We’ve nominated four songs from 1959 to ’62 for the Hall of Songs. They join the ballot starting with the ninth round of voting, which follows our 1963 episode.
The songs are “Think” by James Brown and the Famous Flames, “Turn On Your Lovelight” by Bobby Bland, “Up on the Roof” by the Drifters” and “She Thinks I Still Care” by George Jones.
After discussing the four nominees, we chat more about the period between ’58 and ’62, primarily the impact of the Nashville sound and advances in recording. We take extra time to talk about Ray Charles, Roy Orbison, and the Drifters.
Here’s the current list of nominees:
Come back on July 25, 2021, for our episode on 1963. Then, we’ll start voting for the ninth class of the Hall of Songs.
The hits just keep on coming! We have four new inductees to the Hall of Songs after the latest round of voting. One song skates right through without a problem, another is a bit of a surprise, and two get in by the skin of their teeth.
Okay. Don’t scroll if you want to be spoiled.
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Alright. Let’s congratulate the following songs on making the Hall of Songs …
Georgia on My Mind / Ray Charles – 60.78% (2nd round) I Fall to Pieces / Patsy Cline – 58.82% (1st round) Only the Lonely / Roy Orbison – 56.86% (2nd round) The Wanderer / Dion – 54.9% (1st round) That’ll Be the Day / The Crickets – 52.94% (5th round) Wake Up Little Susie / The Everly Brothers – 50.98% (5th round) Please Mr. Postman / The Marvelettes – 43.13% (1st round) Tutti Frutti / Little Richard – 41.17% (7th round) La Bamba / Ritchie Valens – 41.17% (4th round) Runaway / Del Shannon – 41.17% (1st round) Wonderful World / Sam Cooke – 37.25% (2nd round) Mack the Knife / Bobby Darin – 35.29% (3rd round)
Eliminated from the ballot
Runaround Sue / Dion – 33.33% (1st round) The Twist / Chubby Checker – 31.37% (2nd round) Running Scared / Roy Orbison – 9.80% (1st round) Back Door Man / Howlin’ Wolf – 3.92% (1st round) Let’s Go Trippin’ / Dick Dale and the Del-Tones – 3.92% (1st round)
It’s the opposite of our last round of voting as multiple songs get inducted into the Hall of Songs! Plus, we discuss whether a certain Ray Charles song should get the Golden Vote, giving it special entrance into the Hall.
Here is the episode:
Okay. Don’t scroll if you want to be spoiled.
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Alright. Let’s congratulate the following songs on making the Hall of Songs …
Georgia on My Mind / Ray Charles – 56% (1st round) Only the Lonely / Roy Orbison – 52% (1st round) The Twist / Chubby Checker – 52% (1st round) Tutti Frutti / Little Richard – 48% (6th round) Wonderful World / Sam Cooke – 48% (1st round) That’ll Be the Day / The Crickets – 44% (4th round) Mack the Knife / Bobby Darin – 40% (2nd round) Wake Up Little Susie / The Everly Brothers – 36% (4th round) La Bamba / Ritchie Valens – 36% (3rd round)
Eliminated from the ballot
Jailhouse Rock / Elvis Presley – 32% (4th round) I Only Have Eyes For You / The Flamingos – 32% (2nd round) This Magic Moment / The Drifters – 32% (1st round) Chain Gang / Sam Cooke – 32% (1st round) The Great Pretender / The Platters – 28% (6th round) Hound Dog / Elvis Presley – 28% (5th round) Roll Over Beethoven / Chuck Berry – 24% (5th round) Bye Bye Love / The Everly Brothers – 20% (4th round) Save the Last Dance For Me / The Drifters – 20% (1st round) Shop Around / The Miracles – 16% (1st round) Cathy’s Clown / The Everly Brothers – 12% (1st round) Lonely Teardrops / Jackie Wilson – 8% (3rd round) There Goes My Baby / The Drifters – 8% (2nd round) Dream Lover / Bobby Darin – 4% (2nd round) Walk, Don’t Run / The Ventures – 4% (1st round)
You’ll have to listen to this bonus episode of Hall of Songs to hear what happened with our latest round of voting.
Okay. Don’t scroll if you want to be spoiled.
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Alright. Let’s move on.
Continuing to the next round of voting
What’d I Say / Ray Charles – 60.41% (1st round) Mack the Knife / Bobby Darin – 56.25% (1st round) Wake Up Little Susie / The Everly Brothers – 52.08% (3rd round) Shout / The Isley Brothers – 52.08% (1st round) Jailhouse Rock / Elvis Presley – 47.91% (3rd round) Tutti Frutti / Little Richard – 45.83% (5th round) Roll Over Beethoven / Chuck Berry – 45.83% (4th round) That’ll Be the Day / The Crickets – 45.83% (3rd round) Dream Lover / Bobby Darin – 45.83% (1st round) I Only Have Eyes For You / The Flamingos – 45.83% (1st round) Hound Dog / Elvis Presley – 43.75% (4th round) La Bamba / Ritchie Valens – 43.75% (2nd round) Lonely Teardrops / Jackie Wilson – 43.75% (2nd round) There Goes My Baby / The Drifters – 41.66 (1st round) The Great Pretender / The Platters – 37.5% (5th round) Bye Bye Love / The Everly Brothers – 37.5% (3rd round)
Eliminated from the ballot
Summertime Blues / Eddie Cochran – 33.33% (2nd round) Money (That’s What I Want) / Barrett Strong – 33.33% (1st round) El Paso / Marty Robbins – 25% (1st round) Yakety Yak / The Coasters – 22.91% (1st round) Twenty Flight Rock / Eddie Cochran – 20.83% (1st round) Don’t Let Go / Roy Hamilton – 20.83% (1st round) White Lightning / George Jones – 20.83% (1st round) Stagger Lee / Lloyd Price – 18.75% (2nd round) Peter Gunn / Ray Anthony – 18.75% (1st round) Come Softly to Me / The Fleetwoods – 16.66% (1st round)
Tutti Frutti / Little Richard – 60% (4th round) Roll Over Beethoven / Chuck Berry – 55% (3rd round) La Bamba / Ritchie Valens – 52.5% (1st round) Lonely Teardrops / Jackie Wilson – 52.5% (1st round) Jailhouse Rock / Elvis Presley – 45% (2nd round) Stagger Lee / Lloyd Price – 45% (1st round) That’ll Be the Day / The Crickets – 42.5% (2nd round) Summertime Blues / Eddie Cochran – 42.5% (1st round) The Great Pretender / The Platters – 40% (4th round) Hound Dog / Elvis Presley – 40% (3rd round) Bye Bye Love / The Everly Brothers – 40% (2nd round) Wake Up Little Susie / The Everly Brothers – 37.5% (2nd round)
Eliminated from the ballot
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree / Brenda Lee – 30% Don’t Be Cruel / Elvis Presley – 25% Not Fade Away / The Crickets – 25% Tequila / The Champs – 25% All I Have to Do is Dream / The Everly Brothers – 25% Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On / Jerry Lee Lewis – 22.5% Peggy Sue / Buddy Holly – 20% All Shook Up / Elvis Presley – 15% It’s Only Make Believe / Conway Twitty – 15% Rebel-‘Rouser / Duane Eddy – 10% Rumble / Link Wray – 5%
Jailhouse Rock / Elvis Presley – 54.90% (1st round) Wake Up Little Susie / The Everly Brothers – 54.90% (1st round) Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On / Jerry Lee Lewis – 49.01% (1st round) Hound Dog / Elvis Presley – 49.01% (2nd round) Bye Bye Love / The Everly Brothers – 47.05% (1st round) All Shook Up / Elvis Presley – 45.09% (1st round) That’ll Be the Day / The Crickets – 43.13% (1st round) Peggy Sue / Buddy Holly – 43.13% (1st round) Roll Over Beethoven / Chuck Berry – 39.21% (2nd round) Don’t Be Cruel / Elvis Presley – 37.25% (2nd round) Not Fade Away / The Crickets – 37.25% (1st round) The Great Pretender / The Platters – 35.29% (3rd round) Tutti Frutti / Little Richard – 35.29% (3rd round)
Eliminated from the ballot
That’s All Right / Elvis Presley – 33.33% Lucille / Little Richard – 31.37% Ain’t That a Shame / Fats Domino – 29.41% Rock and Roll Music / Chuck Berry – 29.41% Your Cheatin’ Heart / Hank Williams – 29.41% Blue Suede Shoes / Carl Perkins – 29.41% Blueberry Hill / Fats Domino – 27.45% I Walk the Line / Johnny Cash – 27.45% Maybellene / Chuck Berry – 25.49% In the Still of the Night / The Five Satins – 25.49%
It’s a big year in music: From the westward expansion of teen culture to a West Side Story that sets a new tone for Broadway, so much is changing in 1957. Our 12 nominees for the Hall of Songs from this year reflect that.
Elvis Presley is still making big tunes, like “All Shook Up” and third movie theme “Jailhouse Rock.” And what exactly do Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller slip into the lyrics of the latter song?
Presley is joined by other big stars of the mid 1950s like Chuck Berry and Little Richard. Big songs like “Rock and Roll Music” and “Lucille,” respectively, find these stars at the top of their game. And then there are newcomers like Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, and Buddy Holly, each adding something dynamic and fresh to the already established rock ‘n’ roll soud.
1957 is a year when everything expands just a little. Hear more of this expansion in our latest episode, then VOTE for the greatest songs of all-time! Below, choose up to 10 songs to join the Hall of Songs and current inductees “Rock Around the Clock” and “Heartbreak Hotel.”
Our 1957 nominees:
“Lucille” as performed by Little Richard
Written by Richard Penniman and Albert Collins; recorded July 1956; released February 1957
“All Shook Up” as performed by Elvis Presley
Written by Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley; recorded January 1957; released March 1957
“Bye Bye Love” as performed by The Everly Brothers
Written by Felice Bryant and Boudleaux Bryant; recorded March 1957; released March 1957
“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” as performed by Jerry Lee Lewis
Written by Dave Williams and James Faye Hall; recorded February 1957; released April 1957
“That’ll Be the Day” as performed by The Crickets
Written by Charles Hardin, Jerry Allison, and Norman Petty; recorded February 1957; released May 1957
“Wake Up Little Suzie” as performed by The Everly Brothers
Written by Felice Bryant and Boudleaux Bryant; recorded August 1957; released September 1957
“You Send Me” as performed by Sam Cooke
Written by Sam Cooke; recorded June 1957; released September 1957
“Rock and Roll Music” as performed by Chuck Berry
Written by Chuck Berry; recorded May 1957; released September 1957
“Jailhouse Rock” as performed by Elvis Presley
Written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller; recorded April 1957; released September 1957
“Peggy Sue” as performed by Buddy Holly
Written by Jerry Allison and Norman Petty; recorded July 1957; released September 1957
“Not Fade Away” as performed by The Crickets
Written by Charles Hardin and Norman Petty; recorded May 1957; released October 1957
“Great Balls of Fire” as performed by Jerry Lee Lewis
Written by Otis Blackwell and Jack Hammer; recorded October 1957; released November 1957
Listen to the full episode to learn more, then vote for the songs you think are the greatest of them all. Scroll down or click here to vote. Then, come back on May 16, 2021, for our discussion on 1958.
Don’t Be Cruel / Elvis Presley – 61.29% (2nd round) Hound Dog / Elvis Presley – 56.45% (2nd round) Roll Over Beethoven / Chuck Berry – 51.61% (2nd round) I Walk the Line / Johnny Cash – 50% (2nd round) Blueberry Hill / Fats Domino – 48.38% (2nd round) The Great Pretender / The Platters – 43.54% (3rd round) That’s All Right / Elvis Presley – 41.93% (3rd round) Tutti Frutti / Little Richard – 41.93% (3rd round) Maybellene / Chuck Berry – 41.93% (3rd round) Your Cheatin’ Heart / Hank Williams – 40.32% (3rd round) Ain’t That a Shame / Fats Domino – 40.32% (3rd round) Blue Suede Shoes / Carl Perkins – 38.70% (2nd round) In the Still of the Night / The Five Satins – 35.48% (2nd round)
Eliminated from the ballot
Shake, Rattle and Roll / Big Joe Turner – 33.87% Long Tall Sally / Little Richard – 24.19% I Put a Spell on You – ‘Screamin’ Jay’ Hawkins – 22.58% Why Do Fools Fall in Love – Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers – 20.96% Earth Angel – The Penguins – 17.74% Mr. Sandman – The Chordettes – 17.74% Hey, Good Lookin’ – Hank Williams – 14.51% Hound Dog – Big Mama Thornton – 14.51% Be-Bop-a-Lula – Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps – 14.51% Cold, Cold Heart – Hank Williams – 12.90% Mess Around – Ray Charles – 12.90% Bo Diddley – Bo Diddley – 12.90% Sh’Boom – The Chords – 11.29% I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man – Muddy Waters – 11.29% Mannish Boy – Muddy Waters – 11.29% How High the Moon – Les Paul and Mary Ford – 3.22%
A massive year with some big songs. We add 10 nominees to the Hall of Songs pool. Now, it’s your turn to vote.
The film Blackboard Jungle signals that rock ‘n’ roll has arrived. About unruly high school students and the teacher who attempts to save them from destruction, the movie did well in the box office but was more popular for the song that accompanied its opening title card.
“Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley & His Comets plays at the very beginning of the film. It’s a propulsive way to introduce Americans to the world of mid 1950s youth. This wild sound was what the kids were listening to, and thanks to “Rock Around the Clock” it would become much more popular.
Of course, that’s one narrative. Rock ‘n’ roll had been building and shifting already by 1955. What we hear throughout this episode are songs that seem to perfect their individual genres. Little Richard gives New Orleans R&B some sheen with “Tutti Frutti” while Elvis Presley continues to rule rockabilly with “Mystery Train.” Over in blues, Bo Diddley and Muddy Waters trade slaps and get better from it. All the while, Chuck Berry seemingly creates the first great post-“Rock Around the Clock” song.
Written by Ellas McDaniel (as Bo Diddley), recorded March 1955, released April 1955
“I’m a Man” as performed by Bo Diddley
Written by Ellas McDaniel (as Bo Diddley), recorded March 1955, released April 1955
“Ain’t That a Shame” as performed by Fats Domino
Written by Antoine Domino (as Fats Domino), Dave Bartholomew, recorded March 1955, released April 1955
“Rock Around the Clock” as performed by Bill Haley & His Comets
Written by Max C. Freedman, recorded April 1954, released May 1954 and May 1955
“Mannish Boy” as performed by Muddy Waters
Written by McKinley Morganfield (as Muddy Waters), Mel London, Ellas McDaniel (as Bo Diddley), recorded May 1955, released June 1955
“Maybellene” as performed by Chuck Berry
Written by Chuck Berry, Russ Fratto, Alan Freed, recorded May 1955, released July 1955
“Mystery Train” as performed by Elvis Presley
Written by Junior Parker, recorded July 1955, released August 1955
“Tutti Frutti” as performed by Little Richard
Written by Little Richard, Dorothy LaBostrie, recorded September 1955, released October 1955
“The Great Pretender” as performed by The Platters
Written by Buck Ram, recorded fall 1955, released November 1955
“Rock Island Line” as performed by Lonnie Donegan
Traditional song, recorded fall 1955, released late 1955
Check out the full episode to learn more about these songs and why they’re so great, vote now by clicking here, and come back on April 18, 2021, when we discuss our nominees from 1956.
We continue to fill up the pool of nominees as we reach 1954. Here is our next set of nominees for the Hall of Songs.
Smack in the middle of 1954, a young man from Memphis records his first single late at night during a session at Sun Records. That single, a cover of Arthur Crudup’s “That’s All Right,” causes a fervor in Memphis and makes a name of its singer, Elvis Presley.
While Elvis’ origin story casts a large shadow over 1954, it’s not just him making noise. In fact, 1954 is the year doo-wop really steps up and becomes a force in pop music. Two hits specifically – “Sh’Boom” and “Mr. Sandman” – prove mightiest as massive hits on the pop charts.
With all this shifting on the charts, that means the era of the big-selling, old-school pop vocalist is beginning to end. The most popular names in pop heading into 1954 are Tony Bennett, Perry Como, and Eddie Fisher, and their fortunes are soon to change. Meanwhile another major vocalist of the last 15 years, Frank Sinatra, is about to see his career take a major shift in a good way.
We talk about all of that and more in our 1954 episode of Hall of Songs.
Our 1954 nominees:
“I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man” as performed by Muddy Waters
Written by Willie Dixon, recorded January 1954, released January 1954
“Work With Me Annie” as performed by Hank Ballard & His Midnighters
Written by Hank Ballard, recorded January 1954, released February 1954
“Sh’Boom” as performed by The Chords
Written by James Keyes, Claude Feaster, Carl Feaster, Floyd F. McRae, recorded March 1954, released spring 1954
“Shake, Rattle and Roll” as performed by Big Joe Turner
Written by Jesse Stone (as Charles F. Calhoun), recorded February 1954, released April 1954
“That’s All Right” as performed by Elvis Presley
Written by Arthur Crudup, recorded July 1954, released July 1954
“Earth Angel” as performed by The Penguins
Written by Curtis Williams, Jesse Belvin, Gaynel Hodge, recorded August 1954, released October 1954
“Hearts of Stone” as performed by The Charms
Written by Eddie Ray and Rudy Jackson, recorded fall 1954, released fall 1954
“Mr. Sandman” as performed by The Chordettes
Written by Pat Ballard, recorded fall 1954, released November 1954
Check out the full episode to learn more about these songs and why they’re so great, and come back on April 4, 2021, when we discuss our nominees from 1955.
