The Coasters Web Site |
|
The Golden
´50s
Edited by Claus Röhnisch (updated June 25,
2006)
THE SUPER HITS
of R&B´s
Super Stars
Compiled by Claus
Röhnisch
Titles listed - in order of
popularity - with day/month of hitting any of Billboard´s national R&B charts´ #
1 Position. Number after date marks total weeks at # 1 position.
Important titles, which did not reach # 1, are shown with peak pos. After
original song title: recording location and date of recording (day/month/year).
Composer(s) followed by number of total R&B charting weeks with month of entry.
Original label credit followed by label with catalog number and month of issue.
A couple of recordings, not listed here, became greater hits than the listed,
here though the classic top hits by the "super stars" are listed.
Grammy Hall of Fame Awards noted with year of award (GHFA 99).
| 1949 5/3 14 The Huckle-Buck NY 15/12-48 (Andy Gibson - Roy Alfred) 32w Feb - Paul Williams and his "Hucklebuckers" (Savoy 638, 1-49) 4/12-48 5 Chicken-Shack Boogie LA 19/11-47 (Lola Cullum-Amos Milburn) 23w Nov-48 - Amos Milburn (Aladdin 3014, 10-48) 1950 27/5 13 Pink Champagne LA 20/1-50 (Joe Liggins) 25w May - Joe Liggins and his "Honeydrippers" (Specialty 355, 5-50) 4/3 9 Double Crossing Blues LA 1/12-49 (Johnny Otis - Jessie Mae Robinson) 22w Feb Johnny Otis Quintette - The Robins and Little Esther (Savoy 731, 2-50) 19/8 3 Hard Luck Blues Cinc 19/4-50 (Roy Brown) 18w Jun - Roy Brown and his Mighty-Mighty Men (DeLuxe 3304, 5-50) 1951 30/6 14 Sixty-Minute Man NY 30/12-50 (Billy Ward - Rose Marks) 30w May - The Dominoes (Federal 12022, 5-51) 9/12-50 11 Teardrops From My Eyes NY 9-50 (Rudy Toombs) 25w Oct - Ruth Brown with Budd Johnson's Orch. (Atlantic 919, 10-50) 3/3 14 Black Night LA 21/12-50 (Jessie Mae Robinson) 24w Feb - Charles Brown and Band (Aladdin 3076, 2-51) 1952 12/7 7 Lawdy Miss Clawdy NO 13/3-52 (Lloyd Price) 26w May - Lloyd Price and his Orchestra (Specialty 428, 5-52) May (#2) One Mint Julep NY 17/12-51 (Rudy Toombs) 18w Apr - The Clovers (Atlantic 963, 4-52) 2/2 5 3 O'Clock Blues Memph ca Sept -51 (Lowell Fulson - B.B. King - Jules "Taub") 17w Dec-51 - B.B. King (RPM 339, 12-51) 1953 21/11 11 Money Honey NY 9/8-53 GHFA 1999 (Jesse Stone) 21w Oct - Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters (Atlantic 1006, 10-53) 5/12 8 Honey Hush NO 12/5-53 (Lou Willie Turner) 25w Sep - Joe Turner and his Band (Atlantic 1001, 9-53) 21/2 3 Baby Don't Do It NY 30/10-52 (Lowman Pauling) 15w Jan - The "5" Royales with Charlie Ferguson, His Tenor & Orchestra (Apollo 443, 12-52) 1954 22/5 7 Work With Me Annie Cinc 14/1-54 (Hank Ballard) 26w Apr - The Midnighters (formerly known as the Royals) (Federal 12169, 4-54) 12/6 3 Shake, Rattle And Roll NY 15/2-54 GHFA 1998 (Jesse "Charles Calhoun" Stone) 32w May - Joe Turner and his Blues Kings (Atlantic, 1026 5-54) 15/1-55 3 Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine) LA ca Sept -54 GHFA 1998 (Jesse Belvin-Curtis Williams-Gaynel Hodge) 19w Dec - The Penguins (Dootone 348, 10-54) 1955 22/10 7 Only You (And You Alone) LA 26/4-55 GHFA 1999 (Buck "Ande Rand" Ram) 30w Jul - originallly recorded fpr Federal in 1954 (issued after the Mercury recording) - The Platters (Mercury 70633, 7-55) 11/6 11 Ain´t It A Shame LA 15/3-55 GHFA 2002 (Dave Bartholomew - Fats Domino) 26w May (correct title: Ain't That A Shame) - Fats Domino and his band (Imperial 5348, 5-55) Nov (#2) Tutti-Frutti NO 14/9-55 GHFA 1998 (Richard Penniman - Dorothy LaBostrie - Joe Lubin - Bumps Blackwell) 21w Nov - Little Richard and his Band (Specialty 561, 10-55) 1956 25/8 13 Honky Tonk (Parts 1 & 2) NY 19/6 -56 GHFA 1998 (Doggett-Shepherd-Butler-Scott-Glover) 28w Aug - Bill Doggett & his Combo (King 4950, 8-56) 3/11 11 Blueberry Hill LA 27/6 -56 GHFA 1987 (Lewis-Stock-Rose) 23w Oct - Fats Domino (Imperial 5407, 10-56) 9/3-57 1 Jim Dandy NY 21/12 -55 (Lincoln Chase) 18w Dec - LaVern Baker and The Gliders (Atlantic 1116, 10-56) 1957 10/6 12 Searchin´ LA 15/2-57 - original flip side of "Young Blood" (Jerry Leiber- Mike Stoller) 21w May - The Coasters (Atco 6087, 5-57) 25/11 6 You Send Me LA 1/6-57 GHFA 1998 (L C Cook) 18w Oct - Sam Cooke with Bumps Blackwell Orch (Keen 4013, 10-57) 3/6 1 Young Blood LA 15/2-57 (Leiber-Stoller-Doc Pomus) 17w May - The Coasters (Atco 108, 5-57) 1958 23/6 7 Yakety Yak NY 17/3-58 GHFA 1999 (Jerry Leiber-Mike Stoller) 14w Jun - The Coasters (Atco 6116, 6-58) 8/12 1 A Lover´s Question NY 7/8-58 (Brook Benton - Jimmy T. Williams) 22w Oct - Clyde McPhatter (Atlantic 1199, 10-58) 10/3 3 Sweet Little Sixteen Chic 29/12-57 (Chuck Berry) 11w Feb - Chuck Berry (Chess 1683, 2-58) 1959 15/12-58 7 Lonely Teardrops NY 15/10-58 GHFA 1999 (B & G Gordy - Roquel Billy "Tyron Carlo" Davis) 22w Nov - Jackie Wilson with Dick Jacobs Orch (Brunswick 55105, 11-58) 9/3 9 It´s Just A Matter Of Time NY 1955 (B Benton - B Hendricks - C Otis) 15w Feb - Brook Benton (Mercury 71394, 2-59) 9/2 4 Stagger Lee NY late-58 (trad-Lloyd Price-Harold Logan /L.T. Gross Sr/) 19w Dec-58 - Lloyd Price with Don Costa Orch (ABC-Par 9972, 12-58) 27/7 1 There Goes My Baby NY 6/3-59 GHFA 1998 (Ben E. King / Nelson / - George Treadwell - Lover Patterson - Leiber-Stoller) 19w Jun - The Drifters (Atlantic 2025, 6-59) 3/8 1 What´d I Say (Parts 1 & 2) NY 18/2-59 GHFA 2000 (Ray Charles) 17w Jul Ray Charles and his Orchestra (Atlantic 2031, 6-59) Note: The Clovers had several #1 Top Hits, but "One Mint Julep" is the true classic. Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" (GHFA 1999) and The Platters' "The Great Pretender" (GHFA 2002) - both from 1956 - were greater hits than "Tutti-Frutti" and "Only You", when originally issued. Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" (GHFA 1999) of 1958 became a greater classic than "Sweet Little Sixteen", but was not that big when first issued. |
DigitalDreamDoor
Top 40 Rock Songs of the 1950s
1. Johnny B. Goode - Chuck
Berry
2. Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
3. What'd I Say - Ray Charles
4. Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley & His Comets
5. Tutti-Frutti - Little Richard
6. Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On - Jerry Lee Lewis
7. Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran
8. Hound Dog - Elvis Presley
9. Long Tall Sally - Little Richard
10. That'll Be The Day - Buddy Holly & the Crickets
11. Bye Bye Love - Everly Brothers
12. Great Balls Of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis
13. Maybellene - Chuck Berry
14. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley
15. Shake, Rattle And Roll - Joe Turner
16. Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins
17. Don't Be Cruel - Elvis Presley
18. Earth Angel - Penguins
19. Why Do Fools Fall In Love - Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
20. Good Golly Miss Molly - Little Richard
20. Good Golly
Miss Molly - Little Richard
21. Be-Bop-A-Lula - Gene Vincent & the Bluecaps
22. School Day - Chuck Berry
23. Rock And Roll Music - Chuck Berry
24. Peggy Sue - Buddy Holly
25. Lawdy Miss Clawdy - Lloyd Price
26. Lucille - Little Richard
27. Roll Over Beethoven - Chuck Berry
28. In The Still Of The Nite - Five Satins
29. I Only Have Eyes For You - Flamingos
30. For Your Precious Love - Jerry Butler & the Impressions
31. Blueberry Hill - Fats Domino
32. Please, Please, Please - James Brown & the Famous Flames
33. Sh-Boom - Chords
34. Money Honey - Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter
35. I Walk The Line - Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two
36. Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley
37. Fever - Little Willie John
38. The Great Pretender - Platters
39. Ain't It A Shame - Fats Domino
40. That's All Right - Elvis Presley with Scotty and Bill
The Greatest
Rock Songs of the 1950s
The
Golden ´50s
50 years of R&B History
|
Top R&B Artists
of the 1950s
with number of #1 R&B
Hits, total weeks at #1 and
number of total R&B Top 10 Hits 1949-1959.
|
Artist Fats Domino Elvis Presley Ruth Brown Clyde McPhatter The Coasters The Platters The Drifters Lloyd Price B. B. King Ray Charles Johnny Ace Chuck Berry Brook Benton Faye Adams (with Joe Morris) Johnny Otis (with Little Esther) The Clovers Little Richard |
#1 Hits 9 (7) 6 (4) 5 5 (3) 4 4 (3) 4 (3) 4 4 (2) 4 (1) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 (2) |
|
|
Top R&B
Artists of the Decade
1950 - 1959
according to Joel Whitburn (the
Billboard/Record Research)
and Big Al Pavlow´s "The R&B Book"
|
Whitburn Fats Domino Elvis Presley Ruth Brown Dinah Washington The Clovers The Drifters B.B. King Joe Turner Ray Charles Little Richard Chuck Berry Johnny Otis The Platters Little Walter Lloyd Price The Dominoes LaVern Baker Chuck Willis Nat "King" Cole Muddy Waters The Coasters Ivory Joe Hunter Clyde McPhatter Johnny Ace Sam Cooke |
Pavlow Fats Domino The Platters Clyde McPhatter Chuck Berry Little Richard The Clovers Ruth Brown Lloyd Price Ray Charles The Drifters Johnny Otis The Coasters Dinah Washington LaVern Baker The Dominoes Joe Turner Sam Cooke Brook Benton Chuck Willis B.B. King Nat "King" Cole Roy Hamilton Johnny Ace Jackie Wilson Little Walter |
Note:
Whitburn follows the hits registered on Billboard´s R&B Charts (and
does not credit Clyde McPhatter´s titles with the Drifters to
Clyde - which should have been done, since his name is in big letters on the
record labels). Pavlow follows R&B and Pop Charts, but only registers black
acts.
Top R&B Artists
according to Big Al Pavlow
|
1950 - 1954 The Clovers Ruth Brown Johnny Otis The Dominoes Dinah Washington Joe Turner B.B. King Fats Domino Amos Milburn Johnny Ace Joe Morris Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters The Midnighters Charles Brown Roy Brown Faye Adams Little Walter Nat "King" Cole Percy Mayfield Louis Jordan |
1955 - 1959 Fats Domino The Platters Chuck Berry Little Richard Clyde McPhatter The Coasters Ray Charles LaVern Baker Lloyd Price Sam Cooke Brook Benton Jackie Wilson The Drifters Bill Doggett Chuck Willis Little Willie John Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers Roy Hamilton Nat "King" Cole Jimmy Reed |
TOP R&B RECORDS of the 1950s
according to Big Al Pavlow´s
"The R&B Book".
1940s
1
Choo Choo Ch' Boogie / That Chick' s... - Louis Jordan
1946
2 Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens / Let The Good Times Roll
- Louis Jordan 1947
3 Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - Lionel Hampton 1946
4 The Huckle-Buck - Paul Williams 1949
5 Don't Cry, Baby
- Erskine Hawkins 1943
6 The Honeydripper - Joe Liggins 1945
7 Trouble Blues - Charles Brown 1949
8 Snatch And Grab It - Julia Lee 1947
9 Caldonia / Somebody Done Changed... - Louis Jordan
1945
10 Straighten Up And Fly Right - King Cole Trio 1944
1950 - 1954
1 Sixty-Minute Man - The Dominoes 1951
2 Pink Champagne - Joe Liggins 1950
3 Teardrops From My Eyes - Ruth Brown
1950-51
4 Work With Me Annie - The Midnighters 1954
5 Lawdy Miss Clawdy - Lloyd Price 1952
6 Double Crossing Blues - Johnny Otis with Little Esther & The
Robins 1950
7 Money Honey - Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters
1953
8 Hearts Of Stone - The Charms 1954
9 Please Send Me Someone To Love - Percy Mayfield
1950-51
10 Black Night - Charles Brown 1951
11 Shake A Hand - Faye Adams 1953
12 You'll Never Walk Alone - Roy Hamilton 1954
13 Honey Love - The Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter 1954
14 My Song - Johnny Ace 1952
15 Crying In The Chapel - The Orioles 1953
16 For You My Love - Larry Darnell 1950
17 Have Mercy Baby - The Dominoes 1952
18 The Things That I Used To Do - Guitar Slim 1954
19 Anytime, Any Place, Anywhere - Joe Morris 1950
20 Fool, Fool, Fool - The Clovers 1951
21 Night Train - Jimmy Forrest 1952
22 Don't You Know I Love You - The Clovers 1951
23 I Don't Know - Willie Mabon 1953
24 Honey Hush - Joe Turner 1953
25 Blue Light Boogie - Louis Jordan 1950
26 I Almost Lost My Mind - Ivory Joe Hunter 1950
27 Shake, Rattle And Roll - Joe Turner 1954
28 Lovey Dovey / Little Mama - The Clovers 1954
29 Chains Of Love - Joe Turner 1951
30 (Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean - Ruth Brown 1953
31 Hurts Me To My Heart - Faye Adams 1954
32 One Mint Julep / Middle Of The Night - The Clovers 1952
33 3 O' Clock Blues - B. B. King 1952
34 5-10-15 Hours - Ruth Brown 1952
35 Flamingo - Earl Bostic 1952
36 Hard Luck Blues - Roy Brown 1950
37 Oh What A Dream - Ruth Brown & her Rhythmakers 1954
38 Rocket "88" - Jackie Brenston & his Delta Cats 1951
39 Mistrustin' Blues / Misery - Johnny Otis w. Little Esther & Mel
Walker 1950
40 Goin' Home - Fats Domino 1952
41 You Know I Love You - B. B. King 1952
42 Hound Dog - Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton 1953
43 Bad. Bad Whiskey - Amos Milburn 1951
44 Blue Shadows / Low Society Blues - Lowell Fulson 1950
45 Help Me Somebody / Crazy Crazy Crazy - The "5" Royales
1953
46 The Clock - Johnny Ace 1953
47 The Glory Of Love - The Five Keys
48 Because Of You - Tab Smith 1951
49 Juke - Little Walter & his Nite Cats 1952
50 Baby Don't Do It - The "5" Royales 1953
1955 - 1959
1 Searchin´ / Young Blood - The Coasters
1957
2 Honky Tonk - Bill Doggett 1956
3 Only You - The Platters 1955
4 Blueberry Hill - Fats Domino 1956
5 Ain´t It A Shame - Fats Domino 1955
6 The Great Pretender - The Platters
1956
7 You Send Me - Sam Cooke 1957
8 I´m In Love Again / My Blue Heaven - Fats Domino
1956
9 Yakety Yak - The Coasters 1958
10 Lonely Teardrops - Jackie Wilson 1958-59
11 Fever -
Little Willie John 1956
12 Maybellene - Chuck Berry 1955
13 It´s Just A Matter Of Time / Hurtin´ Inside - Brook Benton
1959
14 Stagger Lee - Lloyd Price 1958-59
15 Pledging My Love - Johnny Ace 1955
16 Why Do Fools Fall In Love - The Teenagers
1956
17 Kansas City - Wilbert Harrison 1959
18 Twilight Time - The Platters 1958
19 Send For Me - Nat King Cole 1957
20 It´s All In The Game / Please Love Me Forever - Tommy
Edwards 1958
21 Long Tall Sally /
Slippin´ And Slidin´ - Little Richard 1956
22 Get A Job - The Silhouettes 1958
23 Earth Angel - The Penguins 1955
24 A Lover´s Question - Clyde McPhatter 1958
25 Blue Monday / What´s The Reason ... - Fats Domino
1957
26 I´m Walkin´ - Fats Domino 1957
27 Rock-in Robin / Over And Over - Bobby Day
1958
28 Looking Back - Nat King Cole 1958
29 Short Fat Fannie / High School Dance - Larry Williams
1957
30 Sweet Little
Sixteen
- Chuck Berry 1958
31 School Day - Chuck Berry 1957
32 Topsy - Cozy Cole 1958
33 My Prayer / Heaven On Earth - The Platters
1956
34 There Goes My Baby - The Drifters 1959
35 Since I Met You Baby - Ivory Joe Hunter 1957
36 Unchained Melody - Roy Hamilton 1955
37 Rip It Up / Ready
Teddy
- Little Richard 1956
38 Personality - Lloyd Price 1959
39 Poison Ivy / I' m A Hog For You - The Coasters
1959
40 Try Me - James Brown & The Famous Flames 1959
41 Thank You Pretty Baby - Brook Benton 1959
42 I' m Gonna Get Married / Three Little Pigs - Lloyd Price
1959
43 Come Go With Me - Dell-Vikings 1957
44 Mr. Lee - The Bobbettes 1957
45 Tutti-Frutti - Little Richard 1955
46 Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - The Platters 1956
47 What'd I Say
- Ray Charles 1959
48 The Clouds - The Spacemen 1959
49 Lucille / Send Me Some Lovin' - Little Richard
1957
50 So Many Ways - Brook Benton 1959
51 Happy, Happy Birthday Baby - The Tune Weavers
1957
52 What Am I Living For / Hang Up My Rock And Roll
Shoes
- Chuck Willis 1958
53 C. C. Rider - Chuck Willis 1957
54 Let The Good Times Roll - Shirley & Lee 1956
55 Love Is Strange - Mickey & Sylvia 1957
56 Jenny, Jenny / Miss Ann - Little Richard 1957
Note:
Rankings based on positions and longevity on various U.S. R&B and Pop charts
1943 - 1959. Since the R&B records started to sell "Pop" from 1955 a comparison
for the whole of the 1950s is not valid - one has to find "relative comparison".
TOP MALE R&B VOCAL GROUP RECORDS of the 1950s
(according to Big Al
Pavlow´s "The R&B Book").
1. SEARCHIN´ /
YOUNG BLOOD
- The Coasters 1957
2. ONLY YOU - The Platters 1955
3. THE GREAT PRETENDER - The Platters 1956
4. YAKETY YAK - The Coasters 1958
5. WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE - The Teenagers
1956
6. TWILIGHT TIME - The Platters 1958
7. SIXTY-MINUTE MAN - The Dominoes 1951
8. GET A JOB - The Silhouettes 1958
9. EARTH ANGEL - The Penguins 1954
10. MY PRAYER / Heaven On Earth - The Platters
1956
11. THERE GOES MY
BABY
- The Drifters 1959
12. POISON IVY / I´m A Hog For You - The Coasters
1959
13. TRY ME - James Brown with The Famous Flames
1958-59
14. COME GO WITH ME - The Dell-Vikings 1957
15. SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES - The Platters
1959
16. TEARS ON MY PILLOW - The Imperials 1958
17. SILHOUETTES / Daddy Cool - The Rays 1957
18. WORK WITH ME ANNIE - The Midnighters 1954
19. WESTERN MOVIES - The Olympics 1958
20. BOOK OF LOVE - The Monotones 1958
21. MONEY HONEY
- Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters 1953
22. HEARTS OF STONE - The Charms 1954
23. CHARLIE BROWN - The Coasters 1959
24. YOU´RE SO FINE - The Falcons 1959
25. DANCE WITH ME / If You Cry - The Drifters
1959
26. SO FINE - The Fiestas 1959
27. HONEY LOVE - The Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter
1954
28. CRYING IN THE CHAPEL - The Orioles 1953
29. 16 CANDLES - The Crests 1959
29. AT MY FRONT DOOR - The El Dorados 1955
31. IN THE STILL OF THE NITE - The Five Satins
1956
31. HAVE MERCY BABY - The Dominoes 1952
33. SPEEDOO - The Cadillacs 1956
34. SINCERELY - The Moonglows 1955
35. I´M SORRY / He´s Mine - The Platters 1957
Bill
Daniels' Dusty Charts
Top R&B Records 1949 - 1959
The Top
R&B Singles 1950-1969
Three Hours of Super R&B Sounds
A
subjective play-list of 73 favorite R&B songs by
The Super Stars of R&B (not-too-well-known songs).
|
John Lee
Hooker |
I´m Goin´ Upstairs She´s 19 Years Old Don´t Loose Your Eye I Ain´t Superstitious Dark And Dreary You´re Sweet Wear Something Green My Last Meal Hamp´s Boogie Woogie #2 Ain´t That Just Like A Woman Bitter Sweet You Know I Love You Get Together Blues Sittin´ On It All The Time Street Walkin´ Woman I Lost Everything Loving You Amos´ Boogie Good Rockin´ Man When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer Woke Up Screaming Driving Wheel Cuttin´ In Good Hearted Man Send Me Some Lovin´ Just Because Until The Real Thing Comes Along Blow Top Blues Standing On The Corner Living My Life For You Something Crazy Smokie Unchained Melody You Are My Sunshine Nothing Seems Right Tra La La La La I Can Tell Can´t Get Away From This Dog I´ve Got News For You Don´t Cry Baby No Money Down I´m Lonely Tonight Shake, Rattle And Roll Stormy Weather One Little Blessing Need Your Love So Bad Keep A Drivin´ You´re The Reason I´m Living Young Boy Blues Stupidity One Monkey Don´t Stop No Show Little Brother Mo´ Onions Soul Dance Number Three Hawg For You Pride And Joy A Natural Woman Hoochie Coochie Man I Miss You So Walking The Blues Away Our Romance Is Gone Someday (You´ll Want Me To Want You) Stay Awhile When I Get Like This That´s What You´´re Doing To me Tore Up Over You You´ll Never Never Know Baby Please The Vow Three Cool Cats Woe Is Me Your Old Lady Don´t Look Back |
The Golden ´50s (15 years of R&B)
|
To enter
The Coasters Web Site (if you´re on a one-frame page, please click) |
