Going To New York - Jimmy Reed

Going To New York - Jimmy Reed

2:18

single, 1959

Written by Jimmy Reed

A beautiful 12-bar boogie shuffle, this song is a declaration to reach New York or bust.  Why?  Because of the big game show payouts!  "Goin' to New York, get on New York quiz show / Gotta win myself some alla that dough."  This song was written right after the uncovering of the scandals in quiz shows of the time (as documented in the 1994 movie Quiz Show), so maybe it was meant as tongue in cheek?  Terrific barrelhouse percussion keeps the song bouncing forward, with a nice harmonica solo by Reed.

Something's Gotta Give - Frank Sinatra

Something's Gotta Give - Frank Sinatra

2:38

Come Dance With Me!, 1959

Written by Johnny Mercer, 1954

My favorite version of this song is from Ella Fitzgerald's phenomenal, powerful race through it on her Johnny Mercer Songbook album of five years later.  But Frank does an admirable job here; he's in fine voice and gives it that brash, youthful energy he had then, adding a "let's tear it up" ad-lib at the and.  But to me, the band takes center stage here, blaring nonstop brass flourishes throughout, and sharing about equal time with Frank.  Maybe this song could stand a few more verses.

Draggin' the River - Ferlin Husky

Draggin' the River - Ferlin Husky

2:10

single, 1959

Written by Vic McAlpine

I'm amazed that I haven't heard of this honky-tonk singer, who released dozens of albums over a seven-decade career, had 11 top ten hits, two dozen top 20 hits, and was inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame.  In this single, sounding like a countrified Elvis, he croons over a deceptively bright, bouncing melody a sad tale of being left, the spark of love now cold and dark: "Well, if things get worse, I can't shake this curse / Then start draggin' the river for me."  Grim!

Chi Town - Jerry Butler

Chi Town - Jerry Butler

3:00

Jerry Butler, Esq., 1959

Written by A. Wiley

Butler, cribbing a bit from some other celebrated songs about cities ("no California here I come"), used his rich baritone to put down other geographical locations ("I like living without palm trees") and exults his hoemtown, Chicago.  State Street is mentioned, as in Sinatra's song.  The spoken invocation at the beginning ("I've seen the Great White Way / And Herald Square / And foggy old London town...") reminds me of Jonathan Richman's similarly-phrased intro to "New England."  I'm amused by how at the end he quickly interjects "and the Prudential Building!" before "Hey, that's for me!"

Forty Days - Ronnie Hawkins

Forty Days - Ronnie Hawkins

2:15

single, 1959

Written by Chuck Berry, 1955

This song is a cover of Berry's "Thirty Days," with the titular deadline changed for some reason.  Hawkins pus a rockabilly spin on it with some echoing backing vocals, and a jittery guitar and boogie-woogie piano.  The narrator of this song affirms that he's going to get the judge, the sheriff, a gypsy to put a "hoodoo" on his lady, even the FBI and the United Nations, to help him get his woman back.  Mister, she's just not that into you.

Wine Wine Wine - The Nightcaps

Wine Wine Wine - The Nightcaps

2:26

single, 1959

Written by the Nightcaps

The Nightcaps were one of Dallas' first important rock bands, and released the song "Thunderbird," later made famous by ZZ Top.  Apparently they remained active until 2009!  This song is a primitive rockabilly beat made to dance to, written by the band when they were in high school.  Billy Joe Shine's nasal whine (wine?) on this song and the repeated title word for a chorus gives the song a high droning sound.  Rollicking piano and blaring horns make it a Jerry Lee Lewis-style romp.

Somethin' Else - Eddie Cochran

Somethin' Else - Eddie Cochran

2:10

single, 1959

Written by Sharon Sheeley and Bob Cochran

Hey, lookee here!  What's all this?  In this rattling rockabilly number, the narrator wishes he could date a girl he's long pined after, but she's out of his class.  But!  But if he got a flash car, she'd go for him: "I'll buy that car that I been wanting so / Get me that girl and we'll go ridin' around."  We are living in a material world, and I guess she's a material girl.  He works hard, gets the car, works up the courage to knock.  It's a simple song with no twists, but I like the primitive guitar and crashing, metallic percussion.  

One of These Mornings - Ricky Nelson

One of These Mornings - Ricky Nelson

1:54

Ricky Sings Again, 1959

Written by Dorsey Burnette

More 1950s rock 'n' roll than rockabilly — a sort of pop-abilly maybe — this song starts off with the narrator averring that one day he'll go find a gal who'll love him.  They'll have a great time under the moon and all that.  But then, suddenly he's talking about leaving again!  "I done told my gal what I'm gonna do / I'm gonna leave on a one way track / Yes one of these mornings and I can't be comin' back."  Well, I call that pretty fickle, Ricky Nelson!

Crackin' Up - Bo Diddley

Crackin' Up - Bo Diddley

2:03

Go Bo Diddley, 1959

Written by Bo Diddley

The narrator of this song has been mistreated by his woman!  Now normally in a song like that, especially from this era, it means the lady in question has snubbed him.  But in this case, he really is being mistreated.  She's hollering at him, screaming, stealing his money!  And he does so much for her.  "I used to do your cookin', your laundry too / Now what more for a woman could a man like me do?"  I'm with Bo here!  That's progressive!  Why are you yelling at poor Bo?  This is pure Diddley beat, with some echo and reverb, giving it a full sound.  It's simple, but it's the groundwork of rock.

We Belong Together - Ritchie Valens

We Belong Together - Ritchie Valens

1:56

Ritchie Valens, 1959

Written by (Robert Carr, Johnny Mitchell, Hy Weiss, 1958

The ultimate song for possessive types.  Over minimal guitar and drum backing, Valens' high, wavery voice proclaims sole ownership of some lucky lady.  "You're mine, your lips belong to me / Yes, they belong to only me, for eternity."  Okay, slow it down there, buddy.  Maybe the women in question would like a little independence and self-actualization.  To me it's a slight, fairly rote track, but it has a quarter billion streams on Spotify, so it must resonate with people.  The song was originally a hit for a little-known doo-wop duo called Robert & Johnny.

Only Sixteen - Sam Cooke

Only Sixteen - Sam Cooke

2:03

single, 1959

Written by Sam Cooke

Luckily, this is not one of the innumerable songs of the era about a sweet young thing not a minute over seventeen, as Chuck put it.  It's about an age-appropriate puppy love that — of course — didn't last.  "Why did I give my heart so fast? / It never will happen again," the song's narrator asks.  Then comes the perfect punchline, delivered deadpan: "But I was a mere lad of sixteen / I've aged a year since then."  Now he knows better!  Cooke's warm and feather-light croon, augmented by a quiet male backing chorus, gives what might be a musical trifle a quiet dignity.

Dream Lover - Bobby Darin

Dream Lover - Bobby Darin

2:31

single, 1959

Written by Bobby Darin

Two fun facts about this song: it features Neil Sedaka on piano, and it was kept out of the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 by "The Battle of New Orleans."  This song is about yearning for the right girl, even though the narrator hasn't met her yet.  Somewhere, she might be out there for you, is the hope here.  "Someday, I don't know how / I hope she'll hear my plea / Some way, I don't know how / She'll bring her love to me."  This reminds me of the Blues Traveler song "Conquer Me," the part that goes "Whoever she is now, and whoever she'll become / I'd like to ask her to hurry please and if she's walking could she run."  On this song, there's male and female backing vocals, rattling percussion, thrumming guitars, and silky strings.  As in "Beyond the Sea," Darin's crisp, clean voice here has a gravitas beyond his years.  

Come Rain Or Come Shine - Ray Charles

Come Rain Or Come Shine - Ray Charles

3:43

The Genius Of Ray Charles, 1959

Written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, 1946

This song comes from the musical St. Louis Woman, which closed after 13 performances, but had a couple of songs that became standards.  Here it's a languid, string-backed ballad with a full choir of backing vocals.  It begins with soft, muted trumpets and gradually gets louder and more brassy.  Charles' perfect phrasing delivers those vocals like no other.  "Days may be cloudy or sunny, yeah / We're in, or we're out of the money, yeah / I'm with you always."

Hey Little Girl - Dee Clark

Hey Little Girl - Dee Clark

2:15

Dee Clark, 1959

Written by Otis Blackwell, Bobby Stevenson

This is an example of the unfortunately large number of early rock 'n' roll songs about young co-eds that the singer wants to date.  "Hey, little girl in the high school sweater / Gee, but I'd like to know you better."  Perhaps, you hope, the school girl in question is in college despite the sweater?  "A-wearin' that crazy skin-tight skirt / And that crazy Ivy League shirt."  So, maybe?  Still pretty creepy.  Over a Bo Diddley shuffling beat, Clark croons the lines in a playful, high tenor, making it easy to nod along rather than cringe at the content.

Mary, Mary Lou - Bill Haley & His Comets

Mary, Mary Lou - Bill Haley & His Comets

2:43

Bill Haley's Chicks, 1959

Written by Cayet Mangiaracina

The narrator bemoans the fact that he has been thrown over by the titular chick.  "And all this time I used to / Be your golden rooster / But now I can see that we are through."  Terrific early rock 'n' roll guitar and a buzzy sax keep the song bumping along.  The album this song is from is an early example of a theme album — all the tracks have women's names.  This song is a cover, originally recorded by a forgotten band called Sparks in 1957 (although it was originally spelled "Merry, Merry Lou."  Interestingly, Rick Nelson's huge hit "Hello Mary Lou," written by Gene Pitney, was the subject of a plagiarism suit by the record label that owned this song

The One You Slip Around With - Jan Howard

The One You Slip Around With - Jan Howard

2:17

single, 1959

written by Harlan Howard and Fuzzy Owen

I've never heard of Howard, but she had some hits in the honky-tonk Bakersfield style in the 1960s, and later became an author.  Is "slip" in the title a minced oath for "sleep"?  I bet it is.  The narrator bemoans the fact that her husband, whom she adores, is sleeping with a side piece, but she sticks with him: "Deep down inside I know that I should leave you / How many tears must fall before I learn / I think of many ways that I could grieve you / And yet I'm always here when you return."  Even though, as the song says, she would rather be the lover than the lonely wife.  Not exactly a blow for feminism, but I guess it hadn't been invented yet.

The Battle Of New Orleans - Johnny Horton

The Battle Of New Orleans - Johnny Horton

2:31

single, 1959

Written by Jimmy Driftwood, 1936

A novelty country song that adapts a military march for its beat.  The writer, Jimmy Driftwood, was a school principal in Arkansas with a passion for history.  He set an account of the battle to an old fiddle tune in an attempt to get students interested in learning history.  Driftwood's version adds fun to the lesson, with his yodeling, nasal voice, the "hup-two-three" background voices, and his silly humor ("We fired our cannon 'til the barrel melted down / So we grabbed an alligator and we fought another round / We filled his head with cannonballs 'n' powdered his behind / And when we touched the powder off, the gator lost his mind").  Historically accurate?  Citation needed.

Brand New Cadillac - Vince Taylor and His Playboys

Brand New Cadillac - Vince Taylor and His Playboys

2:37

single, 1959

Written by Vince Taylor

A genuine British garage rockabilly gem, this song is of course best known for being covered by the Clash.  I was interested to learn that two other bands also recorded it in 1964 (and put their names on it as authors, as was the style at the time).  But Taylor wrote it and was the first.  His slurred, surly vocal here is so proto-punk that it's no surprise that the Clash were attracted to this song.  The '50s surf-guitar solo is a perfect example of the rock riffs of the era.  It's amazing this wasn't a huge hit.