By Benjamin Haas @ Shutterstock.com
Some people say that rock and roll began with the Chords singing Sh-Boom, but I can’t buy the idea that it was rock and roll. I believe it all began in 1955 when Little Richard Penniman screamed “a-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bam-bam.” Incidentally, Tutti Frutti’s lyrics are, to this day, misinterpreted (there is no “oh Rudy” or “bam-boom” in the song.
Also, I don’t count doo-wop music as classic rock and roll (with its totally different chord pattern and rhythm). With very few exceptions, if the music doesn’t have the classic rock and roll, driving beat and blues chord pattern, it won’t make my list. After the Beatles started selling their music in the U.S. in 1963, rock and roll was never the same (even though the Beatles early hits were great stuff, the chord patterns and rhythm were totally different). The only real rock and roll man after 1963 was John Fogerty, in my opinion.
So here’s my list of Dave Hammer’s top 50 rock and roll songs of all time (strictly based on my memory and knowledge of music, without checking any historic billboards) encompassing 1955 to 1963, by artist (but in no particular order). Many of these songs are covers from earlier artists and some were covered by later artists, but I picked my favorite versions:
Little Richard (5)- Tutti Frutti, Long Tall Sally, Heebie Jeebies, Good Golly Miss Molly, Rip It Up
Bill Haley (2)- Rock Around the Clock, Shake Rattle and Roll
Carl Perkins (2)- Blue Suede Shoes, Matchbox
Elvis (5)- Mystery Train, That’s All Right, Heartbreak Hotel, Good Rockin’, Jailhouse Rock
Gene Vincent (1)- Be-bop-a-lula
Buddy Knox (1)- Party Doll
Buddy Holly (2)- Peggy Sue, That’ll Be the Day
J.P. (Big Bopper) Richardson (1)- Chantilly Lace
Wanda Jackson (1)- Hard-headed Woman
Duane Eddy (1)- Rebel Rouser
Ventures (1)- Walk Don’t Run
Santo and Johnny (1)- Sleepwalk
Rick Nelson (2)- Mighty Good, It’s Late
Fats Domino (3)- Blueberry Hill, I’m Walkin’, Blue Monday
Jerry Lee Lewis (3)- Whole Lotta Shakin’, Great Balls of Fire, I’m On Fire
Ray Charles (1)- What’d I Say
Bobby Bare (a.k.a. Bill Parsons) (1)- All American Boy
Ritchie Valens (1)- La Bamba
Chuck Berry (5)- Johnny B. Goode, School Day, Roll Over Beethoven, Reelin’ and Rocking, Sweet Little Sixteen
Everly Brothers (3)- Bye Bye Love, Bird Dog, All I Have To Do Is Dream
Coasters (1)- Yakety Yak
Bobby Darin (1)- Splish Splash
Isley Brothers (1)- Shout
Frankie Ford (1)- Sea Cruise
Danny and the Juniors (1)- At the Hop
Lloyd Price (1)- Lawdy Miss Clawdy
Dale Hawkins (1)- Susie Q
Bobby Day (1)- Rockin’ Robin
Originally posted April 8, 2009.
