
Occasionally, the playlist that gets published is simply what I felt like listening to at the time.
This is one o’ them times, Jack.
Whether ballad, or R&B, or doo-wop, most of these classics were #1 chart toppers. Popular before most if us were born, they are still ubiquitous in our culture. Even if you never heard any of them on the radio, every single one (I’m pretty sure) has been featured in famous movie soundtracks, and sometimes TV shows, or other media. I can’t imagine there are many people, at least in the U.S., who have never heard any of them before.
Note that there are two examples of Blue Velvet in our list tonight: the most well-known version by Bobby Vinton, and an earlier version by the Clovers, which I included only because it’s great. I’m not saying it’s better than Bobby V’s, just a different, pleasing, work of art.
1951
It’s All In The Game (2:40)
Tommy Edwards
1954/1955
Earth Angel (2:50)
Penguins
1955
Blue Velvet (2:37)
Clovers
1956
The Great Pretender (2:39)
Platters
1957
Come Go With Me (2:37)
Dell-Vikings
1961
Blue Moon (2:18)
Marcels
1960
Are You Lonesome Tonight (3:07)
Elvis Presley
1962
You Belong To Me (2:39)
Duprees
1963
Blue Velvet
Bobby Vinton (2:48)
1965
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me (2:28)
Mel Carter