Here are the new entries ranked from best to worst:
I guess in theory my number one record in this batch wouldn't sound out of place in 1953 because that's the year The Drifters formed. However this was their UK chart debut and already they had no original members remaining. The singer was Ben E King, but he'd be gone himself by May. If I had to pick a genre from around this period to listen to then doo-wop would probably be it. The 2 doo-wop records from this batch are this and "Harbour Lights" by The Platters which I like but they've done much better.
2nd placed Marty Robbins was also making his UK chart debut but he first hit the USA Country Charts in 1952. Again this record wouldn't sound out of place a few years prior but I do like the story telling.
The genre name that best sums up many of these records though is pop. Not in a traditional sense like the earlier charts but pop music for a younger audience that one may consider to be too light and fluffy to be rock n roll.
The "pop" records vary from the uplifting and fun records such as "Pretty Blue Eyes" by Craig Douglas and "Too Good" by Little Tony to the rather dreary "Why" in 2 different versions by Anthony Newley and Frankie Avalon and "Too Young" by Bill Forbes. Incidentally the latter 2 were covered in the 70s by Donny Osmond.
As for the actual rock n roll records, they tend to hover around the mid-table with "Hallelujah I Love Her So" by Eddie Cochran being the best of them.
Sitting above the rock n roll records is "La Mer (Beyond The Sea)" by Bobby Darin which I'm surprised came out as late as 1960 as it has 50s written all over it to me. It was however recorded in 1958. It's one of those songs I like because I've always known it.
There's no instrumental rock in this batch with January being the only month of the year where there weren't any new entries from that genre. The only instrumental record is the jazz record "Summer Set" by Mr Acker Bilk And His Paramount Jazz Band which I can appreciate but just find boring.
We have a double dose of Cliff Richard this month and I can't be doing with either record.
Although the 60s we know and love hasn't truly began yet it does feel like the music is still evolving in some respects. As as result we have the best score so far, just.
Score: 38
No comments:
Post a Comment