I'm what you'd call a "casual" fan of 50's music -- the mid 60's to the early 90's I'm more of a die hard -- meaning I'm more familiar with just hits as opposed to full albums, etc.

For this post, I'm gonna stretch the time a bit and say that anything through 1963 still qualifies, because the music and culture of 1960-63 was still very reminiscent of the 50's (the British Invasion didn't start until the Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan in early 1964), though artists like the Beach Boys and the Kingsmen were beginning to define the new decade's rock music.

That said, I like several Elvis songs, such as "Jailhouse Rock" (no doubt an influence on the rock and roll that followed).

"Rock Around the Clock" from Bill Haley was actually, I believe, the very first song to be categorized as rock and roll (circa 1954/55), and is somewhat similar in style to Elvis' rockier songs.

On the other side, songs like The Platters' "Great Pretender" and the Drifters' "Save the Last Dance" were more melodic pop ballads perfect for "parking" etc. hehe.;)

Any thoughts?

I was going to say that song was my favorite! :) I got a 50's cd and it's my favorite song on it. My mom just bought an Elvis cd (which I think she was listening to a few minutes ago... it still might be playing in the kitchen even though she's in here) My favorite Elvis songs were "Burning Love" and "Can't Help Falling In Love" which I first heard in Lilo and Stitch sung by different artists but when my mom got the Elvis cd she played those two. Just this week Burning Love was on the oldies station I listen to sometimes on my radio :)

Of course, I like Johnny B. Goode, Mr. Sandman, and Night Train (I'm listening to that right now, actually :D) from the movie.

Yeah, I don't know if "Rock Around" was the first rock song, but it was one of them.

It's almost contradictory, because (in several documentaries I've watched) Bill Haley was already in his 30's (middle-aged for that time). He was also noted for looking more like someone's uncle than a rock star. For this reason, the song was able to kind of slip under the radar of parents of teenagers.

And I got a kick out of Lilo being into Elvis. :lol:

Funny story - I work at Blockbuster (as most of y'all know), and one of the guys that used to work with me played the original Lilo & Stitch over our store TV's constantly, so I ended up learning almost the whole movie by heart after a few months, LOL. :)

Is anyone familiar with "The Great Pretender" from the Platters? I recently got re-acquainted with it from a 50's compilation tape I have. It reminds me of an early version of a romantic pop ballad.

I read lyrics of it when I found it on fiftiesweb.com but I haven't heard it before. :( There's a new song with the exact same name though by the John Fredrick Band lol.

I put in my fifties cd a few days ago when my mom, my sister, and I went shopping and when she went into the pet store I was playing this song at the end of the cd (I think it was called "At the Hop" or something like that. I forgot to look) and it was so weird because my sister and I used to listen to a remake of that song a LOOOONNG time ago. I don't think she remembered it though <_< We must have had a tape of people singing songs from the 50's and 60's on it when we were little.

Yeah, it was At the Hop by Danny & The Juniors.

i dunno why but I like "sandman" it had a cool beat to it.

I can't believe I forgot to add "Stay" from Maurice Williams.

I first heard this on a mix tape (with old and "new" songs) my uncle made for us around 1985. Since I was 3 or 4, I attach just as much sentiment to it as any 80's song of the time.

It actually came out in 1961, but has a 50's pop/rock sound to it (it even appeared in Dirty Dancing and on the soundtrack).:)

I love a lot of 1950s and early 1960s music. Gee, I don't know where to start listing my favorites:

"Johnny B. Goode," Chuck Berry
"Whole Lotta Shaking Goin' On," Jerry Lee Lewis
most of Elvis's early Sun singles, and "Don't Be Cruel"
any solo Dion hits, especially "The Wanderer" and "Ruby Baby"
"Heat Wave," Martha and the Vandellas (possibly my very favorite pre-1964 song)
any Ronettes (now we're getting into 1964 a little)
most early Marvin Gaye, especially "Can I Get A Witness"
"In My Room," Beach Boys
"Hello Stranger," Barbara Lewis
"Georgia On My Mind," Ray Charles

I haven't even mentioned doo-wop yet (favorite up-tempo song--"Stormy Weather," the Spaniels; favorite medium-tempo song--"Come Go With Me," the Dell Vikings; too many slow songs to choose a favorite from), or my favorite pure singer ever, Little Willie John. He did the original version of "Fever" and several other intensely soulful songs, mostly in the 1950s. I'd say "All Around The World" and "Need Your Love So Bad" are also especially worth seeking out.

I like "Everyday" by Buddy Holly

Well, the past several months, I've been enjoying Rock & Roll is Here to Stay by Danny & the Juniors.