1,001 songs to listen to before you die...

[OSJ]

2 hours ago, Liam said:

 

61.      

‘Tutti Frutti’, Little Richard (1955)

That this song starts with Richard’s noises before either lyrics or music sets the tone for the raucous tune that followed. He was a larger than life performer and it is a larger than life performance from him across the two minute running time. It struggled to get airtime due to its lyrical content, yet when it did, it inspired a whole raft of different people, including the Beatles. Richard, at least in terms of what we’ve seen so far, feels like the first to really marry the music with the visual – an especially eye opening feat considering this was mid-50s America.

 

It seems almost criminal to post Little Richard without Leon Russell's brilliant tribute, "Crystal Closet Queen". Here's to the undisputed Queen of Rock & Roll!

[Liam]

 

64.      

‘Sixteen Tons’, Tennessee Ernie Ford (1955)

Originally a song by Merle Travis that was considered somewhat subversive due to its exploring the exploitation of the working man (even getting banned by some radio stations), Tennessee Ernie Ford added a jazzier tone to the melody when he revisited it almost a decade later. There is a fullness in Ford’s voice that does a wonderful job of almost sounding like the type of person who might sink a few pints and a sing a few songs by the end of the night, something I can’t quite put my finger on. The finger clicking was to count the band in initially, but there was a realisation that it was incredibly catchy so left in across the song – definitely to the song’s benefit.

65.      

‘I’m A Man’, Bo Diddley (1955)

An inspiration for garage rock bands when The Yardbirds covered it in the 60s, they’d initially heard the song from Diddley when he toured in 63. The riff that powers the song along sounds pretty much ubiquitous when thinking about a certain rock and roll sound and it is the guitar in between the vocals that makes the song stand out. Diddley himself is a fine enough vocalist, but to me, it is the music that gets people tapping.

66.      

'Blue Monday', Fats Domino (1955)

There’s a swagger to the melody throughout ‘Blue Monday’ that feels at odds with the lyrical content for the most part. An early example of a musician complaining about the working week, the swagger helps build things towards Domino’s exaltation of the weekend, perhaps aiming to mimic the excitement that came alongside two days away from the grind. This was a song that had lyrics which spoke to many, so it wasn’t hard to see why it became a huge hit. That Domino had a soulful voice and played a mean piano was the cherry on top.

 

Edited February 24, 2020 by Liam

[Liam]

67.      

‘Burundanga’, Celia Cruz (1956)

A word that now refers to a drug that is used by robbers and rapists, ‘Burundanga’ the song is a story of a male-only society that eventually sees its members stolen away to Cuba as slaves. You wouldn’t necessarily know that is you heard the music and didn’t understand the lyrics as it all sound fairly uplifting. This was apparently Fidel Castro’s favourite song to listen to whilst he cleaned his gun. I can only assume that, like myself, he appreciated the skill of Cruz in terms of how easily the quick lyrics roll off of her tongue. She would become known as ‘The Queen of Salsa’, but this was an early success within her career.

68.      

‘Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall In Love)’, Ella Fitzgerald (1956)

It may say love on the marquee, but this is a song that is all about sex. Written by Cole Porter in the 1920s, there is an additional element of intrigue as Fitzgerald wasn’t the type of singer that you expected to release a song such as this. Fitzgerald is a great singer, of that there is no doubt, but the star of the show here are the lyrics. Clever and playful in equal measure, it is the reason that song still maintains a modern legacy.

69.      

‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’, Frank Sinatra (1956)

Another Cole Porter tune is up next, though this is as much about the recording as it is about the song itself. Originally written for a musical (Born to Dance) in 1936 and sung by Sinatra in the 1940s, it was the big band arrangement of this 1956 recording that has become the most enduring version of the song. There is a swagger in both the music and the delivery that is irresistible, all leading up to the solo towards the tail end of the tune, a final minute that showcases Sinatra in full flight. Just a great song.

Edited February 24, 2020 by Liam

[Liam]

70.      

 ‘Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye’, Ella Fitzgerald (1956)

More Cole Porter, though that the two Fitzgerald comes from her album in which she covered a raft of Porter songs makes that somewhat more likely. I assumed I’d know the song once it got going, which I did, though I don’t feel like this is a version I’ve heard before. The simplicity of the lyrics and melody are effective in telling the straightforward story of love and loss that the song is about, whilst Fitzgerald’s vocals are understated, yet melodious in their delivery.

71.      

 ‘Be-Bop-A-Lula’, Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps (1956)

An example of rockabilly that would be copied or used as an inspiration for a range of different bands, the book claims that the song is both sexy and eerie – a description that couldn’t be more apt. The driving guitar, the drawl that accompanies the vocals, the squeals that comes from the bassist; it all builds up to a song that maintains an element of unease alongside its protestations of love. Gene Vincent never had the same level of success with his future work as he did with this song, before dying at the age of 36 due to alcoholism.

72.      

‘Heartbreak Hotel’, Elvis Presley (1956)

The first of what I assume may be a number of Elvis Presley songs on the list. This is a world away from a lot of what has been on the list of songs thus far mainly due to its very negative lyrics and delivery marrying up to create a pretty gloomy look at loss. It was dirge-like in comparison to a lot of what had come before it, yet hypnotic because of it. There were a lot of complaints about the songs, the recording, even Presley himself; I’m sure the record company were eventually happy with the results once it was released.

[EdA]

This is a fun thread.  Thanks for your work on this.

I'm curious about who created the list.  Not that I am going to get a rage-on about a rando list.  It's just that some of the selections are...weird-ish.  I mean, not gonna lie, there's a lot here I am unfamiliar with, so that is good.  But for a list of 1001 songs and they're up to only 72 songs through 1956...something tells me there is going to be a HUGE recency bias.

I mean - The only Woody Guthrie song as "This Land Is Your Land"?  "I'm A Man" as the Bo Diddley version instead of Muddy Waters?  Not (so far) picking Diddley's "Who Do You Love?"  Only one Carter Family song?  No Muddy Waters or Howlin' Wolf?  Picking "Heartbreak Hotel" instead of doing the obvious (and deserved) cheat and taking the first Elvis single?  No Bill Monroe at all?  They're up to 1956 and have so far skipped Chuck Berry?  Just...weird, really.

[Liam]

2 hours ago, EdA said:

This is a fun thread.  Thanks for your work on this.

I'm curious about who created the list.  Not that I am going to get a rage-on about a rando list.  It's just that some of the selections are...weird-ish.  I mean, not gonna lie, there's a lot here I am unfamiliar with, so that is good.  But for a list of 1001 songs and they're up to only 72 songs through 1956...something tells me there is going to be a HUGE recency bias.

I mean - The only Woody Guthrie song as "This Land Is Your Land"?  "I'm A Man" as the Bo Diddley version instead of Muddy Waters?  Not (so far) picking Diddley's "Who Do You Love?"  Only one Carter Family song?  No Muddy Waters or Howlin' Wolf?  Picking "Heartbreak Hotel" instead of doing the obvious (and deserved) cheat and taking the first Elvis single?  No Bill Monroe at all?  They're up to 1956 and have so far skipped Chuck Berry?  Just...weird, really.

I mentioned it in the intro - Cassell Illustrated, whoever they are. They do loads of these books covering everything from music to beers to golf holes to holiday locations. It is probably a fairly rando list because of that.

It covers 1910s up to 2010 (it was released a decade ago, it would seem). I'm assuming 60s, 70s and 80s will take up a significant chunk, but I'm not 100% sure.

They only seem to go more than one song on huge artists, or songs which saw them reinvented in some capacity.

Without wanting to give spoilers either, but there's at least one thing you mentioned coming up.

Cheers for the kind words.

[Liam]

73.      

‘Blueberry Hill’, Fats Domino (1956)

What I have noticed in this journey so far is how many songs had existed long before the most celebrated version was recorded. It is the case for this song as it was first released in 1940, yet the Domino version is the one that many (including myself) are aware of. Apparently, the recording ended up being spliced together as Domino was never able to record the song in one go, often forgetting the lyrics. The vocals aren’t particularly emotional for the lyrical content, though the piano playing itself is particularly effective and makes it a more memorable song.

74.      

‘Hound Dog’, Elvis Presley (1956)

Another song that had originally been recorded by someone else (though this time only three years previous), this is the epitome of what I feel people remember about Presley. Loud, snarling for its time, sexually charged – it wasn’t too difficult to see why Presley not only stood out amongst the stuff that had come before him, but also caused a stir amongst the more conservative in society. Special mention should go to the drum work – the driving percussion as memorable as Presley’s actual delivery.

75.      

‘Honey Hush’, Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio (1956)

We’re very much into the era of rock and roll, and whilst this doesn’t have the immediacy (or legacy) of ‘Hound Dog’, it is a great song as well. This is one of the first – if not the first – example of fuzz guitar, caused by a broken amp that the guitarist realised he could recreate on demand if needed. Outside of the slightly twangy rockabilly element to it, it sounds like a song that could have been recorded much more recently, with the rumbling sound from the guitar making this feel heavier than any song that has come before.

[Liam]

76.      

‘I Walk The Line’, Johnny Cash (1956)

A song that was early in Cash’s career, yet his vocal delivery already sounded wizened and gravelly. It feels profound and is probably why it is still remembered to this day. The book talks about the outmoded nature of the guitar line due to its sound and simplicity, which is hard to argue. However, I feel Cash’s songs have always been about lyrics and the tone within his voice that made him sound world weary and knowing all at once. A classic.

77.      

‘Knoxville Girl’, The Louvin Brothers (1956)

What feels more interesting about this song is how many iterations it went through before it came to be the song that is listed here. Between its origin as one of potentially two different ballads from the UK rather than Knoxville, it also found its way in and out of the repertoire of the Brothers until they recorded it in the 50s (after a move away from gospel music that had been their stock and trade in the 40s). I enjoy a good, dark ballad, but this is nothing overly special in and of itself outside of some decent enough singing – time and place probably as much of a barrier as anything.

78.      

‘Ella’, Jose Alfredo Jimenez (1956)

I’m reliably informed that Jimenez effectively dominated and reshaped the Mexican songbook, though I have never heard the song or even of him before. The style of song that ‘Ella’ is tells the story of the hardships of the singer, which is made clearer by the bittersweet strings and the mournful vocals. Not my style of song but a pleasant enough distraction.

Edited February 24, 2020 by Liam

[Liam]

79.      

‘Take My Hand, Precious Lord’, Mahalia Jackson (1956)

I don’t think it is too far to suggest that you just expect a good singing voice when you get played a gospel tune, and Mahalia Jackson has definitely got a good singing voice. Written by Thomas A. Dorsey following the death of his wife in childbirth, it was a quarter of a century later that this song was recorded by Jackson (Dorsey and Jackson had worked for a similar length of time at this point). Martin Luther King Jr’s favourite song, and he knew how to pick them it would seem. If this is your jam, this is golden.

80.      

‘Folsom Prison Blues’, Johnny Cash (1956)

Re-released around the time that Cash recorded a live album in Folsom Prison in 1968, the song gained most of its notoriety from that recording, rather than the original. Mixing trains and prisons, staples of folk music, it also contained a lyric that many might claim is one of the greatest of all time. Cash was trying to think of the most horrible thing he could think of when he talked about shooting a man in Reno just to watch him die and it perfectly encapsulated his somewhat counter-culture approach to country and folk music.

81.      

‘I Put A Spell On You’, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (1956)

Another song that stands out as much as anything because of how little it sounds like everything else up until now, Hawkins’ screams and wails leap out of the speakers even today. Apparently the result of a drunken session in the studio that Hawkins completely forgot (he’d need to re-listen to the recording to actually work out what he needed to sound like when playing it live), it paved the way for shock rock amongst other things. It isn’t surprising to hear that this was banned in some places – the convulsive nature of the grunts, groans and screams were far beyond anything going on at this time.

[Liam]

2 hours ago, EdA said:

I'm curious about who created the list.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/1001-Songs-Must-Hear-Before-ebook/dp/B006MX1N3C/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=1001+before+you+die+songs&qid=1580836331&s=books&sr=1-5

Here is the book actually, if people wanted to have a look. I'm assuming it is a UK publisher, so that may also skew some of the choices.

EDIT: I actually realised I mislabeled the thread considering I meant to base it on the book - mine at least sounds less threatening...

Edited February 4, 2020 by Liam

[EdA]

3 hours ago, Liam said:

I mentioned it in the intro - Cassell Illustrated, whoever they are. They do loads of these books covering everything from music to beers to golf holes to holiday locations. It is probably a fairly rando list because of that.

It covers 1910s up to 2010 (it was released a decade ago, it would seem). I'm assuming 60s, 70s and 80s will take up a significant chunk, but I'm not 100% sure.

They only seem to go more than one song on huge artists, or songs which saw them reinvented in some capacity.

Without wanting to give spoilers either, but there's at least one thing you mentioned coming up.

Cheers for the kind words.

Fair enough. The list is neat enough since it's not totally centered on the US or UK.  So no complaints.  I was just curious.  Lists are lists and are designed to get people who get in a huff about them into a huff.  

Again, fine work on this and great idea.

[Curt McGirt]

"Honey Hush" makes me wonder if "Train Kept A Rollin" is gonna be on here because they are pretty much the same song. 

[Liam]

82.      

‘Just A Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody’, Louis Prima (1956)

A playful duo that came during the second peak of Prima’s career, this was recorded live in studio and sounds all the better for it. The songs weren’t necessarily meant to go together, but with Prima using them as such, it became the done way to cover them in later years. It is raucous and playful, swinging and soulful. Prima had a third coming as the voice of King Louie in ‘The Jungle Book’ just under a decade later. Something something this song proves he is certainly the king of the swingers something.

83.      

‘Rock Island Line’, Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group (1957)

Apparently heralding an interest in skiffle in the UK, ‘Rock Island Line’ was a prison song from the US that was given a makeover by Lonnie Donegan, a singer and guitarist from Glasgow. What really stands out here is the speed at which the lyrics are delivered and the guitar is strummed, somewhat mimicking the noise of the train that Donegan is singing about. An inspiration to John Lennon and one of the first examples of a song promoted on television, it isn’t difficult to see why this was enjoyed by teenagers looking for something a bit different from the standard pop songs.

84.      

 

performance on Steve Allen Show

I include both versions here as it is claimed that it was the performance on the Steve Allen Show that launched this song into the (relative) stratosphere. Whilst the song was lively enough when coming out of the speakers, it was a whole different ball game when you saw the live performance. It really accentuated the wailing vocal delivery, the speed at which keys were pressed and the manic presentation of Lewis himself, especially during the middle of the song as he almost threatened to jump out of his chair. Eventually, the chair isn’t needed anymore and a star is born as Lewis doesn’t just tinkle on the ivories, he hammers the shit out of them. A good tune made all the better for the live version.

[Liam]

85.      

‘That’ll Be The Day’, Buddy Holly and The Crickets (1957)

Having had little success with a 1956 version of the song, a quicker, lower pitched version finally found some interest from Brunswick and a legend was launched. In hindsight, the song is good and catchy, but doesn’t particularly feel like anything special. However, what is interesting is Holly’s vocal stylings as his hiccupping style offered something a little different compared to the swagger of the other rock and roll bands that seemed to be taking off around this time period.

86.      

‘Little Darlin’’, The Diamonds (1957)

A Canadian quarter repurposing songs by black artists and bringing them to mass radio probably shouldn’t work, but there is something very enjoyable about ‘Little Darlin’’. Apparently, it was the cleaning up of the production compared to the original that was most stark, allowing the playful rhythm and vocals stand out. It almost verges on the cusp of a parody, it feels so exaggerated in spots, but a decent little tune for sure.

87.      

‘Great Balls of Fire’, Jerry Lee Lewis (1957)

This feels like the natural progression for Jerry Lee Lewis after the success of ‘Whole Lot of Shakin’ Going On’. The frenetic pace and the thumping piano are front and centre, and with a change of lyrics in order to work within Lewis’ God-fearing upbringing (‘Good God almighty’ the original lyric), a classic was born. Still as good to sing and bop along to with now, it feels like it stands the test of time in a way that not all of the songs on this list so far do.

[Liam]

88.      

‘When I Fall In Love’, Nat King Cole (1957)

Nat King Cole moved from a primarily jazz musician in the 30s to a pure pop singer in the 50s, with some question marks about how schmaltzy some of his later output would become. I also understand why someone might find this song itself schmaltzy with its earnest lyrics and strings in the background. However, to me it is a marriage of a good delivery played out across a simple arrangement that lifts the vocals in a way that creates a beautiful love song in my opinion. Your mileage may vary, I definitely feel that much is true.

89.      

‘You Send Me’, Sam Cooke (1957)

This feels very of its time to me, a time that I’ve only ever really experienced through film soundtracks if I’m being truly honest. That isn’t a knock on the song as it is a perfectly blissful love song that showcases Cooke’s soulful vocals throughout alongside some catchy harmonising. This was an early song in his solo career after a split from a gospel group due to his release (under a pseudonym) of a secular song that left him little choice but to strike out on his own. The Soul Stirrers loss was the world’s gain, it would seem.

90.      

 ‘It’s Only Make Believe’, Conway Twitty (1958)

Known to many modern music fans as a joke on Family Guy, Conway Twitty was born Harold Jenkins, yet found his new persona by joining the name of places in Arkansas and Texas. Sang with Elvis Presley’s normal backing vocalists, this song began with very little to personally recommend it…until Twitty’s vocals continued to build and build in a faintly mesmerising way. Considered to potentially influence the later work of people such as Roy Orbinson in delivery, narrative and tone, the slow build to the end really sold this tale of marital strife. Better than I expected.

[Liam]

91.      

‘Johnny B. Goode’, Chuck Berry (1958)

You have to be a pretty special track to be sent into space as a marker of your country’s musical and cultural output. That was what happened to ‘Johnny B. Goode’ in 1977, a fair turn compared to the unease that some felt at the time when it was released. A black man playing music and singing with such swagger? Unheard of. The riff at the start is one of the greatest intros for a song, setting the tone and pace of the song that never lets up until the very end. NASA made a good choice, that’s for sure.

92.      

‘Move It!’, Cliff Richard and the Drifters (1958)

It always boggles my mind that Cliff Richard might have ever been considered even somewhat cool, but I guess there was a time for everyone. It helped that it was the closest thing this side of the ocean to what was happening with people like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry in the US. People loved Richard’s sexy vocal stylings, but I actually mainly enjoy the fuzzy guitar that the song is built upon. This is perfectly fine, but does feel a step behind everything else that has been going on elsewhere at this point in time.

93.      

 ‘La Bamba’, Ritchie Valens (1958)

This is one that I cannot talk about without thinking about my own personal take on this song – I’ve loved it since I was a child and it has stuck with me until now. The lyrics are taken from a popular Mexican wedding song, with Valens adding his guitar (reluctantly at first, apparently) to make it a much more rocking song. It is another song where the feeling of urgency and noise just is exciting, even over sixty years later. They call them classics for a reason.

[Liam]

94.      

‘Yakety Yak’, The Coasters (1958)

A song that, until now, I hadn’t realised was about parents trying to get their children to do chores (I’ll be honest – not paid that close attention to the lyrics before). The Coasters were well known for their comedic short songs and the squealy saxophone noise that is perhaps one of the more memorable elements of the tune. For a song that comes in at under two minutes, it feels like they do a lot in terms of shifts in dynamics and sound, or at least it feels like they do. The success of this song on soundtracks, especially children’s films/television, cemented its legacy, and is probably where I heard of it first.

95.      

‘At The Hop’, Danny and The Juniors (1958)

The moment this started, it sounded like the type of song I’d expect to hear in any 50s high school dance scene of a film…and that is pretty much what this song was all about. The Hop was the high school slang term for a dance and this was a celebration of that moment that unsurprisingly caught on with teenagers. It is another song that feels very busy, though more in terms of the persistence of the percussion underneath the pretty repetitive lyrics. It’s definitely a song, just one of the least I’ve heard so far in my own opinion.

96.      

‘Stagger Lee’, Lloyd Price (1958)

This was not what I expected when the song first began whatsoever. ‘Stagger Lee’ was a traditional story about an argument between two men that saw Lee kill a friend called ‘Billy’ Lyons. Lee himself is a character who isn’t exactly celebrated, but he isn’t exactly chastised either. To turn it into a swinging R&B number was definitely a shout by Price and this is a surprisingly groovy take on a murder, especially considering white America’s occasional distrust of black people. Outside of the lyrical content, there is also something about the song that makes it sound more modern than many – it definitely doesn’t feel its sixty years.

[Liam]

97.      

‘Summertime Blues’, Eddie Cochran (1958)

Eddie Cochran does not sound like a teenager on this song, one of his biggest hits before tragically dying at the age of just 21. What the song does do is add that element of teenage angst to the world of rock and roll. Up until now a lot of the tunes had been about having fun and being edgy – this was a song that was about being fed up with the world you lived, the work you had to do, and the money you didn’t have. Lyrically, it feels a lot more conscious of the world at large in a way others haven’t; music as introspection, rather than for escapism.

98.      

‘Dans mon ile’, Henry Salvador (1958)

There seemed to be myriad different versions of this, so I stuck the video of the film version that attracted the interest of a Brazilian composer who was trying to develop bossa nova. I’ll be honest with you, I played this song about three times and have nothing much to say about it. It is pleasant enough, but unless you are a book telling me I must listen to you before I die, I wouldn’t have considered it anything special. Wrong time, wrong place, etc.

99.      

‘Lonesome Town’, Ricky Nelson (1958)

In an interesting addition to the book, this is the first song with a little section that tells me this:

Influenced by: I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry • Hank Williams (1949)   

Influence on: Wicked Game • Chris Isaak (1989)   

Covered by: The Ventures (1961) • Shakin’ Stevens and the Sunsets (1975) • The Cramps (1979) • Paul McCartney (1999) • Richard Hawley (2008)

Always helpful. I initially thought this might be another case of good looking boy singing songs that teenagers love, but it is much more along the ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ lamenting love style of tune. It was seen as the turning point for Nelson who had been known up until this point for his TV career and some rock and roll that distinctly lacked edge. This may not be mindblowing in any capacity, but its appeal to the market that had begun to be cultivated by other rock and roll stars is clear.

[Liam]

100.       

‘Fever’, Peggy Lee (1958)

Influenced by: Calypso Blues • Nat King Cole (1950)   

Influence on: Bad Day • Carmel (1983)   

Covered by: Frankie Avalon (1959) • Elvis Presley (1960) • Ben E. King (1962) • Conway Twitty (1963) • Suzi Quatro (1975) • Boney M. (1976) • The Cramps (1980) • Joe Cocker (1989) • Madonna (1992) • Beyoncé (2003)

There are certain songs that I’ve come across in this project so far that I’d never have placed in terms of the time I assumed they were recorded against when they actually were. This is one of them, though this itself was a cover and it has been covered a lot since it was most famously done by Lee. The arrangement of this version is a lot simpler than the original, focusing purely on the bass, drums played by hand and the irresistible finger clicking that somehow feels like the essence of this song to me. Sultry and somewhat mysterious, Fever is still a pretty cool little song.

101.      

‘One For My Baby (And One More For The Road), Frank Sinatra

Originally sung by Fred Astaire in a musical and already tackled twice by Sinatra, this ended up being the defining version of this song. Again, simpler was better as the piano supports the melancholy nature and delivery of the song, allowing Sinatra’s understated but effective vocals to sell the narrative. The fluctuations between his lamentations and the acceptance of his situation are a great sell job of the song’s persona, for lack of a better way of putting it. This was part of a suite of songs that were designed to explore sadness and loss – something that this song absolutely nails.

102.      

 ‘Le poinçonneur des Lilas’, Serge Gainsbourg (1958)

Gainsbourg is a name that I’ve seen many times before, but feel like I haven’t really heard any of his songs. This is definitely one I hadn’t heard and whilst the song itself is catchy, it is the lyrics themselves are most interesting. With love songs, swaggering songs, songs about loss all out there, this was Gainsbourg choosing to sing about a bored ticket collector who was contemplating mass murder/suicide. Mimicking the noise of the train as he talks about potentially getting a gun and going on a killing spree, it definitely is something different.

[Liam]

103.      

‘Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu)’, Domenico Modugno (1958)

A song that has a chorus hook that is hard to stop from singing along to and little else in all reality for me. I mean, it is a perfectly enjoyable song, but so much goodwill is born out of the ‘volare’ chorus that the rest of the tune doesn’t really need to do too much else. This was 3rd place in the European Song Contest for Italy in 1958, whilst it was only beaten by Waterloo as the best song of the competition’s history according to a vote during the 50th anniversary celebrations for the effort.

104.      

 ‘All I Have To Do Is Dream’, The Everly Brothers (1958)

This is one where the significance is a little beyond me in terms of my knowledge of music and what was/wasn’t around. The high harmonies of Don and Phil Everly were different to a lot of different things out at this time, whilst this song followed ‘Wake Up Little Susie’, so the Brothers were busting out some top quality hits during this time period. What helps this song is length – it is perfectly sliced at around two minutes more as any more would threaten to become boring.

105.      

 ‘To Know Him Is To Love Him’, The Teddy Bears (1958)

The first of what I can only assume could be a number of Phil Spector songs. This was written by him when he was just a teenager, yet spent three weeks atop the Billboard 100 as he struck gold with pretty much his first tune. The song is catchy enough and the juxtaposition between the sweetly melodious voice of Annette Kleinbard and the simplistic accompaniment works together to create an enjoyable couple of minutes of music. It isn’t difficult to see why this got some traction and launched Spector’s career.

[Liam]

106.      

‘Brand New Cadillac’, Vince Taylor and the Playboys (1959)

According to the book, Vince Taylor’s rise and fall became the model for the story of Ziggy Stardust told by David Bowie in the 70s. This was Taylor (Brian Holden) at his best though as he took everything he knew from time spent in the US about rock and roll and unleashed it on an unwitting UK audience. The driving rhythm of the guitar holds everything together whilst Taylor maintains that swagger that had felt ever present in the US rock and roll songs up until this point. An example of the UK beginning to catch up with larger trends, perhaps?

107.     

 ‘What’d I Say (Part 1 and 2)’, Ray Charles (1959)

Ray Charles is another musician that I assume I must have heard something from in the past, yet I couldn’t name you a specific song. The story behind this tune is that it was pretty much improvised to fill part of a fifteen minute live spot, eventually becoming a song that Charles often ended his shows with. Claimed to be mainly about how the sum of the parts can create a greater whole than expected, this is quite a simplistic song (as songs like this go) but it feels as lively on record as you’d imagine it does in person. The keyboard and drumming in particular create a feeling of spontaneity, ably assisting Charles’ simple, yet effective lyrics with vocals that eventually turn into a call and response with the backing vocalists. Great fun.

108.      

‘I Only Have Eyes For You’, The Flamingos (1959)

Assured immortality due to its use in multiple films and television shows, this was one of the only real hits for The Flamingos. They’d been largely unsuccessful before this and would fade back into obscurity, but they do hit it out of the park here. The arrangement allows the vocals to be at the forefront, with the backing ones in particular creating a somewhat ethereal tone throughout the song.

[Liam]

109.      

 ‘Ne me quitte pas’, Jacques Brel (1959)

Influenced by: Les feuilles mortes • Yves Montand (1946)   

Influence on: Once Was • Marc & The Mambas (1983)   

Covered by: Nina Simone (1965) • Sandy Shaw (1967) • Scott Walker (recorded as “If You Go Away”) (1969) • Daniel Guichard (1972) • Serge Lama (1979)

Another one that comes across as ‘just a song’ to me, though I do like the impassioned nature of Brel’s voice as the song progresses. The accompaniment couldn’t be more simple and reflective of a melancholy that is fundamental to the song as a whole. Brel became more well known, or at least his songs did, when they were translated into English and sung by others,  though often without the lyrical wit that Brel apparently had.

110.      

‘Shouts Part 1 and 2’, The Isley Brothers (1959)

Influenced by: Lonely Teardrops • Jackie Wilson (1958)   

Influence on: White Lines (Don’t Don’t Do It) • Grandmaster Melle Mel (1983)   

Covered by: Lulu & The Luvvers (1964) • Joan Jett (1980) • Grandmaster Melle Mel (1983)

It is hard not to focus on this song in the light of Lulu’s version that I am significantly more aware of. However, this does offer both parts of the original song, thus including a big breakdown in Part 2 which is all about the call and response. Coming from gospel backgrounds, the writers were used to this style of vocal and it makes up the end minute or so of the song. The – perhaps apocryphal – origin of the song involved ‘You know you make me wanna shout’ being sung during an encore, with the crowd responding in kind. If that is the case, it wasn’t hard to see why – few songs have the ability to get people not only moving, but singing along as well.

111.      

‘Mack The Knife’, Bobby Darin (1959)

Considered by none other than Frank Sinatra as the definitive version of this song, Darin’s ‘Mack The Knife’ was a chart topper in both the UK and the US. This is a particular favourite song of my stepdad, so it already maintains positive memories for me. It is a swinging tune that tells a story of death and robbery, instantly making it a different kettle of fish compared to a fair few of the songs that were out at this time. Toe tapping, finger clicking, always swinging; the song is three minutes of gold.

[Liam]

112.      

‘It Ain’t Necessarily So’, Diahann Carroll and the Andre Previn Trio (1959)

Initially from the musical ‘Porgy and Bess’, the original version from the film that was released in 1959 saw Sammy Davis Jr. sing it, though without a release on the soundtrack CD due to contractual obligations. After the film’s release, Carroll and Previn returned to the song with a sparser, jazzier arrangement. Carroll has a sultriness to her voice that I really like, whilst the piano work is playfully working in the background to effectively accompany her vocal work. It starts to fall a little into the category of ‘pleasant enough’, though Carroll has a good enough voice to elevate it slightly beyond that.

113.      

‘Wondrous Place’, Billy Fury (1960)

Into the Sixties! This sounds like nothing I’ve heard yet, with a UK pop/rock and roll singer attempting to filter Elvis Presley’s vocal stylings through an echo chamber and creating something that is eminently catchy. It has more legs than most of the songs as it has – at least in the UK – maintained some traction due to its use in adverts and with various cover versions. The recording makes it feel otherworldly and adds another layer of interest to what is otherwise a good pop song. Fury liked the song so much, he recorded it four more times.

114.      

‘Save The Last Dance For Me’, The Drifters (1960)

A bittersweet song (the writer of the song had been left unable to walk without crutches, penning this song about his own inability to dance with his wife at their own wedding), the use of a Brazilian ‘baion’ beat and the amount of strings in the arrangement were considered novel for the time. Ben E. King really did take on board the narrative within the song and delivered a great vocal filled with frustration and yearning, whilst the melody provides a catchy rhythm whilst also allowing the lyrics room to breathe and be understood.

115.      

‘Chaje Shukarije’, Esma Redzepova (1960)

The perfect example of a song that I just don’t really get – lyrically, musically, societally – but just think is good fun. It isn’t surprising that a song by ‘The Queen of the Gypsies’ probably isn’t within my usual wheelhouse, but her success over the years at bringing Romany music to international audiences has been lauded. Hell, when you Youtube this song and see her still performing it live into the 2000s, you have to give her a lot of credit.

116.      

‘Oh Carolina’, The Folks Brothers (1960)

File this under the category of ‘original song to covers I should have realised were covers all along’, even if that is a little bit unwieldy. Apparently the first Prince Buster production and one of the first songs with a real Rastafarian flavour to it that made it big, it is an essential slice of pop that still earns a head nod and shuffle along even today. Probably why it was made into that cover that was clearly a cover all along you idiot.

117.      

‘The Click Song (Qongqothwane)’, Miriam Makeba (1960)

You might as well copy and paste the words under 115 as this pretty much has the same response from me. It is worlds away from anything I’d listen to normally, but it is a good song to listen to, mixing the percussion, vocals and clicking in a way that is catchy irrelevant of your musical sphere of interest. The click sound is supposed to mimic the sound of a dung beetle when it is preparing to mate as it bands its abdomen on the floor – the more you know. Similar to 115, this primarily gets into the book as it opened up the world to a new type of music that was out there. Can’t argue too much with that.

Edited February 24, 2020 by Liam

[Liam]

Been on holiday, thus the catching up posts today.

118.      

‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’, The Shirelles (1960)

This isn’t the first song that I’d barely really considered the lyrical content from when it comes to this list, so to dig a little deeper was very interesting. In an era that wasn’t yet all about free love, a song about a lady sleeping with her partner and debating whether he might still be around the next day was groundbreaking stuff. Add to that that this symbolised the beginning of a phase of girl groups and it was a much more ‘important’ song than I’d realised. Outside of all of this, it is a great pop song. Catchy, with a perfect mix of melody and well-sung vocals. Good song is good – sometimes that’s all there is.

119.      

‘Love Hurts’, The Everly Brothers (1960)

The second Everly Brothers song on the list, though personally one I don’t enjoy as much as ‘All I Have To Do is Dream’. Just like that aforementioned song, The Brothers’ harmonising is front and central and it is undeniably a good song, it just lacks that little something to put it over the top. Perhaps it is as simple as the first song was one that I’d heard more of when I was younger, so my enjoyment had more than a tinge of nostalgia, something which doesn’t carry this one.

120.      

‘September Song’, Ella Fitzgerald (1960)

Another act who has had more than one song appear so far in the list, this is Fitzgerald once again showcasing her impeccable vocal stylings in a love song that is all about the ease with which she delivers every line. There is a sultriness to her vocal, a subdued nature to the accompaniment, a warmth in her tone; all add up to a beautiful, intimate feeling tune. As I’ve mentioned before, my legitimate musical knowledge in terms of the component parts is somewhat limited, but it always feels that Fitzgerald has a really good range, at least in terms of an ability to mix low and high, offering a well rounded vocal that can never be considered monotone in nature.

Edited February 24, 2020 by Liam

[Curt McGirt]

Since you brought up Jacques Brel I have to post this. A very close friend of mine showed this to me years ago, long before he moved away, and it reminds me of him. Coincidentally he was the guy who got me into Townes Van Zandt (and country as a whole), Tom Waits, and other stuff that before him would be leagues away from what I typically listened to.