Music from the '50s! (Part One)

As I told you before, I got a book called 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die from my friend.

I started listening to the first albums of the book, and they're all from the fifties. I find it a bit weird to listen to music from so many years ago, because of course, music has changed, but it really surprised me how much I liked it!


The first album of the book is In the Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra. Sinatra released the album in 1955 not long after his relationship with Ava Gardner collapsed. The album is considered to probably be one of the greatest break-up album of all time.

I liked the album a lot, it kind of made me want to be alive in that time just to have a crush on him.

Favourite song: Mood Indigo 






Next album is the first record from the king of rock and roll himself, Elvis Presley, with his self-titled album. Released in 1956, when he was only 21 years old. 

The whole album wasn't recorded at the same time. Seven tracks were cut in early 1956, while the other five tracks were virtual leftovers from Sam Phillips' Sun Records in 1954 and 1955. You can hear a difference in the recording in some of the tracks.

Favourite song: Blue Suede Shoes, I Got a Woman, Tutti Frutti, this is hard, I loved the whole album.




The third album is Tragic Songs Of Life by The Louvin Brothers. I think I listened to about three songs when I switched to the next album. They sing country music, and to me, all the songs sound the same. I am so sorry Charlie and Ira Louvin... I just don't really like country music.


Moving on to the fourth album, The Wildest! by Louis Prima. Louis Prima was a popular nightclub singer/trumpeter in the '30s and '40s. In 1954 he got together with his wife and stage partner, Keely Smith, along with Sam Butera, a young New Orleans saxaphonist. Together they became the most popular act in the city of Las Vegas.

The album is considered an innovative mixture of early rock and roll, jump blues and jazz. I really love the saxophone and piano together, those three made a great team.

Favourite song: Didn't really have a favourite, but probably Just a Gigolo / I Ain't Got Nobody. Also Body and Soul is great!



Antoine "Fats" Domino with the album This Is Fats is (mambo) no. five! I find it so funny that he actually called himself "Fats" because he actually is/was quite fat, but whatever. Fats was arguably the man most responsible for bridging the gap between R&B and rock. He released This Is Fats in 1956 at the height of his career. 

This album is a master-piece. Wow. I just got more and more surprised throughout the album of how good it is. I absolutely loved every bit of it.

Favourite songs: Oh god. Honey Chile and Blue Monday.






That's it for now, I still have 996 albums to listen to. Good luck, me!

- Olive