Tunes Du Jour Presents 1958

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By 1958, rock and roll was no longer a brash newcomer fighting for legitimacy—it had become the dominant sound of American popular music. The charts that year captured a genre in full stride, blending raw energy with increasingly sophisticated production. Jerry Lee Lewis pounded out “Great Balls of Fire” with manic intensity while the Everly Brothers offered the dreamy harmonies of “All I Have to Do Is Dream,” proving that rock and roll could be both wild and tender. Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen” painted vivid pictures of teenage life, and Little Richard’s “Good Golly, Miss Molly” delivered pure, unfiltered excitement. These weren’t just songs—they were the soundtrack to a generation coming into its own.

The year also marked the rise of memorable instrumental tracks that showcased rock and roll’s expanding vocabulary. Link Wray’s “Rumble” pioneered the power chord with its menacing guitar distortion, while Duane Eddy’s “Rebel Rouser” introduced the twangy, reverb-heavy “twang” that would influence countless guitarists. The Champs’ “Tequila” proved that a single word and an infectious sax riff could dominate the airwaves. These instrumental hits demonstrated that rock and roll didn’t always need lyrics to communicate emotion or get people moving.

While rock and roll dominated, 1958 was hardly monolithic in its musical offerings. Tommy Edwards’ orchestral “It’s All In The Game” and Peggy Lee’s sultry “Fever” showed that traditional pop still had plenty of commercial power. Domenico Modugno’s “Nel blu, dipinto di blu (Volare)” became an international sensation, bringing Italian pop to American audiences. The Platters’ “Twilight Time” continued doo-wop’s evolution toward lush, romantic balladry. This variety revealed an industry still figuring out how different styles could coexist and cross-pollinate.

The playlist also captures the emergence of future stars and the refinement of group vocals. Cliff Richard’s “Move It” announced Britain’s first major rock and roll talent, foreshadowing the British Invasion that would come later. Meanwhile, doo-wop groups like The Chantels with “Maybe” and Jerry Butler & the Impressions with “For Your Precious Love” brought sophistication and emotional depth to their harmonies. Novelty hits like David Seville’s “Witch Doctor” and lighthearted fare like The Chordettes’ “Lollipop” added playful moments to the mix, reminding listeners that music could simply be fun without carrying cultural weight.

What’s striking about 1958 is how much ground the music covered while maintaining a coherent identity. Whether it was Eddie Cochran’s rebellious “Summertime Blues” or Conway Twitty’s heartbroken “It’s Only Make Believe,” these songs spoke directly to young people navigating the complexities of modern life. Rock and roll had proven it wasn’t a passing fad—it was a versatile, evolving force that could express the full range of teenage emotion, from joy to heartbreak, from rebellion to romance. The music of 1958 didn’t just entertain; it validated the experiences of an entire generation.

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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 10-3-23

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Eddie Cochran was only 19 years old when he recorded “Summertime Blues,” a song he wrote with his manager in 45 minutes. A self-taught guitarist, Cochran played all the guitar parts and sang both the lead and bass vocals. Less than two years after “Summertime Blues” became a hit Cochran was killed in a car accident.

Eddie Cochran was born on this date in 1938. A few of his songs are included on today’s playlist.

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Throwback Thursday: 1960

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Look at some of the names who had hits in 1960: Elvis Presley, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Buddy Holly, Ella Fitzgerald, The Everly Bros., Roy Orbison, Fats Domino, The Drifters, Ike & Tina Turner, Dion, Jackie Wilson, Bobby Darin, Chubby Checker, Brenda Lee. It’s like the radio only played superstars. Here are 30 of that year’s best:

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Throwback Thursday: 1964

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Nobody would deny that 1964 was among the most pivotal years in rock and roll. Nobody except Lester, a guy I worked with decades ago. He was an idiot. The Beatles and the other artists who stormed the US pop charts during the first British Invasion made an indelible impact on contemporary music and culture. Motown was ascending and producing classic singles. Girl groups were still hanging around creating pop perfection. Bob Dylan was making himself known, messing with the vocals one expected on a hit record. And Dionne Warwick was already the queen of Twitter.

Here are thirty songs that partly defined 1964. Take note, Lester.

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Playlist For January 8, 2020

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I just thought of a great line to use in an improv scene I was in six years ago. I wish I could turn back time (not intending to quote a song title from birthday boy R. Kelly there) and use it. Ironically, the scene was about traveling back in time. I won’t tell you more about it, because describing an improv scene is .00003% as much fun as watching the improv scene, and this scene was no great shakes to start with, though with the addition of the line I just thought of its shakes would be .07% greater.

Today’s playlist begins with songs from two music legends with birthdays today – Elvis Presley and David Bowie. It’s also Little Anthony’s birthday, which led me to lean heavily toward oldies from the early days of rock and roll. Dame Shirley Bassey also celebrates her birthday today, so I threw in a couple of joints from her catalogue. i opted to not include any R. Kelly songs in the playlist, though Mary J. Blige and Erykah Badu are representing 90s r&b.

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Throwback Thursday – The Hits of 1958

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On March 28, 1958, 19-year-old Eddie Cochran recorded a song he co-wrote with his manager, Jerry Capeheart, called “Summertime Blues.” It was intended to be the b-side of a single whose a-side, “Love Again,” was written by 17-year-old Sharon Steely, who soon became Cochran’s girlfriend. Liberty Records released the 45 with “Summertime Blues” as the a-side. Five months after he recorded it, Cochran had his first U.S. top ten single. In the fall of 1958, the record became a hit in England.

Besides singing and co-writing the song, Cochran produced it. His talents didn’t stop there. He could play piano, drums, bass and guitar, the latter of which he played on records by two dozen other acts.

Cochran’s popularity overseas led to a hugely successful tour of England in the spring of 1960, culminating on April 16 with a performance at the Hippodrome Theater in Bristol. On his way to the airport after the show, Cochran got into a cab with Steely, who was now his fiancée, his tour manager, Patrick Thompkins, and fellow performer Gene Vincent. The taxi driver was speeding on a dark and winding street. The car blew a tire and the driver lost control of the vehicle, crashing it into a lamppost. Cochran put himself over his fiancée to protect her and ended up being thrown from the car. Suffering a severe head injury, he was brought to the hospital. The following afternoon he was pronounced dead. He was just 21 years old.

Eddie Cochran’s time with us was far too short, but his legacy lives on. “Summertime Blues” is an undeniable rock and roll classic, covered by many artists of different genres, including The Who, Alan Jackson, Blue Cheer, The Beach Boys, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and Olivia Newton-John. Cochran’s “C’mon Everybody” was later recorded by Sex Pistols, and his “Twenty Flight Rock” was played by a teenage Paul McCartney at his audition for a teenage John Lennon to let McCartney join Lennon’s band, The Quarreymen.

Today is Throwback Thursday, and Tunes du Jour revisits some of the hits of 1958, kicking off with Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues.”


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Ten Facts About Little Richard

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1) Mojo magazine’s list of “The 100 Records that Changed the World” placed Little Richard’s “Tutti-Frutti” at #1.
2) Pat Boone, who made a career of recording new tracks by African-American acts and sanitizing them for white audiences, covered Little Richard’s “Tutti-Frutti” in 1956 and had a bigger hit with it than Richard did. To avoid a repeat of this, Richard and his producer, Bumps Blackwell, rehearsed the follow-up single, “Long Tall Sally,” until Richard could sing it as fast as possible, with the thinking that Boone wouldn’t be able to sing it as fast. Little Richard’s version became his first top ten pop hit and the biggest-selling single in the history of Specialty Records. Unfortunately, Pat Boone also enjoyed a top ten hit with his version.
3) Richard wrote a song about a female impersonator from his hometown who was called Queen Sonya. He changed Sonya to Lucille, which became the song’s title. It became Richard’s longest-charting hit in 1957.
4) While on tour in 1957 Richard decided to give up rock & roll and enter the ministry. He left the tour ten days early. The original flight on which he had been scheduled to return home crashed into the Pacific Ocean.
5) In 1962 Richard returned to performing secular music while touring Europe. Sam Cooke was his opening act.
6) Later in 1962 Little Richard’s opening act was The Beatles. Richard taught Paul McCartney how to sing like he does.
7) In 1963 The Rolling Stones opened for Richard. Said Mick Jagger: “I couldn’t believe the power of Little Richard onstage. He was amazing.”
8) Members of Little Richard’s band at times include Jimi Hendrix and Billy Preston. This line-up can be heard on the track “I Don’t Know What You’ve Got (But It’s Got Me),” the last single released by Vee-Jay Records.
9) Rolling Stone magazine’s list of The Greatest Artists of All Time has Little Richard at #8.
10) Today is his 81st birthday.

Enjoy this playlist inspired by one of rock and roll’s originators, Little Richard.