Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Wondering About Music from the 50's and 60's.

Last night, the Houston's Public Broadcasting Channel (PBS) had a program about the music of the 50's and 60's.  This was one of their shows (telethon?) to raise operating capital.  Wow, did it bring back memories.  You see, that was the time period when I was growing up.  I graduated from high school in the spring of 1961, so I listened to and danced to that vintage of music.

I bet there are some of my followers who can remember that era.  Yes, most all of you are younger than I am, but no matter what your age, a lot of you will like that vintage of pop music.

How many of you remember "Hound Dog"?  You know, "You ain't nothing but a hound dog, cry'n all the time."  Now, can you remember who recorded it the first time?  It was recorded for the very first time on this date back in 1953.  It was a smash hit and was number one on the R&B charts for seven weeks.  If you said Elvis, you would be wrong.  It was recorded the first time by Big Mama Thornton and the Johnny Otis Band.  Yeh, me too, I never heard of her or the band.  Maybe I did when I was young and forgot.  Elvis did record it and it did produce a huge hit for him, but he heard it for the first time when in Las Vegas when he heard Freddie Bell, who changed some of the lyrics and added "Cryin' all the time" and You ain't never caught a rabbit".  So the song evolved and went through different performers and recordings until Elvis did the version that everyone knows today.

I still have that 50's and 60's music going through my head from last night's show along with a lot of memories that hearing those songs produced.  Loved it!! Now, I hope all of you hum a pretty tune and have a wonderful day, you hear?

17 comments:

  1. I mostly grew up with the 60s and 70s music, so those songs always bring back memories. Don't know what most kids will remember from these days as the music scene is so diverse. We took what we could get from the radio.

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    1. I think from the 50's through the 70's was a period when the best popular music was performed.

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    2. I graduated in 63 but fell in love with the Elvis songs in the late 50's.I babysat for my oldest sister and she had all of his albums. I would put a stack on the record player and when one album finished another would drop down an play.Fun times....

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  2. I have almost all of that music, bought off tv thru the years. Love the 60s and 70s too. Prob fav band is AC/DC. But,, CCR, Rolling Stones, George Thoroughgood,,,wow,,. Put favs from every one on cassettes, still play them, but youtube has it ALL!

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    1. Buddy Holly had a lot of songs I liked. I wasn't into heavy rock and roll. Maybe that is why I quickly switched to Country and Bluegrass.

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  3. I liked some of the 50's music, but could never understand why stuff from the 60's causes such ecstasy in the boomers. Most of it is really terrible music and even worse lyrics. I know I'm in the minority, but that's the way I've always felt about it.

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    1. I preferred the 50's over the 60's. But that was the time when I was really into music. Elvis was not on top of my list, that is until he did "The Ghetto". That was a great song.

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    2. Oh yes, his gospel was great!!

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  4. I am a couple years behind you, and remember that music well. Grew up in a small midwestern town. We had one radio station (broadcast from a house across the street from us!) - livestock reporrts in the morning and bluegrass and country in the afternoon. Used to get a radio station out of Tulsa in the evening that played pop music. Great time (and town) to grow up!!

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    1. If it were not for the Korean War, it would have been an absolute perfect era. As it was, it was perfect for we who were growing up at that time.

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  5. I graduated in 1964, so I am not that far behind you. I loved the 50s and 60s music. Both decades' music move me in many ways.

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    1. After the 60's there was not much "Pop" music that I liked. That is when I switched to country and now I have added bluegrass.

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  6. Dizzy - I'm somewhat behind you, having graduated in the wrong era. I did not like the music of the late 60's and 70's at all, but rejoice in the 50 & early 60 songs I heard big brother Hermit Jim listening to. Still among my favorites!
    Big Mama Thornton's version of Hound Dog had the line "You ain't nothing but a hound dog, snoopin' round my door", and went on in a similar vein. You can hear it often on KPFT 90.1 on Sunday mornings. I don't listen to that station anytime except Sundays, when they do blues all day long. You should be able to hear it from Conroe. And Sunday blues is a nice change, throw a little wrench in your week. And boy howdy (as Billy Bob would say), can they do gospel!
    Anyway, look up the lyrics to Big Mama's version - very different from Elvis"!

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    1. I will have to listen to that station. Thanks for the tip.

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  7. I'm a 50s music fan but even during that time I was more country than pop. The 60s cross-over performers and their songs I liked but hard rock never did anything for me. I have not listened to music for years now because of declining hearing and the decline in what is offered as music.

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    1. Yep, the 50's is where it was at!! I can't stand hard rock or rap. Watch the RFDTV, especially on Saturday evening and you can get good country and bluegrass music.

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