“You Send Me” Sam Cooke basically invented Soul music in the ’50s and paved the way for greats like Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye to follow in his footsteps. It all started with “You Send Me,” Cooke’s first single. “You Send Me” is a love song that introduced the public to Cooke’s almost impossibly smooth singing voice. “You Send Me” shot to number one on the R&B charts. However, record companies were skeptical that a black artist could have crossover appeal, and in a move typical of the times had a white singer, Teresa Brewer, record a version aimed at the pop charts. But in a slap to the face to racists everywhere Cooke’s version also went to number one on the pop charts, significantly outperforming Brewer’s version. Overnight Cooke became a massive star, beloved by everyone, white, black, old, young, and the godfather of soul was born.
“Something Else” was written by Eddie Cochran’s true love, female songwriter Sharon Sheeley. The first-person lyrics describe how the singer wants a convertible car he can not afford, and a girl who he fears will not go out with him. But in the end, by saving money, he is able to buy an older car, and works up the confidence to ask the girl out. It’s a fun song, very similar to “Summertime Blues”. It’s just not nearly as well-known. Eddie pulls out all the stops, including his baritone voice when he speaks the chorus: “Man, she’s sure good lookin’. She’s somethin’ else.” The song peaked at No. 22 on the UK Singles Chart, and reached No. 58 on the Billboard in the U.S.
“Lollipop” The Chordettes were an American female vocal quartet. Oone of the longest-lived vocal groups with roots in the mainstream pop and vocal harmonies of the 1940s and early 1950s.. They had released a couple of singles with Arthur Godfrey on Columbia in 1950-51 but didn’t cut a solo single until their breakout hit Mr. Sandman, released in late 1954 and which went on to become a No. 1 1955 hit. Archie Bleyer himself is on that record along with the group; Bleyer stripped down the sound to highlight the girls’ voices. They also hit No. 2 with 1958’s “Lollipop”.
“In the Still of the Nite“, also subsequently titled “In the Still of the Night“, is a song written by Fred Parris and recorded by his Five Satins. The song was recorded in the Saint Bernadette Catholic School basement in New Haven. Excluding Christmas records, “In the Still of the Nite” is one of only two songs (the other being “Monster Mash” by Bobby (Boris) Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers) to have charted on the Hot 100 three separate times, by the same artist with the same version each time. After initially reaching No. 24 in 1956, it was released again in 1960 and reached No. 81. Then more than a year later in 1961 it reached No. 99. It has received considerable airplay over the years and is notable as one of the best known doo-wop songs. It has also been recorded by artists such as Boyz II Men and Debbie Gibson. It is heard in several films, such as The Buddy Holly Story, Dirty Dancing, and The Irishman.
“Rocket 88” And now in a slight departure for this list, we have a song that you haven’t forgotten was awesome, but only because you probably have never heard of it in the first place. “Rocket 88.” Aside from being an outstanding song in its own right, “Rocket 88” is acknowledged as the first rock song recorded. Credited to Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats, who were actually Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm, “Rocket 88” merged jump blues and up-tempo swing and was played in a free-flowing, raw manner to create a genre that was brand new. The song also features one of the first known recordings of a distorted guitar— the band’s bass amp had been damaged and producer Sam Phillips filled it with a newspaper in an attempt to fix it. It didn’t work, but the resulting fuzz sound was kept and the rest is history. Ike Turner would go on to have great success working with his wife Tina in the 60s and 70s, but people forget he got his start by basically inventing rock music.
