Rockin' Robin (1958) (1972)

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By: Bobby Day (born, ironically, Robert James Byrd on July 1, 1928 in Ft. Worth, Texas, died of cancer July 27, 1990.)

Day’s songwriting efforts include "Over & Over", which was later a #1 hit for the Dave Clark Five in 1965, and "Little Bitty Pretty One", which was a hit for Day, Thurston Harris, Clyde McPhatter, and the Jackson 5.

Day's first solo hit, "Little Bitty Pretty One", competed with Harris' version, which was much more successful. However, Day was approached by songwriter and Class Records owner Leon René with a song: "Rockin' Robin".

Again, Thurston Harris saw an opportunity to compete with Day, when he found out Day's next single was to be "Over and Over" (with "Rockin' Robin" as the B-side). Harris recorded his own version of "Over and Over"!

Knowing that Harris had a bigger label promoting him, the decision was made to flip the A- and B-sides so that they would not compete. But the contest wasn't even close: Harris' single fell off the charts after a week, while Day's reached the #2 spot after 11 weeks.

Day's backing band on "Rockin' Robin" was his group the Satellites. The piccolo solo was played by veteran woodwind musician Plas Johnson, who also played the lead tenor saxophone on "The Pink Panther Theme" (Henry Mancini).

"Rockin' Robin" was featured in the 1984 film Stand by Me.

Chart position: #2 (US), #1 (US R&B), released in 1958.

It was kept from #1 by "It's All In The Game" (Tommy Edwards).

Written by: Leon René (born Feb 6, 1902 in Covington, Louisiana, died May 30, 1982 in Los Angeles, CA), credited to "Jimmy Thomas".

The song was inspired by a mockingbird whose singing pestered René.  René's wife, Jenny "Jimmy" Thomas, receives the songwriting credit.

René also wrote "When It's Sleepy Time Down South" and "When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano", both of which were popular songs, and were featured in many Looney Tunes cartoons in the 1940s and 1950s.



Also by: Michael Jackson, at the age of 14. It was his second single as a solo artist (and, like Day's version, also reached #2, US, 1972).

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That'll Be The Day (1957) (1958)

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By: Buddy Holly (and the Crickets.)

Buddy Holly was born Charles Hardin Holley September 7, 1936, in Lubbock, Texas, and died at the age of 22 in a plane crash February 3, 1959, in Clear Lake, Iowa.

Buddy Holly was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

In 2004 Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at #13 on their list of the Greatest Rock And Roll Artists Of All Time.

On February 8, 1956, Holly signed a recording contract with Decca Records that mistakenly dropped the "e" from his last name (Holley). When "That'll Be The Day" was first recorded July 22, 1956 in Nashville, Tennessee, Decca producer Owen Bradley thought it was of poor quality. He insisted that Holly sing it above his normal range while playing it very slow.

When Holly and The Crickets (rhythm guitarist Niki Sullivan, bassist Larry Welborn and drummer Jerry Allison) re-recorded it February 25, 1957, in producer Norman Petty's Clovis, New Mexico, studios, a few changes were made: the song's key was lowered from D to A (to better suit Holly's guitar intro and solo, and vocal range), and backing vocals were added by Sullivan, June Clark, and Gary and Ramona Tollett.

When the new version of "That'll Be The Day" (credited to the Crickets and released on Brunswick Records) became a hit, Decca attempted to capitalize on it by releasing the earlier version.

In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked "That'll Be The Day" at #39 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Don McLean's 1972 song "American Pie", about the history of rock and roll music, talks about "the day the music died," referring to the plane crash that killed Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. McLean based the phrase "This'll be the day that I die" on Holly's "That'll be the day when I die" lyric.

Chart position: #1 (US), #1 (UK).

It was preceded at #1 in the US by "Diana" (Paul Anka) and succeeded by "Mary's Boy Child" (Harry Belafonte).

The Top Ten Songs: September 23, 1957 (US Billboard Hot 100).

1. "That'll Be The Day" (Buddy Holly and the Crickets)
2. "Tammy" (Debbie Reynolds)
3. "Diana" (Paul Anka)
4. "Honeycomb" (Jimmie Rodgers)
5. "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" (Jerry Lee Lewis)
6. "Teddy Bear"/"Loving You" (Elvis Presley)
7. "Mr. Lee" (Bobbettes)
8. "Rainbow" (Russ Hamilton)
9. "In The Middle Of An Island" (Tony Bennett)
10. "Remember You're Mine"/"There's A Gold Mine In The Sky" (Pat Boone)

Written by: Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison, and producer Norman Petty.

Though Petty was not involved in writing the song, he was given a composing credit. Holly and Allison went to see the John Ford-directed Western film The Searchers, starring John Wayne, in June of 1956. In the film, Wayne frequently said, "That'll be the day!" The phrase stuck with Holly. Soon after, he and Allison wrote the song, marking the first time they wrote together.



Also by: The Quarrymen, who recorded it in 1958 at Percy Phillips' Kensington Custom Service, an electrical goods shop in Liverpool, England. It was their first recording, costing them about $2. They later became better known as the Beatles.

Paul McCartney owns the only known original copy, which ranked at #2 on a list of the 25 Most Valuable Recordings of All Time. It was finally released on the collection Anthology 1 in 1995.

Interestingly, Paul McCartney has owned the publishing rights to the Buddy Holly song catalogue since 1979, after purchasing them from Norman Petty.



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Lollipop (1958)

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• The Chordettes - Lollipop (MP3)
• Ronald And Ruby - Lollipop (MP3)

By: The Chordettes, formed in 1946 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Jinny Osborn came up with the idea for the Chordettes while looking through some barbershop-quartet music her father had brought home. Her father was the president of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America, Inc., and with his support she recruited Janet Ertel, Carol, Bushman, and Dorotghy Hummitszch to join her group.

Helped by Jinny's father, they made contacts, and in 1949 appeared on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, which led to a continuing role on that TV series.

While on the Godfey show they met Archie Bleyer, the program's musical director who was the owner of the Cadence record label.  When the Chordettes recorded what became their first #1 hit, "Mr. Sandman", Jinny was on maternity leave. Jinny came back, however, in time to record the group's second million-seller, "Lollipop".

As wirth most of the Chordettes' hits, Bleyer's arrangements laid the foundation for their voices. Lynn Evans later said, "He really has to get most of the credit. He would find a song and work out in his head how he wanted it to sound. Then, he would write out the voice arrangements, then he'd call us over to his house, or the studio and show us the song, the arrangement, and tell us what to do."

In 1961, Jinny Osborn left the group, and they were unable to find a replacement with whom they were happy, leading to a breakup.

The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001.

Chart position: #2 (US), #6 (UK).

It was kept from #1 in the US by "Tequila" (Champs). It was the Chordettes' biggest UK hit.

The Top Ten Songs: April 7, 1958 (US Billboard).

1. "Tequila" (Champs)
2. "Lollipop" (Chordettes)
3. "Catch a Falling Star" (Perry Como)
4. "Sugartime" (McGuire Sisters)
5. "Who's Sorry Now" (Connie Francis)
6. "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" (Laurie London)
7. "Sweet Little Sixteen" (Chuck Berry)
8. "Are You Sincere?" (Andy Williams)
9. "Sail Along Silvery Moon" (Karen Chandler and Her Jackets)
10. "26 Miles (Santa Catalina)" (Four Preps)

Written by: Julius Dixon and Beverly "Ruby" Ross.

Ross wrote such songs as "Dim, Dim the Lights (I Want Some Atmosphere)", "Candy Man", "Judy's Turn To Cry", and "Remember When".

Originally by: Ronald And Ruby, whose version reached #20 in 1958 (the same year as The Chordettes). Ronald and Ruby (Beverly Ross and Lee Morris) were a racially mixed duo, an unusual sight in the 1950s. "Lollipop" was their only hit as a duo.

Also by: The Mudlarks, whose version reached higher on the charts than the Chordettes in the UK, at #2.

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• The Chordettes - Lollipop (MP3)
• Ronald And Ruby - Lollipop (MP3)

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It's Only Make Believe (1958)

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• Conway Twitty - It's Only Make Believe (MP3)
• Glen Campbell - It's Only Make Believe (MP3)

By: Conway Twitty (born Harold Lloyd Jenkins on September 1, 1933 in Friars Point, Mississippi, died of abdominal aneurysm June 5, 1993 on his tour bus in Missouri.)

Conway Twitty's dad was a riverboat pilot who taught him guitar at the age of four. After high school, Twitty was an avid baseball player, and received an offer to join the Philadelphia Phillies. Instead, he was drafted by the army. When he got out, Twitty heard Elvis Presley's "Mystery Train" and began writing songs.

Most commonly remembered today as a country music singer, Twitty's initial success was in early rock and roll, R&B and pop.

An Ohio radio station did not play "I'll Try", the A-side of a single that was going nowhere in terms of sales, radio and jukebox play. They instead played the B-side of the single, "It's Only Make Believe".

It gradually became popular throughout the country. For a brief period, some believed that he was Elvis Presley recording under a different name.

Conway re-recorded this several times throughout his career, three times as a duet: once with Loretta Lynn, and twice with Ronnie McDowell.

Chart position: #1 (US), #1 (UK).

"It's Only Make Believe" was Conway's only song to top the pop charts in the US and UK.

The record took nearly a year to reach #1 of the US charts. It went on to sell over 8 million records and hit #1 in 21 different nations, as well.

It was preceded at #1 by "It's All In The Game" (Tommy Edwards) and succeeded by "Tom Dooley" (Kingston Trio).

The Top Ten Songs: November 10, 1958 (US Billboard Hot 100).

1. "It's Only Make Believe" (Conway Twitty)
2. "Tom Dooley" (Kingston Trio)
3. "It's All In The Game" (Tommy Edwards)
4. "Topsy II" (Cozy Cole)
5. "To Know Him Is To Love Him" (Teddy Bears)
6. "Chantilly Lace" (Big Bopper)
7. "Tea For Two Cha Cha" (Tommy Dorsey)
8. "The End" (Earl Grant)
9. "Rockin' Robin" (Bobby Day)
10. "I Got A Feeling" (Ricky Nelson)

Written by: Conway Twitty and Jack Nance.

Twitty wrote this with his drummer Jack Nance between sets at the Flamingo Lounge in Toronto, Canada.

Also by: Glen Campbell, whose version reached #10 (US) and #4 (UK); Billy Fury, whose version reached #10 (UK).

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• Conway Twitty - It's Only Make Believe (MP3)
• Glen Campbell - It's Only Make Believe (MP3)

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All I Have To Do Is Dream (1958)

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• The Everly Brothers - All I Have To Do Is Dream (MP3)

By: The Everly Brothers.

Don Everly (born Isaac Donald Everly February 1, 1937 in Brownie, Kentucky, a now-defunct coal-mining town) and Phil Everly (born January 19, 1939 in Chicago, Illinois).

The Everly Brothers were the sons of two Kentucky country musicians, Ike and Margaret Embry Everly, and were raised in Iowa. They performed with their parents on the radio and in live shows.

In 1954, RCA producer Chet Atkins (now recognized more as an influencial guitar legend) persuaded the Everly Brothers to move from Kentucky to Nashville. Once there, he became their adviser, sideman and friend.

Phil Everly said, "Chet Atkins was the reason we came to Nashville. He was always our mentor." Atkins played the prominent tremelo-drenched electric guitar on "All I Have to Do Is Dream", which was recorded in just two takes on March 6, 1958.

In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked "All I Have to Do Is Dream" at #141 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Chart position: #1 (US, 3 weeks), #1 (US Country), #1 (US R&B), #1 (UK).

It was the first record to hit #1 on all US singles charts simultaneously, on June 2, 1958. It was also the #1 Best Seller in Stores (4 weeks) and #1 Most Played by Jockeys (5 weeks) in May & June 1958.

The B-side was a song written by Roy Orbison, "Claudette" (#30 US, #1 UK).

Written by: Felice Bryant (born August 7, 1925, died April 22, 2003) and Boudleaux Bryant (born February 13, 1920, died June 26, 1987).

Felice & Boudleaux Bryant came to national prominence in both country and pop music by writing a string of hugely successful songs for the Everly Brothers (which also included "Bye Bye, Love", "Wake Up, Little Susie", "Devoted To You"). They also wrote such songs as "Country Boy", "Raining In My Heart", "Love Hurts", and "Rocky Top" (which was adopted as one of the State songs of Tennessee in 1982). 


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• The Everly Brothers - All I Have To Do Is Dream (MP3)