Category Archives: 1958

1958

Mixes By Year: Best of 1958 Volume 1

Best of 1958 Volume 1 (12/2/02)

1. Chuck Berry- Johnny B. Goode

Buy Johnny B. Goode Amazon

 

2. Jack Scott- Leroy

Buy Leroy Amazon

 

3. Ritchie Valens- Come On Let’s Go

Buy Come On, Let’s Go Amazon

 

4. Duane Eddy- Rebel Rouser

Buy Rebel Rouser Amazon

 

5. Buddy Holly- Rave On

Buy Rave On Amazon

 

6. Link Wray- Rumble

Buy Rumble Amazon

 

7. The Champs- Tequila

Buy Tequila (Original) Amazon

 

8. Lloyd Price- Stagger Lee

Buy Stagger Lee Amazon

 

9. Ray Charles- (The Night Time Is) The Right Time

Buy Night Time Is The Right Time (Remastered LP Version)Amazon

 

10. Jerry Lee Lewis- Breathless

Buy Breathless Amazon

 

11. Little Richard- Good Golly Miss Molly

Buy Good Golly Miss Molly Amazon

 

12. Bobby Day- Rockin’ Robin

Buy Rockin’ Robin Amazon

 

13. Larry Williams- Slow Down

Buy Slow Down Amazon

 

14. The Coasters- Yakety Yak

Buy Yakety Yak (Single/LP Version) Amazon

 

15. Dion & The Belmonts- I Wonder Why

Buy I Wonder Why (1999 Digital Remaster) Amazon

 

16. The Everly Brothers- All I Have To Do Is Dream

Buy All I Have To Do Is Dream (1958 #1Pop; #1Country Billboard chart hit; #1UK) Amazon

 

17. Little Anthony & the Imperials- Tears On My Pillow

Buy Tears On My Pillow Amazon

 

18. Ricky Nelson- Poor Little Fool

Buy Poor Little Fool (2005 Digital Remaster) Amazon

 

19. The Students- I’m So Young

Buy I’m So Young Amazon

 

20. The Platters- The Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

Buy Smoke Gets In Your Eyes Amazon

 

21. Lavern Baker- I Cried A Tear

Buy I Cried A Tear (Single/LP Version) Amazon

 

22. Jackie Wilson- Lonely Teardrops

Buy Lonely Teardrops Amazon

 

23. The 5 Royales- The Slummer The Slum

Buy The Slummer The Slum Amazon

 

24. The Silhouettes- Get A Job

Buy Get a Job Amazon

 

25. Chuck Willis- What Am I Living For?

Buy What Am I Living For (LP Version) Amazon

 

26. Eddie Cochran- Summertime Blues

Buy Summertime Blues Amazon

 

27. The Chantels- Maybe

Buy Maybe Amazon

 

28. James Brown- Try Me

Buy Try Me Amazon

 

29. Sam Cooke- Win Your Love For Me

Buy Win Your Love For Me Amazon

 

30. Elvis Presley- Wear Your Ring Around My Neck

Buy Wear My Ring Around Your Neck Amazon

 

31. Frank Sinatra- Come Fly With Me

BuyCome Fly With Me Amazon

Mixes By Year: Best of 1958 Volume 2

Best of 1958 Volume 2 (12/3/02)

1. Eddie Cochran- C’mon Everybody

Buy C’mon Everybody Amazon

 

2. The Johnny Otis Show- Wilie & The Hand Jive

Buy Willie And The Hand Jive Amazon

 

3. Bobby Darin- The Queen Of The Hop

Buy Queen Of The Hop Amazon

 

4. Jerry Lee Lewis- High School Confidential

Buy High School Confidential Amazon

 

5. Chuck Berry- Sweet Little Sixteen

Buy Sweet Little Sixteen (Original Master) Amazon

 

6. Little Richard- Ooh My Soul!

Buy Ooh My SoulAmazon

 

7. Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps- Dance To The Bop *Possible late 1957 release

Buy Dance to the Bop (Original) Amazon

 

8. Howlin’ Wolf- Sittin’ On Top Of The World

Buy Sitting On Top Of The World (1958 Single Version) Amazon

 

9. Bo Diddley- Dearest Darling

Buy Dearest Darling Amazon

 

10. Elvis Presley- One Night

Buy One NightAmazon

 

11. Buddy Holly- Well…All Right

Buy Well…All Right (Single Version) Amazon

 

12. The Danleers- One Summer Night

Buy One Summer Night Amazon

 

13. The Platters- Twilight Time

Buy Twilight TimeAmazon

 

14. The 5 Royales- Dedicated To The One I Love

Buy Dedicated To The One I Love Amazon

 

15. The Elegants- Little Star

Buy Little Star (LP Version) Amazon

 

16. Jerry Butler & The Impressions- For Your Precious Love

Buy For Your Precious Love Amazon

 

17. The Crests- 16 Candles

Buy 16 CandlesAmazon

 

18. Johnny Cash- Ballad Of A Teenage Queen

Buy Ballad of a Teenage Queen (Without Overdubs) Amazon

 

19. Peggy Lee- Fever

Buy Fever (2000 Digital Remaster) Amazon

 

20. Frank Sinatra- Witchcraft

Buy Witchcraft (2000 Digital Remaster) Amazon

 

21. Clyde McPhatter- A Lover’s Question

Buy A Lover’s Question (Single/LP Version) Amazon

 

22. The Shields- You Cheated

Buy You Cheated You Lied Amazon

 

23. Jack Scott- Goodbye Baby

Buy Goodbye BabyAmazon

 

24. Chuck Willis- Hang Up My Rock N’ Roll Shoes

Buy Hang Up My Rock & Roll Shoes Amazon

 

25. Ricky Nelson- Stood Up

Buy Stood Up (Digitally Remastered 05) Amazon

 

26. Sam Cooke- For Sentimental Reasons

Buy (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons (Remastered) Amazon

 

27. Little Willie John- Talk To Me, Talk To Me

Buy Talk to Me, Talk to Me Amazon

 

28. The Everly Brothers- Claudette

Buy Claudette (1958 #30Pop; #15Country Billboard chart hit; #1UK) Amazon

 

29. The Big Bopper- Chantilly Lace

Buy Chantilly Lace Amazon

 

30. Brenda Lee- Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

Buy Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree (Single Version) Amazon

 

31. The Teddy Bears- To Know Him Is to Love Him

BuyTo Know Him Is to Love Him Amazon

Mixes By Year: Best of 1958 Volume 3

Best of 1958 Volume 3 (6/7/14)

1.  Henry Mancini Orchestra- Peter Gunn

Buy Peter Gunn Theme (Peter Gunn Suite) Amazon

 

2.  The Everly Brothers- Bird Dog

Buy Bird Dog (158 #1Pop; #1Country Billboard chart hit; #2UK) Amazon

 

3.  Buddy Holly & the Crickets- Think It Over

Buy Think It Over (Single Version) Amazon

 

4.  Ricky Nelson- Believe What You Say

Buy Believe What You Say (2005 – Remaster) Amazon

 

5.  Conway Twitty- It’s Only Make Believe

Buy It’s Only Make Believe Amazon

 

6.  Don Gibson- Oh Lonesome Me

Buy Oh Lonesome Me (Remastered) Amazon

 

7.  Johnny Cash- I Still Miss Someone

Buy I Still Miss Someone (Album Version) Amazon

 

8.  Elvis Presley- I Got Stung

Buy I Got StungAmazon

 

9.  The 5 Royales- Tell The Truth

Buy Tell The Truth Amazon

 

10.  Muddy Waters- I Love The Life I Live, I Live The Life I Love

Buy I Love The Life I Live (I Live The Life I Love) Amazon

 

11.  Otis Rush- All Your Love (I Miss Loving)

Buy All Your Love (I Miss Loving) (Original Cobra Recording) Amazon

 

12.  Sam Cooke- Love You Most Of All

Buy Love You Most Of All Amazon

 

13.  Howlin’ Wolf- Moanin’ For You Baby

Buy Moanin’ For My Baby (Single Version) Amazon

 

14.  Little Walter- Key To The Highway

Buy Key To The Highway (Single Version) Amazon

 

15.  Chuck Willis- Keep A-Driving

Buy Keep A Drivin’ (LP Version) Amazon

 

16.  Cliff Richard & the Shadows- Move It

Buy Move ItAmazon

 

17.  Bobby Freeman- Do You Want To Dance

Buy Do You Wanna Dance Amazon

 

18.  Huey “Piano” Smith & the Clowns- Don’t You Just Know It

Buy Don’t You Just Know It? Amazon

 

19.  Fats Domino- Whole Lotta Loving

Buy Whole Lotta Loving (2002 Digital Remaster) Amazon

 

20.  Chuck Berry- Carol

Buy CarolAmazon

 

21.  The Fiestas- So Fine

Buy So FineAmazon

 

22.  Art Blakey With Thelonius Monk- In Walked Bud

Buy In Walked Bud (LP Version) Amazon

 

23.  Mose Allison- The Seventh Son

Buy The Seventh Son Amazon

 

24.  Nina Simone- My Baby Just Cares For Me

Buy My Baby Just Cares For Me Amazon

 

25.  Ella Fitzgerald- Cheek To Cheek

Buy Cheek To Cheek [feat. Paul Weston & His Orchestra] Amazon

 

26.  Jody Reynolds- Endless Sleep

Buy Endless SleepAmazon

 

27.  Bobby Darin- Splish Splash

Buy Splish Splash (Single/LP Version) Amazon

 

28.  Ritchie Valens- La Bamba

Buy La BambaAmazon

 

29.  Dwight Pullen- Sunglasses After Dark

Buy Sunglasses After Dark Amazon

 

30.  Danny & the Juniors- Rock N’ Roll Is Here To Stay

BuyRock’n’roll Is Here To Stay Amazon

Mixes By Year: Best of 1958 Volume 4

Best of 1958 Volume 4 (6/8/14)

1.  The Chordettes- Lollipop

Buy LollipopAmazon

 

2.  Chuck Berry- Reelin’ & Rockin’

Buy Reelin’ And Rockin’ (Single Version) Amazon

 

3.  Lorrie & Larry Collins- Mercy

Buy Mercy (Columbia 4-41149) Amazon

 

4.  Jimmy McCracklin- The Walk

Buy The WalkAmazon

 

5.  Ray Smith- Right Behind You Baby

Buy Right Behind You Baby Amazon

 

6.  Boyd Bennett- Move

Buy Move (With Cecil Mcnabb Jr.) Amazon

 

7.  Joao Gilberto- Chega De Saudade

Buy Chega De Saudade (No More Blues) Amazon

 

8.  Cannonball Adderley- Somethin’ Else

Buy Somethin’ Else (feat. Miles Davis, Hank Jones & Art Blakey) Amazon

 

9.  Champion Jack Dupree- Frankie & Johnny

Buy Frankie & Johnny (Single/LP Version) Amazon

 

10.  Fats Domino- Yes, My Darling

Buy Yes, My Darling Amazon

 

11.  Allen Touissant- Whirlaway

*Track not available via Amazon

 

12.  Elvis Presley- King Creole

Buy King Creole (Viva Elvis) Amazon

 

13.  Johnny Cash- Big River

Buy Big RiverAmazon

 

14.  Larry Davis & His Band- Texas Flood

Buy Texas FloodAmazon

 

15.  The Olympics- Western Movies

Buy Western Movies Amazon

 

16.  Ella Fitzgerald- Puttin’ It On The Ritz

Buy Puttin’ On The Ritz Amazon

 

17.  Louis Prima & Keely Smith- That Old Black Magic

Buy That Old Black Magic Amazon

 

18.  Bobby Darin- That’s The Way Love Is

Buy That’s The Way Love Is Amazon

 

19.  Frank Sinatra- Angel Eyes

Buy Angel Eyes (1998 Digital Remaster) Amazon

 

20.  Jimmy Clanton- Just A Dream

Buy Just a DreamAmazon

 

21.  SAm Cooke- You Were Made For Me

Buy You Were Made For Me Amazon

 

22.  Harvey & the Moonglows- Ten Commandments Of Love

Buy Ten Commandments Of Love Amazon

 

23.  Don Gibson- I Can’t Stop Loving You

Buy I Can’t Stop Loving You (Remastered) Amazon

 

24.  Buddy Holly & the Crickets- It’s So Easy

Buy It’s So Easy (Single Version) Amazon

 

25.  The Everly Brothers- Problems

Buy ProblemsAmazon

 

26.  Connie Francis- Who’s Sorry Now  (released 11/57, peaked on chart in 1/58)

Buy Who’s Sorry Now Amazon

 

27.  The Pastels- So Far Away

Buy So Far AwayAmazon

 

28.  Junior Parker- Sweet Home Chicago

Buy Sweet Home Chicago Amazon

Mixes By Year: 1958 Most Recommended

1958 – A year where Rock N’ Roll was here to stay. Where all of the 50’s music stars fired on all cylinders. The year before Chuck Berry got busted, Little Richard fled back to the church, and Jerry Lee Lewis became an outcast. The year before ‘The Day the Music Died’ with the Buddy Holly/Ritchie Valens/Big Bopper plane crash. Though Elvis did go into the army in ’58, there were still plenty of great songs left in the pipeline and he even released the underrated “King Creole” album. When people think of “The 50’s” musically the key years are 1956-58. Those years saw the cementing of rock n’ roll music in American popular culture as well as the birth of Soul music. 1958 also saw the launch of the influential Billboard Hot 100 music charts as well as the introduction of the first stereo LP’s on RCA.

Rock N’ Roll’s biggest and most influential stars all released many of their key tracks in 1958- Elvis (Wear Your Ring Around My Neck, Don’t), Buddy Holly (Rave On, Well All Right) Little Richard (Good Golly Miss Moly, Ooh My Soul), Chuck Berry (Johnny B. Goode, Sweet Little Sixteen), Jerry Lee Lewis (Breathless, High School Confidential), Bo Diddley & Fats Domino (Whole Lotta Lovin’). Other only slightly lesser stars like Ricky Nelson (Poor Little Fool, Believe What You Say), Eddie Cochran (Summertime Blues, C’mon Everybody), Ritche Valens (La Bamba, Come On Let’s Go) emerged as well. Many of these cuts were done in the rockabilly style, which combined the twang of country & western music with the raucousness of early Rhythm & Blues. Some great rockabilly songs and artists were done by artists out of the mainstream like Dwight Pullen, Larry & Lorrie Collins & Boyd Bennett. Other artists had hits but were lesser known as well, including Duane Eddy, who pioneered a low, twangy guitar sound with tons of reverb whose biggest hit was “Rebel Rouser”. And Link Wray, whose biggest hit “Rumble” is even considered a prototype for Heavy Metal. The great Gene Vincent is often little known outside of his biggest hit “Be-Bop-A-Lula”, but he is considered one of the best and most important early rock n’ rollers as well. Jack Scott is another who had some hits, including “Leroy”, but is often forgotten by music historians. Cliff Richard & the Shadows, the biggest 1950’s British rock n’ roll group also played in the rockabilly style. Their biggest hit was 1958’s “Move It”. Some great one hit wonders of 1958 include The Big Boppers “Chantilly Lace”, Jody Reynold’s “Endless Sleep”, Bobby Day’s “Rockin’ Robin”, The Champs great instrumental “Tequila” and Bobby Freeman’s “Do You Want To Dance”- all are considered early rock n’ roll classics.

Though soul music was still in its infancy in 1958, all of the early soul pioneers including James Brown, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles & Jackie Wilson released important work in 1958 including “Try Me”, “Win Your Love For Me”, “(The Night Time) Is The Right Time” and “Lonely Teardrops” respectively. Other lesser known but still important early soul pioneers like Huey “Piano” Smith, Little Willie John, Clyde McPhatter (formerly of the Drifters), Jerry Butler & Lavern Baker added important cuts. Doo-Wop, which had dominated black vocal music in the mid 50’s was experiencing the last of its heyday, before an early 60’s revival. Groups like the Fiestas, The Shields, the Danleers, the Elegants, the Pastels & Harvey & the Moonglows all enjoyed at least one 1958 hit. Bigger Doo-Wop inspired groups like the Platters (The Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Twilight Time)& Little Anthony & the Imperials (Tears On My Pillow) continued their run of success with some of their very biggest hits. Two other black vocal groups, The Silhouettes (a one hit wonder with “Get A Job”) & the Coasters, who had a run of very influential hits including 1958’s “Yakety Yak”, were almost too rock n’ roll to be considered Doo-Wop though they could fit into either category. The two biggest vocal groups of the year were white- the Everly Brothers, who sang beautiful harmonies in a sound influenced equally by country & rockabilly and who became one of the major influences on the Beatles & Dion & the Belmonts, one of the very biggest Doo-Wop groups of the 50’s. Their biggest and probably best hit “I Wonder Why” was released in 1958.

Other music done outside of the rock n’ roll, soul & rockabilly realm was still flourishing in 1958 as well- country music saw the legendary Johnny Cash at the height of his powers, releasing his last cuts for Sun Records. Conway Twitty enjoyed a huge country crossover hit with “It’s Only Make Believe” and Don Gibson released his two best songs “Oh Lonesome Me” & “I Can’t Stop Loving You”. The Chicagoans on Chess Records were still dominating the blues scene- Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, Little Junior Parker & Little Walter. Though there weren’t many definitively influential jazz released outside of maybe Cannonball Adderley’s “Something Else”, Mose Allison, Nina Simone, Champion Jack Dupree, Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers all released great stuff. Brazilian Joao Gilberto released what was likely the first Bossa Nova recording with “Chega De Saudade”. Vocal torch singers were still the rage with the adult crowd. Peggy Lee released her signature song with “Fever”. Frank Sinatra had great cuts like “Witchcraft” and “Come Fly With Me” along qwith the last of his great mid to late 50’s run of albums with “Sings Songs For The Lonely”. Ella Fitzgerald continued her songbook series with one of her best “Ella Sings Irving Berlin”. The versatile Bobby Darin was able to combine rock n’ roll and crooning- releasing rnr songs “Splish Splash” & “Queen Of the Hop” along with more adult fare like “That’s The Way Love Is”.

CHUCK BERRY- ONE DOZEN BERRY’S

Chuck Berry_One Dozen Berry's

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CANNONBALL ADDERLEY- SOMETHIN’ ELSE

Cannonball Adderley_Somethin' Else

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ELVIS PRESLEY- KING CREOLE

Elvis Presley_King Creole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ART BLAKEY & THE JAZZ MESSENGERS- MOANIN’

ART BLAKEY_MOANIN'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BUDDY HOLLY- BUDDY HOLLY

Buddy Holly_Buddy Holly