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The Golden ´50s
Edited by Claus Röhnisch (updated June 25, 2006)

THE SUPER HITS
of R&B´s Super Stars
Compiled by Claus Röhnisch

Titles listed - in order of popularity - with day/month of hitting any of Billboard´s national R&B charts´ # 1 Position. Number after date marks total weeks at # 1 position. Important titles, which did not reach # 1, are shown with peak pos. After original song title: recording location and date of recording (day/month/year). Composer(s) followed by number of total R&B charting weeks with month of entry. Original label credit followed by label with catalog number and month of issue. A couple of recordings, not listed here, became greater hits than the listed, here though the classic top hits by the "super stars" are listed.
Grammy Hall of Fame Awards noted with year of award (GHFA 99).

DigitalDreamDoor
Top 40 Rock Songs of the 1950s
1. Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
  2. Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
  3. What'd I Say - Ray Charles
  4. Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley & His Comets
  5. Tutti-Frutti - Little Richard
  6. Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On - Jerry Lee Lewis
  7. Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran
  8. Hound Dog - Elvis Presley
  9. Long Tall Sally - Little Richard
10. That'll Be The Day - Buddy Holly & the Crickets
11. Bye Bye Love - Everly Brothers
12. Great Balls Of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis
13. Maybellene - Chuck Berry
14. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley
15. Shake, Rattle And Roll - Joe Turner
16. Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins
17. Don't Be Cruel - Elvis Presley
18. Earth Angel - Penguins
19. Why Do Fools Fall In Love - Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
20. Good Golly Miss Molly - Little Richard
20. Good Golly Miss Molly - Little Richard
21. Be-Bop-A-Lula - Gene Vincent & the Bluecaps
22. School Day - Chuck Berry
23. Rock And Roll Music - Chuck Berry
24. Peggy Sue - Buddy Holly
25. Lawdy Miss Clawdy - Lloyd Price
26. Lucille - Little Richard
27. Roll Over Beethoven - Chuck Berry
28. In The Still Of The Nite - Five Satins
29. I Only Have Eyes For You - Flamingos
30. For Your Precious Love - Jerry Butler & the Impressions
31. Blueberry Hill - Fats Domino
32. Please, Please, Please - James Brown & the Famous Flames
33. Sh-Boom - Chords
34. Money Honey - Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter
35. I Walk The Line - Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two
36. Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley
37. Fever - Little Willie John
38. The Great Pretender - Platters
39. Ain't It A Shame - Fats Domino
40. That's All Right - Elvis Presley with Scotty and Bill

The Greatest Rock Songs of the 1950s

The Golden ´50s
50 years of R&B History

SUPER ARTISTS

Top R&B Artists of the 1950s
with number of #1 R&B Hits, total weeks at #1 and
number of total R&B Top 10 Hits 1949-1959.

Note:
Listed are artists with most #1 Hits on any Billboard national R&B Chart during 1950 - 1959. Clyde McPhatter´s hits include the ones with the Drifters (his #1 Hits include 2 with the Drifters for 19 weeks). Number of #1 Hits noted in parentheses are the number of titles who hit #1 on Billboard´s R&B "Best Seller" Chart (if lesser than those on either of Best Seller, Disc Jockey or Juke Box charts). The Best Seller Chart could during several years include double-sided hit records,  registered as one hit. Total weeks at #1 position on one of the charts marked in column four. Lastly are marked number of R&B Top 10 Hits on any national R&B Chart - followed by number of R&B Top 10 Best Sellers.

Top R&B Artists of the Decade
1950 - 1959
according to Joel Whitburn (the Billboard/Record Research)
and Big Al Pavlow´s "The R&B Book"

Note:
Whitburn follows the hits registered on Billboard´s R&B Charts (and does not credit Clyde McPhatter´s titles with the Drifters to Clyde - which should have been done, since his name is in big letters on the record labels). Pavlow follows R&B and Pop Charts, but only registers black acts.

Top R&B Artists
according to Big Al Pavlow

TOP R&B RECORDS of the 1950s
according to Big Al Pavlow´s "The R&B Book".

1940s
1  Choo Choo Ch' Boogie / That Chick' s... - Louis Jordan    1946
2  Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens / Let The Good Times Roll - Louis Jordan   1947
3  Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - Lionel Hampton   1946
4  The Huckle-Buck - Paul Williams   1949
5  Don't Cry, Baby - Erskine Hawkins   1943
6  The Honeydripper - Joe Liggins   1945
7  Trouble Blues - Charles Brown   1949
8  Snatch And Grab It - Julia Lee   1947
9  Caldonia / Somebody Done Changed... - Louis Jordan   1945
10 Straighten Up And Fly Right - King Cole Trio  1944
 
1950 - 1954
1  Sixty-Minute Man - The Dominoes    1951
2  Pink Champagne - Joe Liggins    1950
3  Teardrops From My Eyes - Ruth Brown    1950-51
4  Work With Me Annie - The Midnighters    1954
5  Lawdy Miss Clawdy - Lloyd Price    1952
6  Double Crossing Blues - Johnny Otis with Little Esther & The Robins    1950
7  Money Honey - Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters     1953
8  Hearts Of Stone - The Charms    1954
9  Please Send Me Someone To Love - Percy Mayfield    1950-51
10 Black Night - Charles Brown    1951

11 Shake A Hand - Faye Adams    1953
12 You'll Never Walk Alone - Roy Hamilton   1954
13 Honey Love - The Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter  1954
14 My Song - Johnny Ace  1952
15 Crying In The Chapel - The Orioles  1953
16 For You My Love - Larry Darnell   1950
17 Have Mercy Baby - The Dominoes  1952
18 The Things That I Used To Do - Guitar Slim  1954
19 Anytime, Any Place, Anywhere - Joe Morris  1950
20 Fool, Fool, Fool - The Clovers  1951

21 Night Train - Jimmy Forrest   1952
22 Don't You Know I Love You - The Clovers  1951
23 I Don't Know - Willie Mabon   1953
24 Honey Hush - Joe Turner  1953
25 Blue Light Boogie - Louis Jordan  1950
26 I Almost Lost My Mind - Ivory Joe Hunter  1950
27 Shake, Rattle And Roll - Joe Turner  1954
28 Lovey Dovey / Little Mama - The Clovers  1954
29 Chains Of Love - Joe Turner  1951
30 (Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean - Ruth Brown  1953

31 Hurts Me To My Heart - Faye Adams  1954
32 One Mint Julep / Middle Of The Night - The Clovers  1952
33 3 O' Clock Blues - B. B. King  1952
34 5-10-15 Hours - Ruth Brown   1952
35 Flamingo - Earl Bostic  1952
36 Hard Luck Blues - Roy Brown  1950
37 Oh What A Dream - Ruth Brown & her Rhythmakers   1954
38 Rocket "88" - Jackie Brenston & his Delta Cats  1951
39 Mistrustin' Blues / Misery  - Johnny Otis w. Little Esther & Mel Walker   1950
40 Goin'  Home - Fats Domino   1952

41 You Know I Love You - B. B. King   1952
42 Hound Dog - Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton  1953
43 Bad. Bad Whiskey - Amos Milburn   1951
44 Blue Shadows / Low Society Blues - Lowell Fulson  1950
45 Help Me Somebody / Crazy Crazy Crazy - The "5" Royales    1953
46 The Clock - Johnny Ace  1953
47 The Glory Of Love - The Five Keys
48 Because Of You - Tab Smith   1951
49 Juke - Little Walter & his Nite Cats   1952
50 Baby Don't Do It - The "5" Royales  1953

1955 - 1959
1  Searchin´ / Young Blood - The Coasters     1957
2  Honky Tonk - Bill Doggett    1956
3  Only You - The Platters    1955
4  Blueberry Hill - Fats Domino    1956
5  Ain´t It A Shame - Fats Domino    1955
6  The Great Pretender - The Platters    1956
7  You Send Me - Sam Cooke    1957
8  I´m In Love Again / My Blue Heaven - Fats Domino     1956
9  Yakety Yak - The Coasters    1958
10 Lonely Teardrops - Jackie Wilson    1958-59

11 Fever - Little Willie John    1956
12 Maybellene - Chuck Berry    1955
13 It´s Just A Matter Of Time / Hurtin´ Inside - Brook Benton     1959
14 Stagger Lee - Lloyd Price    1958-59
15 Pledging My Love - Johnny Ace    1955
16 Why Do Fools Fall In Love - The Teenagers    1956
17 Kansas City - Wilbert Harrison    1959
18 Twilight Time - The Platters    1958
19 Send For Me - Nat King Cole    1957
20 It´s All In The Game / Please Love Me Forever - Tommy Edwards     1958

21 Long Tall Sally / Slippin´ And Slidin´ - Little Richard     1956
22 Get A Job - The Silhouettes    1958
23 Earth Angel - The Penguins    1955
24 A Lover´s Question - Clyde McPhatter    1958
25 Blue Monday / What´s The Reason ...  - Fats Domino     1957
26 I´m Walkin´ - Fats Domino    1957
27 Rock-in Robin / Over And Over - Bobby Day    1958
28 Looking Back - Nat King Cole    1958
29 Short Fat Fannie / High School Dance - Larry Williams     1957
30 Sweet Little Sixteen - Chuck Berry    1958

31 School Day - Chuck Berry   1957
32 Topsy - Cozy Cole   1958
33 My Prayer / Heaven On Earth  - The Platters   1956   
34 There Goes My Baby - The Drifters   1959
35 Since I Met You Baby - Ivory Joe Hunter   1957
36 Unchained Melody - Roy Hamilton   1955
37 Rip It Up / Ready Teddy - Little Richard   1956
38 Personality - Lloyd Price   1959
39 Poison Ivy / I' m A Hog For You - The Coasters   1959
40 Try Me - James Brown & The Famous Flames   1959

41 Thank You Pretty Baby - Brook Benton   1959
42 I' m Gonna Get Married / Three Little Pigs - Lloyd Price    1959
43 Come Go With Me - Dell-Vikings   1957
44 Mr. Lee - The Bobbettes   1957
45 Tutti-Frutti - Little Richard   1955
46 Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - The Platters   1956
47 What'd I Say - Ray Charles   1959
48 The Clouds - The Spacemen   1959
49 Lucille / Send Me Some Lovin'  - Little Richard   1957
50 So Many Ways - Brook Benton   1959

51 Happy, Happy Birthday Baby - The Tune Weavers   1957
52 What Am I Living For / Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes - Chuck Willis   1958
53 C. C. Rider - Chuck Willis   1957
54 Let The Good Times Roll - Shirley & Lee   1956
55 Love Is Strange - Mickey & Sylvia   1957
56 Jenny, Jenny / Miss Ann - Little Richard  1957

Note: Rankings based on positions and longevity on various U.S. R&B and Pop charts 1943 - 1959. Since the R&B records started to sell "Pop" from 1955 a comparison for the whole of the 1950s is not valid - one has to find "relative comparison".

TOP R&B #1 Hits
(according to Joel Whitburn; from "Top R&B Singles 1942-1999" and "The Billboard Book of Top 40 R&B and Hip-Hop Hits")

1940s
1.  The Honeydripper (Parts 1 & 2) - Joe Liggins and his Honeydrippers  1945  (18w #1 - total 27w)
2.  Choo Choo Ch'Boogie - Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five  1946  (18w #1 - total 26w)
3.  Ain' t Nobody Here But Us Chickens - Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five  1947  (17w #1 - total 27w)
4.  Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop - Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra  1946  (16w #1 - total 25w)
5.  Trouble Blues - Charles Brown Trio  1949  (15w #1 - total 27w)
6.  The Huckle-Buck - Paul Williams and his Hucklebuckers   1949  (14w #1 - total 32w)
7.  Don' t Cry Baby - Erskine Hawkins and his Orchestra  1943  (14w #1 - total 29w)

1950s
*) "Young Blood" held 1w #1 before record flipped to "Searchin' " (total 13w at #1)
1.  Sixty-Minute Man - The Dominoes   1951  (14w #1 - 30w total)
2.  Black Night - Charles Brown and his Band   1951 (24w #1 - 24w total)
3.  The Things That I Used To Do - Guitar Slim and his Band   1954  (14w #1 - 21w total)
4.  Honky Tonk (Parts 1& 2) - Bill Doggett  1956  (13w #1 - 28w total)
5.  Pink Champagne - Joe Liggins and his "Honeydrippers"  1950  (13w #1 - 25w total)
6.  Searchin'  - The Coasters  1957 (12w#1 - 21w total)  *)
7.  Teardrops From My Eyes - Ruth Brown  1950  (11w #1 - total 25w)
8.  Blueberry Hill - Fats Domino  1956  (11w #1 - total 23w)
9.  Ain' t It A Shame - Fats Domino and his Band   1955  (11w #1 - total 26w)
10. Money Honey - Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters   1953  (11w #1 - total 21w)
11. The Great Pretender - The Platters   1956  (11w #1 - total 20w)
12. Maybellene - Chuck Berry and his Combo   1955  (11w #1 - total 16w)
13. Shake A Hand - Faye Adams with Joe Morris Orch   1953  (10w #1 - total 21w)
14. Have Mercy Baby - The Dominoes  1952  (10w #1 - total 20w)
15. Pledging My Love - Johnny Ace  1955  (10w #1 - total 19w)
16. Double Crossing Blues - Johnny Otis Quintette, The Robins and Little Esther  1950  (9w #1 - total 22w)
17. My Song - Johnny Ace with The Beale Streeters  1952  (9w #1 - total 20w)
18. I'm In Love Again - Fats Domino  1956  (9w #1 - total 20w)
19. Hearts Of Stone - The Charms  1954  (9w #1 - total 19w)
20. It's Just A Matter Of Time - Brook Benton  1959  (9w #1 - total 15w)
21. Honey Hush - Joe Turner and his Band  1953  (8w #1 - total 25w)
22. Honey Love - The Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter  1954  (8w #1 - total 23w)
23. You'll Never Walk Alone - Roy Hamilton  1954  (8w #1 - total 20w)
24. Juke - Little Walter and his Nite Cats  1952  (8w #1 - total 20w)
25. I Don't Know - Willie Mabon and his Combo  1952  (8w #1 - total 19w)

1960s
1.  Tossin' And Turnin'  - Bobby Lewis  1961  (10w # 1 - total 19w)
2.  Baby (You've Got What It Takes)  - Dinah Washington & Brook Benton  1960  (10w #1 - total 17w)
3.  I Can't Stop Loving You - Ray Charles  1962  (10w #1 - total 16w)
4.  I Can't Help Myself - Four Tops  1965  (9w #1 - total 18w)
5.  Kiddio - Brook Benton  1960  (9w #1 - total 14w)
6.  Shop Around - The Miracles  1961  (8w #1 - total 16w)
7.  Ain't Too Proud To Beg - The Temptations  1966  (8w #1 - total 17w)
8.  Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, Part 1 - James Brown and The Famous Flames  1965  (8w #1 - total 17w)
9.  Respect - Aretha Franklin  1967  (8w #1 - total 14w)
10. Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes  1961  (7w #1 - total 23w)
11. He Will Break Your Heart - Jerry Butler  1960  (7w #1 - total 16w)
12. My Guy - Mary Wells  1964  (7w #1 - total 20w Cash Box)
13. Soul Man - Sam & Dave  1967  (7w #1 - total 18w)
14. 634-5789 - Wilson Pickett  1966  (7w #1 - total 16w)
15. I Heard It Through The Grapewine - Marvin Gaye  1968  (7w # 1 - total 14w)
16. I Never Love A Man (The Way I Love You) - Aretha Franklin  1967  (7w #1 - total 14w)
17. I Got You (I Feel Good) - James Brown and The Famous Flames  1965  (6w #1 - total  16w)

Note:
Whitburn presents his lists with the titles that held most weeks #1 position at priority and lists only #1 hits. Some true R&B classic super hits (which for one reason or another didn't hit #1) are, by this way of presenting, left out.

TOP MALE R&B VOCAL GROUP RECORDS of the 1950s
(according to Big Al Pavlow´s "The R&B Book").

1. SEARCHIN´ / YOUNG BLOOD - The Coasters     1957
2. ONLY YOU - The Platters    1955
3. THE GREAT PRETENDER - The Platters    1956
4. YAKETY YAK - The Coasters    1958
5. WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE - The Teenagers    1956
6. TWILIGHT TIME - The Platters    1958
7. SIXTY-MINUTE MAN - The Dominoes    1951
8. GET A JOB - The Silhouettes    1958
9. EARTH ANGEL - The Penguins    1954
10. MY PRAYER / Heaven On Earth - The Platters    1956

11. THERE GOES MY BABY - The Drifters    1959
12. POISON IVY / I´m A Hog For You - The Coasters    1959
13. TRY ME - James Brown with The Famous Flames    1958-59
14. COME GO WITH ME - The Dell-Vikings    1957
15. SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES - The Platters    1959
16. TEARS ON MY PILLOW - The Imperials    1958
17. SILHOUETTES / Daddy Cool - The Rays    1957
18. WORK WITH ME ANNIE - The Midnighters    1954
19. WESTERN MOVIES - The Olympics    1958
20. BOOK OF LOVE - The Monotones    1958

21. MONEY HONEY - Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters     1953
22. HEARTS OF STONE - The Charms    1954
23. CHARLIE BROWN - The Coasters    1959
24. YOU´RE SO FINE - The Falcons    1959
25. DANCE WITH ME / If You Cry - The Drifters    1959
26. SO FINE - The Fiestas    1959
27. HONEY LOVE - The Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter     1954
28. CRYING IN THE CHAPEL - The Orioles    1953
29. 16 CANDLES - The Crests    1959
29. AT MY FRONT DOOR - The El Dorados    1955
31. IN THE STILL OF THE NITE - The Five Satins    1956
31. HAVE MERCY BABY - The Dominoes    1952
33. SPEEDOO - The Cadillacs    1956
34. SINCERELY - The Moonglows    1955
35. I´M SORRY / He´s Mine - The Platters    1957

Note: "Rock-in Robin" b/w "Over And Over" (1958) by Bobby Day to be placed above #10; "Double Crossing Blues" (1950) featuring the Robins above #21; if you regard them as male vocal group R&B records. Rankings based on positions and longevity on various U.S. R&B and Pop charts during 1950-1959.

Bill Daniels' Dusty Charts
Top R&B Records 1949 - 1959

The Top R&B Singles 1950-1969

Three Hours of Super R&B Sounds
A subjective play-list of 73 favorite R&B songs by
The Super Stars of R&B (not-too-well-known songs).

The Golden ´50s (15 years of R&B)