The youth of the 1950s, spared the hardships of World War II, sought excitement. Many found this is in the newly emerging, feel-good music known as rock ‘n’ roll. Others preferred the smooth and mellow sounds of the blues and ballads of the time.
The music of the 1950s was a hodgepodge of ballads, R&B;, blues and rock ‘n’ roll. Through the coexistence of these styles of music, many great dance songs were introduced.
Now it’s time to throw on your poodle skirts and letter sweaters, grab your partner, and get ready to shake with these top 10 dance songs of the ’50s.
“Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and His Comets
We’re gonna rock around the clock tonight,
We’re gonna rock, rock, rock, ’til broad daylight.
We’re gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight.
Filled with dance-inducing lyrics like these, “Rock Around the Clock” is credited by many to be the song that made rock and roll popular in America. It was the first rock and roll hit to rise to the top of the American recording charts and it remained there for eight weeks.
In the 1970’s “Rock Around the Clock” was re-recorded by Bill Haley to be used as the original theme song of the hit television show, Happy Days.
“The Stroll” by The Diamonds
Come, let’s stroll
Stroll across the floor
Come, let’s stroll
Stroll across the floor
Now turn around, baby
Let’s stroll once more
This bluesy and seductive-sounding song, a cover version of Chuck Willis’ R&B; version, inspired a dance craze in the 1950’s. The Stroll” was a 1950’s version of a line dance and became a core dance on the teen dance show, “American Bandstand.
“Yakety Yak” by The Coasters
Just finish cleanin’ up your room
Let’s see that dust fly with that broom
Get all that garbage out of sight
Or you don’t go out Friday night
Yakety yak (don’t talk back)
The humorous lyrics of this song offer a glimpse into the life of a teenager and the struggle between pleasing parents and having a social life. “Yakety Yak” topped the charts of both the Hot 100 Number One Pop List and the List of Number One Rhythm and Blues Hits.
“Chantilly Lace” by The Big Bopper
Chantilly lace and a pretty face
And a pony tail a hangin down
That wiggle in the walk
And giggle in the talk
Makes the world go round
This fun song portrays a one-sided phone call, with a young man listing his favorite attributes in a girl.
“Chantilly Lace” was the last song ever performed by The Big Bopper. Returning from his concert in Clear Lake, Iowa, the plane carrying The Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, and Buddy Holly crashed. This song was a huge hit and stayed on the national Top 40 for 22 weeks.
“Blue Suede Shoes” by Elvis Presley
Well it’s one for the money, two for the show
Three to get ready now go cat go.
But don’t you, step on my blue suede shoes.
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
Elvis Presley’s cover version of “Blue Suede Shoes” was the first song to make America’s Pop, Country, and R&B; charts simultaneously.
This song was written by Carl Perkins and was inspired by a scene he saw at a dance. A young couple was dancing and the boy was wearing blue suede shoes. As the two danced, the boy warned his date “don’t step on my suedes.” Perkins was so puzzled by how the boy could value his shoes over his girl that he grabbed a paper sack and wrote down “Blue Suede Shoes.”
“Splish Splash” by Bobby Darin
Splish Splash, I was takin’ a bath
Long about a saturday night, yeah
Rub-a-dub, just relaxin’ in the tub
Thinkin’ everything was alright
This fun song began as a challenge between friends, Bobby Darin and DJ Murray the K (Murray Kaufman). The pair had just finished playing a softball game in Central Park. As they were soaking their aching feet, Murray’s mother called. After listening to her son’s complaint of sore feet, Jean Kaufman suggested writing a song entitled “Splish Splash, take a bath.” Murray then bet his friend, Bobby, that he couldn’t write a song that began with those words. The duo then set to work penning the words and Jean provided the tune.
“Splish Splash” gave a boost to Bobby Darin’s career and reached Number 3 on the U.S. Pop Singles Charts.
“Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole
Unforgettable in every way
And forever more, that’s how you’ll stay
That’s why, darling, it’s incredible
That someone so unforgettable
Thinks that I am unforgettable too
Nat King Cole recorded this “unforgettable” ballad in 1951. Forty years after it’s first release, Nat’s daughter, Natalie Cole, had the song edited and re-released the song as a duet with her belated father. This song’s lyrics transcend time and the masterpiece is still a favorite slow dance tune.
“Wake Up Little Susie” by The Everly Brothers
Wake up little Susie, wake up little Susie
Well, what’re we gonna tell your mama, what’re we gonna tell your pop
What’re gonna tell our friends when they say ‘ooh la la’
Wake up little Susie, wake up little Susie
This catchy tune tells the comical tale of a young couple who, bored by the show, fall asleep at the drive-in movies. They awake at 4 o’clock in the morning and worry about the perceptions and reactions of their friends and parents.
Despite being banned from Boston radio stations for its “questionable” lyrics, “Wake Up Little Susie” ranked number one on the Billboard Pop and Country Charts in 1957.
“At the Hop” by Danny and the Juniors
Well, you can rock it you can roll it
You can stop and you can stroll it at the hop
When the record starts spinnin’
You Chalypso with your chicken at the hop
Do the dance sensation that is sweepin’ the nation at the hop
This fun and peppy song describes a high school dance. A hop or sock hop was 50’s slang for a school dance. The song salutes the popular dance styles in the 1950’s.
“At the Hop” became a number one hit on the U.S. chart in 1958. The song remained at the top of U.S. charts for almost 7 weeks and sold over 2 million copies worldwide.
“Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry
Deep down in Louisiana, close to New Orleans
Way back up in the woods among the evergreens
There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood
Where lived a country boy named Johnny B. Goode
Who never ever learned to read or write so well
But he could play the guitar just like a ringin’ a bell
“Johnny B. Goode” is a partly autobiographical song, written by Chuck Berry, about a poor country boy who makes it big through hard work and talent. The inspiration for this song is believed to have been Johnnie Johnson, a talented piano player with whom Berry often collaborated.
“Johnny B. Goode” is ranked by Rolling Stone as the number seven greatest song on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. This song is one of the mostly widely performed rock and roll songs in history. It has also been used in many musicals, television shows, and movies (one of the most famous being “Back to the Future”).
I have to confess, as an avid music lover and oldies fan, selecting only ten hits from this era took some restraint. Here’s a recap of my Top Ten Dance Songs of the 50’s: “Rock Around the Clock”, “The Stroll”, “Yakety Yak”, “Chantilly Lace”, “Blue Suede Shoes”, “Splish Splash”, “Unforgettable”, “Wake Up Little Susie”, “At the Hop”, and “Johnny B. Goode”.
I hope you’ve enjoyed revisiting the 1950s with me!
Sources:
http://www.songfacts.com/
http://www.wikipedia.org/
