Dean wrote:
Episode #5 of ROOTS ROCK RADIO is now archived at the link below. Here's the playlist:
6. BLUE MONDAY, Fats Domino (1956-57)
Originally by Smiley Lewis in 1954 but later done to perfection here by The Fat Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dx97i0y868
7. DIZZY MISS LIZZIE, Larry Williams (1958)
Easily Larry's best double sider b/w the better still IMO "Slow Down"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whgvQkmZWc4
8. OOBY DOOBY, Roy Orbison & The Teen Kings (1956)
Tho the earlier Teen Kings version (with Orbison vocal) was released
first I prefer the regular Sun issue that quickly followed
Neither of them is the original tho. That came even earlier in
December 1955 when Roy and his guys recorded it as a demo at Jim Beck
Studio in Dallas Tx. Calling themselves "The Wink Westerners" they
comprised Billy Par Ellis, Roy Orbison, James Morrow, Johnny "Peanuts"
Wilson and Jack Kennelly
Here is the true original
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_CNrVfQpSQ
10. BLUE MOON, The Marcels (1961)
Only THREE American r&b vocal groups ever topped the UK charts here in the period we regularly discuss--and one of them is something of a stretch.
Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers were #1 on the NME chart for 3 weeks in July/August 1956 and The Marcels (included here) were #1 for 2 weeks with "Blue Moon" in May 1961.
The "stretch" are The Platters who were #1 for just one week in March 1959 with "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes"
11. LOVE ME, Elvis Presley (1956)
Elvis' best ever ballad IMO courtesy Messrs Leiber & Stoller (and originally recorded for their Spark label in 1954 by Willy & Ruth)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrBw8LVgdp8
12. I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU, The Flamingos (1959)
Originally sung by Dick Powell in the 1934 movie "Dames" the always popular song was revived in a couple of super r&b vocal group versions in the 1950's---firstly in an excellent version by The Swallows in 1952 (an 8 on my favorites list that year) and
then in the definitive version above---The Flamingos in 1959 (a surefire 10 for me)
14. TUTTI FRUTTI, Little Richard (1955-56)
"WHOPBOPALOOMOPALOPBAMBOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Well,do YOU know a better definition of 1950's rock 'n' roll"?
19. SALLY SUE BROWN, Arthur Alexander (1960)
Debut record for Arthur Alexander in 1960 on Judd label (owned and operated by Jud Phillips the brother of Sam Phillips of Sun Records. Artist credit on the record was to "JUNE Alexander" (The "June" was short for "Junior")
22. LOVE ME, The Phantom (1960)
Nothing to do with the L&S "Love Me" by Elvis (see above) one Jerry Lott who wore a black mask and called himself "The Phantom" (after the famous comic character) recorded this breakneck speed cacaphony and had it accepted for record release by Pat Boone'
s Agoom Agooc outfit no less. Nationwide release followed on Dot with the record eventually reaching almost legendary status on the UK and European rock 'n' roll circuits leading to it being VERY heavily bootlegged in the early 70's
24. YOU CHEATED, The Shields (1958)
Originally by the Slades released a month before the Shields version which became a big hit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDlid2d0WQo
As well as the Shields cover there was also a Del-Vikings cover on the market too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn0THdrc9bg
28. COME ON, LET’S GO, Ritchie Valens (1958)
Ritchie's debut single appeared over here too on Pye International in 1958. The only difference was that instead of the "Framed" flipside as in the USA the UK issue had "Dooby Dooby Wah" as the flip. Sales on this disc were severely hit by it being held
up for release for some weeks enabling the dire local Tommy Steele cover to grab most of the UK action
38. GUITAR BOOGIE SHUFFLE, The Virtues (1959)
Here's the UK cover version that was the hit over here. By Bert Weedon, this is the guy that also had the original "Apache" a little later
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0F42lasles
https://www.mixcloud.com/dean-fiora/roots-rock-radio-1950s-rock-n-roll-episode-5/
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