RnB 50s

 
 
 
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RnB VOCALS

In the 1950s, RnB vocals followed the musical style pioneered in the 1930s by The Mills Brothers and supported by the advances made in the 40s on the crooner scene by jazz singer Nat King Cole. It spawned the doo-wop frenzy in the mid-50s with serial hits by new bands like The Platters, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, The Moonglows, The Five Satins, The Coasters, or The Drifters with Ben. E. King.

∙  1950  ∙  Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole)  ∙  1951  ∙  Too young  (Nat King Cole, ver. 1961)  ∙  Fool fool fool (The Clovers)  ∙  1952  ∙  The glow-worm (The Mills Brothers)  ∙  1953  ∙  Crying in the Chapel (The Orioles)  ∙  1955  ∙  Only you (The Platters)  ∙  That's all I want from you (Dinah Washington)  ∙  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  ∙  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)  ∙  Three cool cats (The Coasters)  ∙  1959  ∙  Charlie Brown (The Coasters)  ∙  Shout  (The Isley Brothers)  ∙  There goes my baby (The Drifters ft Ben E. King)  ∙  Handyman (Jimmy Jones)  ∙  Tears on my pilow (Little Anthony)  ∙

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GOSPEL

In the 1950s, RnB Gospel drew on the popular gospel forms developed in 1941-46 by the spirituals vocal ensemble The Jubalaires. It flourished in 1952-55 with bands like The Soul Stirrers, The 5 Royales, with singer Faye Adams, and even more significantly in 1957-1964 with singer Sam Cooke's 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)  ∙  Shake a hand (Faye Adams)  ∙  A sinner's plea / Somewhere to lay my head (Sensational Nightingales)  ∙  1954  ∙  Dreaming of the Ladies in the moon (The Jubalaires)  ∙  1957  ∙  Dedicated to the one I love (The 5 Royales)  ∙  You send me (Sam Cooke)  ∙  1958  ∙  Wade in the water (The Drinkard Singers)  ∙  Oh Mary don't you weep (Swan Silvertones)  ∙  1959  ∙  Only sixteen (Sam Cooke)  ∙  It's just a matter of time (Brook Benton)  ∙  What a difference a day made (Dinah Washington)  ∙

Gospel revival, a 2010 CD+DVD Combo with 26 Gospel clips: "How sweet it was, the sights and sounds of Gospel's golden age" 

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BLUES

In the 50s, traditional blues continued but RnB blues modernized the genre and spread, with Screaming Jay Hawkins turning it into spectacular popular acts and B. B. King shaping elaborate jazzy blues-rock.

TRADITIONAL BLUES ∙  1950  ∙  Blue lite boogie (Louis Jordan)  ∙  1951  ∙  3 O'clock blues (B.B. King)  ∙  1952  ∙  When I'm gone (Joe Hill Louis)  ∙  1954  ∙  Bad Boy (John Lee Hooker)  ∙  Thank you for your kindness (J.B. Hutto)  ∙  Boogie disease (Doctor Ross)  ∙  Cotton's crop blues (James Cotton)  ∙  1958  ∙  Nobody knows you when you're down and out (Scrapper Blackwell)  ∙  1959  ∙  Shake'em on down (Mississippi Fred McDowell)  ∙  

RnB BLUES  ∙  1950  ∙  Rollin' stone (Muddy Waters)  ∙  1951  ∙  She left me a mule to ride (Big Joe Williams, ver. 1966)   ∙  How many more years (Howlin' Wolf)  ∙  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  ∙  I got a woman (Ray Charles)  ∙  High and lonesome (Jimmy Reed)  ∙  1956  ∙  I put a spell on you (Screamin' Jay Hawkins)  ∙  Everyday I have the blues  (B.B. King)  ∙  Dimples (John Lee Hooker, ver. 1997)  ∙  Keep it to Yourself (Sonny Boy Williamson, ver. 1963)  ∙  1957  ∙  I'm a King bee (Slim Harpo)  ∙  1958  ∙  Stone crazy (Buddy Guy)  ∙  1959  ∙  Come go with me/Lightnin's blues (Lightnin' Hopkins) ∙  Maudie (John Lee Hooker, ver. 1968)  ∙  She left me a mule to ride (Big Joe Williams, ver. 1966)  ∙

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  ∙

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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 such evolution, 1940s singers Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald leave their mark forever in the jazz song style.

∙  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  ∙  Apples peaches and cherries (Peggy Lee)  ∙  1955  ∙  Urbanity (full "1947-1955 LP", 32' ) (Hank Jones)  ∙  1957  ∙  Air mail special (Ella Fitzgerald, orig. 1941 Benny Goodman)  ∙

∙  1958  ∙  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)  ∙  Umbrella (Louis Armstrong & Dizzy Gillespie)  ∙  So what ? (Miles Davis)  ∙  Strange fruit (Billie Holiday)  ∙  My baby just cares for me (Nina Simone)  ∙

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RnB ROCK

In the 50s, rnb rock turned into a frenzy (see also Rock USA 50s)..

∙  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)  ∙  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)  ∙  I got a woman (Ray Charles)  ∙

∙  1955  ∙  Wallflower (roll with me Henry!)  (Etta James & The Peaches)  ∙  Pretty thing  (Bo Diddley)  ∙  1956  ∙  Tutti frutti / Long tall Sally  (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  ∙  Bony Moronie (Larry Williams)  ∙  1958  ∙  Sweet little sixteen  (Chuck Berry)  ∙  Rock 'n' roll call  (The Treniers)  ∙  Litle bitty pretty one (Frankie Lymon)  ∙  1959  ∙  What'd I say  (Ray Charles)  ∙  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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