lambchops's Full Review: Rock & Roll 50th Anniversary
Regardless of what kind of rock or pop music you enjoy, it is important to remember that it all had began during the same era and with the same group of musical innovators. Folks really didn't take early rock & roll seriously—those who preached this new kind of sermon were hell bent ruffians with the intent to corrupt the innocent youth of America. Nobody could have predicted the impact that rock & roll would have on artistic expression in the years and decades and centuries to come.
It would be negligent to not pay respect to those earliest adapters—Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and many others. Madacy’s compilation, Rock & Roll: 50th Anniversary Collection, is a wonderful place to start. As somebody who grew up with this kind of music (thanks Dad) but who previously didn’t own anything even close to this collection I am in awe. The songs sound amazing despite their age and the selections are apt. The 34 included songs omit Elvis Presley (I’m betting there are licensing issues there) but otherwise cover all the bases. There are no real surprises unless you consider the few lesser songs from well known artists. Even the packaging is impressive with a paragraph about each included song and it’s importance on the movement.
Rock & roll of course had its start in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s with what was termed “race music.” This was a kind of blues-based R&B played on black radio that very rarely crossed over into white radio—that is until DJ’s began playing the songs. Elvis was an early white adopter of the sound, and his adaptations of previously recorded and already popular songs opened the floodgates to artists of all colors and creeds. It was then that rock & roll was born in a real way. By the way, for trivia reference, rock & roll was coined by Cleveland DJ Alan Freed in 1952.
Rock & Roll: 50th Anniversary Collection (Madacy, 2004) should give roots and provide a history lesson to younger rock listeners who have little knowledge of the genre. The songs are very familiar—ones that my father sang to me when I was a kid and ones that continue to provide entertainment. Short, to the point, and sans flourish they are the truest form of original rock & roll. I can’t help but be impressed by the efforts of these artists and the overall quality of this compilation.
Included are a few of the earliest recognized rock singles. Jackie Brentson’s Rocket 88 (1951) is often credited with this title. You may not recognize his name, but the song (which spent five weeks at #1 on the R&B charts) is clearly an early primer for the rock & roll phenomenon and was later recorded by Bill Haley. Also infinitely important is Crazy Man, Crazy from the aforementioned Bill Haley & His Comets which was the first to chart on the pop chart ever. Of course neither song is as great as the others included, but they are historically relevant and important.
Speaking of “great” tracks, there are a slew of them here. The ones that I most remember from childhood are Tequila from The Champs. Thank you Pee Wee Herman for that little retro flavor. Its joyful irreverence is refreshing—plus, the fact that there are no words makes it a unique entity. There are other even more novel offerings like Short Shorts by The Royal Teens, Sheb Wooley’s The Purple People Eater, and Willie and the Hand Jive from The Johnny Otis Show.
Though I think there’s something here for every listener. As far as I’m concerned, the standouts here are classics like That’ll Be The Day (Buddy Holly & The Crickets), Sweet Little Sixteen and Maybellene from Chuck Berry, Summertime Blues from Eddie Cochran, and Poor Little Fool from Ricky Nelson. But there are so many options and selections that fans of rock will undoubtedly find something they dearly cherish. These are discs that can easily be popped into the stereo and without reservation or skipping and played in their entirety. There are a few surprises, but generally Rock & Roll: 50th Anniversary Collection is full of tried and true classics.
If you really want something from this era but don’t think buying individual albums from individual artists would be a good investment, this set is worth checking out. The music is great and the brief history lesson is necessary. Very good, albeit slightly lacking (darned you Presley estate), compilation.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Disc 1:
01. (We’re Gonna) Rock Around The Clock – Bill Haley & His Comets (1954)
02. Tutti Frutti – Little Richard (1956)
03. That’ll Be The Day – Buddy Holly & The Crickets (1957)
04. Sweet Little Sixteen – Chuck Berry (1958)
05. It’s Only Make Believe – Conway Twitty (1958)
06. Sea of Love – Phil Phillips (1959)
07. Chantilly Lace – The Big Bopper (1958)
08. Short Shorts – The Royal Teens (1958)
09. Stagger Lee – Lloyd Price (1958)
10. Say Man – Bo Diddly (1959)
11. The Purple People Eater – Sheb Wooley (1958)
12. Peggy Sue – Buddy Holly (1958)
13. Maybellene – Chuck Berry (1955)
14. At The Hop – Danny & The Juniors (1958)
15. See You Later Alligator – Bill Haley & His Comets (1956)
16. My Happiness – Connie Francis (1959)
17. Rocket 88 – Jackie Brentson (1951)
Disc 2:
01. Blue Suede Shoes – Carl Perkins (1956)
02. Summertime Blues – Eddie Cochran (1958)
03. Greats Balls Of Fire – Jerry Lee Lewis (1957)
04. Wake Up, Little Susie – The Everly Brothers (1957)
05. Poor Little Fool – Ricky Nelson (1958)
06. Rumble – Link Wray & His Wray Men (1958)
07. Ooby Dooby – Roy Orbison & The Teen Kings (1956)
08. Be-Boy-A-Lula – Gene Vincent (1956)
09. A Teenager in Love – Dion & The Belmonts (1959)
10. Venus – Frankie Avalon (1959)
11. Willie and The Hand Jive – The Johnny Otis Show (1958)
12. Blueberry Hill – Fats Domino (1956)
13. Come Softly To Me – The Fleetwoods (1959)
14. Young Love – Sonny James (1957)
15. Sea Cruise – Frankie Ford (1959)
16. Tequila – The Champs (1958)
17. Crazy Man, Crazy – Bill Haley & His Comets (1953)
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