RnB 50s

RnB Vocals
RnB Rock
Blues
Jazz
Gospel

RnB 50s : The Platters (1952-1968) ∙ Ray Charles (1930-2004) ∙ Sam Cooke (1931-1964)

In the late 1940s, the term Rythm 'n' Blues (RnB) became the trade designation for the music of Afro-American communities. As such, RnB was the music scene where the most modern, popular and high-profile musical styles developed as a result of the aforementioned evolution. Throughout the 50s, its most successful subgenres were RnB vocals, RnB rock, blues, jazz and gospel.

The advent of rock’n’roll in 1948-49 did not only revolutionize American folk and country music but also blues and popular vocals and gospel, while marking the end of the era for swing-jazz, big band jazz and boogie-woogie. In the following years, each of these musical genres integrated in its own way the moods, rhythms and instruments of rock music.

∙ 1950/51 ∙ Mona Lisa / Too young (ver 1961) (Nat King Cole) ∙ 1951/52 ∙ I wonder who's kissing her now / Baby won't you please come home (Ray Charles) ∙ 1951 ∙ Fool fool fool (The Clovers) ∙ 1952 ∙ The glow-worm (The Mills Brothers) ∙ 1953 ∙ Crying in the Chapel (The Orioles) ∙ 1953/54 ∙ Shake a hand / Somebody somewhere (Faye Adams) ∙ 1954 ∙ Earth angel (The Penguins) ∙ 1955 ∙ Only you (The Platters) ∙ That's all I want from you (Dinah Washington) ∙ Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets (Sarah Vaughan) ∙ 1956 ∙ In the still of the night (The Five Satins ft Fred Parris) ∙ Why do fools fall in love (Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers) ∙ Over and over again (The Moonglows) ∙ Love is strange (Mickey & Sylvia) ∙

∙ 1957/59/60 ∙ You send me / Only sixteen / Chain gang (Sam Cooke) ∙ Over the mountain, accross the sea (Johnnie and Joe) ∙ 1958 ∙ Little bitty pretty one (Frankie Lymon) ∙ Book of love (The Monotones) ∙ Get a job (The Silhouettes) ∙ 1959 ∙ What a difference a day made (Dinah Washington) ∙ A hole in the bucket (Harry Belafonte & Odetta) ∙ Shout (The Isley Brothers) ∙ There goes my baby (The Drifters ft Ben E. King) ∙ Tears on my pilow (Little Anthony) ∙ 1959/60 ∙ Three cool cats / Charlie Brown (The Coasters) ∙ Handyman / Wondrous place (Jimmy Jones) ∙

∙ 1950 ∙ Teardrops from my eyes (Ruth Brown) ∙ Cupid's boogie (Esther Phillips & Mel Walker) ∙ 1951 ∙ Rocket 88 (Ike Turner & Jackie Brenston) ∙ Sixty minute man (Billy Ward & The Dominoes) ∙ How many more years (Howlin' Wolf) ∙ 1952 ∙ Ring-a-ding-doo (Johnny Otis & Esther Phillips) ∙ 1952/54 /59 ∙ Kissa me baby / I got a woman / What'd I say (Ray Charles) ∙

∙ 1953 ∙ Money honey (Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters) ∙ Mistery train (Junior Parker) ∙ Tiger man, king of the jungle (Rufus Thomas Jr.) ∙ 1954 ∙ Boogie disease (Doctor Ross) ∙ Shake rattle' roll (Big Joe Turner) ∙ Work with me Annie (Hank Ballard & The Midnighters) ∙

∙ 1955 ∙ Pretty thing (Bo Diddley) ∙ Ain't that a shame (Fats Domino) Maybellene (Chuck Berry) ∙ Wallflower (roll with me Henry!) (Etta James & The Peaches) ∙ 1956 ∙ Tutti frutti / Long tall Sally / Ready Teddy (Little Richard) ∙ Please please please (James Brown & the Famous Flames, ver. 1964) ∙ Everyday I have the blues (B.B. King) ∙ That's right (Deep River Boys) ∙

∙ 1957 ∙ Little bitty pretty one (Thurston Harris) ∙ Bony Moronie (Larry Williams) ∙ 1958 ∙ Sweet little sixteen / Johnny B goode (Chuck Berry) ∙ Rock 'n' roll call (The Treniers) ∙ Litle bitty pretty one (Frankie Lymon) ∙ Rockin' Robin (Bobby Day) ∙ 1959 ∙ That's why (I love you so) (Jackie Wilson) ∙ Money that's what I want (Barrett Strong) ∙ Jump children (The Flamingos) ∙

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BLUES

In the 50s, traditional blues continued while RnB blues modernized the genre and spread, with Ray Charles reshuffling its codes, Screaming Jay Hawkins turning it into spectacular popular acts and B. B. King shaping elaborate jazzy blues-rock. A number of songs promoted the genre's mass popularity and have since become classics such as :

- Crawling king snake ∙ 1941 ∙ Big Joe Williams ∙ Tony Hollins ∙ 1949 ∙ John Lee Hooker ∙ 1971 ∙ Muddy Waters ∙ The Doors ∙
- Hound dog ∙ 1953 ∙ Big Mama Thornton ∙ 1956 ∙ Elvis Presley 1956 ∙ 1963 ∙ Pat Boone ∙ 1989 ∙ Eric Clapton ∙
- On the road again ∙ 1953 ∙ Floyd Jones ∙ 1968 ∙ Canned Heat ∙ 1978 ∙ Les Rockets ∙
- Dimples ∙ 1956 ∙ John Lee Hooker ∙ 1964 ∙ The Animals ∙ Spencer Davis Group ∙
- I pity the fools ∙ 1961 ∙ Bobby Blue Bland ∙ 1965 ∙ David Bowie ∙ 1972 ∙ Ann Peebles 1972 ∙

TRADITIONAL BLUES

∙ 1950 ∙ Rollin' stone (Muddy Waters) ∙ 1951 ∙ 3 O'clock blues (B.B. King) ∙ She left me a mule to ride (Big Joe Williams, ver. 1966) ∙ How many more years (Howlin' Wolf) ∙ 1952 ∙ When I'm gone (Joe Hill Louis) ∙ 1954 ∙ Boogie disease (Doctor Ross) ∙ Cotton's crop blues (James Cotton) ∙ 1955 ∙ That's what they want (Jerry McCain) ∙ My babe (Little Walter) ∙ 1958 ∙ Nobody knows you when you're down and out (Scrapper Blackwell) ∙ 1959 ∙ Shake'em on down (Mississippi Fred McDowell) ∙

RnB BLUES

∙ 1950/51/52 ∙ See see rider / Baby let me hold your hand / I'm wondering and wondering (Ray Charles) ∙ 1953 ∙ Why did you waste my time (Screamin' Jay Hawkins) ∙ The things that I used to do (Guitar Slim) ∙ Hound dog / Hound dog live (Big Mama Thornton) ∙ Mistery Train (Junior Parker) ∙ On the road again (Floyd Jones) ∙ 1954 ∙ Thank you for your kindness (J.B. Hutto) ∙ High and lonesome (Jimmy Reed) ∙ 1954/56 ∙ Bad Boy / Dimples (ver. 1997) / Maudie (ver. 1968) (John Lee Hooker) ∙

∙ 1956 ∙ I put a spell on you (Screamin' Jay Hawkins) ∙ Everyday I have the blues (B.B. King) ∙ I can't quit you baby (Otis Rush, ver. 70s) ∙ Keep it to Yourself (ver. 1963) (Sonny Boy Williamson) ∙ 1957 ∙ I'm a King bee (Slim Harpo) ∙ 1958 ∙ Stone crazy (Buddy Guy) ∙ 1959 ∙ Come go with me/Lightnin's blues (Lightnin' Hopkins) ∙ She left me a mule to ride (Big Joe Williams, ver. 1966) ∙

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JAZZ

In the 50s, swing-jazz and big bands lost popularity. Jazz became a more complex and confidential music segment, praised both technically and artistically but with limited audience. Notwithstanding this development, jazz remained a distinctive popular segment in the world of RnB, where 1940s singers Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald left their mark forever on the jazz song style.

∙ 1949 ∙ Confession blues (Ray Charles with Maxin Trio) ∙ 1950 ∙ I found my way to wine (Lloyd "Tiny" Grimes) ∙ 1951 ∙ Night train (Jimmy Forrest) ∙ Blue skies (Joe Caroll) ∙ 1952 ∙ Cool breeze (Dizzy Gillespie) ∙ 1953 ∙ Motel (Chet Baker & Gerry Mulligan) ∙ Apples peaches and cherries (Peggy Lee) ∙ 1955 ∙ Urbanity (full "1947-1955 LP", 32' ) (Hank Jones) ∙ 1957 ∙ I can't give you anything but love / Air mail special (orig. 1941 Benny Goodman) (Ella Fitzgerald) ∙ 1957/58/59 ∙ Round Midnight / Lift to the Gallows (soundtrack 26') / So what ? (Miles Davis) ∙

∙ 1958 ∙ Poinciana (Ahmad Jamal) ∙ Cute (Count Basie ft Frank Wess) ∙ Me and the blues (Ray Bryant) ∙ Moanin' (Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers) ∙ Autumn leaves (Cannonball Adderley, orig. 1950 Yves Montand) ∙ 1959 ∙ Moanin' (Charlie Mingus) ∙ Are you havin' any fun? (Count Basie ft Tony Benett, orig. 1939 Tommy Dorsey) ∙ Umbrella (Louis Armstrong & Dizzy Gillespie) ∙ Strange fruit (Billie Holiday) ∙ My baby just cares for me (Nina Simone) ∙

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GOSPEL

In the 1950s, RnB Gospel drew on the popular forms developed in 1941-46 by the spirituals vocal ensemble The Jubalaires. It flourished in 1952-55 with bands like The Soul Stirrers or The 5 Royales with singer Faye Adams. In the late 1950s, Gospel singer Sam Cooke branched off into popular vocals and began his 1957-1964 stellar 30-hit streak.

∙ 1950 ∙ Our father (Five Blind Boys of Mississippi) ∙ Jesus gave me water (The Famous Bue Jay Singers) ∙ 1951 ∙ Jesus gave me water (The Soul Stirrers ft Sam Cooke) ∙ 1952 ∙ Baby don't do it (The 5 Royales) ∙ 1953 ∙ Help me somebody / Crazy crazy crazy (The 5 Royales) ∙ A sinner's plea / Somewhere to lay my head (Sensational Nightingales) ∙ 1954 ∙ Dreaming of the Ladies in the moon (The Jubalaires) ∙