As adjuncts to our highly popular Americas Greatest Hits series of collections for each calendar year in the 50s and early 60s, we have already produced collections based on landmark moments in the Billboard charts The First Top 100 Nov. 1955 (ACQCD7062), The First Hot 100 Aug. 1958 (ACQCD7083) and The First Hot 100 of the '60s (ACQCD7097), each comprising all the records in the Top 100 for the date in question. This collection highlights another musical landmark with the Top 100 on the date when Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel went to No. 1 in the first week of May in 1956.
Although, contrary to popular wisdom, the advent of rock n roll was much more of a musical progression than an explosion, the arrival of The King at the top of the charts was somehow an especially significant and iconic moment, which marked something of a watershed between the established order of the early 50s and the changing musical, social and political landscape of subsequent years. It comprises 100 records from the Billboard chart of May 5th 1956, from Elvis at No. 1 to Peggy Lees Joey, Joey, Joey at No. 100, and as those two records imply, the chart encompasses strands of music of all kinds as the rock n roll pioneers jostle for position with the crooners, divas, vocal groups and orchestras who had held sway for so long.
It's a fascinating snapshot of a time when the music business and popular tastes were in transition, and every week there was something new to excite the baby-boomers. Alongside the major names there some obscure and often collectable records minor one-hit wonders on relatively unknown labels which are not generally available on CD and which give a fascinating insight into the music of the time. It contains a 12,000+ word booklet featuring background notes on every record.
REVIEWS
Well, this 4 disc set puts an end to that ugly rumor, as while there were no Beatles, Dylan or Rolling Stones in this pre-British Invasion era of America! - George Harris (JazzWeekly)
Disc 1 |
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Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
Heartbreak Hotel |
Elvis Presley |
2 |
Hot Diggity |
Perry Como |
3 |
Poor People Of Paris |
Les Baxter |
4 |
Blue Suede Shoes |
Carl Perkins |
5 |
Lisbon Antigua |
Nelson Riddle |
6 |
Magic Touch |
The Platters |
7 |
A Tear Fell |
Teresa Brewer |
8 |
No, Not Much |
The Four Lads |
9 |
I'll Be Home |
Pat Boone |
10 |
Rock Island Line |
Lonnie Donegan |
11 |
Why Do Fools Fall In Love |
The Teenagers Feat. Frankie Lymon |
12 |
Ivory Tower |
Cathy Carr |
13 |
Moonglow & Theme From Picnic |
Morris Stoloff |
14 |
Long Tall Sally |
Little Richard |
15 |
Moonglow & Theme From Picnic |
George Cates Orch. |
16 |
Main Title ("Man With The Golden Arm") |
Richard Maltby Orch. |
17 |
Rock And Roll Waltz |
Kay Starr |
18 |
Eddie My Love |
Fontane Sisters |
19 |
Why Do Fools Fall In Love |
Gale Storm |
20 |
Juke Box Baby |
Perry Como |
21 |
Why Do Fools Fall In Love |
The Diamonds |
22 |
Long Tall Sally |
Pat Boone |
23 |
Blue Suede Shoes |
Elvis Presley |
24 |
Happy Whistler |
Don Robertson |
25 |
Ivory Tower |
Gale Storm |
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Disc 2 |
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Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
Mr. Wonderful |
Peggy Lee |
2 |
Eddie My Love |
Chordettes |
3 |
Main Title & Molly-O |
Dick Jacobs His Chorus & Orchestra |
4 |
Standing On The Corner |
The Four Lads |
5 |
R-O-C-K |
Bill Haley & His Comets |
6 |
I Was The One |
Elvis Presley |
7 |
Wild Cherry |
Don Cherry |
8 |
Bo Weevil |
Teresa Brewer |
9 |
Theme From The Threepenny Opera (Moritat) |
Dick Hyman Trio |
10 |
Too Young To Go Steady |
Nat King Cole |
11 |
See You Later Alligator |
Bill Haley & His Comets |
12 |
Main Title ("Man With The Golden Arm") |
Elmer Bernstein |
13 |
Lovely One |
Four Voices |
14 |
To You, My Love (Je Ne Sais Pas) |
Nick Noble |
15 |
Without You |
Eddie Fisher |
16 |
I'm In Love Again |
Fats Domino |
17 |
Poor People Of Paris |
Russ Morgan |
18 |
I Want You To Be My Girl |
The Teenagers Feat. Frankie Lymon |
19 |
Innamorata |
Dean Martin |
20 |
Eddie My Love |
Teen Queens |
21 |
Can You Find It In Your Heart |
Tony Bennett |
22 |
Church Bells May Ring |
The Diamonds |
23 |
The Great Pretender |
The Platters |
24 |
Held For Questioning |
Rusty Draper |
25 |
Port-Au-Prince |
Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra |
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Disc 3 |
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Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
Saints Rock And Roll |
Bill Haley & His Comets |
2 |
Wayward Wind |
Gogi Grant |
3 |
Slippin' And Slidin' |
Little Richard |
4 |
Look Homeward Angel |
Four Esquires |
5 |
Main Title ("Man With The Golden Arm") |
Les Elgart & His Orch. |
6 |
Walk Hand In Hand |
Andy Williams |
7 |
Mr. Wonderful |
Sarah Vaughan |
8 |
Too Close For Comfort |
Eydie Gorme |
9 |
A Crazy Little Palace (That's My Home) |
Billy Williams Quartet |
10 |
Little Girl of Mine |
Cleftones |
11 |
Walk Hand In Hand |
Tony Martin |
12 |
My Little Angel |
The Four Lads |
13 |
On The Street Where You Live |
Vic Damone |
14 |
Rock Island Line |
Don Cornell |
15 |
To Love Again |
The Four Aces |
16 |
No Other One |
Eddie Fisher |
17 |
Main Title ("Man With The Golden Arm") |
Billy May & His Orchestra |
18 |
Delilah Jones |
McGuire Sisters |
19 |
Tutti Frutti |
Pat Boone |
20 |
Rock Right |
Georgia Gibbs |
21 |
Lisbon Antigua (In Old Lisbon) |
Mitch Miller |
22 |
Winner Take All |
The Platters |
23 |
Flowers Mean Forgiveness |
Frank Sinatra |
24 |
Mr. Wonderful |
Teddi King |
25 |
It Only Hurts For A Little While |
Ames Brothers |
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Disc 4 |
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Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
Memories Are Made Of This |
Dean Martin |
2 |
Rock And Roll Wedding |
Sunny Gale |
3 |
Forever Darling |
Ames Brothers |
4 |
My Blue Heaven |
Fats Domino |
5 |
Innamorata |
Jerry Vale |
6 |
In A Little Spanish Town (Twas On A Night Like This) |
Bing Crosby |
7 |
I Woke Up Crying |
Joni James |
8 |
Church Bells May Ring |
The Willows |
9 |
Just As Long As I'm With You |
Pat Boone |
10 |
Eleventh Hour Melody |
Lou Busch & His Orch. |
11 |
Our Love Affair |
Tommy Charles |
12 |
Never Let Me Go |
Nat King Cole |
13 |
Theme From The Threepenny Opera (Mack The Knife) |
Louis Armstrong & His All Stars |
14 |
A Little Love Can Go A Long Long Way |
Dream Weavers |
15 |
Eleventh Hour Melody |
Al Hibbler |
16 |
Hi Lili Hi Lo |
Dick Hyman Trio |
17 |
I Could Have Danced All Night |
Dinah Shore |
18 |
My First Formal Gown |
Patti Page |
19 |
Poor People Of Paris (Jean's Song) |
Chet Atkins |
20 |
Main Title ("Man With The Golden Arm") |
Buddy Morrow & His Orch. |
21 |
Bo Weevil |
Fats Domino |
22 |
If You Can Dream |
The Four Aces featuring Al Alberts |
23 |
Picnic |
McGuire Sisters |
24 |
Joey, Joey, Joey |
Peggy Lee |