With rock’n’roll in its geriatric age, let’s look back at its glory days. Rock’n’roll was once a term for sex, as was jazz, and both struggled for acceptance in proper society. Preachers condemned rock as “Devil’s music” for its sexy swiveling. Most of its early artists were Black so there was racial prejudice as well.
In post World War II America, music had lost its luster. Big band jazz was dying out and radio offered little excitement. Bland pop stars like Perry Como and Doris Day didn’t move the kids.
That’s when electric blues emerged with music for dancing at nightclubs and juke joints. Then with musical DNA from blues, jazz, gospel and country, rock’n’roll was born.
It was a rebellion against puritanical propriety. You could shake your booty to it, apparently an eternal wish for humans, while singing about desire, fun, heartbreak and even liberation.
So here are 80 great songs with a creative spark that have stood the test of time to get us dancing.
1. Strange Things Happening Every Day by Sister Rosetta Tharpe 1944. An awesome voice and electric guitar pioneer.
2. Caldonia by Louis Jordan, 1946. Always fun, the father of rhythm and blues.
3. Good Rockin’ Tonight, 1948 by Wynonie Harris. A backbeat and sexy lyrics.
4. Rock the Joint, 1949, by Jimmy Preston. Like a party goin’ on.
5. 60 Minute Man, 1951, by Jacky Ward and the Dominos. A sex schedule to please a woman (and himself).
6. Rocket 88 by Jackie Brenston with Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm, 1951. Hot guitar and propulsive piano.
7. Money Honey by the Drifters, 1953. Prime doo-wop in a funny song.
8. Hound Dog by Big Mama Thornton, 1953. Great singer and a slinky beat.
9.You Upset Me Baby by B.B. King, 1954. He rocked the blues better than anyone.
10. Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley and his Comets, 1954. So Whites could rock, too, with a stutter-step guitar.
11. Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash, 1955. A train rhythm and that deep voice of regret.
12. Flip, Flop and Fly by Big Joe Turner, 1955. Fun lyrics and a rollicking band.
13. Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On by Big Maybelle, 1955. Invites you to come out and boogie.
14. Blue Suede Shoes by Carl Perkins, 1956. Rockin’ with fashionable footwear.
15. Ubangi Stomp by Warren Smith, 1956. A fun and frenetic pace.
16. Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley, 1957. Fun lyrics, a cool video with Elvis doing a pole dance.
17. Great Balls Of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis, 1957. Hot piano, and are those biblical balls or another kind?
18. Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu by Huey “Piano” Smith and the Clowns, 1957. N’awlins showed it could rock’n’roll, too.
19. Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry, 1958. The prototype guitar that spawned countless descendants.
20.Good Golly Miss Molly by Little Richard, 1958. A delirious dynamo, as with many of his songs.
21.Sweet Little 16 by Chuck Berry, 1958. Johnnie Johnson’s great piano.
22. Rave On by Buddy Holly, 1958. Buddy hit on all cylinders with crazy energy.
23. Dizzy Miss Lizzy by Larry Williams, 1958. Hot guitar and lust from a girl dancing.
24. Shout by the Isley Brothers, 1959. Wonderfully wild vocal harmonies that get you shakin’.
25. Money by Barrett Strong, 1959. An honest need for cash. And it rocked, too.
26. I’m Ready by Fats Domino, 1959. Fats went into overdrive here. He was willing and able, too.
27. That’s Why (I love You So) by Jackie Wilson, 1959. An operatic voice and moves of a manic gymnast.
28.The Twist by Chubby Checker, 1960. A simple song by Hank Ballard but Chubby’s version went worldwide. It was THE dance for years.
29. Shakin’ All Over by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, 1960. Slinky beat you could undulate to.
30. Hit The Road, Jack by Ray Charles, 1961. The call-and-response gospel style worked great.
31. Runaway by Del Shannon, 1961. Piano, sax and organ all shine as Del drowns his pain with a falsetto.
32. Tossin’ and Turnin’ by Bobby Lewis, 1961. The wailing beat gets you dancing if you can’t sleep.
33. Turn On Your Love Light by Bobby “Blue” Bland, 1961. A seductive voice with an urgent need.
34. Do You Love Me by the Contours, 1962. Guy couldn’t dance but then he showed her with a crazy beat.
35. He’s A Rebel by the Crystals, 1962. Gal defending her guy who goes against the social norm.
36. I Saw Her Standing There by the Beatles, 1963. Slashing guitar and Paul’s insistent voice.
37. Surfin’ USA by the Beach Boys, 1963. Lotsa fun fantasizing surfing inland, to a Chuck Berry riff.
38. I Only Want To Be With You by Dusty Springfield 1963. My favorite bubble gum song, you can’t resist dancing.
39. Mean Woman Blues by Roy Orbison 1963. Roy rocked the blues and that growl!
40. You Really Got Me by the Kinks, 1964. Co-founders of hard rock, with a shredding guitar.
41. Dancing In The Street by Martha and the Vandellas, 1964. Block party all over the USA.
42. Gloria by Them, 1964. Van Morrison emerged with unconcealed lust and a beat you could grind to.
43. Shake by Sam Cooke, 1964. His great voice gets you wiggling.
44. It’s All Over Now by the Rolling Stones, 1964, the other co-founders of hard rock let loose with a great guitar.
45. Can’t You See That She’s Mine by the Dave Clark Five, 1964. Unlike other British invaders, the DC5 had sax and organ wailing away.
46. C’mon and Swim by Bobby Freeman, 1964. Who needs water? You can do a fast freestyle on the dance floor.
47. In the Midnight Hour by Wilson Pickett, 1965. Only mid-tempo, but it got everybody dancing.
48. Do You Believe in Magic? By the Lovin’ Spoonful, 1965. A sweet song that many fell in love with.
49. Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys, 1966. The sophisticated arrangement pulled you into their vibe.
50. Kicks by Paul Revere and the Raiders, 1966. A catchy guitar and a conscience about drugs.
51. Good Lovin’ by the Young Rascals, 1966. Latin soul with a frantic beat.
52.All Your Love by John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, 1966. With Eric Clapton’s stinging guitar, it was a sensation.
53. The Train Kept A Rollin’ by the Yardbirds, 1966. Done many times but this was the best.
54. Light My Fire by the Doors, 1967. Deep, dark and beautiful, there’s never been another band like them.
55. Somebody To Love by Jefferson Airplane 1967. Grace Slick’s haunting vocal over a wailing guitar.
56. Dance To The Music by Sly and the Family Stone, 1967. Like the song says, dance to it.
57. Chain of Fools by Aretha Franklin, 1967. Aretha’s atom-splitting voice and a big beat.
58. All Along The Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix, 1968. Jimi was in a class by himself with that soaring space guitar.
59. Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf, 1968. Perhaps the start of heavy metal, it embodied excess.
60. Revolution by the Beatles, 1968. Hard version or soft, it was good advice to angry protestors.
61. Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin, 1969. Preposterous? Testosterous? Yes, yes!
62.Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival 1969. Ringing guitar and great commentary on rich brats.
63. Oye Como Va by Santana, 1970. That Latin beat and singing guitar has to move you.
64. Woodstock by Crosby Stills, Nash and Young, 1970. They took Joni Mitchell’s folk song and made it a rock anthem.
65. Bang A Gong (Get It On) T. Rex, 1971. That rolling bass really got you moving.
66. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised by Gil Scott-Heron, 1971. A great beat as it raised awareness of racial politics.
67. Do It Again by Steely Dan, 1972. A jazzy pop sound and smart lyrics made a great band.
68. Witchy Woman by the Eagles, 1972. Spooky tone with a beat that made you sway.
69. Money by Pink Floyd, 1973. Admitting possessiveness with a plaintive bluesy tune.
70. La Grange by ZZ Top, 1973. You had to shake your pelvis to this song about a brothel.
71. No More Mr. Nice Guy by Alice Cooper, 1973. Funny song about frustration with a cool lead guitar.
72. Shambala by Three Dog Night, 1973. You have to move your feet as you hear a promise of paradise.
73. Long Live Rock by The Who, 1973. Rock is dead?! Not according to the Who blasting this song into our bodies.
74. Roll Over Beethoven by Electric Light Orchestra, 1973. Quite creative cover including props to both Berry and Beethoven.
75. Movin’ On by Bad Company, 1974. A big beat so that you just can’t sit down.
76. Call Me the Breeze by Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1975. A piano boogie and twin guitar masterpiece.
77. Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen, 1975. A wall-of-sound anthem for the ages.
78. Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac, 1975. Mystery woman you’d love to love and you can dance to it.
79. Money for Nothin’ by Dire Straits, 1985. A store clerk’s idea of a rock star. And it really rocked.
80. The House is Rockin’ by Stevie Ray Vaughan, 1989. The incomparable Vaughan played fantastic guitar and you could shake your buns off to this.
Frank Lingo, based in Lawrence, Kansas, is a former columnist for the Kansas City Star and author of the novel “Earth Vote.” Email: lingofrank@gmail.com. See his website: Greenbeat.world
From The Progressive Populist, December 1, 2024
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