Incredible Songs: 1950s, Vol. 1

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Incredible Songs: 1950s, Vol. 1 features music courtesy of Elvis Presley, Paul Anka, Peggy Lee, The Platters, and Ray Charles.

Ah, the 1950s – what a [conservative] time, what a time! What better way to reminisce on the decade than to highlight some of its best and most memorable songs.  Like the other editions of the decade series on The Musical Hype, there are far too many awesome musicians and songs to recognize in one musical compendium – at least with blurbs involved. We begin the process for the 50s with Incredible Songs: 1950s, Vol. 1. Incredible Songs: 1950s, Vol. 1 features some of the 50s finest songs courtesy of Elvis Presley, Paul Anka, Peggy Lee, The Platters, and Ray Charles among others. So, let’s relive those conservative 1950s with these epic musical classics! 

1. Elvis Presley, “Jailhouse Rock”   

💿 Elvis 30 #1 Hits • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment • 📅 2002 

“Let’s rock, everybody, let’s rock / Everybody in the whole cell block / Was dancing to the Jailhouse Rock.” Woo! There are few prison or jail-related songs that are more infectious than “Jailhouse Rock” – FACTS! Rock icon Elvis Presley would end up having a slew of hits in his short lifetime of just 42 years.  That said, if only one of those hits had caught on, ‘The King’ would’ve solidified his legacy.  Of course, the energetic, novel, and vintage 1957 gem “Jailhouse Rock” ranks at the top of his catalog. “Jailhouse Rock” was penned and produced by the heavyweight team of Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. Lyrically, it’s tongue-n-cheek (“You shoulda heard those knocked out jailbirds sing”), but that’s part of the novel charm.  Of course, it makes sense that there’s outlandish, absurd stories given it’s the title track of Presley’s movie, Jailhouse Rock.  Also, it was the 1950s, a starkly different time.      

“Number forty-seven said to number three  

‘You the cutest jailbird I ever did see  

I sure would be delighted with your company  

Come on and do the ‘Jailhouse Rock’ with me.’”   

Still, decades after this groovy juggernaut was born, it remains timeless, led by the charismatic, gifted Elvis.    

Appears in 🔻:  

2. Peggy Lee, “Fever” 

💿 Things are Swingin’ • 🏷 Capitol • 🗓 1959

“You give me fever when you kiss me / Fever when you hold me tight / Fever in the morning / Fever all through the night.” Back in the 1950s, sex was forbidden.  Okay, not literally, but it was a more conservative time – check out Happy Days for some perspective! Anyways, the raunchy nature of some of today’s music just wouldn’t have flown in the days of Peggy Lee, period.  That said, anyone who listens to “Fever” knows it’s about sex, or at least, that’s what the purported fever will lead to.  To be fair, Lee didn’t originally record it, but her version is the definitive version. Why is Lee’s “Fever” so hot? Well, besides the fact that it is so suggestive, it’s also quite sultry.  Furthermore, there’s something about those finger snaps, that robust string bass, and the key modulations – feverish for sure! Clearly, the lyrics are risqué, particularly given the times.  It’s naughty and has little to do with “Fahrenheit or Centigrade” as the lyrics state. Today, lyrics like “Chicks were born to give you fever” or “Fever when you kiss them” wouldn’t faze us or make us bat an eye in the least.  But back then, it’s clear this song was quite, um, titillating.  

Appears in 🔻:

11 Feverish, Sweaty, Temperature Songs (2021)

3. The Champs, “Tequila”

💿 Greatest Hits / Tequila • 🏷 Curb • 🗓 1994

One of the most fun songs I remember playing in pep band during my high school years was “Tequila” by The Champs. It’s a rarity when an instrumental cut highly impacts popular music. “Tequila,” written by the late rock and roll saxophonist, Chuck Rio (Daniel Flores, 1929 – 2006), marks an exception. Back in the 1950s and 60s, which music chart data was new and in its early stages, instrumental numbers stood a better shot of performing well.  Perform “Tequila” did, peaking at no. 1 on the pop charts in 1958. Furthermore, at the 1st Annual Grammy Awards, it won the Grammy for Best Rhythm & Blues Performance.  That was The Champs’ sole nomination, so, they went a perfect one of one in the winning department 💪. Running just about 2:15, what makes this instrumental rock joint such a big deal? Well, the music cooks, particularly the groove, tight rhythm section, and most of all, the tenor sax.  Man, oh man is Rio’s lead tenor sax mean, delivering bluesy, gritty soloing.  Furthermore, the call and response between the sax section and guitar marks, dare I say, a VIBE in its own right.  Of course, we can’t neglect the sole lyrics of this primarily instrumental cut – “TEQUILA,” of course! “Tequila” doesn’t require extensive analysis. It’s a simple but infectious instrumental gem, one that nearly seven decades later still has folks talk-talk-talking! 

Appears in 🔻:

The Champs, Tequila: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 147 (2023)

4. Ray Charles, “Come Rain or Come Shine”

💿 The Genius of Ray Charles • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 1959

“I’m gonna love you like no one’s loved you / Come rain or come shine…” The late, great Ray Charles concludes his 1959 album, The Genius of Ray Charles, with a surefire classic: “Come Rain or Come Shine”. “… High as a mountain, deep as a river / Come rain or come shine.” The song predates Charles’ stirring rendition, penned by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer in 1946 for the Broadway music, St. Louis Woman.  And oft-covered standard, Charles truly made “Come Rain or Come Shine” his own given his signature, high-flying, bluesy vocals. It’s easy to buy what he sells as he makes it crystal clear through good and bad he will ALWAYS love you!   

“Days may be cloudy or sunny 

We’re in or are we out of the money?  

Yeah, but I’m with you always 

I’m with you rain or shine.”  

Furthermore, the iconic, prodigious blind musician’s pianistic chops equally allure. Beyond his own top-notch musicianship, Charles’ supporting cast are marvelous too.  The orchestra is arranged superbly by Ralph Burns.  This encompasses strings, chilling backing vocals, and of course, the wind instruments, including the prominently featured trombone. The orchestration is colorful, complementing and providing Ray with plenty of fuel for the fire.  The music speaks for itself on “Come Rain or Come Shine” – no extensive analysis necessary.  Ray Charles was a one of a kind, once-in-a-lifetime musician.  Furthermore, this modest pop hit (no. 83 on the Billboard Hot 100) is one of the legendary, 17-time Grammy-winning musician’s timeless classics.

Appears in 🔻:  

5. Bobby Darin, “Splish Splash” 

💿 Bobby Darin • 🏷 Atlantic • 🗓 1958

“Splish splash, I was taking a bath / Long about a Saturday night.” Okay, so what, Bobby Darin (1936 – 1973)? “Well, I stepped out the tub, put my feet on the floor / I wrapped the towel around me / And I opened up the door.” Um, okay, still sounds like a totally, innocent bathing experience on “Splish Splash” from his 1958 album, Bobby Darin.  Is there more that we need to know about bath time or you being naturally nude after the bath, Bobby? “Splish splash, I jumped back in the bath / Well, how was I to know there was a party going on?” Hmm, well, that begins to explain a bit of the controversy surrounding this no. 3 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, I suppose 🤷🏾‍♂️.   

“Splish Splash” was actually banned by some radio stations. Why? References to nudity after Bobby Darin discovers the party going outside of the bathroom!  Ultimately, after he sees the teens dancing, he asserts, “I forgot about the bath / I went and put my dancing shoes on.” Well, at this point, we assume he’s put on shoes, but what about some clothes, Bobby? There is no clarity.  The assumption would be that dancing shoes just means he started dancing, whether he had shoes on or not.  Furthermore, beyond skipping the bath and putting that towel around him, there is no mention of a shirt, pants, or even a pair of undies.  It seems dumb that this would earn this innocent song controversy, but it was the 1950s and given Darin’s youth and the fact this song is about teens partying, it was deemed risqué.  Is it? Nope. Really, the flaw is that Darin and co-writer Murray Kaufman failed to make sure Bobby was dressed properly! More notably on this fun, Ahmet Ertegün / Herb Abramson production is the reference to other vintage songs: “Lollipop”, “Peggy Sue”, and “Good Golly Miss Molly”.  Believe me, the kids do much worse in the 2020s then “Splish Splash” would have ever dreamt of doing!   

Appears in 🔻:  

6. Harry Belafonte, “Day-O (Banana Boat Song)”

💿 Calypso • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment • 📅 1956

“Day-o, day-ay-ay-o / Daylight come and me wan’ go home.” In 2023, the world lost a legend in Harry Belafonte. The Grammy-winner was a tremendous talent: singer, actor, and activist.  He was best known for his 1956 pop hit, “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” (sometimes referred to as “Banana Boat”).  Even though Belafonte landed a hit with “Day-O” as the opener on his album, Calypso, the song is a traditional Jamaican folk song, performed in Jamaican patois. Furthermore, it is in call and response form (“Work all night on a drink a rum / (Daylight come and me wan’ go home)”).  The first time you hear “Banana Boat,” it is infectious as albeit. “Banana Boat” commences with a dramatic performance by Belafonte, emphasizing the “Day-o” in a slow tempo. His tone and powerful pipes stand out to say the least. Soon enough, the calypso percussion kicks in in all its glory.  He leads the charge as the leader (the call), while the chorus masterfully responds with signature Daylight come and me wan’ go home lyrics.  Perhaps the most memorable moment besides dramatic opening and closing moments by Harry is the verse, “Lift six foot, seven foot, eight foot, bunch.” Memorably, Grammy winning rapper Lil Wayne samples this portion for his own hit, “6 Foot 7 Foot”.    

Appears in 🔻:  

7. Jerry Lee Lewis, “Great Balls of Fire”   

💿 The Essential Jerry Lee Lewis: The Sun Sessions • 🏷 Sun Entertainment Corporation • 🗓 2013   

“Kiss me, baby / Mmm, it feels good / Hold me, baby / Well, I’m off to love you like a lover should.” So, Jerry Lee Lewis, tell us, how exactly should a lover love 🤔?  Judging by the 1950s classic, “Great Balls of Fire”, incredibly passionately. By 21st century standards, “Great Balls of Fire” is incredibly tame.  Yes, the innuendo is ripe – “I’m real nervous, but it sure is fun / Come on, baby / You drive me crazy” – but it’s not as if Lewis explicitly mentions S-E-X.  Still, for the conservative 1950s, “Great Balls of Fire” raised eyebrows, yet peaked at no. 2 (predating the Billboard Hot 100) in the US and no. 1 in the UK 💪. Perhaps what is more controversial than this risqué song is Jerry Lee Lewis himself.  Sure, the fact that Lewis asserts “I chew my nails and I twiddle my thumbs” in either anticipation for sex or just being hot and bothered was progressive for the time, more disturbing are the many controversies the late icon was part of.  The controversy that coincides with the popularity of “Great Balls of Fire,” specifically in the UK, is the revelation that Lewis, at the time 22, married his second cousin, who was 13… YIKES! This of course led to Lewis’ promising career going down the tube.  Furthermore, for some folks, it might change your perception of the hot and bothered “Great Balls of Fire”.  Lewis clearly had his fair share of issues – an understatement – but hard to deny this song right here is a surefire, rock and roll classic.   

Appears in 🔻:  

8. The Platters, “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”  

💿 Remember When? • 🏷 Mercury • 🗓 1959

“They asked me how I knew / My true love was true / I of course replied, something here inside / Cannot be denied.” Oh, the nostalgia! Early, renowned R&B/vocal collective The Platters landed the biggest hit of their career with “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” (Remember When?), which peaked at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959.  Even though this record was recorded and released more than six decades ago, it remains potent – a once in a lifetime recording. “Smoke” features a gorgeous, truly celestial backdrop.  That backdrop is comprised of strings (including harp), piano, drums – it sounds sophisticated and vintage through and through.  Beyond the refined supporting instrumental, the lead vocals are marvelous by Tony Williams.  While Williams is the engine that made this seminal hit by the Platters go, the supporting vocals by the rest of the collective are brilliant too.   

“When your heart’s on fire, you must realize  

Smoke gets in your eyes.”  

“Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” was NOT an original by The Platters despite the fact that the collective made it sound that way – speaks to their tremendous musicianship. The tune is a jazz standard, from the 1933 musical, Roberta, written by Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach in 1933.  While The Platters greatly owe Kern and Harbach for a stellar song, they made that stellar song even bigger.   

Appears in 🔻:   

9. Paul Anka, “Put Your Head on My Shoulder”

💿 Put Your Head on My Shoulder: The Very Best of Paul Anka • 🏷 RCA • 🗓 2000 

“Put your head on my shoulder / Hold me in your arms, baby / Squeeze me oh-so-tight   Show me that you love me too.” “Put Your Head on My Shoulder” is a gorgeous classic performed and written by singer/songwriter Paul Anka. “Put Your Head on My Shoulder” dates to 1959. Despite its age, this former no. 2 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 exemplifies timelessness. It’s a record that reminds you of the simplicity and sheer beauty of the music of the past.  “Put Your Head on My Shoulder” is inoffensive lyrically – completely unobjectionable. Love is the modus operandi.  

“People say that love’s a game / A game you just can’t win / If there’s a way / I’ll find it someday / And then this fool will rush in.” Anka delivers expressive vocals. His tone of voice and the nuance with which he performs is nothing short of sublime.  The production and sound of the record are also impressive. Sure, production has evolved since Anka recorded this gem, but the music is beautiful and uncluttered – it just feels right. Lovely guitar, drums, and smooth backing vocals accentuate Anka’s commanding, love-driven lead.   

“Put your head on my shoulder  

Whisper in my ear, baby  

Words I want to her, baby  

Put your head on my shoulder.”   

Appears in 🔻:  

10. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, “I Put A Spell on You”

💿 At Home with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins • 🏷 Epic • 📅 1958

“I put a spell on you / Because you’re mine (oh yeah).” I’d argue one of the scariest songs of all time is “I Put a Spell on You.”  The thing is, the often covered classic isn’t AS scary in the hands of some of the musicians who’ve covered it, including Nina Simone and Annie Lennox. In the hand of the original performer and writer, however, “I Put a Spell on You” is terrifying! Hmm, I guess he wasn’t called Screamin’ Jay Hawkins for nothing! The blues musician and idiosyncratic personality has a ‘robust’ voice – UNDERSTATEMENT.  His screams are monstrous – rawr! Of this legendary song (the 320th best), Rolling Stone asserts: 

“Former boxer Jalacy J. Hawkins got loaded on muscatel before shrieking out the hoodoo of ‘Spell on You,’ and it took a healthy swig of J&B for him to re-create his studio performance onstage, where he climbed out of a coffin.” 

A coffin, huh? Wild! When Screamin’ Jay Hawkins sings, “I put a spell on you / Because you’re mine,” there’s truly a creepy factor in play.  When he says, “Watch out / I ain’t lyin’,” you take him at his word.  Making things even creepier are the laughs… my, my, my!  The saxophone solo is even a bit unsettling to be honest! Worth noting, this is an oft-sampled record for good reason – it’s a surefire classic!  

Appears in 🔻:

11. Louis Armstrong, “Go Down Moses”

💿 Louis And The Good Book • 🏷 The Verve Music Group • 🗓 1958

“Go down Moses / Way down in Egypt land / Tell old Pharoah / To let my people go!” “Go Down Moses” is a traditional, African American spiritual – we don’t know who composed it. However, Sy Oliver plays a pivotal role in the arrangement that the late, great Louis Armstrong (1901 – 1971) performs on his 1958 album, Louis And The Good Book. The Sy Oliver Choir are the first voices heard on this Milt Gabler-produced recording, singing the excerpted lyrics dramatically and expressively. This precedes both the swinging groove and Armstrong entering the mix.

With a groove established, Louis Armstrong wows with his bass singing voice. He takes over the lead, in commanding fashion, while the choir embraces their role as the response. “Oh, when Israel was in Egypt land,” he sings, with the choir answering, “Let my people go!” While “Let My People Go” still has gospel vibes, Armstrong is true to self, bringing those jazzy, traditional pop vibes. He never forces things, performing authentically and true to self. Beyond delivering a nuanced performance, over the course of three verses, him and The All Stars deliver a sweet instrumental performance near the end (in a contrasting key), in a Dixieland style. His trumpet playing is dynamic and exuberant, blending superbly with the spirited clarinet, and the saucy trombone. Meanwhile, Sy Oliver’s Choir continues shine with their haunting harmonies. “Go Down Moses” in the hands of Louis Armstrong = masterpiece.

Appears in 🔻:

Louis Armstrong, Go Down Moses: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 4 (2024)

Incredible Songs: 1950s, Vol. 1 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlantic, Capitol, Curb, Epic, Mercury, RCA, Sony Music Entertainment, Sun Entertainment Corporation, The Verve Music Group; cottonbro studio from Pexels; Jazella from Pixabay]

Incredible Songs: 1950s, Vol. 1 | Playlist 🎧

Published by the musical hype on February 2, 2024February 2, 2024