I came across a cassette today that I'm re-mixing and burning to CD. I taped it several years ago... some of my favorite popular music from the 50's, that I own as 45's. Whenever I see a collection of music from the 50's it's all Doris Day, Perry Como, Eddie Fisher, Mitch Miller, The MaGuire Sisters, Jo Stafford and company. But there was "another" 1950's music that shaped all the music that was to come. My Cassette collection is unique to me, and not representative of the Other 50's. But, it's a reminder of what a wide range of music was popular during that time. Here are a few examples from the Cassette:

Hambone, by the Red Saunders orchestra.. the Bo Diddley beat before Bo DIddley claimed that he invented it... the vocals done by a group of black kids.

Mockingbird, by the 4 Lads, before the backed Johnny Ray on Cry. This is an old black gospel song I still love.

Sweet Georgia Brown by Hutch Davie... used as a theme song by the Harlem Globe Trotters for many years... lead instrument is someone whistling..

Marie by the Four Tunes

Skokiann by the Bullawayo Sweet Rhythm Band. I weill never tire of this record

Rock Island Line ... need I say who by?

Same Old Tale That The Crow Told me by Johnny Horton

Wildwood Flower by Tom and Jerry (a great instrumental version, not by the earlier version of Simon and Garfunkel.)

Bluebirds Over The Ocean by Ersel Hickey (the shortest running time of any record ever to hit the top 40.)

Swinging Shepherd Blues by Johnny Pate Quartet

And then a slug of 45's by people like Ella Fitzgerald, Gerry Mulligan and Art Tatum

And the seminal pre-Ventures guitar group recording of Guitar Boogie Shuffle by the Supersonics. The Ventures covered this recording a few years later, but couldn't touch the original, in my opinion.

Not to excessively knock Doris Day, Perry Como and crew, but there was a whole underbelly of music bubbling up in the 50's.

And what about National City by The Joyner Arkansas Junior High School Band (and old Sousa march). A JUNIOR highs school band that not only had a rock solid tromobne section, but BANJOS!.

Anyone want to add their favorites.. I may well have the 45's..

Jerry

Can you believe the 50's were 50 years ago? Weird, Man!