabilly. Features Tucker on strong vocals backed up by an excellent male vocal group plus stinging electric guitar. Should have been a hit.)
33. "Rainbow Doll" by Jimmy Dell, 1958
34. "Wolverton Mountain" by Claude King, 1962 (Compelling Country ballad concerns the inaccessible daughter of Clifton Clowers ("handy with a gun and a knife") located on Wolverton Mountain. Very melodic. King's only big hit record but it was nice.)
35. "I'm the Girl from Wolverton Mountain" by Jo Ann Campbell, 1962 (Yes, the "answer record." Same melody and similar lyrics. She's pining for a fellow to rescue her from her tyrannical father, Clifton Clowers, but remains in despair of becoming an old maid.)

1. " Fabulous" by Charlie Gracie, 1957 (Pleasant rocker that definitely sounds influenced by Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel" from 1956.)
2. "Don't Be Cruel" by Elvis Presley, 1956
3. "Ooh, Whatcha Do" by Vanda King, 1958 (Female rocker but very much in the style of Elvis Presley.)
4. "Nee Nee Na Na No No Nu Nu" by Dickey Doo and the Don'ts, 1957 (Silly title but this is a HOT Rock 'n' Roll instrumental. Humorous touch: three times a Peter Lorre-like voice declares the title.)
5. "I Hope You're Satisfied" by Etta James, 1957 (Bluesy R. & B. ballad. Male voice is Harvey Fuqua, a founding member of the Moonglows.)
6. "The Secret" by the Gainors, 1958 (Mid-tempo sentimental Doo-Wop ballad. Lead singer is Garnett Mimms who became quite famous for his 1963 hit...see below).
7. "Cry Baby" by Garnett Mimms and the Enchanters, 1963 (Superb Gospel-influenced Soul ballad. His biggest hit by far.)
8. "I Know" by Barbara George, 1961
9. "Something's Goin' On in my Room" by Daddy Cleanhead, 1955 (Excellent and humorous rocker. Daddy Cleanhead is Fred Higgins, older brother of saxophonist Chuck Higgins, whose band provides back-up here.)
10. "In the Morning When I Rise" by the Davis Sisters, 1949
11. "No More Sorrow" by the Bells of Joy, 1954
12. "I'll Weep No More" by Betty Everett and the Willie Dixon Band, 1958 (Superb Gospel-influenced R. & B. ballad)
13. "My Tears" by Andre Williams, 1956 (Soulful Doo-Wop ballad. Flipside of his notorious "Jail Bait" spoken Blues!)
14. "Cousin Family" by Lord Invader, 1947 (Trinidadian Calypso concerning romantic jealousy. The man spending the night with his woman, she says, is simply her cousin. Right!)
15. "De Peas and de Rice" by Calypso Mama, 1956
16. "Bullfrog Dressed in Soldier Clothes" by Delbon Johnson and Dirty Dick's Calypsos, 1954 (Melodic Bahamian Goombay, i.e., Calypso. Lyrics concern a bullfrog dressed as a soldier who unsuccessfully goes hunting for crows and then coots. Catchy meody. I can play my own version on the piano.)
17. "Old Time Calypsoes" by Lord Melody, 1960
18. "Baby, It's You" by the Shirelles, 1961
19. "Mine and Mine Alone" by the Angelettes, 1956
20. "Fine Girl" by the Calvaes, 1956 (Wow! This Doo-Wop number sure ROCKS! Nice extended sax solo too.)
21. "Won't Someone Tell Me Why?" by Faith Taylor and the Sweet Teens, 1958
22. "We Bel;ong Together" by the Videls, 1963 (Uptempo Doo-Wop treatment of the soulful 1958 ballad by Robert and Johnny. Effective! Videls were a male vocal group.)
23. "We Belong Together" by Robert and Johnny, 1958 (The ORGINAL version of this soulful ballad. Nice!)
24. "What Difference Does It Make?" by Shirley Gunter and the Queens, 1955
25. "Sh-Boom" by the Chords, 1954 (Breezy cheerful uptempo Doo-Wop by this male vocal group. Sometimes cited as one of "the first" examples of Rock 'n' Roll. The Crewcuts hit big with it in '55. I saw the Chords perform this in New York City back in 1980.)
26. "Sh-Boom" by Stan Freberg and the Toads, 1954 (Absurd funny parody by comic Stan Freberg. He recorded several parodies of Rock 'n' Roll hits of this era including the Platters' 1955 "The Great Pretender" and Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" among others.)
27. "Too Fat" by Little Freddy and Don with the Rockets, 1958 (Amusing mid-tempo Doo-Wop about a fat girl. A bit unkind but, musically, this is actually quite good.)
28. "'Cause You're Mine" by the G-Clefs, 1956 (Fantastic uptempo Doo-Wop about the happiness of being in love. This simply ROCKS! Great saxophone solo too.)
29. "Jesus Is the Perfect Answer" by Queen C. Anderson and the Brewster Singers, 1952 (Truly moving slow and bluesy Gospel. Beautiful.)
30. "Dear Lord, Look Down upon Me" by the Dixie Hummingbirds and the Angelic Gospel Singers, 1950-51
31. "Big Ten Inch Record" by Bull Moose Jackson, 1952 (Notorious rocker with suggestive lyrics. The big ten inch record refers to the diameter of the 78 r.p.m. record format of the day but...lyrics suggest something else!)
32. "Come On, Daddy (Let's Play Tonight)" by Pearl Traylor, 1951
33. "Big Mouth Lucy" by the Beavers, 1950
34. "Wynn's Boogie" by the Jim Wynn Orchestra, 1946 (Good rockin' instrumental featuring Big Jim Wynn on saxophone.)

1. "Rock Me All Night Long" by Ella Mae Morse with Big Dave and his Orchestra, 1954
2. "Ko Ko Mo" by Gene and Eunice, 1955
3. "Messed Up" by Harold Burrage, 1957 (Amusing rocker about a guy who, indeed, is "messed up" having both a wife and a girlfriend. Nice ringing electric guitar accompaniment.)
4. "See You Later, Alligator" by Bobby Charles, 1955 (The ORIGINAL version done before Bill Haley and the Comets who had the much bigger hit with it. Charles, a Louisiana Cajun actually named Robert Charles Guidry, was only 16 when he wrote and recorded this iconic Rock 'n' Roll number. His approach is a bit funkier than Haley's.)
5. "In Paradise" by the Cookies, 1956
6. "Bells of Love" by the Mint Juleps, 1956 (Wonderful Doo-Wop ballad. The tenor lead sings with much emotion veering off into falsetto at times. Obscure but definitely worth a listen!)
7. "Over and Over" by Bobby Day, 1958 (One of the catchiest examples of early Rock 'n' Roll ever. The Dave Clark Five also had a hit with it in '65.)
8. "Blue Jean Blues" by Sharon Strauss, 1957 (Pretty good rocker sung by this 12-year old girl. Has charm.)
9. "My Girl Is Red Hot" by the Carroll Brothers, 1958 (Not the more famous "Red Hot" recorded by Rockabilly Billy Lee Riley in in '57 nor the R. & B. pounder by Billy "the Kid" Emerson in '55, this "Red Hot" is a frantic Rockabilly number that simply explodes with fun and energy. The electric guitar instrumental break is one of the hottest you'll ever hear.)
10. "Good Time" by Royce Porter, 1958
11. "I'm Getting Nearer to my Home" by the Angelic Gospel Singers, 1960-63
12. "Peace in the Valley" by the Paramount Gospel Singers, 1951
13. "Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" by Sticks McGhee and his Buddies, 1949 (Pounding R. & B. classic that just won't stop. HOT!)
14. "Love and Wine" by Varetta Dillard, 1951
15. "I Ain't Drunk" by Lonnie "the Cat," 1954 (Amusing stop-time number. Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm provide instrumental back-up. First recorded by Jimmy Liggins earlier in '54 in a more restrained style.)
16. "Wine, Wine, Wine" by the Nightcaps, 1958
17. "A Casual Look" by the Six Teens, 1956 (Touching Doo-Wop ballad. The lyrics tell a nice love story. Mixed group with female lead who was not actually yet a teen: 12-year old Trudy Williams.)
18. "Wonderful Girl" by the Five Satins, 1956
19. "Midnight Grinder" by Joe Morris and his Orchestra, 1950
20. "Roll Over, Beethoven" by Chuck Berry, 1956
21. "Oo-Wee, Mr. Jeff (Please Be Yourself)" by Georgia Lane, 1953 (Tough bluesy rocker about a fellow who is being a little fresh. At the end, however, Georgia WANTS Mr. Jeff to keep on acting this way.)
22. "Eddie, my Love" by the Teen Queens, 1955
23. "She's my Baby" by Steve Alaimo, 1959
24. "Mashed Potatoes (Part 1)" by Steve Alaimo, 1962
25. "Every Day I Have to Cry" by Steve Alaimo, 1962 (His one big hit. Melodic uptempo blue-eyed Soul. The ORIGINAL was written and recorded by Alabama Soul artist Arthur Alexander earlier in '62. Both versions, in my opinion, are equally good.)
26. "Go" by Pearline Caesar, 1963
27. "Over the Mountain, Across the Sea" by Johnnie and Joe, 1957 (Their one big hit. Simply superb moving sweet yet soulful R. & B. ballad.)
28. "Where Did She Go?" by Johnnie and Joe, 1958 (A similar soulful romantic ballad. The accompanying single violin is quite effective in accenting this soulful number.)
29. "I Got a Home in that Rock" by the Silvertone Singers of Cincinnati, 1953
30. "Down by the Riverside" by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, 1943 (LIVE version of this Gospel standard. Rousing! Sister Rosetta is accompanied by a big Swing Band. She takes a nice solo on her HOT electric guitar which is followed by a blastin' proto-Rock 'n' Roll saxophone solo. Sister Rosetta made a studio recording in 1948 (without the Swing band)).
31. "Back Door Blues" by Casey Bill Weldon, 1936 (Proof there was something resembling Rock 'n' Roll being played BEFORE World War II. Fast-paced number featuring Weldon on vocals and HOT slide guitar is propelled along by some great piano work too. Amusing and rather vivid lyrics concern cheating.)
32. "Chicago Breakdown" by Big Maceo, 1945 (Now THIS is Boogie Woogie piano!)
33. "What a Woman" by Lonnie Johnson, 1947 (Mellow Blues describes the physical charms of his lovely big-legged woman. "All the cats say, 'My, my, my!'" watching her walk down the street. Nice electric guitar too played by Johnson.)
34. "Heavenly Father" by Edna McGriff, 1952 (Lovely R. & B. ballad with, not surprisingly, elements of Gospel.)

1. "Let the Good Times Roll" by Ray Charles, 1958 (Tough Jazz-flavored R. & B. declaration about having a good time. Excellent remake of Louis Jordan's ORIGINAL recording from 1948.)
2. "Further Up the Road" by Bobby "Blue" Bland, 1957 (Jumpin' Blues warning his faithless lover what awaits her after dumping him. Bland's first charting record. His recording career actually dates back to 1951.)
3. "Part Time Papa" by Arena Allen and her Trio, 1959 (Great R. & B. number declaring she wants a FULL-TIME "papa." Sounds more like R. & B. circa 1952-54 but either way, this is great uptempo R. & B.)
4. "We Ain't Gonna Ride No More" by the Arrows, c. 1955 (Heavy bluesy uptempo Doo-Wop by this male vocal group. They ain't gonna ride no more "because I just smashed the car and now we gotta walk.")
5. "Smoke from your Cigarette" by Lillian Leach and the Mellows, 1954
6. "Please Love Me Forever" by Cathy Jean and the Roommates, 1960
7. "Chip Chip" by the Mellokings, 1959 (Appealing uptempo Doo-Wop by this male vocal group most famous for their 1957 hit, "Tonight! Tonight!")
8. "I'm on my Way" by Bobby Sanders, 1961
9. "If I Could Hear my Mother" by the Staple Singers, 1953 (One of their very first records. Wonderful mid-tempo bluesy and very intense Gospel.)
10. "The Gospel Ship" by the Jewell Gospel Trio, 1956 (Beautiful compelling mid-tempo Gospel by this female trio. Nice piano too.)
11. "Bye, Bye, Bye, Bye" by the Ebonaires, 1949 (Amusing slow bluesy number about a poor guy who strikes out with the women everywhere he goes.)
12. "Savannah Sings the Blues" by Savannah Churchill and the Four Tunes, 1949 (Superb slow and amusing Blues. Backed up by the male Four Tunes, Churchill does a great job. A contrast to the romantic Pop-flavored ballads she usually recorded.)
13. "Love Wasn't There" by the Checkers, 1953 (Superb compelling mid-tempo and very bluesy number by this male vocal group.)
14. "One O'Clock Jump" by the Johnny Otis Band, 1953 (LIVE version of the instrumental they first recorded in 1948 and was, in turn, a good remake of Count Basie's Swing Band ORIGINAL from 1937. Here, Johnny Otis and crew really jam andi improvise with one hot riff becoming another hot riff. Otis also has some nice solos on the vibraphone. The crowd sounds pretty engaged too with occasional cries of encouragement. A real time capsule.)
15. "Mambo Baby" by Ruth Brown, 1954
16. "Blues Got Me Walking, Talking to Myself" by Nellie Hill and the Ben Smith Quartet, 1949
17. "Gloria" by Arthur Lee Maye and the Crowns, 1956 (Soulful Doo-Wop ballad. Not the same "Gloria" as recorded by the Cadillacs in 1954 and other groups.)
18. "Guitar Boogie" by Arthur Smith, 1945 (Record did nothing in '45 but when rereleased in '48 it became a Country hit. Absolutely HOT guitar instrumental that, really, is full-blown Rock 'n' Roll. Redone and updated nicely in 1958 by the Virtues as "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" - see March 4 playlist, above.)
19. "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash, 1956 (One of several prison-themed Country classics he recorded over the years.)
20. "Goin' to Memphis" by Johnny Cash, 1962 (One of several prison-themed Country classics he recorded over the years.)
21. "Ain't Gonna Wash my Face for a Month" by Goldie Hill, 1954 (Hank Williams style uptempo Country. She just got kissed by a certain guy.)
22. "Whenever a Teenager Cries" by Reparata and the Delrons, 1965
23. "Funny (How Time Slips Away)" by Joe Hinton, 1964 (Excellent Soul remake of the song first recorded by Country singer Billy Walker in 1961. Composed by Willie Nelson.)
24. "Worried over You" by Keith and Enid, 1960 (Simply lovely Jamaican R. & B. ballad. Reminds me a little of the American duo, Gene and Eunice.)
25. "We'll Meet" by Roy and Millie, 1962
26. "Pink Lane Shuffle" by Duke Reid and his Group, 1961 (HOT, HOT, HOT Ska instrumental!!)
27. "Gold Digger" by Jimmy Cliff, 1962-63 (Amusing cautionary Ska number about a dangerous girl. Cliff hit big as a Reggae artist a decade later with "You Can Get It if You Really Want" and "The Harder They Come.")
28. "There's Not a Friend" by Madame Edna Gallmon Cooke and the Young People's Choir of Springfield Baptist Church [Washington, D.C.], 1950
29. "A Sinner's Plea" by the Sensational Nightingales, 1952
30. "Shout Parts 1 and 2" by the Isley Brothers, 1959 (An absolute classic rocker. Obvious Gospel influences too. Their first hit. They started recording in 1956 but, starting with Shout," they hit the big time and enjoyed hits going into the 1970's and beyond.)
31. "She's All Right" by Bo Diddley, 1959 (Enjoyable rocker that was obviously influenced by the Isley Brothers' "Shout," see above. Similar melody and structure.)

1. "Miss my Daddy" by Paula Grimes with Teacho Wiltshire and his Band, 1952
2. "Let the Good Times Roll" by Louis Jordan, 1948 (Tough Jazz-flavored R. & B. declaration about having a good time. This is the ORIGINAL version. Last week I played the excellent Ray Charles 1958 remake.)
3. "Aw! Shucks, Baby" by Tiny Topsy, 1957 (Cheerful rocker.)
4. "Hear my Plea" by Donnie Elbert, 1957 (Now THIS is Rhythm and Blues! Great rocker featuring Elbert singing in falsetto about lustful frustration: "You got me doin' the hoochi-coochi. It makes me pace the floor.")
5. "My Fragile Heart" by the Five Embers, 1960 (Affecting romantic Doo-Wop ballad by this male vocal group.)
6. "Be Mine" by Johnny and Marsha, 1956
7. "Blue Sax" by Chuck Higgins, 1954
8. "Dance, Dance, Dance" by Pearl and the Deltars, 1960 (Compelling FUN rocker about a girl who is "a dancing fiend.")
9. "Count Me In" by the Five Blind Boys of Alabama, 1957
10. "Will He Welcome Me There?" by the Sensational Nightingales, 1952
11. "Can't Walk this Highway" by the Jackson Gospel Singers, 1953 (Superb uptempo Gospel by this female vocal group. Nice piano too.)
12. "Goodbye, my Love" by the Chapters, 1953 (Extremely bluesy ballad of farewell by this male vocal group.)
13. "I'm Gonna Jump in the River" by Ella Johnson and the Bee Jays with the Buddy Johnson Orhcestra, 1952
14. "Darling" by the Debonairs, 1957 (Really catchy uptempo Doo-Wop by this male vocal group.)
15. "So Much of a Little Bit" by Charlie "Little Jazz" Ferguson and his Orchestra, 1953 (Good rocker. Wish I knew the female singer's name since she does a great job.)
16. "Night Howler" by Billy Gayles and his Orchestra, 1954 (Great rocker uses similar melody to Lloyd Price's 1952 hit, "Lawdy, Miss Clawdy." The "Orchestra" actually is Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm featuring Ike pounding away like Fats Domino on the piano.)
17. "Next Time" by Richard Berry, 1955 (Amusing stop-time R. & B. number concerning a cat whose constant "next time" litany of excuses runs out of luck at the end when the judge at his trial declares, "Next time. What do you mean next time? You goin' to jail right now!" Berry is most famous for writing and recording the original "Louie, Louie" in 1957.)
18. "Have Faith in Me" by the Blossoms, 1958
19. "I Love You So" by the Kittens, c. 1962 (Romantic Doo-Wop ballad by this female vocal group. NOT the same song as recorded by the female Chantels in 1957 or the original by the male Crows in 1954.)
20. "Downtown" by the Five Satins, 1962 (The vocal group most famous for 1956's "In the Still of the Night" here updates their sound into a mid-tempo Soul ballad.)
21. "Marlene" by the Catalinas, 1958
22. "Boy in my Life" by Miriam Grate and the Dovers, 1959 (Cheeerful uptempo Doo-Wop. Nice!)
23. "Tell Me Why" by Norman Fox and the Rob-Roys, 1956 (Excellent example of uptempo New York City Doo-Wop. Catchy. Nice blastin' sax solo too. Redone in 1961 by the Belmonts after they had split up from Dion.)
24. "Letter to a School Girl" by the Delacardos, 1959 (Truly affecting sad Doo-Wop ballad of goodbye: she's too young.)
25. "Teenager's Letter of Promises" by Juanita Rogers and Lynn Hollings with Mr. V's Five Joys, 1961 (An unusual but effective record. Rogers sings the sweetly naive lyrics between intervals where Hollings (who is a man) narrates the story. Surprisingly affecting. Truly captures the dreams and hopes and innocence of being a teenager in love.)
26. "Jukebox, Help Me Find my Baby" by Tommy Mitchell, 1956 (Good remake of the mid-tempo Rockabilly/Country number first recorded by Hardrock Gunter in '56.)
27. "Cadillac in a Model A" by Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys, 1954 (Excellent Blues-tinged Western Swing number. The protagonist only has a Ford Model A but he approaches life as if driving a Cadillac. A happy tale.)
28. "Welcome to the Club" by Jean Chapel, 1956
29. "I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night" by Faron Young, 1954 (Cheerful Country song anticipates a fun Saturday night. Ah, the ravages of inflation!)
30. "Gathering Flowers for the Master's Bouquet" by Kitty Wells and the Tennessee Mountain Boys, 1949
31. "Hem of His Garment" by Cowboy Copas, 1960
32. "Raunchy" by Bill Justis, 1957 (Compelling and enjoyable mid-tempo Rock 'n' Roll instrumental. Justis, who plays the saxophone, wrote the piece. Redone by several others but this is the ORIGINAL version.)
33. "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" by Bill Haley and the Comets, 1954
34. "Tweedlee Dee" by LaVern baker, 1955 (LIVE version. Truly exciting. Baker recorded the song in 1954 and had a hit. It's a great record but this live version is even better. Wish I had been there!)
35. "Let's Rock 'n' Roll" by the Cadets, 1956

1. "Mexico" by the Rocketones, 1956 (Wonderful example of uptempo New York City Doo-Wop by this male vocal group. Nice saxophone solo too.)
2. "Please Be my Guy" by Cleo and the Crystaliers, 1957
3. "She's the One for Me" by the Aquatones, 1958
4. "You Know I Can't Refuse" by the Five Dollars, 1956 (Tough bluesy Doo-Wop Rhythm & Blues by this male vocal group. Hot electric guitar and sax too.)
5. "Happy, Happy Birthday, Baby" by the Tune Weavers, 1957 (A sad Doo-Wop ballad of regret. Female lead vocals. By chance, the group was from Boston, Mass. and the song hit the charts the same week as the week of MY birth in Boston: April 15, 1957! Wish the song had a happier theme but, hey, it is a birthday song.)
6. "L'il Dream Girl" by the Gaylarks, 1956 (Truly soulful Doo-Wop ballad.)
7. "Woogie Boo" by Cousin Ida and the Freddie Washington Quintet, 1950 (Silly title but a GREAT rocker featuring Cousin Ida on assertive vocals sounding a bit like Blues singer Frankie Jaxon (active 1927-41) backed up by Washington on excellent Boogie Woogie piano plus hot R. & B. horns.)
8. "The Sales Tax Boogie" by Piano Red, 1952 (A typically rousing piano pounder with enthusiastic singing. Yes, April 15 is INCOME Tax Day but this song is still apt. Actually, Piano Red does refer to the federal income tax in the lyrics too although the main theme is a 3% sales tax in Georgia.
9. "Income Tax Blues" by Ralph Willis and Brownie McGhee, 1950
10. "Too Late to Be Good" by Margie Holloway and her Bluesmen, 1946
11. "Heaven" by Bessie Griffin. 1955 (Beautiful, inspiring slow Gospel.)
12. "The Love of God" by Johnnie Taylor and the Soul Stirrers, 1958 (Nice slow Gospel. Taylor sounds like Sam Cooke: no surprise since Cooke had just left the group in 1957 and Taylor had been heavily influenced by Cooke. Taylor, like Cooke, would leave Gospel for the secular world and became a fairly big Soul star later in the 1960's and 1970's.)
13. "Lewis Boogie" by Jerry Lee Lewis, 1958 (One of his very best!)
14. "I Wanna Rock" by Patsy Holcomb, 1957
15. "(Gonna Rock and Roll) Gonna Dance all Night" by Hardrock Gunter, 1950 (Lively Hillbilly Boogie that definitely sounds like Rock 'n' Roll. This is, in my opinion, even better than his pioneering "Birmingham Bounce" also from 1950, considered to be a candidate for first Rock 'n' Roll record.)
16. "Rock 'n' Roll Baby" by Eddie Jackson and his Swingsters, 1956 (Intriguing combination of early Rock 'n' Roll, Hillbilly Boogie, and Rockabilly all in one. Excellent!)
17. "I'll Wait Forever" by Anita Wood, 1961
18. "Love Me Tender" by Elvis Presley, 1956
19. "Last Night" by the Mar-Keys, 1961
20. "Cry to Me" by Solomon Burke, 1961 (Propulsive sprung-rhythm uptempo Soul. Perhaps my favorite Burke record.)
21. "Just One Look" by Doris Troy, 1963
22. "Hold On, I'm Comin'" by Sam and Dave, 1967 (A bit "modern" for this show but I played this uptempo Soul number plus the next one, below, to set the stage for what follows by the Majestics, below.)
23. "When Something Is Wrong with my Baby" by Sam and Dave, 1967
24. "Nighty Night" by the Majestics, 1956 (Sam Moore of the Soul duo, Sam and Dave (see above) just died January 10, 2025. Observing his death I went to the very beginning of his recording career where he started out with a wonderful Doo-Wop romantic ballad as a member of the Majestics.)
25. "Work with Me, Annie" by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, 1954
26. "Dance with Me, Henry" by Etta James and the Peaches, 1954 (One of several "answer records" to "Work with Me, Annie." This was the start of James's long, distinguished recording career.)
27. "Diddley Daddy" by Bo Diddley, 1955 (Hypnotic rocker. The male vocal group providing much of the drive is the Moonglows of "Sincerely" fame.)
28. "Bo Diddley" by Bo Diddley, 1955 (This is what started it all. Truly innovative rocker. Tough vocals, unusual percussion, and Diddley's shimmering electric guitar.)
29. "Were You There When They Crucifed my Lord?" by Sister Rosetta Tharpe and the Rosetta Gospel Singers, 1949 (Simply beautiful slow Gospel. Very moving.)
30. "See How They Done my Lord" by the Sensational Nightingales, 1956
31. "Angels" by Professor Johnson and his Gospel Singers, 1950 (Rousing uptempo Gospel celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus: "Angels rolled the stone away." Happy Easter, everybody!)

1. "Mambo Baby" by Dolly Wade, 1954 (Superior remake of Ruth Brown's 1954 original. Rocker concerns a boyfriend who, supposedly, prefers to dance the Mambo to making romance. A highly unlikely scenario!)
2. "Honey, Hush" by Big Joe Turner, 1953
3. "Numbers Boogie" by Sugar Chile Robinson, 1948 (Lively Boogie Woogie piano plus enthusiastic singing by the piano prodigy who was about 9 years of age at the time. A rather adult theme for a child: numbers, of course, refers to betting.)
4. "I Ain't Got Nobody" by the Colemans, 1950 (Jazz/Pop tune dates back to 1916 including a 1925 version by Bessie Smith. Updated here with rich vocal harmonies by this male vocal group.)
5. "Goodbye" by Piano Red, 1955 (Not his usual ebullient rockin' Boogie Woogie based style of singing and piano, however, I REALLY like it. A bluesy and compelling ballad of farewell. Definitely going to play this on future shows. While I've been familiar with Piano Red's music for over 40 years I only recently discovered "Goodbye.")
6. "Tears of Joy" by Bertice Reading, 1953
7. "This Little Girl's Gone Rockin'" by Ruth Brown, 1957 (Although aimed at a teenage audience, this is some pretty good Rock 'n' Roll. The defiant daughter informs her mother that she's done all the chores and so has "gone rockin'.")
8. "Tequila" by the Champs, 1958
9. "Milky White Way" by the Spirit of Memphis Quartet, 1956 (Superb uptempo Gospel by this important male vocal group. Definitely incorporates a lot of then-current Doo-Wop vocal group style singing. Of course, Gospel was a major root of Doo-Wop, so it's come full circle.)
10. "Winehead Willie, Put that Bottle Down" by Elder Beck, 1953
11. "Aged and Mellow Blues" by Little Esther, 1952 (Nice R. & B. ballad about her preference for older men, "aged and mellow" like whiskey. Little Esther was age 16 at the time of this recording!)
12. "Bad Boy" by the Jive Bombers, 1956
13. "Charlie Brown" by the Coasters, 1958 (Classic rocker about juvenile delinquency.)
14. "Bop Cuitar" by Frankie and Marge
15. "Shombalor" by Sheriff and the Ravels, 1959 (Lunatic Doo-Wop! A lot of fun with great vocal gymnastics and odd lyrics. A good dance number.)
16. "Tutti Frutti" by Little Richard, 1955
17. "You'll Lose a Good Thing" by Barbara Lynn, 1962
18. "Love's our Inspiration" by the Charms, 1955 (Very appealing Doo-Wop romantic ballad by the group most famous for their big 1954 hit, "Hearts of Stone," as by Otis Williams and the Charms.)
19. "Ooh, Baby" by the Five Blue Notes, 1954 (Fantastic raw bluesy rocker by this male vocal group. Great extended sax solo too.)
20. "Rosalie (I Can't Go On)" by Fats Domino, 1955
21. "Motley Jump" by Frank "Two Horn" Motley and his Motley Crew
22. "Don't Mess with my Man" by Irma Thomas, 1959
23. "When a Boy Falls in Love" by Mel Carter, 1963
24. "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" by Mel Carter, 1963 (Soulful remake of the oft-recorded romantic ballad. Recorded in '63 but not a hit until 1965.)
25. "The Wobble" by L.C. Cooke, 1963 (Fun rocker about the dance.)
26. "Killer Joe" by the Rocky Fellers, 1963 (Hit rocker by a young Filipino-American vocal group. Concerns a romantic rival - Killer Joe - who dances the Wobble with the protagonist's girlfriend.)
27. "The Watusi Wobble" by the Profiles, 1962 (Combination of two then-popular dances.)
28. "The Wah-Watusi" by the Orlons, 1962 (Big hit by this mostly female vocal group. Really catchy.)
29. "Bank in the Sky" by Queen C. Anderson and the Brewster Singers, 1956 (Beautiful slow Gospel.)
30. "Conversation with Jesus" by Sister Wynona Carr, 1950
31. "Slow Wicked Blues" by Darby and Tarlton, 1929 (Proof, if it was ever needed, that there were white artists, in this case from the Country field, who could sing and play Blues LONG BEFORE Elvis Presley. Tom Darby and Jimmie Tarlton. Note also the simply amazing slide guitar work of Jimmie Tarlton.)
32. "Blue Yodel Number 4 (California Blues)" by Jimmie Rodgers, 1928 (Additional proof.)
33. "California Blues" by Webb Pierce, 1950-51 (The young Country singer essentially updates Rodgers's Blues into what really sounds like Rock 'n' Roll a few years early.)