QUICK FACT—ELVIS PRESLEY “BLUE SUEDE SHOES”

ELVIS PRESLEY’S VERSION OF “BLUE SUEDE SHOES” WAS AN ALBUM TRACK FROM HIS FIRST RCA-VICTOR ALBUM…”ELVIS PRESLEY” (LPM1254).  THE SONG WAS RECORDED ON JANUARY 30, 1956.  IT ALSO WAS RELEASED ON RCA-VICTOR (EPA747), AN EXTENDED PLAY RECORD THAT ALSO CONTAINED…”TUTTI FRUTTI”, “I GOT A WOMAN” AND “JUST BECAUSE” IN MARCH OF 1956.

“BLUE SUEDE SHOES” WAS RELEASED AS A SINGLE RECORD BECAUSE OF DEMAND AND CHARTED ON THE BILLBOARD POP CHARTS ON APRIL 7, 1956 AS RCA-VICTOR SINGLE RECORD (47-6636).  THE FLIP-SIDE OF THE RECORD WAS “TUTTI FRUTTI”.  ELVIS PRESLEY’S VERSION OF THIS CARL PERKINS CLASSIC CHARTED AT #20 AND SOLD OVER 1 MILLION COPIES.

1956 WAS ELVIS PRESLEY’S FIRST YEAR ON THE POP CHARTS.  HE CHARTED 17 HIT SINGLE RECORDS. FIVE OF THOSE BECAME MILLION-SELLERS….

TILL THE NEXT TIME—JOE

JOE TROIANO ON www.oldiesplus.net MONDAY, TUESDAY AND TURSDAY 10AM-2PM AND FRIDAY 9AM-NOON (EASTERN TIME)

“MONA LISA”–NAT KING COLE / CARL MANN / CONWAY TWITTY

One great song two very different versions, both big hits.  Nat King Cole charted his classic version of…MONA LISA in 1950.  His version became a #1 hit on both the Billboard R&B and Pop charts.  The single record on Capitol Records (F1010) became a #1 R&B hit for 4 weeks and a #1 Pop hit for 8 weeks.  Nat’s version sold over 1 million copies and was awarded a “Gold Record”.  He also won a “Grammy: Hall of Fame” award.  The song was featured in the movie…”Captain Carey, U.S.A. starring Alan Ladd.

Carl Mann charted a rock-a-billy version in 1959.  His recording on Phillips Records (3539) became a #24 Billboard R&B hit and a #25 Billboard Hot 100 hit.  Carl’s version of MONA LISA remained on the Hot 100 for 16 weeks.

Conway Twitty charted his version of MONA LISA also in 1959.  Conway’s version on MGM Records (12804) charted at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained on the chart for 12 weeks.

Three versions of one classic song…pick your favorite…all three are here for you enjoyment.

Nat King Cole – Mona Lisa-1950 #1 R&B and Pop (Capitol Records)

Carl Mann – Mona Lisa – 1959

Conway Twitty – Mona Lisa – 1959

Till the next time—Joe

PLEASE JOIN ME ON THE “DOO-WOP CAFE”–SATURDAY 2/11…11AM-1PM

PLEASE JOIN ME THIS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11 ON THE DOO-WOP CAFE…JOE TROIANO’S…”CAFE MEMORIES”, BRINGING YOU THE BEST DOO-WOP ON THE NET.  HOPE YOU CAN BE THERE AND ALSO JOIN ME ON OUR CHAT LINE…PLEASE STOP BY AND SAY HELLO!!!

TILL THE NEXT TIME—JOE

www.doowopcafe.net

BUDDY HOLLY, BIG BOPPER, RITCHIE VALENS—2/3/1959

Last Friday on February 3…marked 53 years since the tragic airplane crash took the lives of three of the biggest stars of Rock and Roll…BUDDY HOLLY…BIG BOPPER and RITCHIE VALENS.  They lost their lives in a plan crash near Mason City, Iowa.  The world grew a little sadder that day when news of their death flooded the air-waves…their star status…lifted to legendary…their music was of course, “original in sound”, each so very distinctive.

THE ”GOLDEN ERA OF ROCK AND ROLL” IS PROUD TO PRESENT A FEW OF THEIR CLASSIC HITS…LONG MAY THE MUSIC AND THEIR MEMORY LIVE…THEIR SONGS HAVE TOUCHED US ALL!!!

Big Bopper - Chantily Lace – 1958 Mercury Records

Big Bopper - Big Bopper’s Wedding – 1958 Mercury Records

Ritchie Valens – La Bamba – 1958 Del-Fi Records

Ritchie Valens – Donna – 1958 Del-Fi Records

Buddy Holly – Everyday – 1957 Coral Records

Buddy Holly – Maybe Baby – 1958 Brunswick Records (The Crickets)

LEGENDS LIVE FOREVER…

Till the next time—Joe

THE ANSWERS TO…THE EARLY YEARS OF “ROCK AND ROLL” QUIZ

Thank You for the wonderful response to yesterday’s “Rock and Roll Quiz”.  The answers are:

1-Till

2-ABC-Paramount

3-O Dio Mio

4-Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go

5-Love Letters In The Sand

6-The Chantels

7-Pony Time

8-Dream Lover

9-Whispering Bells

10-Blueberry Hill

11-Don and Phil…Wake Up Little Susie

12-I’m A Man

13-To The Isle

14-Connie Francis

15-Shake, Rattle And Roll

16-Don’t Let Go

17-Mary Lou

18-Poor Little Fool

19-The Great Pretender

20-Love Me Tender

21-Personality…”Mr. Personality”

22-We Got Love

23-Star Dust-#12…Deep Purple-#20

24-Dreamin’

25-Hula Love

How did you do?…The music and the memories…the great artists that brought these songs to us are a part of history now….we were told the music would never last…but 57 years later I am proud to repeat the words of Danny And The Juniors…”Rock And Roll Is Here To Stay”.

To all of you who read my posts each day…”Thank You”…to all the great artists and people behind the scenes who have made this wonderful music…”Thank You”…The “GOLDEN ERA OF ROCK AND ROLL” is here and stronger than ever…”LET’S KEEP OUR MUSIC ALIVE”.

Till the next time—Joe

QUICK FACT–JIMMIE RODGERS

JIMMIE RODGERS NOT ONLY CHARTED A #1 HIT RECORD…HONEYCOMB IN AUGUST OF 1957…WITH HIS FIRST CHARTED HIT, BUT CONTINUED TO CHART TOP TEN HITS WITH HIS FIRST 5 HIT SINGLE RECORDS, THEY ARE:

HONEYCOMB—8/1957 #1

KISSES SWEETER THAN WINE—11/57 #3

OH-OH, I,M FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN—2/58 #7

SECRETLY—5/58 #3

ARE YOU REALLY MINE—8/58 #10

HIS NEXT RECORD…BIMBOMBEY—11/58 JUST MISSED THE TOP 10, CHARTING AT #11.

ALL OF THESE HITS WERE ON ROULETTE RECORDS.  JIMMIE WOULD CHART 25 BILLBOARD HOT 100 HITS BETWEEN 1957 AND 1967.  HE IS THE #17 RANKED ARTIST OF THE 1950′S, AS LISTED BY JOEL WHITBURN IN HIS RECORD RESEARCH BOOK—TOP POP SINGLES 12TH EDITION.  HIS FOLK-POP RECORDINGS AND HIS WONDERFUL VOCAL RANGE, MADE HIM ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR RECORDING ARTISTS OF THE “GOLDEN ERA OF ROCK AND ROLL”.

TILL THE NEXT TIME—JOE

THE TOP 25…#1 HITS…1955-1959 VOL. 2

13-LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING–FOUR ACES  DECCA RECORDS  1955-6 WEEKS AT #1

14-ROCK AND ROLL WALTZ–KAY STARR  RCA VICTOR RECORDS  1956-6 WEEKS AT #1

15-THE POOR PEOPLE OF PARIS–LES BAXTER ORCHESTRA  CAPITOL RECORDS  1956-6 WEEKS AT #1

16-THE YELLOW ROSE OF TEXAS–MITCH MILLER  COLUMBIA RECORDS  1955-6 WEEKS AT #1

17-MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS–DEAN MARTIN  CAPITOL RECORDS  1956-6 WEEKS AT #1

18-APRIL LOVE–PAT BOONE  DOT RECORDS  1957-6 WEEKS AT #1

19-THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS–JOHNNY HORTON  COLUMBIA RECORDS  1959-6 WEEKS AT #1

20-YOUNG LOVE–TAB HUNTER  DOT RECORDS  1957-6 WEEKS AT #1

21-IT’S ALL IN THE GAME–TOMMY EDWARDS  MGM RECORDS  1958-6 WEEKS AT #1

22-THE PURPLE PEOPLE EATER–SHEB WOOLEY  MGM RECORDS  1958-6 WEEKS AT #1

23-TAMMY–DEBBIE REYNOLDS  CORAL RECORDS  1957-5 WEEKS AT #1

24-LOVE ME TENDER–ELVIS PRESLEY  RCA VICTOR RECORDS  1956-5 WEEKS AT #1

25-MY PRAYER–THE PLATTERS  MERCURY RECORDS  1956-5 WEEKS AT #1

THE RECORDS IN VOL. 1 AND VOL. 2 ARE THE BIGGEST #1 HITS OF THE EARLY YEARS OF ROCK AND ROLL-1955-1959.  THERE ARE SO MANY MORE GREAT SONGS FROM THOSE EARLY DAYS…BUT THESE ARE THE BIGGEST.

THANKS TO JOEL WHITBURN FOR HIS CHART INFORMATION…CHECK OUT HIS WEB SITE FOR ALL THE GREATEST CHART BOOKS: www.recordresearch.com

TILL THE NEXT TIME—JOE

THE TOP 25 #1 HITS—1955-1959 VOL. 1

THE SONGS LISTED ARE THE BIGGEST #1 HITS OF THE EARLY DAYS OF ROCK AND ROLL…1955-1959.  THE LIST WAS COMPILED BY JOEL WHITBURN’S  RECORD RESEARCH..”TOP POP SINGLES”, 12TH EDITION.

1-DON’T BE CRUEL / HOUND DOG–ELVIS PRESLEY (1956)…11 WEEKS AT #1

2-SINGING THE BLUES—GUY MITCHELL (1956)…10 WEEKS AT #1

3-MACK THE KNIFE—BOBBY DARIN (1959)…9 WEEKS AT #1

4-ALL SHOOK UP—ELVIS PRESLEY (1957)…9 WEEKS AT #1

5-ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK—BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS (1955)…8 WEEKS AT #1

6-THE WAYWARD WIND—GOGI GRANT (1956)…8 WEEKS AT #1

7-SIXTEEN TONS—TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD (1955)…8 WEEKS AT #1

8-HEARTBREAK HOTEL—ELVIS PRESLEY (1956)…8 WEEKS AT #1

9-LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND—PAT BOONE (1957)…7 WEEKS AT #1

10-JAILHOUSE ROCK—ELVIS PRESLEY (1957)…7 WEEKS AT #1

11-(LET ME BE YOUR) TEDDY BEAR—ELVIS PRESLEY (1957)…7 WEEKS AT #1

12-AT THE HOP—DANNY & THE JUNIORS (1958)…7 WEEKS AT #1

VOL. 2 OF THE TOP 25 #1 SONGS OF THE YEARS 1955-1959 TO FOLLOW.

TILL THE NEXT TIME—JOE

2011 In Review—Joe Troiano’s Blog…”The Golden Era Of Rock And Roll”

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The Louvre Museum has 8.5 million visitors per year. This blog was viewed about 83,000 times in 2011. If it were an exhibit at the Louvre Museum, it would take about 4 days for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.