100 Songs - The 1950s

Matthew Elmslie, philosopher and baseball fan, has been engaged in a pointless but fun Twitter project wherein he lists 100 - notable? favourite? - songs from a particular decade. The main caveat is that no artist can be represented more than once. You see his list, you want to make your own. That's how these things work.

The one song per artist limit places me in a considerable quandry when it comes to the 1950s - Elvis, Chuck, Jerry Lee, Buddy, and the immortal Little Richard are all I need, in this world and the one to come, and could easily provide me with 100 songs. But I did my best to rise to the occasion.

The 1950s

1 Chuck Berry "Johnny B. Goode"
2 Jerry Lee Lewis "Great Balls of Fire"
3 Elvis Presley "Mystery Train"
4 Little Richard "Tutti Frutti"
5 Buddy Holly "That'll Be The Day"
6 Gene Vincent "Be Bop a Lula"
7 Eddie Cochran "Summertime Blues"
8 Howlin' Wolf "Smokestack Lightning"
9 Everly Brothers "Wake Up Little Susie"
10 Lloyd Price "Stagger Lee"

11 Bo Diddley  "Who Do You Love"
12 Carl Perkins "Blue Suede Shoes"
13 Hank Williams "Ramblin' Man"
14 Richie Valens "La Bamba"
15 Muddy Waters "Mannish Boy"
16 Frank Sinatra "I've Got You Under My Skin"
17 Fats Domino "Blueberry Hill"
18 Ray Charles "What'd I Say"
19 Little Willie John "I Need Your Love So Bad"
20 Big Bopper "Chantilly Lace"

21 Johnny Burnette Trio "The Train Kept A'Rolling"
22 Patsy Cline "Walking After Midnight"
23 Sonny Boy Williamson "Don't Start Me Talkin'"
24 Big Joe Turner "Shake Rattle and Roll"
25 Dell Vikings "Come Go With Me"
26 Vince Taylor "Brand New Cadillac"
27 Johnny Cash "I Walk the Line"
28 Coasters "Young Blood"
29 Elmore James "Dust My Broom"
30 Tennessee Ernie Ford "Sixteen Tons"

31 Duane Eddy "Rebel Rouser"
32 Chuck Willis "Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes"
33 Lefty Frizzell "Long Black Veil"
34 Drifters "Money Honey"
35 Buddy Knox "Party Doll"
36 Cadets "Stranded in the Jungle"
37 Harry Belafonte "Jamaica Farewell"
38 Slim Harpo "I'm a King Bee"
39 Jay Hawkins "I Put a Spell On You"
40 Eddie Fontaine "Nothin' Shakin' But the Leaves on the Trees"

41 Sam Cooke "You Send Me"
42 Dion & the Belmonts "A Teenager In Love"
43 Dale Hawkins "Susie Q"
44 Judy Garland "The Man that Got Away"
45 Conway Twitty "It's Only Make Believe"
46 Link Wray "Rumble"
47 Ricky Nelson "It's Late"
48 Ronnie Hawkins "Forty Days"
49 Roy Orbison "Ooby Dooby"
50 Louvin Brothers "The Angels Rejoiced in Heaven Last Night"

51 Johnny Ace "Pledging My Love"
52 Chan Romero "Hippy Hippy Shake"
53 Bobby Day "Rockin' Robin"
54 Frankie Ford "Sea Cruise"
55 Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers "Why Do Fools Fall In Love"
56 T.Bone Walker "The Hustle Is On"
57 Tommy Edwards "It's All in the Game"
58 Bobby Darin "Mack the Knife"
59 Huey Smith "Rockin' Pneumonia"
60 Kingston Trio "Tom Dooley"

61 Isley Brothers "Shout"
62 Jerry Butler "For Your Precious Love"
63 LaVern Baker "Jim Dandy Got Married"
64 B.B. King "Three O'Clock Blues"
65 George Jones "White Lightning"
66 Clarence Henry "Ain't Got No Home"
67 Mickey & Sylvia "Love is Strange"
68 Hank Ballard "Work With Me Annie"
69 Platters "The Great Pretender"
70 Monotones "Book of Love"

71 Little Walter "Mean Old World"
72 Clyde McPhatter "Without Love"
73 Lowell Fulson "Reconsider Baby"
74 Clifton Chenier "My Soul"
75 Cadillacs "Speedo is Back"
76 Silhouettes "Get a Job"
77 Wilbert Harrison "Kansas City"
78 Five Royales "Think"
79 Barrett Strong "Money"
80 Five Satins "Still of the Nite"

83 Jimmie Rodgers "Honeycomb"
81 Marty Robbins "El Paso"
82 Danny & the Juniors "Rock and Roll is Here To Stay"
84 Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats "Rocket 88"
85 John Lee Hooker "I'm in the Mood"
86 Barbara Pittman "I Need a Man"
87 Mello Kings "Tonite Tonite"
88 Crows "Gee"
89 Chantels "Maybe"
90 Dee Clark "Hey Little Girl"

91 Champs "Tequila"
92 Little Anthony & the Imperials "Shimmy Shimmy Ko Ko Bop"
93 Crests "Sixteen Candles"
94 Flamingos "I Only Have Eyes For You"
95 Skyliners "Since I Don't Have You"
96 Chips "Rubber Biscuit"
97 Bobettes "Mr Lee"
98 Dubs "Chapel of Dreams"
99 Billy Ward & the Dominos "Sixty Minute Man"
100 Fireflies "You Were Mine"