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OK then, let’s make some research about the release date and the categorizing as “real” albums or compilations. We can agree on consider eligible some compilations (while all the material was released during a period of less than 2 years prior to the album release) but probably these albums should not be included in Acclaimed Music main lists so I hope that this research could help Henrik too. O f course any other help that you can provide would be extremely useful.
So let’s begin with 1950 albums:
Top 2 according to AM:
1. BENNY GOODMAN “The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert”: the first double album ever is the record edition of a legendary 1938 live concert, released also as two separate volumes both in 1950. Many songs were released as a singles from 1935 to 1938 but not in these live versions, so this album is eligible.
2. CHARLIE PARKER “Charlie Parker with Strings”: released as 10” vinyl and also as three different singles (A-Sides “April in Paris”, “Just Friends” and “Summertime”), all three during 1950 (exact release date not available) from sessions that took place on November 1949 (double checked on an exhaustive Parker web page). Eligible.
3. ROY ELDRIDGE “Little Jazz” (bubbling under): no other source list this as an 1950 album, allmusic lists two different albums, one from 1956 (Clef Records) and another one from 1989 (CBS), both compilations of material recorded (and probably released) between 1935 and 1940. So I’m afraid that it’s not eligible and Henrik should consider to remove it from AM main list.
And the Top 20 of 1950 according to RYM:
1. YMA SUMAC “Voice of the Xtabay”: it seems that it was released in 1950 (not exact release date available in other sources too) as a box set of 78 RPM singles, as a 10” vinyl LP and as 4 separate singles. Given the fact that the singles were released the same year we can’t consider it as a compilation. In 1954 it was also released as a 12” vinyl LP with other album (“Inca Tanqui”) on side B. Eligible.
2. ELLA FITZGERALD “Sings George Gershwin”: it was #1 for RYM since last week, being now replaced by Yma Sumac. The eight songs on this 10” vinyl were released too as four 78 RPM singles in December 1950 from sessions that took lace on September 1950 (double checked with a page with Ella complete discography). Eligible (and fabulous).
3. FRYDERYK CHOPIN “Waltzes”: I think we should only consider eligible a classical work if it is the first release of a recent work. Not eligible.
4. CHARLIE PARKER “Charlie Parker with Strings” (see AM #2): eligible.
5. LES BAXTER “Music Out of the Moon”: an excellent album from the king of exotica with an early use of Theremin that was first issued as a 45 RPM box set in 1947 (or 1948 from other sources), released again as a 10” vinyl in 1950. Being released all the tracks 2 years before to the LP edition I should consider it as not eligible for 1950. It’s a pity because it’s great!!.
6. WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART “Die Zauberflöte”: not eligible (see #3).
7. FRANK SINATRA “Sing and Dance With Frank Sinatra”: the first “real” album of the list so far, recorded and released as an album on October of 1950 with only one song, “It All Depends on You” (the one I voted) released also as a single. Double checked with a complete discography on Wikipedia. Definitely eligible.
8. WOODY GUTHRIE “Nursery Days”: another “real” album recorded in 1947 with a quite uncertain release date, 1950 according to RYM but according to the liner notes of the 1992 CD release on Smithsonian Folkways the original release is 1951. Eligible then, of course, but as from 1951.
9. ARACY DE ALMEIDA “Noel Rosa”: a quite extensive Aracy discography (quite unusual in the case of an South American artist) list the songs on this album as 78 RPM singles released on November- December of 1950 but don’t give an exact release date for the album. In RYM it seems that in fact the 1950 release could have been a box set with the four 78 RPM singles. Anyway in my opinion it should be eligible. If you want to listen to the only song on my list not available on Spotify click here
10. JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH “Branderburg Concertos”: not eligible.
11. BENNY GOODMAN “Sextet”: it seems that it’s really a 1986 compilation of sessions of Benny Goodman with a newly formed Sextet from 1950 to 1952, although the information on this case is not reliable enough. Due to the absence of precise information I would consider it not eligible.
12. EDGAR VARÈSE “Complete Works of Edgar Varèse, Vol 1”: contrary to other classical pieces I could consider this one as eligible because according to Wikipedia it was the first record release of these pieces, although some of them were composed and published as early as 1933.
13. VARIOUS “Annie Get Your Gun”: although it seems that the album from the Broadway cast (1946) was better, this one from the movie soundtrack is eligible.
14. JO STTAFORD “Autumn in New York”: all the sources list it as a 1950 album but a super-exhaustive discography reveals that the sessions took place in 1947 and initially the songs were released as singles and as a 78 RPM box set in January 1948 and later in January 1950 as a 10” LP, so it’s the same case as Les Baxter and moreover it should be not eligible as an 1950 album.
15. LES PAUL “The New Sound!”: not sure about this one, it’s includes previous singles (particularly “Lover” from 1948) but it seems that the rest of the material dates from 1950, with Mary Ford still not involved. Eligible.
16. DORIS DAY & HARRY JAMES “Young Man with a Horn”: according too with Wikipedia it’s soundtrack album with 4 instrumental songs by Harry James with Doris Day joining on vocals on anther 4. Eligible.
17. BENNY GOODMAN “The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert Vol II” (see AM #1): eligible.
18. DAVE BRUBECK TRIO “Dave Brubeck Trio featuring Carl Tjader”: thanks to a complete Brubeck discography we can confirm that the album included two different sessions (1949 and 1950) and, although it included two singles released in 1949, it’s eligible.
19. STAN KENTON “Innovations in Modern Music”: released January 1950 according to Scaruffi and, although the sessions according other sources as Allmusic took place on February 1950C, it’s a “real” album with no singles published before, so definitely eligible.
20. JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH “Enesco Plays Bach Sonatas”: not eligible.
About the albums outside the Top 20 that receive some votes I will try to do some research. So far we got only ”Sarah Vaughan” voted by nj: thanks to a complete sessionography I can confirm that the eight songs were recorded with George Treadwell All-Stars (including a young Miles Davis) in 18 and 19 May 1950 and released by Columbia as a 10” LP, I got no information about if there were some singles extracted too, but it seems eligible.
The compilations listed in RYM should be considered not eligible: “Blues by Basie” is the 10” release of a 78 RP box set from 1944, “Jazz pour vous, nº 5: Tenor Sax” is apparently a French compilation of various artists and the Victor Young albums compiles two different movie soundtracks (probably released separately before). I’ve got no enough information about the other 2.
Next: 1950 songs.
great and huge work HOn !
merci beaucoup
Let's go with the 1950 singles:
Acclaimed Music Top Songs from 1950:
1. MUDDY WATERS “Rollin’ Stone”: release date (RD) 06/50 (recording date 02/50 triple checked on Wight & Rothwell and Wikipedia.
2. LEFTY FRIZZELL “If You Got the Money (Honey I Got the Time)”: RD 09/14/50, double checked.
3. HANK SNOW “I’m Movin’ On”: RD 05/50, double and triple checked.
4. THE WEAVERS “Goodnight Irene”: RD 06/50, almost double checked.
5. PATTI PAGE “Tennessee Waltz”: RD 11/50, double checked.
6. NAT ‘KING’ COLE “Mona Lisa”: RD 05/50, not double check available, only the recording session on 03/11/50 produced by Les Baxter.
7. PERCY MAYFIELD “Please Send Me Someone to Love”: RD 09/50, double checked.
8. PÉREZ PRADO “Mambo nº 5” (bubbling under): 1950, double checked about the US release, although I’m not sure if there was a previous 1949 Mexican release.
9. FATS DOMINO “The Fat Man” (bubbling under): RD 01/50, double checked.
Top 25 Songs of 1950 according to RYM:
1. ELLA FITZGERALD & LOUIS ARMSTRONG “Dream a Little Dream of Me”: DR 09/50, double checked.
2. NAT ‘KING’ COLE “Mona Lisa”: RD 05/50 (see AM #6).
3. FATS DOMINO “The Fat Man”: RD 02/50 (see AM #9).
4. MUDDY WATERS “Rollin’ Stone”: RD 06/50 (see AM #1).
5. ANTON KARAS “The Harry Lime Theme (The Third Man)”: RD 02/50 according to RYM (US release), other sources like Allmusic or Wikipedia stated that it was released in UK in September of 1949 where “by the end of 1949, a half million copies of "The Harry Lime Theme" had been sold, an unprecedented amount for the time”. It was released worldwide (including US) early 1950, becoming a huge success too. So definitely 1949.
6. LESTER FLATT & EARL SCRUGGS “Foggy Mountain Breakdown”: RD 03/15/1950, finally eligible for 1950, see Nicolas comments on the voting thread.
7. THE RAVENS “Count Every Star”: RD 04/50, double checked.
8. PERCY MAYFIELD “Please Send Me Someone to Love”: RD 09/50 (see AM #7).
9. HANK WILLIAMS “Long Gone Lonesome Blues”: RD 03/50, double checked.
10. PROFESSOR LONGHAIR “Mardi Gras in New Orleans”: RD 02/50, double checking not available except recording date late 1949 for Atlantic Records.
11. THE WEAVERS “Goodnight Irene”: RD 06/50 (see AM #4).
12. HANK SNOW “I’m Movin’ On”: RD 05/50 (see AM #3).
13. LIGHTNIN’ HOPKINS “Shotgun Blues”: RD 06/50, I haven’t been able to double check it (although the RYM singles discography look reliable), only found that it comes from sessions for Aladdin records on 1948.
14. CHARLIE PARKER “Bloomdido”: RD 1950, not able to confirm an exact release date, the sessions for the “Bird and Diz” album took place at 06/06/50.
15. PATTI PAGE “Tennessee Waltz”: RD 11/50 (see AM #5).
16. LOUIS JORDAN “Blue Light Boogie”: RD 07/50, double checked.
17. ARTHUR ‘BIG BOY’ CRUDUP “My Baby Left Me”: RD 12/50, although there’s a quite reliable RCA 78 discography that list it as 1951, I think I’ll keep with 1950.
18. HANK WILLIAMS “Why Don’t You Love Me”: RD 05/50, double checked.
19. ÉDITH PIAF “La vie en rose (English Version)”: RD 08/50, double checked.
20. RUTH BROWN “Teardrops From My Eyes”: RD 09/50, double and triple checked.
21. GENE AUTRY “Frosty the Snowman”: RD 10/50, double checked but as released (obviously) on December.
22. WYNONIE HARRIS “Good Morning Judge”: RD 07/50, I’ve only obtained information about the recording session on 05/18/50.
23. CHARLIE PARKER “April in Paris”: RD 1950, like other Parker releases I can only confirm the session date on 11/30/49.
24. T-BONE WALKER “Strollin’ with Bones”: RD 05/50, double checked.
25. JOE LIGGINS “Pink Champagne”: RD 04/50, double checked.
So, to cut a long story short, we can consider all those songs eligible for 1950 except “The Harry Lime Theme” that is from 1949. The cases of Pérez Prado and Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup should stay as 1950 due to lack of complete reliability of the sources.
Amazing work, Honorio! I hope you collected this information because of your own curiosity, rather than thinking that I required it...! It's awesome for me to have all this information in one place. However, should you feel tired after a bit into the '50s, I think it would be just fine to have an eligibility thread available for someone who believes that something at RYM (and/or AM) is wrong.
I,ve had quite a bit of experience of trying to work out the release dates for albums released in the 50's as part of the site work I,m doing for Henrik and I know it can be quite difficult. So Honorio I want to congratulate you on such a fantastic and thorough job.
Honorio, if you need help, I can take a year (albums or songs). Just tell me
Many thanks everyone for your comments. Henrik, I’m doing this for the 50s-60s poll but I’m glad that could be useful for AM. Nicolas, thanks for your offer but in fact I’m enjoying this a lot.
Harold, many thanks, probably you’re right. The whole thing is quite confusing because “Little Jazz” was the nickname of Roy Eldridge so there are different albums under that name, some of them compilations. The one you mention should be considered as an album because compiles songs from the same session but it’s still unclear that it was really an album released in 1950 or 1951 that included these songs. And the only list that included this album came from a Spanish book that included a lot of compilations. Sadly I don’t own this book but probably I could find a copy on a public library on my town (in fact Editorial La Máscara, the publishing company, was from Valencia) to sort out which album they were referring (wow, that’s real research). Anyway, Henrik, probably the album should remain in AM like Harold suggested.
By the way, Henrik, the same year (1993) La Máscara published another book with the 100 Best Rock Albums that I sent you by mail some time ago.
After the lists of Charlie Driggs and Stone we’re going to sort out the eligibility of their 1950 votes:
Let’s begin with Charlie Driggs Albums:
3. The Art Van Damme Quintet - Cocktail Capers: it appears as an album on RYM released on 1950 although without track listing or more details. I’ve found the 10” track listing on two different web pages but not the exact release date. Anyway, eligible.
4. Blind Blake - Bahamian Songs: you listed it as a 1950 album but both in RYM and in a complete discography the name of the first album is “A Group of Bahamian Songs” and it was released on 1951 (you named it as the 2009 CD edition). So it’s eligible but for 1951 and so are the songs of this album you voted for.
9. Luke Leilani & His Royal Hawaiians – Hawaiian Paradise: apart of RYM I was not able to confirm if it’s a 1950 release despite a complete page about Hawaiian music but I should consider it eligible.
13. Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman – Music for Peace of Mind: according to RYM was released as a 78 box set and as a 10” album, recorded in 1949 bur released in 1950. Eligible.
About the songs:
2. Hank Williams - Long Gone Lonesome Blues: you listed as from 1952 but it’s from 1950.
9. Blind Blake & The Royal Victoria Hotel Calypsos - Love Love Alone: I will consider it from 1951, see above.
11. Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie - My Melancholy Baby: yes, 1950, B-side of Bloomdido.
13. Pierre Schaeffer & Pierre Henry - Symphonie pour un homme seul: this piece was premiered on 1950 but it’s not clear if its first record release was from that year. Given the difficult way of establish the first record release of classical works I’m going to consider the first premiere as release date. So 1950.
19 Calypso Mama - Court House Scandal: even in such a complete page like this one the release date is unclear, so I’ll keep it as 1950.
21 Sarah Vaughan - Ain't misbehavin': OK, 1950.
25 Blind Blake & The Royal Victoria Hotel - Calypsos Jones (Oh Jones): I’m going to consider it from 1951, see above.
27 Luke Leilani & His Royal Hawaiians - Hawaiian Blues: 1950, same as the album.
28 Pérez Prado - Mambo No. 8: although you date this one as 1951, I should trust the exhaustive page with a Mexican release from 1950 although the US release could have been in 1951.
32 Calvin Boze - Safronia-B: double checked with RYM and Wikipedia, so 1950.
34 The Art Van Damme Quintet – Meadowland: OK for 1950, see above.
44 The Art Van Damme Quintet - I've Got You Under My Skin: same.
And about the 1950 songs voted by Stone not commented previously:
13. Teresa Brewer - Music! Music! Music!: 1950, double checked.
Can someone provide the original release date for the Parker/Machito collaboration "Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite", a remarkable 17-minute piece of music found on the CD re-issue of Parker and Gillespie's "South of the Border" (1952)? Would love to include this on a song list, just want to get the year right! Thanks.
I definitely won't be able to contribute in this game till we get to 1954.
Before continuing with 1951 albums, some general considerations about releases dates. We are used to rate pop albums and singles in which the release date is important (I mean some albums were groundbreaking on January of 1965 but not in November of 1965). But there are some problems regarding styles different than pop:
a. Jazz: there are a lot of complete discographies on the net with exact dates about recording sessions (dates and places), musicians implied and even alternate takes of the tracks recorded. But when they came to actual albums they don’t care at all about release dates or even track listings. The important, the “unit of measure” is the actual performance (the recording session) and not the “commercial” release.
b. Classical (even modern classical): the data on the net about classical works take account of the publishing of the music sheet or even the date of the public premiere and they don’t care at all too about its release as an album (sometimes it takes years to get recorded). So it’s hard to find information about it and if we didn’t find enough information about the first record release maybe we should consider the publishing date.
c. Folk-World: two big problems here, the focus here it’s on oral tradition so it’s completely uncertain the first release of a given song since most of them are reworking of traditional songs (so we should count here the first release of a given version). And the second is the spare information on the net about some music traditions (I was surprised however about the huge information on Bahamian music).
d. And a new issue from Charlie Driggs votes, the movie soundtracks. Charlie voted for the wonderful soundtrack of “The Earth That Stood Still”, a 1951 movie. Well, according to different sources the first release as an album of that soundtrack was in 1993(!!) at the height of a renewed interest on exotica and space-age pop. So, what should I do? I think it’s absurd to consider this a 1993 album, so why not consider as a release date the one of the movie premiere? Another example, my #12 song of all-time, Audrey Hepburn’s “Moon River” was featured in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” soundtrack on 1961 but it was not officially released till 1993. My opinion? 1961, of course.
So let’s sort out the elegibility of the 1951 albums:
Top 2 according to AM:
1. THELONIOUS MONK “Genius of Modern Music”: this album is technically a compilation, all of their tracks were previously released as singles between 1948 and 1949 by Blue Note Records. The 1956 re-release included different songs (it featured a chronological order of the recording sessions) but all of them were previously released too (see here). So, with the criteria that I established for the poll it’s eligible (although on the limit, two exact years from the last single release to the first release of the album). The problem is for Henrik for the main site because it’s a highly acclaimed album (it appears on 19 lists!!) but, although it’s the first release on an album of these songs, it’s obviously a compilation. My opinion (that probably is not Henrik’s) is that if a given compilation gets enough acclaim (let’s say, appearing in more than 10 all time lists) should be included on AM main list (we could have in that case historical albums as “Nuggets”, “The Sun Collection” of “Singles Going Steady”). But it’s up to you, Henrik.
2. BUD POWELL “The Amazing Bud Powell”: it compiles 4 different singles released from 1949 to 1951. Four songs were released as a single in 1951 almost simultaneously to the album, so we shouldn’t consider it as a compilation and of course is eligible for the poll. By the way, Henrik, the cover art you put is the one of the 1955 re-release as a double album.
And the Top 20 of 1951 according to RYM:
1. BUD POWELL “The Amazing Bud Powell”: eligible, see above.
2. DUKE ELLINGTON “Masterpieces by Ellington”: a real album, it featured longer newly recorded versions of classic Ellington compositions seizing the opportunities of the then new format, apart of a new composition, the excellent “Tattooed Bride” (see AMG). No exact date of release, many sources quote Dec 18 of 1950 as recording session, so 1951. Eligible.
3. JOHN CAGE “Sonatas and Interludes for Piano”: one of the few classical works in which the information seems quite reliable, Cage composed this work from 1946 to 1948, the first live complete premiere by Maro Anjemian was in January 1949 and she played too the first recording of this work in late 1950, being released in 1951 according to John Cage Database, Wikipedia and RYM. Definitely eligible as 1951 despite being 1948 the year of composition.
4. LES BAXTER “Le sacre du sauvage”: released as a 10” with 8 songs as “Le sacre du sauvage” and as a 12” LP with 12 songs as “Ritual of the Savage”, both in 1951, double checked. Eligible (in fact it’s currently at the top of the year after three voters).
5. MIKLÓS RÓZSA “Quo Vadis?”: the soundtrack of this peplum was released the same year of the movie premiere. So it’s eligible.
6. TRÍO MATAMOROS “La china en la rumba”: no information enough but it seems that it’s a compilation of songs released from 1928 to 1951 (so that’s what it says on the CD back cover, I’m not sure about the vinyl), so I’m going to consider not eligible (sadly because some songs are delicious like Lágrimas Negras from 1932).
7. ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST “Guys and Dolls”: from the Broadway play, not the Brando movie, recorded in 1950 but released on early 1951. Eligible.
8. BILLIE HOLIDAY “At Storyville”: the more I search the more I realize that this should be not eligible, the first release of the broadcasted 1951 Storyville sessions was in 1964 as A Rare Live Recording of Billie Holiday and later (1981) as At Storyville. So finally nj if you don’t mind I’m going to add your points to “Billie Holiday Sings” as initially told you. Please let me know if you don’t agree.
9. SONNY STITT “Sonny Stitt and Bud Powell”: not too information outside RYM but it seems that it’s eligible.
10. LESTER YOUNG “Lester Young Trio Vol. 1”: not sure about this one too, it seems that it’s the first volume of 8 songs recorded with Nat King Cole and Buddy Rich on 1946. Probably it’s a compilation (in AMG is listed like that) and those songs surfaced previously in singles but I can’t assure that so I can’t help to consider it eligible.
11. FILM SOUNDTRACK “An American in Paris”: eligible, double checked on the complete web-page Soundtrack Collector.
12. GERRY MULLIGAN “Gerry Mulligan”: the first Mulligan album (after working for other musicians including Miles Davis) is a 10” from sessions that had place in 1951 still without Chet Baker on the line-up, information obtained from an exhaustive Mulligan discography. This album was named in successive editions “Mulligan Plays Mulligan”. Eligible.
13. MACHITO “Afro-Cuban Jazz”: or “Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite” according to other sources. See Stephan comment above, it was recorded on 1950 and released on 1951. Eligible.
14. MODERN JAZZ QUARTET “Milt Jackson Quartet”: not clear at all, it seems that before becoming Modern Jazz Quartet they released an album as Milt Jackson Quartet but it’s confusing because other sources don’t quote this album as part of their discography. With the replacement on drums of Kenny Clarke by Percy Heath they became the MJQ and their proper first album was released on 1954. Probably eligible after all.
15. GEORGE SHEARING “Touch of Genius!”: it seems that it’s an official album and the release date is double checked (but only with Wikipedia). Eligible.
16. GIUSEPPE VERDI “Messa da Requiem”: not-first-release-of-classical-work, not eligible.
17. GIACOMO PUCCINI “La Boheme”: not eligible.
18. HANK WILLIAMS “Hank Williams Sings”: it show in some all-time lists (like the Sean Egan book) but it’s really a compilation in the same way that “Genius of Modern Music”, but since all the songs were released as singles between 1947 and 1950 it’s eligible for our poll.
19. LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN “Symphony nº 7”: not eligible.
20. HECTOR BERLIOZ “Symphonie fantastique”: not eligible.
About the albums not in these lists voted so far:
- GEORGE GERSHWIN "Complete Porgy & Bess (Studio Cast)" (my #12): according to Wikipedia it was the first release of the complete 1935 opera on a 3 LP album, so it seems eligible.
- JOHN CAGE "String Quartet in Four Parts" (my #13): difficult question, in RYM they mentioned a 1951 release by the New Music String Quartet and they even quote an exact date of release (03/31/51) but in a exhaustive John Cage database mention that date as a live performance from that Quartet (probably recorded) and the release as LP was in 1953. Given the difficult of exact dating of the album I think I’m going to consider it eligible as 1951.
- LES PAUL & MARY FORD "Les Paul's New Sound, Vol. 2" (my #22): the first official album of the duo, the Vol 2 makes reference to the previous solo album of Les Paul named "Les Paul's New Sound", double checked. Eligible.
- JOHNNIE RAY "Johnnie Ray": the first album on history with no title on the cover art (Johnnie was that famous at the time) was listed on RYM as a 1951 album but other sources listed as released on 07/05/52 (probably more reliable because the album included basically songs that were released as singles in 1952), so it’s eligible but as 1952.
- SYLVIA DE GRASSE "Sylvia de Grasse canta Cosa Linda" (nj’s #7): I haven’t found information about this one apart of RYM, so it’s probably eligible.
- BLIND BLAKE "A Group of Bahamian Songs" (Charlie Driggs’ #4): 1951, as commented previously.
- PÉREZ PRADO "Mondo Mambo!" (Charlie Driggs’ #5): Charlie, I’m afraid that this album is a compilation released on 1995, if you don’t mind I will give your points to the first Pérez Prado album ("Pérez Prado Plays Mucho Mambo for Dancing" given the fact that all the songs on this album are included on this compilation. Charlie, if you don’t agree please let me know.
- BERNARD HERRMANN "The Day the Earth Stood Still (Soundtrack)" (Charlie Driggs’ #7): another conflictive vote, according to all the sources (RYM, AMG, Soundtrack Collector or BH Society) the first release of the soundtrack of the 1951 movie was on 1993. Anyway I’m going to consider it eligible as 1951 (and probably on other soundtracks that could collect some votes).
- KORLA PANDIT "The Grand Moghul Suite" (Charlie Driggs’ #14): you listed it as 1951, and you’re right despite being listed as 1950 on RYM, I’ve checked on a complete Pandit discography. Eligible as other fascinating choices by Charlie Driggs (great great list despite the hard work you’re giving to me!)
Time for the 1951 singles:
1. JACKIE BRENSTON AND HIS DELTA CATS “Rocket “88””: release date (RD) 04/51, double checked.
2. ELMORE JAMES “Dust My Broom”: RD 11/51 (see Nicolas comments on the recommendation thread).
3. LES PAUL & MARY FORD “How High the Moon”: RD 03/51, double checked.
4. HANK WILLIAMS “Hey, Good Lookin'”: RD 06/51, double checked.
5. HANK WILLIAMS “Cold, Cold Heart'”: RD 02/51, double checked.
6. JONNIE RAY “Cry”: RD 11/51, double checked.
7. LEFTY FRIZZELL “Always Late (With Your Kisses)”: RD 07/51, double checked.
8. BUD POWELL “Un Poco Loco”: 1951, recorded 05/51.
9. BILLY WARD & THE DOMINOES “Sixty Minute Man”: RD 05/51, double checked.
10. EARL BOSTIC “Flamingo”: RD 10/51, double checked.
11. PEPPERMINT HARRIS “I Got Loaded” (bubbling under): RD 1951, almost double checked.
12. CHARLES BROWN “Black Night” (bubbling under): RD 01/51, almost double checked.
Top 25 Songs of 1951 according to RYM:
1. JACKIE BRENSTON AND HIS DELTA CATS “Rocket “88””: RD 04/51 (see AM #1).
2. HANK WILLIAMS “Hey, Good Lookin'”: RD 06/51 (see AM #4).
3. LUKE THE DRIFTER “Ramblin’ Man”: RD 12/51, double checked.
4. ELMORE JAMES “Dust My Broom”: RD 11/51 (see AM #2).
5. CHARLES BROWN “Black Night”: RD 01/51 (see AM bubbling under).
6. JONNIE RAY “Cry”: RD 11/51 (see AM #6).
7. LES PAUL & MARY FORD “How High the Moon”: RD 03/51 (see AM #3).
8. HOWLIN’ WOLF “Moanin’ at Midnight”: RD 10/51, double checked.
9. NAT ‘KING’ COLE “Unforgettable”: RD 10/51, double checked.
10. BILLY WARD & THE DOMINOES “Sixty Minute Man”: RD 05/51, (see AM #9).
11. HANK WILLIAMS “Cold, Cold Heart'”: RD 02/51 (see AM #5).
12. JOHN LEE HOOKER “I’m in the Mood”: RD 09/51, double checked.
13. BILL HALEY AND HIS COMETS “Rocket “88””: RD 07/51, double checked.
14. WYNONIE HARRIS “Bloodshot Eyes”: RD 07/51, double checked.
15. EARL BOSTIC “Flamingo”: RD 10/51 (see AM #10).
16. THE LARKS “My Reverie”: RD 05/51, double checked.
17. NAT ‘KING’ COLE “Too Young”: RD 03/51, double checking not available.
18. BUD POWELL “Un Poco Loco”: 1951 (see AM #8).
19. BILLY WARD AND THE DOMINOES “Harbor Lights”: RD 01/51, double checked.
20. TINY BRADSHAW “The Train Kept A-Rollin’”: RD 12/51, double checked.
21. B.B. KING “Three O’Clock Blues”: RD 12/51, double checked.
22. TOMMY EDWARDS “It’s All in the Game”: RD 08/51, double checked.
23. HANK WILLIAMS “Howlin’ at the Moon”: RD 05/41, double checked.
24. THE SWALLOWS “It Ain’t the Meat”: RD 12/51, double checked.
25. THE FIVE KEYS “The Glory of Love”: RD 07/51, double checked.
About the songs out of these lists that had been voted so far:
- DUKE ELLINGTON "The Tattooed Bride" (my #15): RD 1951 as part of the album “Masterpieces by Ellington”.
- TONY BENNETT "Blue Velvet" (my #27): RD 10/51, double checked.
- LOUIS JORDAN "If You're So Smart How Come You Ain't Rich" (my #29): RD 06/51, double checked.
- THELONIOUS MONK "Straight, No Chaser" (my #30): RD 1951 as B-side of “Four in One”, double checked.
- THELONIOUS MONK "Ask Me Now" (my #42): RD 1951, double checked.
- LES BAXTER "Quiet Village" (my #48): RD 1951 as part of "Le sacre du sauvage" and also as a single on 1952, according to a Les Baxter page this song went to the #1 of the charts three times, in the 50s, in the 60s and again in the 70s.
- JOHN CAGE "Quietly Flowing Along" (my #50): the first movement of “String Quartet in Four Parts”, as I told about the album I’m not that sure about the release date but let’s say 1951.
- BLIND BLAKE & THE ROYAL VICTORIA HOTEL CALYPSOS "Love Love Alone" (Charlie Driggs’ #9) Calypsos Jones (Oh Jones) (#25): RD 1951, see comments on 1950 songs.
- KORLA PANDIT "Magnetic Theme" (Charlie Driggs’ #23): RD 1951 as part of “The Grand-Moghul Suite”, see comments about the album.
- MARLENE DIETRICH "Fraülein Anni Wohnt Schon Lang Nicht Hier" (Charlie Driggs’ #42): RD 1951 as part of "Overseas" album, double checked.
- MACHITO "Havana Special" (Charlie Driggs’ #43): it seems that it’s a bonus track of the CD edition of “Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite” but I’m not sure so I’m going to consider it eligible as 1951’s.
- LORD KITCHENER "London Is the Place for Me" (Charlie Driggs’ #46): not RD in RYM and, despite finding a lot of web pages about these calypso singer from Trinidad I can’t check the exact release date, so 1951.
So, if you don’t want to read all these boring data, they’re ALL ELIGIBLE for 1951.
From the Brad 1950 list, new songs not appearing on previous lists:
05. CHARLIE PARKER "Just Friends": RD 1950, A-side single from the Strings Sessions.
11. HANK WILLIAMS "Moanin' the Blues": RD 10/50, double checked.
14. YMA SUMAC "Monos (Monkeys)": RD 1950, both as B-side of "Ataypura" and as part of "Voice of the Xtabay".
15. YMA SUMAC "Incacho (Royal Anthem)": not eligible as 1950, see main thread.
16. YMA SUMAC "Malaya! (My Destiny)": not eligible as 1950, same case as #15.
17. CHARLIE PARKER "Everything Happens to Me": RD 1950, B-side single of "Just Friends"
18. CHARLIE PARKER "Laura": RD 1950, B-side single of "Dancing in the Dark".
19. ROY BROWN "Hard Luck Blues": RD 06/50, double checked.
25. YMA SUMAC "Chuncho (Forest Creatures)": not eligible as 1950, same as #15 and 16.
27. VIC DAMONE "Just Say I Love Her": RD 1950, double checked.
28. YMA SUMAC "Accla Taqui (Chant of the Chosen Maidens)": RD 1950, B- side of "Wayra".
29. NELLIE LUTCHER AND NAT KING COLE "For You My Love": RD 1950, double checked.
30. CHARLIE PARKER "If I Should Lose You": RD 1950, B-side single of "April in Paris".
32. CHARLIE PARKER "East of the Sun": RD 1950, B-side single of "You Came Along From Out of Nowhere", not released in album till 1955 on "Charlie Parker With Strings Vol. 2".
35. ARACY DE ALMEIDA "O X do Problema": RD 12/50, B-side of “Não tem tradução" double checked.
36. CHARLIE PARKER "Summertime": RD 1950, A-side single.
38. JOHNNY OTIS QUINTETTE, THE ROBINS, AND LITTLE ESTHER "Double Crossing Blues": RD 01/50, double checked.
39. ARACY DE ALMEIDA "Conversa de Botequim": RD 12/50, B-side of "Palpite infeliz", double checked.
42. PEGGY LEE "I Only Have Eyes for You": quiet confusing, in two exhaustive discographies only was recorded for short films purposes and not for vinyl release. Anyway the version is so good and other sources list it that I’m going to consider eligible
43. ARCHIBALD "Stack-A-Lee": RD 04/50, double checked.
44. PATTI PAGE "I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine": RD 1950, double checked.
45. LEFTY FRIZZELL "I Love You A Thousand Ways": RD 09/50 as B-side of "If You Got the Money", double checked.
46. ROSIE HIBLER AND FAMILY "Move Members Move": not information enough about the date of release, part of the Folkways compilation “Negro Folk Music of Alabama”. Ok, 1950 then.
And, well, I think it’s enough of this. I will continue checking the eligibility and the date of release, but from now on I will only point to the albums and songs with incorrect date releases. Otherwise the whole thing was going to be extremely boring. Hope you don’t mind.
Thank you, Honorio for the excellent work of research. For me, it's great fun to dive into an era I was totally umfamiliar with. I withdraw my earlier statement that these are boaring years. The deeper you dig, the more exciting stuff you find.
these 50s are awesome. Everything took shape during these years.
Thanks a lot boys, I will continue with 1952 in a few days. And, yes, the early 50s were surprisingly good, varied and exciting. I'm learning a lot from your great lists, and I see that everyone of us is learning from each other. Nicolas asked about information about jazz and I though that in fact I knew very little jazz before last month. I'm just learning a lot these days! And enjoying it!
Newly voted albums (1950-1951)
Mindrocker:
- PETE SEEGER “Darling Corey”: not in RYM but it was released in 1950 according to the liner notes on 1993 Folkways release. Wow, great album, I didn’t about its existence!
- DOCK REED & VERA HALL WARD “Negro Folk music of Alabama: Spirituals”: I’m not really sure about this one, if you go to Folkways page on the liner notes it seems that it was recorded in 1950 but released in 1956 as Volume 5 of 6 albums under “Negro Folk music of Alabama”. Since probably there was a previous release not related with this collection I’m going to consider it from 1950.
- EDITH PIAF “Chansons Parisiennes, Vol 2”: on RYM there’s not a track listing but we can find it in a Columbia discography.
- CHICO O'FARRILL “The Second Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite”: ah, yes, I didn't know about its existence, that's why the CD version of the first suite featured a B-side with another suite. However I'm not sure about the date release because a biography dates it as 1952, but let's stay with 1951 lacking a more reliable source.
- CAL TJADER TRIO “Cal Tjader Trio”: well, this is a real rarity, it's not on RYM but the comments about the CD release list as recorded and released in 1951 by Fantasy label, double checked.
- GENE AMMONS & SONY STITT “Battle of the Saxes”: another obscure album with little information on the web but listed on RYM, AMG and Jazz Disco as recorded on 1950 (not sure about the date of release though)
- OSCAR PETERSON “At Carnegie”: and another obscure album on Mindrocker list!, not completey sure about the date release but the album was recorded on September of 1950 and released by Mercury label.
- LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS “Blues Train”: not sure about this one too, the cover art is not from 1951 (obviously) but it shows both in RYM and AMG, so... OK!
Miguel:
- OSCAR PETERSON “Keyboard”: not track listing on RYM but you can find it on Verve page and on a complete discography.
- ELLA FITZGERALD “Souvenir Album”: sorry Miguel, but an exhaustive Ella discography proves that all the songs in the “Souvenir Album” were previously released as singles from 1940 to 1942, so it’s a compilation of songs published more than two years before (although it’s the first album release of these songs). Not eligible.
- FRANK SINATRA “Songs by Sinatra”: an exhaustive Sinatra sessionography reveals that the songs were recorded from 1944 to 1947 and apparently released as 78 singles and moreover a supercomplete discography tells that it was first released in 1947 as a 78 boxset and after as a 10” LP in 01/50. So I'm afraid that it's 1947's and not 1950, so not eligible. But, Miguel, you can replace it by “Dedicated to You” that was released in 03/50. Ya me dices, Miguel.
- OSCAR PETERSON “Tenderly”: same as “Keyboard”, double checked on the same pages, eligible.
- LOUIS ARMSTRONG “Satchmo at Pasadena”: from a live performance on 09/30/1951, eligible.
- BILLIE HOLIDAY “Favorites”: sorry but this album is really a compilation of songs recorded and released as singles between 1939 and 1942 with the only exception of the last one (“Mandy Is Two”), recorded in 1942 but not released till this 1951 release. Sorry but not eligible.
- DORIS DAY “Lullaby of Broadway” and DORIS DAY “On Moonlight Bay”: both released in 1951, both soundtracks and both eligible
Nicolas:
- BROWNIE McGHEE “Traditional Blues vol. 1”: released by Folkways and, like any other releases from this (very important) label it’s not clear if it’s the date is the recording or the release date, according to the liner notes it was probably released in 1960 but…
- LEFTY FRIZZELL “Listen to Lefty”: you list it as from 1951 but in this web page the release date is specified as June 1952. It is a compilation of singles released from 1950 to 1952, so it’s eligible.
- VARIOUS “Negro Folk Music of Alabama vol. 1 : Secular Music”: as a said with of Vol. 5 of these series it was probably released in 1956 but I’m not sure so 1951 is OK.
Soon: eligibility of 1952 albums voted so far.
1952 albums voted so far:
- HANK WILLIAMS "Moanin' the Blues": really a compilation of songs released previously as singles from 1948 to 1951 (double checked on a Williams complete discography), so it fits with our criteria but not with AM main list criteria. Despite being a compilation it works perfectly as a concept alum about (you guessed) moanin’ the blues. An the voters so far have recognized its first rate.
- CHARLIE PARKER & DIZZY GILLESPIE "Bird and Diz": another compilation!!, it was released in 1952 according both to RYM and Wikipedia but included 6 songs previously published as singles in 1950 with Parker & Gillespie and two other songs by Parker solo released in 1949. Eligible for our poll anyway.
- GENE KELLY, DONALD O’CONNOR & DEBBIE REYNOLDS "Singin' in the Rain": the original 1952 release contained 9 songs from the movie soundtrack not including the incidental music as posterior releases.
- BILLIE HOLIDAY "Billie Holiday Sings": a real album from the very first Billie sessions after her imprisonment with Oscar Peterson on the line-up, released as a 10” in 1952 and after as a 12” named Solitude. Finally I won’t add nj votes to this one because it changes a lot the final results and her intention was to vote for “Storyville”.
- EDITH PIAF "La vie en rose": another eligible compilation of songs released as singles between 1950 and 1952.
- THELONIOUS MONK "Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 2": yes, and another eligible compilation, all the songs were previously released as singles between 1949 and 1952.
- MILES DAVIS "Young Man With a Horn": a real album coming from sessions on 05/09/1952.
- NAT 'KING' COLE "Penthouse Serenade: Nat 'King' Cole at the Piano": another real album showing the instrumental face of Nat Cole.
- LOUIS ARMSTRONG "Satchmo Serenades": this is however a compilation of singles released from 1949 to 1951, eligible.
- YMA SUMAC “Legend of the Sun Virgin”: 1952, double checked.
- STAN KENTON “City of Glass”: not so sure about the release date, in RYM is listed as 1952 and it was recorded in December of 1951.
- BLIND BLAKE “A Second Album of Bahamian Songs”: released in 1952 according to this complete discography.
- STAN GETZ “Jazz at Storyville”: recorded in 1951 and apparently released in 1952.
- SONNY TERRY “Harmonica and Vocal Solos”: recorded in 1952 and probably released this year by Folkways, although looking at the liner dates the date of release could have been 1962, but I’m not sure so 1952.
- AMOS MILBURN “Rockin’ the Boogie”: yes! 1952, see here.
- HORACE SILVER TRIO “New Faces New Sounds”: according to many different sources it was recorded in October of 1952 but the only source that list a release date is RYM that lists it as 1953. Since I’m not able of checking in other source let’s say 1952 then.
- KARLHENIZ STOCKHAUSEN “Etude”: according to Wikipedia Stockhausen composed his Konkrete Etüde in December of 1952 in Pierre Schaeffer’s Paris concrete musique studio, so it’s improbable a record release before 1953. Anyway I haven’t found any information about release date so I cannot change it.
- OSCAR PETERSON “Plays George Gershwin”: not sure about the exact release date, according Wikipedia the album whose cover art shows in RYM was released in 1959 called “Oscar Peterson Plays the George Gershwin Songbook” and include many songs from a 1952 release call “Plays George Gershwin”. A complete sessionography dates the sessions on November of 1952, so 1952, OK.
- OSCAR PETERSON “This Is Oscar Peterson”: mmm, I don’t what to think about this one, it doesn’t show at the sessionography, and most of the songs posted by Miguel come from early sessions (mostly 1945) but anyway due to the lack of information I will consider it from 1952 as RYM says.
- LES PAUL & MARY FORD “Bye Bye Blues”: second album of the couple, 1952 according to RYM
- CHARLIE PARKER “South of the Border”: not track listing on RYM but on the liner notes of the 1995 CD edition (including 3 other songs and the famous “Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite”) mentioned that 7 songs came from a 10” released in 1952, so eligible.
- MILT JACKSON “Wizard of the Vibes”: eligible, from sessions on 04/07/1952
- LEFTY FRIZZELL “Listen to Lefty”: see 1951.
- JULIETTE GRÉCO “Chante ses derniers succès”: apart of RYM, I haven’t been able to confirm it, so let’s trust RYM.
About the songs I will only point to the ones with “incorrect” or doubtful date of release:
- With only one exception: PÉREZ PRADO “Babarabatiri”: excellent choice for #1, Mindrocker! Beny Moré was a terrific singer!
- TINY BRADSHAW “Walk That Mess”: in RYM and in this complete discography is listed as 1951.
- STANLEY BROTHERS “I'm a Man of Constant Sorrow”: the only release date I’ve found is 1951.
- LESTER FLATT & EARL SCRUGGS “Doin' My Time”: 1951, according both with RYM and a complete discography.
- OSCAR PETERSON “Padovani (Live)”: if I considered “At Carnegie” 1951, this one too.
- WYNONIE HARRIS “Baby, Shame on You”: it’s from 1949, double checked, so not eligible (shame on me then).
- REVEREND KELSEY “I'm a Royal Child”: very little information about this one, so 1951.
- REVEREND C.C. CHAPMAN “On My Way Pts. 1 & 2”: well, not many information in Reverends in general, so 1951 too.
- SOUL STIRRERS “It Won't Be Very Long”: according to two different discographies it was released in 1952.
- DONNA HIGHTOWER “I Ain't in the Mood”: wow, a real rarity, Donna was a star in Spain in the late 60s and, yes, her first single was released in 1951, see here. It was an answer to John Lee Hooker “I’m in the Mood”.
- ROBERT LOCKWOOD “Dig Myself a Hole”: didn’t find information about the release date, the recording session took place on November 1951.
- BIG MAYBELLE “Gabbin’ Blues”: some conflict here because RYM or Wikipedia list it as 1953 but I’ve found two exhaustive discographies of Big Maybelle and Okeh Label so 1952
- THE DUKE OF IRON “The Lost Watch”: not enough information about the exact release date despite having found a quite complete discography.
- MUDDY WATERS “She Moves Me”: according to different sources it was released in 1951.
- BLUE SMITTY “Crying”: I haven’t found almost nothing, so 1952.
- STAN GETZ “Tabu”: it was released as a single with “Moonlight in Vermont” but as Johnny Smith Quintet (including Stan Getz), see here and here.
- LEROY ANDERSON “Fiddle Faddle”: the author composed and published the tune in 1947, and it’s the only date available on the web, probably it was recorded by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra, maybe there’s a recording by Leroy Anderson but I’m afraid I’m going to consider it from 1947 and then not eligible.
And about Miguel songs: many of the Hank Williams tunes you chose were released in 1949 and so are not eligible: you already removed “Lost Highway” and “I’m so Lonesome I Could Cry” from 1950 but you listed again them in 1952 (despite being on the “Moanin’ the Blues” album are not eligible again). Same about “Wedding Bells”, “Lovesick Blues” and “I Saw the Light” too.
Brad’s song choices:
- MACHITO “Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite” has been released as a song in posterior compilations but on its initial release it was considered as a 6 songs 10” LP. Anyway I’m going to consider it eligible as a song too.
- ART TATUM released “I Know That You Know” as a single in 1948, I suppose that the 1951 version you vote is the one on the album Gene Norman’s Just Jazz, a live version probably recorded in 1949 and released in 1951 or 1952. Eligible, I suppose.
- FATS NOEL “Rocket Flight”: no information enough about this one, so 1951, OK
One last thing about eligibility: I’m not sure about the release date of Lester Young’s “The Pres-ident Plays with Oscar Peterson Trio”, included on AM main list in 1952 and only received a vote so far (Brad’s). According to many different sources it was recorded on 4th August of 1952 but apparently it was first released by Norgran label (and after by Verve) as two separate albums called “Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio”, “#1” and “#2” both in 1954, reunited in 1955 in a (double?) album and later in 1959 under the name “The Pres-ident Plays with Oscar Peterson Trio”. So I will consider it eligible for 1954 on the next poll (that will begin tomorrow!).
By the way, do you remember Sinder Velvin? He was (is) a young man from Romania, he took active part on the forum some years ago (sometimes under different names!) and he added a lot of mad controversy to the forum in past times till he suddenly disappeared. Well, looking for information on Rate Your Music I realized that he has a HUGE vinyl collection of early 50s gems (inherited maybe?) and, surprisingly enough, he don’t have his collection in high regard because he use to give really low ratings to those albums!! His way of rating is undoubtedly unique (moreover he uses a funny way of rating with names of dictionaries), rating for instance with half a star to “OK Computer” and 5 stars to “CD lens cleaner” (his all time #1). Hey, Sinder, come back here if only for the 50s poll (unless you’re doing it already under another name)
great work Honorio... I'll withdraw my Lester Young vote and reserve it for 1954.
One early question regarding 1953... Professor Longhair's "New Orleans Piano" was released in 1972 per both AMG and RYM. However, I've seen some sources list it's original release date as 1953. I wanted to check out the LPs eligibility as it's a personal favorite of mine. Any help confirming would be great... Thanks!
Thanks, Brad. Soon I will begin the eligibility of 1953...
Nicolas, I love your list! But some of the choices are not not eligible or with a different date:
- MOON MULLICAN “I’ll Sail My Ship Alone”: released in 1949 according with a complete King label discography and RYM too.
- MADDOX BROTHERS AND ROSE “Philadelphia Lawyer”: released in 1949 according to a complete discography.
- BILIE HOLIDAY “Solitude”: Billie recorded this Duke Ellington song several times, particularly in 1941, 1947 and 1952, see here, but the only eligible for this poll is the 1952 one.
- LUIS MARIANO “Mexico”: you’re right, in RYM is listed as 1952 but in a French discography is listed as released on 15/12/1951.
- HOWLIN' WOLF “Houserockin' Boogie”: I haven’t found information about this one, because it’s not “Howlin’ Wolf Boogie”, isn’t it? The latter was recorded at Sun Studios on December 1951 and released by Chess on January 1952, double checked in a Sun Records discography Chess discography. Anyway I will consider 1951.
- SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON “Nine Below Zero”: recorded on 04/12/51 but (probably) released on April 1952.
- HENRI SALVADOR “Le Loup, la Biche et le Chevalier”: 1952 (surely you got more information) but I’ve found a discographie that lists it as 1950.
- RAY PRICE “Move On in and Stay”: not found in a complete discography till 1967 but I’ll still accept 1952.
Honorio
Go on with your changes and replace the misdated songs by those that are behind in my list.
Sorry, but I haven't checked all the dates. I'll do it for the next poll. Anyway, those release dates are a pain and thanks a lot for checking them out so seriously.
About the Howlin' Wolf song : I took it from this compilation.
All the songs on that Cd were recorded in 1951 but I don't know about the release dates.
The Ray Price song comes from the same compilation as the Howlin' Wolf but from 1952, all I can tell you is that it was recorded in Tennessee in july 1952.
and one more thing
Honorio, how many songs per year get points ?
The first 20, just like the previous polls
Props for your research, Honorio! Hope I didn't cause too much work with my long lists.
Just a few comments: I guess that Leroy Anderson recorded 'Fiddle faddle' in the 40s, but later he made a re-recording of it. I think this version was originally on Anderson's 'Blue tango' album, one of the biggest sellers of '52. Now you can find Fiddle faddle on the CD 'Great songs of 1952' (see also the webpage http://www.bookzap.com/1952_Music_Great_Songs_of_1952/p/1952_songs.htm).
Oscar Peterson's 'Padovani' was recorded during a Carnegie Hall performance, but it's not on 'At Carnegie'. You'll find it on 'Norman Granz Jazz Concert' (Norgran records), from 1950. Peterson gave a second Carnegie Hall concert and from that they distilled 'At Carnegie' (Clef/Mercury) in '51.
You're right about the release date of 'Baby, shame on you' by Wynonie Harris. If you can replace it with 'Bloodshot eyes', that would be fine by me.
Sorry, Honorio. I guess it's late for this (next time, I’ll try to check more carefully the dates of the releases… ¡palabrita de Niño Jesús! ) and you've already prepared the final lists. In any case, these would be my final lists, taking into account the eligible songs and albums.
Albums (1950)
1. ELLA FITZGERALD: Ella Sings Gershwin
2. LES PAUL: The New Sound!
3. OSCAR PETERSON: Keyboard
4. FRANK SINATRA: Swing and Dance with Frank Sinatra
5. PETE SEEGER: Darling Corey
6. DORIS DAY: Young Man with a Horn
7. FRANK SINATRA: Songs by Sinatra
8. OSCAR PETERSON: Tenderly
9. CHARLIE PARKER: Charlie Parker with Strings
10. DORIS DAY: Tea for Two
Songs (1950)
1. HANK WILLIAMS & HIS DRIFTING COWBOYS: Long Gone Lonesome Blues
2. ELLA FITGERALD & LOUIS ARMSTRONG: Dream a Little Dream of Me
3. PÉREZ PRADO AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Mambo No 5
4. HANK WILLIAMS & HIS DRIFTING COWBOYS: Moanin' The Blues
5. ELLA FIZGERALD: Someone to Watch Over Me
6. SARAH VAUGHAN: Nice Work If You Can Get It
7. LOUIS ARMSTRONG: La vie en rose
8. THE WEAVERS: The Wreck of the John B
9. PÉREZ PRADO AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Mambo No 8
10. HANK WILLIAMS & HIS DRIFTING COWBOYS: My Son Calls Another Man Daddy
11. LOUIS ARMSTRONG: C’est si bone
12. ELLA FITGERALD: But Not for Me
13. LES PAUL: Caravan
14. THE WEAVERS: Goodnight Irene
15. OSCAR PETERSON: Jumpin With Symphony Syd
16. SARAH VAUGHAN: Ain't Misbehavin'
17. MUDDY WATERS: Rolling Stone
18. HANK WILLIAMS & HIS DRIFTING COWBOYS: I Just Don’t Like This Kind of Living
19. HANK WILLIAMS & HIS DRIFTING COWBOYS: Why Don’t You Love Me
20. HANK WILLIAMS: Beyond the Sunset
Albums (1951)
1. HANK WILLIAMS & HIS DRIFTING COWBOYS: Hank Williams Sings
2. VARIOUS ARTISTS: An American in Paris
3. PÉREZ PRADO AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Plays mucho Mambo for dancing
4. LES PAUL & MARY FORD: Les Paul's New Sound, Vol. 2
5. LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND THE ALL STARS: Satchmo at Pasadena
6. WOODY GUTHRIE: Songs to Grow On, Vol. One / Nursery Days
7. DORIS DAY: Lullaby of Broadway
8. THELONIOUS MONK: Genius of Modern Music
9. DORIS DAY: Moonlight
10. BUD POWELL: The Amazing Bud Powell
Songs (1952)
1. GEORGE BRASSENS: La mauvaise réputation
2. GENE KELLY: Singing in the Rain
3. HANK WILLIAMS & HIS DRIFTING COWBOYS: Jambalaya (On the Bayou)
4. HANK WILLIAMS & HIS DRIFTING COWBOYS: I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive
5. DONALD O’CONNOR: Make ‘Em Laugh
6. Cry
7. HANK WILLIAMS & HIS DRIFTING COWBOYS: Honky Tonk Blues
8. DINAH WASHINGTON: Mad About the Boy
9. GENE KELLY, DEBBIE REYNOLDS & DONALD O'CONNOR: Good Morning
10. DEBBIE REYNOLDS: All I Do is Dream of You
11. GEORGE BRASSENS: Le gorille
12. LLOYD PRICE: Lawdy Miss Clawdy
13. BILLIE HOLIDAY: Solitude
14. CHET BAKER: My Funny Valentine
15. THE CLOVER: One Mint Julep
16. GENE KELLY & DONALD O'CONNOR: Moses
17. OSCAR PETERSON: ‘S Wonderful
18. HANK WILLIAMS & HIS DRIFTING COWBOYS: Half as Much
19. JIMMY FORREST: Night Train
20. RUTH BROWN: 5 -10 -15 Hours
I think the original lists of songs of 1951, and the albums of 1952, were correct.
About 1953-55, there is gonna be an issue with Brassens' second album, "Le Vent"
Wikipedia (French) and Apparemment (a very serious discography)list it as 1953.
"Auprès de son arbre" features a very ambiguous "1953-54" (very French), and for RYM it is 1954.
Same goes for "Les Sabots d'Hélène", the third album
Wikipedia : dec 1954
Apparemment : 1954
Auprès de son arbre : 1953-54 and 1955 (!!)
RYM : 1955
So Honorio, it's up to you
Me again.
I found 2 excellent sites about release dates :
One about country : LP Discography , with singles and LP discographies. In the LP section, if you click on a LP title, it gives you the track list, and every recording date of individual songs !
Another one about R&B called soulfulkindamusic
Your links aren't working nicolas, you're typing [a ref: "link"]text[/a], but it should be [a href="link"]text[/a]. Square brackets should be angle brackets of course.
thanks man
I tried to enter the code by memory instead of copy/past like i've been doing for 2 yrs, and I failed
So here they are again
Country : LP Discography
Soul : soulfulkindamusic
Songs with different years on AM and RYM:
Ray Charles - I've Got a Woman (AM '55, RYM '54)
Lonnie Donegan - Rock Island Line (AM '54, RYM '55)
The Moonglows - Sincerely (AM '55, RYM '54)
Johnny Ace - Pledging My Love (AM '55, RYM '54)
Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues (AM '56, RYM '55)
Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers - Why Do Fools Fall in Love (AM '56, RYM '55)
LaVern Baker - Tweedle Dee (AM '55, RYM '54)
I'm sorry that I haven't done any investigation myself on which dates are the correct ones. I will do it later unless someone does it before me.
it is the classic recording vs. Release vs. charting dates issue, especially when songs are released in the end of the year
I've Got a Woman was recorded in nov 54 and released by Atlantic in dec. 54
Let’s continue with the eligibility of 1953 albums:
Top 10 according to AM:
1. THE QUINTET “Jazz at Massey Hall”: the only performance in Toronto of a line-up including the bebop dream team (with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus and Max Roach) was recorded and released in Mingus label Debut as two 10” LPs: Vol 1 and Vol 3, being the Vol 2 the trio part without Bird and Diz and credited to Bud Powell. The Quintet part was released in 1956 as Jazz at Masey Hall and later in 1973 the complete concert as The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever. So if you want to vote for this one on our poll you should vote for Vol. 1, Vol. 3 (or both but as separate albums).
2. STAN KENTON “New Concepts of Artistry in Music”: recorded in September of 1952 and released in 1953 according to RYM and Wikipedia, it seems that initially released as a 10” album with 7 songs. The celebre “Prologue” that opens the CD edition was released in a 10” 78 RPM box set in 1953 and later added to the CD edition. Eligible.
3. GERRY MULLIGAN QUARTET “Gerry Mulligan Quartet”: it’s difficult to say which album is selected by the critics because during 1953 there were four different albums called “Gerry Mulligan Quartet”, the first one for Fantasy label that opened with “Carioca” and included the wonderful “My Funny Valentine”, the second one for Pacific Jazz (PJLP1) opening with “Frenesi” and including “Walking Shoes”, the third album, second for Pacific Jazz (PJLP2), with side 1 by the original quartet and side 2 with Lee Konitz and finally a fourth one (PJLP5) beginning with “I May Be Wrong” and including “Jeru”. Confusing enough? So (and I’m really sorry) if you want to vote for some of these albums on the poll please you need to specify if you vote Gerry Mulligan Quartet (Fantasy) (or “Carioca”, the name of the first song), Gerry Mulligan Quartet (PJLP1) (or “Frenesi”), Gerry Mulligan Quartet (PJLP2) (or “Carson City Stage”) and Gerry Mulligan Quartet (PJLP5) (or “I May Be Wrong”). You can find the track listings here. Moreover if you click on the link on the album names you’ll be directed to the Spotify and you could listen to the complete albums. The 3 Pacific Jazz albums were later (1998) released on CD as The Original Quartet With Chet Baker.
4. THELONIOUS MONK “Thelonious Monk Trio”: first Monk album for Prestuge label after the Blue Note period, first released as a 8-songs 10” album and later expanded in 1956 as a 10 songs 12” LP. Eligible.
5. J. J. JOHNSON “With Clifford Brown”: probably the best trombone player ever, released as a 6-track 10” album in 1953 and later expanded with some alternate takes as The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Volume 1 in 1955. Eligible.
6. DUKE ELLINGTON “Ellington Uptown”: released in Columbia as a 5 tracks album in 1953 and later as Hi-FI Ellington Uptown in 1956 with better sound quality but the same track listing. The CD edition included an extra track, “Controversial Suite”. Eligible.
7. FRED ASTAIRE “The Astaire Story”: a quadruple album released in 1953 (!!) with Astaire reviving songs from his classic movies backed by a superb band including Oscar Peterson. Eligible.
8. DUKE ELLINGTON “The Duke Plays Ellington”: quite confusing because it’s not on RYM and other discographies, anyway I’ve found in a complete sessionography that it was recorded on a trio format on April of 1953 and released under the name The Duke Plays Ellington as a 8-track 10” album and also as a 12-track 12” album (maybe later). In 1972 it was released as Piano Reflections. Eligible.
9. PEGGY LEE “Black Coffee with Peggy Lee”: recorded and released in 1953 as a 8-track 10” LP with a beautiful black & white cover, expanded in 1956 with material newly recorded to 12 tracks with a less suggestive colour cover. Eligible.
10. MILES DAVIS “Vol. 2”: while “Vol.1” included material previously released on “Young Man with a Horn” in 1952, this “Vol.2” comes from new material from a session on April of 1953. Eligible.
And the Top 20 of 1953 according to RYM:
1. PEGGY LEE “Black Coffee with Peggy Lee”: eligible, see AM #9.
2. DUKE ELLINGTON “ Ellington Uptown ”: eligible, see AM #6.
3. THELONIOUS MONK “Thelonious Monk Trio”: eligible, see AM #4.
4. RICHARD WAGNER “Tristan und Isolde”: not the first release of a classical recent work, so not eligible.
5. GEORGES BRASSENS “Chante les chansons poétiques (… et souvent gaillardes)”: we discussed about this one before, released in December of 1953 according to some sources and in December of 1952 according to others, let’s stay with 1953. Eligible.
6. GIACOMO PUCCINI “Tosca”: not eligible.
7. J. J. JOHNSON “With Clifford Brown”: eligible, see AM #5.
8. MOONDOG “Moondog and His Friends”: an oddity with many votes on RYM, released in 1953 and double checked. Eligible.
9. TOM LEHRER “Songs by Tom Lehrer”: a comedy album released on March 1953, also double checked. Eligible.
10. LEE KONITZ “Konitz Meets Mulligan”: quite confusing, the track listing is the same of Gerry Mulligan Quartet of PJLP2 (see above) so I’m going to consider it the same album (although the cover art and title is different). Despite this both albums are eligible but I will combine the points for both.
11. DAVE BRUBECK “Jazz at Oberlin”: live album, eligible, 1953 according to different sources.
12. YMA SUMAC “Inca Taqui”: 1953, double checked, this is the album that confused Brad last month. Eligible.
13. DIMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH “Symphony nº 10”: performed by USSR State Symphony Orchestra and directed by Evgeny Svetlanov, given the fact that it was published in 1953 it’s probably the first recorded release of the piece, so it’s eligible. And highly recommended, in fact is my personal #2 for 1953.
14. BUD POWELL “Jazz at Massey Hall, vol. 2”: the volume 2 of AM#1, see above.
15. STAN KENTON “New Concepts of Artistry in Music”: eligible, see AM #4.
16. MILES DAVIS “Vol. 2”: eligible, see AM #10.
17. LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN “Violin Concerto”: not eligible.
18. LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN “Symphony No 9 in D Minor (directed by Bruno Walter)”: not eligible.
19. OLIVIER MESSIAEN “Catalogue d’oiseaux”: probably a mistake because on different sources, one of them quite complete list this work as published 1956-1958, so probably is not eligible.
20. LAURINDO ALMEIDA and BUD SHANK “Brazilliance”: not sure if it was released in 1953 or 1954, I’m going to consider it eligible for 1953.
About the compilations on RYM they’re not eligible except (maybe): HANK WILLIAMS “Luke the Drifter”: all the songs were released previously as singles from 1950 to 1952, so it fits with our criteria of eligibility despite being a compilation. In fact I’m going to vote for this one, the moral alter ego of Hank Williams, more preaching that singing. WTF, yesterday he almost made me cry with his “I Dream About Mama Last Night”. Me sentimental old fart…
Honorio, what exactly is the rule for a compilation ?
How old the recordings can be ? I thought it was two years before the release but it must be more since you say that Luke Drifter (rel. 1953, oldest recording 1950) is eligible.
Another great site for checking dates : this site about labels
Well, Nicolas, a compilation is a compilation, compiles material previously released. But only for the 50-60s poll I’ve decided to accept some compilations only if it includes material released on LP for the first time and that the previous release of the songs as singles were during a two years period before the LP release. In the case of “Luke the Drifter” only one song (“Beyond the Sunset”) was released during this period so maybe the best option could be consider it not eligible. But it’s sad (I love this album).
I’ll seize this to answer to some comments and questions you raised:
About Brassens, I have borrowed 2 books at the library about him in order to clear this date problem that pisses me off. If I learn something new, I'll let you know.
I've exchanged e-mails with Vincent, the guy who runs "Apparemment" and he confirmed me about the Brassens dates :
- 1st LP : nov 1953
2nd LP : feb 54
3rd between nov 54 and march 55, he has no element on the record sleeves, but 1955 is the most likely date, because some songs were recorded in nov 54.
Great work, Nicolas. Thanks a lot.
Hi Brad, I’m going to try to answer your question regarding “New Orleans Piano” (and sorry for the delay, I admit that I forgot it). As you said before, some sources (including Longhair official page) date the original release in 1953. But most of the sources give 1972 as the date of original release as a compilation of material previously released as singles for Atlantic Records between 1950 and 1953. Those sources include Wikipedia, RYM, allmusic, Amazon or Tipitina’s but most significantly in a complete Atlantic discography in which you can find the album in the 70s section while you can’t find any Professor Longhair album in the 1950s section. Moreover searching on a complete Atlantic sessionography the songs of “New Orleans Piano” were recorded in two different sessions for Atlanctic, one in 1949 with 6 songs released as singles by Atlantic in 1950 (including “Mardi Gras in New Orleans”) and another session in November 1953 for a last single with Atlantic in 1953, “Tipitina”. All the songs on “New Orleans Piano” was recorded in those three sessions (two in 1949 and one in 1953).
So finally I’m afraid that the album is not eligible if we stick to our criteria of considering the relase date and not the recording date. Probably could have better (and easier!) the recording date for the 50s poll but it could be confusing to change so much the criteria regarding previous and future polls.
1953 songs:
Top 19 according to AM:
1. HANK WILLIAMS “Your Cheatin’ Heart”: release date (RD) 01/53, double checked.
2. WILLIE MAE 'BIG MAMA' THORNTON “Hound Dog”: RD 01/53, double checked.
3. THE ORIOLES “Crying in the Chapel”: RD 07/53, double checked.
4. CLYDE McPHATTER & THE DRIFTERS “Money Honey”: RD 09/53, double checked.
5. WEBB PIERCE “There Stands the Glass”: RD 09/53, double checked.
6. RUTH BROWN “Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean”: RD 01/53, double checked.
7. PROFESSOR LONGHAIR AND HIS BLUES SCHOLARS “Tipitina”: RD 01/54, double and triple checked, so contrary to AM I think we must consider it a 1954 song.
8. LAVERN BAKER “Soul on Fire”: RD 08/53, double checked.
9. BILLY WARD & THE DOMINOES “The Bells”: RD 12/52, double and triple checked, so despite being listed in AM as a 1953 release I think we must consider it a 1952 song.
10. FRANK SINATRA “I Got the World on a String”: RD 06/53, double checked.
11. THE CROWS “Gee”: RD 05/53, double checked.
12. FAYE ADAMS “Shake a Hand”: RD 08/53, double checked.
13. THE HARPTONES “A Sunday Kind of Love”: RD 11/53, double checked.
14. THE PRISONAIRES “Just Walkin’ in the Rain”: RD 07/53, double checked.
15. BILL HALEY AND HIS COMETS “Crazy Man, Crazy”: RD 04/53, double checked.
16. LITTLE JUNIOR'S BLUE FLAMES “Mystery Train”: RD 11/53, double checked.
17. DEAN MARTIN “That's Amore”: RD 08/53, double checked.
18. BIG JOE TURNER “Honey Hush”: RD 07/53, double checked.
19. WILLIE MABON “I’m Mad”: RD 1953, double checked.
And the Top 25 of 1953 according to RYM:
1. WILLIE MAE 'BIG MAMA' THORNTON “Hound Dog”: see AM #2.
2. HANK WILLIAMS “Kaw-Liga”: see AM #1.
3. RAY CHARLES “Mess Around”: RD 06/53, double checked.
4. THE CROWS “Gee”: see AM #11.
5. DEAN MARTIN “That's Amore”: see AM #17.
6. THE ORIOLES “Crying in the Chapel”: see AM #3.
7. CLYDE McPHATTER & THE DRIFTERS “Money Honey”: see AM #4.
8. THE HARPTONES “A Sunday Kind of Love”: see AM #13.
9. LES PAUL & MARY FORD “Vaya con Dios”: RD 06/53, double checked.
10. BIG JOE TURNER “Honey Hush”: see AM #18.
11. EARTHA KITT “Santa Baby”: RD 1953, double checked.
12. FATS DOMINO “Going to the River”: RD 05/53, double checked.
13. RUTH BROWN “Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean”: see AM #6.
14. LAVERN BAKER “Soul on Fire”: see AM #8
15. BILL HALEY AND HIS COMETS “Crazy Man, Crazy”: see AM#15.
16. LITTLE JUNIOR'S BLUE FLAMES “Feelin' Good”: RD 07/53, double checked.
17. LEROY ANDERSON “The Typewriter”: RD 1953, not sure about the release date, it was composed in 1950.
18. FRANK SINATRA “I Got the World on a String”: see AM #10.
19. THE FLAMINGOS “Golden Teardrops”: RD 09/53, double checked.
20. FAYE ADAMS “Shake a Hand”: see AM #12.
21. LITTLE JUNIOR'S BLUE FLAMES “Love My Baby”: see AM #16,
22. THE PRISONAIRES “Baby Please”: see AM #14.
23. GUITAR SLIM “The Things That I Used to Do”: RD 12/53, double checked.
24. SILVANA MANGANO “Anna (El Negro Zumbón)”: RD 1953, not sure about the date, it even seems that Silvana was not the singer but Flo Sandon, it was performed in the movie Anna from 1951 but probably was released as a single in 1953 (although maybe there is a previous Italian release).
25. THE FIVE KEYS “My Saddest Hour”: RD 12/53, double checked.
So the only changes are “Tipitina” for 1954 and “The Bells” for 1952. And don’t forget to click on the 1953 Henrik Spotify link.
Before beginning with 1954, all the 1953 albums Michel and Charlie Driggs voted so far are eligible with an only change of year. Some comments:
1. LES BAXTER featuring BAS SHEVA “The Passions”: all the sources date it as from 1954, including RYM, idlesounds and even in a complete Capitol discography. So, Charlie, if you change it to 1954 in which position would you put it?
2. ANITA O'DAY “Collates”: the release date is unclear, 1952 according to RYM and 1953 to Wikipedia. It was recorded in two 1952 sessions. Lacking a more reliable source about the release date I’m going to keep with 1953.
3. EARTHA KITT “That Bad Eartha”: this album was released in 1954 according to both RYM and a quite complete Eartha discography but allmusic date it as released in December of 1953. Just like Nicolas said: never release an album in December!! OK, 1953 then.
4. LÉO FERRÉ “Chante”: the re-recordings of the first Ferré songs (originally from 1950) and released in 1953 according to this discographie.
5. BILLIE HOLIDAY “An Evening with Billie”: 1953, OK, double checked.
Top 17 according to AM:
1. MILES DAVIS “Birth of the Cool”: an historical album that sadly I’m going to consider not eligible. I’ll explain it: Miles Davis recorded with a nonet a group of groundbreaking songs in three different sessions between 1949 and 1950. All the songs were released as 78 singles between 1949 and 1950 according to different complete sources: Miles Ahead, Gramophone Archive or RYM. Later 8 songs were released as a 10”LP called Classics in Jazz and not “Jeru” (it was the name of the first song) and later, in 1956 or 1957 as a 12”Lp called Birth of the Cool. So finally not eligible despite its deserved acclaim.
2. LOUIS ARMSTRONG “Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy”: the date of RYM is really the recording date (07/12/1954) but all the sources list it as released in 1954. Eligible.
3. CLIFFORD BROWN & MAX ROACH “Clifford Brown & Max Roach”: the original 10” LP was released in 1954, but the 12”LP release included 2 additional tracks recorded in 1955 according to this discography. Eligible.
4. ART BLAKEY QUINTET “A Night in Birdland, Vol. 1”: volume 1 of a 3 10” live album released by Verve, eligible.
5. SARAH VAUGHAN “Images”: recorded and released in 1954 as a 10” LP and later expanded with songs from 1957 sessions and released as Swingin’ Easy in 1957. Eligible.
6. DINAH WASHINGTON “Dinah Jams”: recorded and released in 1954. Eligible.
7. DIZZY GILLESPIE with ROY ELDRIDGE “Roy and Diz”: recorded in October of 1954, not sure about release date. Anyway eligible.
8. FRANK SINATRA “Songs for Young Lovers”: 01/54, double checked. Eligible.
9. JUNE CHRISTY “Something Cool”: 1954, double checked. Eligible.
10. CHET BAKER “Chet Baker Sings”: released, as many albums on the early 50s, as a 8-tack 10” album and later expanded with songs from posterior sessions as a 12” album. Eligible.
11. ART BLAKEY QUINTET “A Night in Birdland, Vol. 2”: volume 2, eligible too.
12. ART TATUM “Tatum-Carter-Bellson”: I’m not completely sure but maybe this was the name of the original release on Clef Records because The Tatum Group Masterpieces, vol. 1 is the name of the release by Pablo Records, a label founded by Norman Granz in the mid 70s. I can’t assure this so I’m going to consider it eligible for 1954.
13. FRANK SINATRA “Swing Easy!”: 08/54, double checked. Eligible.
14. BUD POWELL “The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 2”: 1954. Eligible.
15. ART TATUM “The Genius of Art Tatum Vol 1-10”: ten albums with solo piano released by Verve supposedly in 1954. I suppose that it’s eligible but not as an only album.
16. DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET “Jazz Goes to College”: 1954, double checked. Eligible.
17. GERRY MULLIGAN “California Concerts”: 1955 according to a complete Pacific Jazz discography. A complete sessionography date the concerts in November and Deecember of 1954 so it’s probably 1955 but eligible.
And the Top 20 of 1954 according to RYM:
1. CLIFFORD BROWN & MAX ROACH “Clifford Brown & Max Roach”: eligible, see AM #3.
2. HELEN MERRILL “Helen Merrill”: the sessions took place in 22 and 24 of December of 1954, double checked so the release date should be 1955 according to AMG (and common sense). So eligible for 1955.
3. ART BLAKEY QUINTET “A Night in Birdland, Vol. 1”: eligible, see AM #4.
4. CHET BAKER “Chet Baker Sings”: eligible, see AM #10.
5. ART BLAKEY QUINTET “A Night in Birdland, Vol. 2”: eligible, see AM #11.
6. YMA SUMAC “Mambo!”: first US pressing 1954, rest of the releases 1955 according to Yma discography, eligible.
7. LOUIS ARMSTRONG “Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy”: eligible, see AM #2.
8. FRANK SINATRA “Songs for Young Lovers”: eligible, see AM #8.
9. BUD POWELL “The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 2”: eligible, see AM #14.
10. DIZZY GILLESPIE “Afro”: recorded (and probably released) in 1954, eligible.
11. LESTER YOUNG WITH THE OSCAR PETERSON TRIO “With the Oscar Peterson Trio #1”: despite being listed as 1952 on AM (and voted by Brad) apparently it was released in 1954, so it’s eligible as 1954.
12. FRANK SINATRA “Swing Easy!”: eligible, see AM #13.
13. RICHARD STRAUSS “Also Sprach Zarathustra”: not eligible.
14. DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET “Jazz Goes to College”: eligible, see AM #16.
15. DINAH WASHINGTON “Dinah Jams”: eligible, see AM #6.
16. DORIVAL CAYMMI “Canções praieiras”: I’ve found an exhaustive discografia that list it as 1956 but other Brazilian sources list it as 1954, so probably we should consider it eligible for 1954.
17. BEN WEBSTER “The Consummate Artistry of Ben Webster”: apparently recorded and released in 1954, so eligible.
18. GEORGES BRASSENS “Vol 2 – “Le vent””: 1954, Nicolas found it, eligible.
19. JUNE CHRISTY “Something Cool”: eligible, see AM #9.
20. LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN “Symphony nº 5”: not eligible.
The albums voted by Charlie Driggs for 1954 are all eligible:
- ODETTA ““The Tin Angel / Odetta & Larry)”: double checked.
- LORD KITCHENER “King of Calypso, Vol. 1”: due to the lack of information I’m going to consider it eligible.
- FUMIO HAYASAKA “The Seven Samurai”: this time, contrary to “The Day the Earth Stood Still” it seems that there was a 1954 release (although is not listed on Soundtrack Collector)
- TURK MURPHY JAZZ BAND “A Natural High”: not many information out there but it seems that it was released in 1954
- THE ART VAN DAMME QUINTET “The Van Damme Sound”: it’s listed as 1955 on RYM, but a complete Columbia discography confirm it as 1954’s.
- CAL TJADER “Tjader Plays Mambo”: recorded in September of 1954 so probably released in 1954 too.
1954 songs:
Top 23 according to AM:
1. BILL HALEY AND HIS COMETS “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock”: release date (RD) 04/54, double checked.
2. ELVIS PRESLEY, SCOTTY and BILL “That’s All Right”: RD 07/54, double checked.
3. BIG JOE TURNER “Shake, Rattle and Roll”: RD 04/54, double checked.
4. MUDDY WATERS “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man”: RD 01/54, double checked.
5. THE PENGUINS “Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)”: RD 09/54, double checked.
6. THE CHORDS “Sh-Boom”: RD 06/54, double checked.
7. LONNIE DONEGAN “Rock Island Line”: RD 11/55, recorded on 07/14/1954 but not released by London (UK) and Decca (US) till 1955 according to many different differentso I think we must switch it to 1955.
8. ELVIS PRESLEY, SCOTTY and BILL “Blue Moon of Kentucky”: RD 07/54, double checked.
9. CHET BAKER “My Funny Valentine”: RD 05/54 as part of the album “Chet Baker Sings”, double checked, there was no single release (of the vocal version) to my knowledge.
10. GUITAR SLIM “The Things That I Used to Do”: RD 12/53, see 1953 RYM singles, so we should change it to 1953. Nicolas told it before: never release a record in December!
11. THE CHORDETTES “Mr. Sandman”: RD 10/54, double checked.
12. HANK BALLARD & THE MIDNIGHTERS “Work With Me Annie”: RD 1954, double checked.
13. NOLAN STRONG & THE DIABLOS “The Wind”: RD 1954, double checked.
14. LOWELL FULSON “Reconsider Baby”: RD 1954, double checked.
15. ERROLL GARNER “Misty”: RD 09/54, double checked.
16. THE JEWELS “Hearts of Stone”: RD 09/54, double checked.
17. HOWLIN’ WOLF “Evil Is Going On”: RD 07/54, double checked.
18. ELVIS PRESLEY, SCOTTY and BILL “Good Rockin’ Tonight”: RD 09/54, double checked.
19. THE ROBINS “Riot in Cell Block #9”: RD 06/54, double checked.
20. THE DRIFTERS featuring CLYDE McPHATTER “Honey Love”: RD 05/54, double checked.
21. THE SPANIELS “Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite”: RD 04/54 on RYM, but 12/53 according to Marv Goldberg, bsnpubs and Global Dogs Productions. So 1953.
22. THE DRIFTERS “White Christmas”: RD 11/54, double checked.
23. MUDDY WATERS “Make Love to Me”: RD 05/54, double checked.
And the Top 25 of 1954 according to RYM:
1. ELVIS PRESLEY, SCOTTY and BILL “That’s All Right”: see AM #2.
2. BILL HALEY AND HIS COMETS “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock”: see AM #1.
3. ELVIS PRESLEY, SCOTTY and BILL “Good Rockin’ Tonight”: see AM #18.
4. BIG JOE TURNER “Shake, Rattle and Roll”: see AM #3.
5. RAY CHARLES “I Got a Woman”: RD 12/54 as Nicolas pointed, confirmed in many, different and sources that we should switch to 1954 for the poll.
6. THE PENGUINS “Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)”: see AM #5.
7. THE CHORDS “Sh-Boom”: see AM #6.
8. BILL HALEY AND HIS COMETS “Shake, Rattle and Roll”: RD 07/54, double checked.
9. THE ROBINS “Riot in Cell Block #9”: see AM #19.
10. MUDDY WATERS “Make Love to Me”: see AM #23.
11. THE CHORDETTES “Mr. Sandman”: see AM #11.
12. HOWLIN’ WOLF “Evil Is Going On”: see AM #17.
13. MUDDY WATERS “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man”: see AM #4.
14. THE CADILLACS “Gloria”: RD 07/54, double checked.
15. FRANK SINATRA “Young-at-Heart”: RD 01/54, double checked.
16. THE MOONGLOWS “Sincerely”: RD 10/54, double checked.
17. JOHNNY ACE “Pledging My Love”: RD 12/54, double checked.
18. LAVERN BAKER “Tweedlee Dee”: RD 11/54, double checked.
19. THE DRIFTERS “White Christmas”: see AM #22.
20. THE SPANIELS “Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite”: 1953, see AM #21.
21. DEAN MARTIN “Sway (Quien Sera)”: RD 06/54, double checked.
22. THE DRIFTERS “Lucille”: RD 01/54, double checked.
23. NOLAN STRONG & THE DIABLOS “The Wind”: see AM #13.
24. ROSEMARY CLOONEY “Mambo Italiano”: RD 1954, double checked.
25. THE DRIFTERS featuring CLYDE McPHATTER “Honey Love”: see AM #20.
So the changes are:
- “Rock Island Line” from 1954 to 1955.
- “The Things That I Used to Do” from 1954 to 1953.
- “Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite” from 1954 to 1953.
- “I Got a Woman” from 1955 to 1954.
And don’t forget to click on the 1954 Henrik 1954 Spotify link:
And, Charlie Driggs, some of the songs that you voted are not from 1953, in particular:
- The two ODETTA ones (“John Henry” and "Pay Day At Coal Creek"): there were recorded with Larry in 1953 but released in an album in 1954 (called in the initial release “Odetta & Larry” and on posterior releases “The Tin Angel”). To my knowledge there were no previous single releases so the first release was in 1954 according to different sources (including your album list!). So please vote for these songs again in your 1954 list.
- The STAN KENTON ones “Lonesome Train” and “Taboo” were released n December 1952 as a single (December again!) according to two different sources. Since no one voted for them during the January poll I will count your votes anyway.
- HANK WILLIAM’S “Ramblin’ Man” is a song released in 1951 with Hank as Luke the Drifter and it has been already chosen for the final round.
- SHORTY ROGERS “The Wild One”: the film was premiered in December of 1953 and the EP was released by RCA Victor in 1954 according with Soundtrack Collector. I’m not absolutely sure of this but could you vote again for this song on your 1954 poll?
1955 albums.
Top 15 according to AM:
1. FRANK SINATRA “In the Wee Small Hours”: released in April of 1955 it was the first 12” LP by Frank (16 songs!!) released simultaneously as two 10” LPs, double checked. Eligible.
2. SARAH VAUGHAN “Sarah Vaughan”: on many sources it’s dates as released on 18 of December of 1954, including Wikipedia or Birka Jazz but exhaustive sessionographies as Jazz discography or Michael Minn page says that this date was the recording session. So eligible for 1955.
3. COUNT BASIE “Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings”: a quite doubtful release date for this one, many sources give 1956 as release date, including Wikipedia, RYM and allmusic. I’m not sure but looking to a complete sessionography it could be that the original sessions on May and July of 1955 gave place to a 9 songs album released probably in 1955 (Clef MG C-678) and later it was expanded with three songs from 1956 sessions (Verve MGV-8063). Since I’m not sure and almost every source date it as 1956 probably we should switch it to 1956.
4. HORACE SILVER QUINTET “Horace Silver Quintet” and “Horace Silver Quintet, Vol. 2”: recorded between December 1954 and February 1955, released (apparently) in 1955 as two 10” LPs, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, reunited in 1956 in a 12” LP called Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers. Eligible but as two separate albums.
5. DIZZY GILLESPIE “Groovin’ High”: wow, what a deception, it seems that this is a compilation, despite being listed both in AM and RYM as an official album. The songs came from sessions in 1945 and 1946 and were previously released as a singles: Blue’n’Boogie, Lover Man, Salt Peanuts as A sides in 1945, That’s Earl Brother in 1946 and Our Delight and One Bass Hit in 1947. So definitely not eligible.
6. CLIFFORD BROWN & MAX ROACH “Study in Brown”: recorded in January 1955 and (probably) released in 1955. Eligible.
7. BILL HALEY AND HIS COMETS “Rock Around the Clock”: in RYM is listed as a compilation and it features the 6 first singles that Haley recorded and released in US-Decca label from July 54 till November 55. The album was released in December of 1955 so it perfectly fits with our criteria for the poll, so eligible.
8. SARAH VAUGHAN “In the Land of Hi-Fi”: recorded in October 1955 and (probably) released in 1955 too. Eligible.
9. JULIE LONDON “Julie Is Her Name”: released in December 1955, double checked. Eligible.
10. FOUR FRESHMEN “Four Freshmen and 5 Trombones”: released in 1955 by Capitol, eligible.
11. LIONEL HAMPTON & STAN GETZ “Hamp & Getz”: recorded in August 1955 and (probably) released in 1955, eligible.
12. SHELLY MANNE “The West Coast Sound”: recorded from 1953 to 1955 and probably released in 1955, eligible.
13. MILES DAVIS “Miles Davis All Star Sextet”: like every other jazz album there’s no exact information about the release date but it was recorded in April of 1954, first released in 1955 as a 10” LP on Prestige label with two long songs as Miles Davis All Star Sextet and later expanded with three additional song from the same sessions and released in 1957 as Walkin’. So the first one (“Sextet”) is eligible.
14. CLIFFORD BROWN “Clifford Brown with Strings”: recorded in January 1955 and (probably) released in 1955, eligible. 1955 was Brown’s year, no doubt.
15. ANITA O’DAY “Anita”: recorded in December 1955 so probably it was released in 1956 but since I don’t have any web page that list it as 1956’s I’m going to keep it as a 1955 album, by the way eligible.
And the Top 20 of 1955 according to RYM:
1. SARAH VAUGHAN “Sarah Vaughan”: eligible, see AM #2.
2. CLIFFORD BROWN & MAX ROACH “Study in Brown”: eligible, see AM #6.
3. LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN “Symphony nº 9”: not eligible.
4. FRANK SINATRA “In the Wee Small Hours”: eligible, see AM #1.
5. JULIE LONDON “Julie Is Her Name”: eligible, see AM #9.
6. CLIFFORD BROWN & MAX ROACH “Brown and Roach, Incorporated”: recorded in August 1954, I don’t have information about the exact release date but in RYM is dated as 1955’s, eligible.
7. DIZZY GILLESPIE “Groovin’ High”: not eligible, see AM #5.
8. GEORGES BRASSENS “Vol. 3 – Les sabots d’Hélène”: released in April 1955, eligible.
9. KENNY DORHAM “Afro-Cuban”: recorded in January and March 1955 and (probably) released in 1955, eligible.
10. LOUIS ARMSTRONG “Satch Plays Fats”: recorded in April of 1955 and (probably) released in 1955, eligible.
11. THELONIOUS MONK “Plays the Music of Duke Ellington”: recorded in July of 1955 and (probably) released in 1955, eligible.
12. LOTTE LENYA “Lotte Lenya singt Kurt Weill”: recorded in July 1955 and released in December of 1955, eligible.
13. GENE KRUPA & BUDDY RICH “Krupa & Rich”: recorded in November of 1955 and (who knows?) probably released in 1955, eligible.
14. ALI AKBAR KHAN “Music of India: Morning and Evening Ragas”: released in 1955, double checked, eligible.
15. BING CROSBY “Merry Christmas”: according to Wikipedia it’s the release as an album of songs released in 1945 as a 78 RPM box set, so it’s not eligible.
16. DIZZY GILLESPIE & STAN GETZ “Diz and Getz”: recorded in December of 1953, I don’t have information about the exact release date but in RYM is dated as 1955’s, eligible.
17. LOUIS ARMSTRONG “Ambassador Satch”: according to the exhaustive Satchography half of the songs were recorded live in a concert in Milan on 19 December of 1955 and the other half in a Los Angeles Studio in January of 1956 (with applause overdubs to simulate a live performance). So this could be eligible but for 1956.
18. STAN GETZ “West Coast Jazz”: recorded in August of 1955 and (probably) released in 1955, eligible.
19. MILES DAVIS “Blue Moods”: recorded in July of 1955 and (probably) released in 1955, eligible.
20. LEE KONITZ “With Tristano, Marsh and Bauer”: compilation, the songs came from sessions from 1949 to 1950 and were previously released as singles, so not eligible.
The albums voted by Charlie Driggs (including STAN KENTON “Contemporary Concepts” and PÉREZ PRADO & SHORTY ROGERS “Voodoo Suite”) are eligible too.
Honorio, could you tell us about those 2 songs
Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues (AM '56, RYM '55)
Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers - Why Do Fools Fall in Love (AM '56, RYM '55)
Looks like Folsom was released in dec 55. Please tell us soon because people will soon start to post 1955 lists. If those songs are eligible as 1955, we have to know it or otherwise they might be eliminated (and I love "Folsom Prison Blues").
Yes, Nicolas, I was already working on the 1955 songs. So:
- JOHNNY CASH & THE TENNESSEE TWO “Folsom Prison Blues”: RD 12/55 according to RYM, WangDangDula, LP discography, JohnnyCashFanzine or Wikipedia.
- THE TEENAGERS featuring FRANKIE LYMON “Why Do Fools Fall in Love”: RD 12/55 according to RYM, Marv Goldberg and Soulfunkindamusic, while GlobalDogProductionsand Wikipedia date it as January 1956. Due to the high reliability of Marv Golderg and Soulfunkindamusic discographies probably we should consider 1955 as the final release date.
1955 songs:
Top 30 according to AM:
1. LITTLE RICHARD “Tutti Frutti”: release date (RD) 12/55, double checked.
2. CHUCK BERRY “Maybellene”: RD 07/55, double checked.
3. ELVIS PRESLEY, SCOTTY and BILL “Mystery Train”: RD 08/55, double checked.
4. BO DIDDLEY “Bo Diddley”: RD 04/55, double checked.
5. MUDDY WATERS “Manish Boy”: RD 06/55, double checked.
6. THE PLATTERS “The Great Pretender”: RD 11/55, double checked.
7. ‘TENNESSEE’ ERNIE FORD “Sixteen Tons”: RD 10/55, double checked.
8. FATS DOMINO “Ain’t It a Shame”: RD 04/55, double checked.
9. RAY CHARLES “I Got a Woman”: 1954, see 1954 songs.
10. BO DIDDLEY “I’m a Man”: RD 04/55, see “Bo Diddley”.
11. THE PLATTERS “Only You (and You Alone)”: RD 06/55, double checked.
12. JULIE LONDON “Cry Me River”: RD 1955, double checked.
13. THE CADILLACS “Speedo”: RD 1955, double checked.
14. THE MOONGLOWS “Sincerely”: 1954, see 1954 songs.
15. COUNT BASIE “April in Paris”: RD 1956 according to RYM, as many other discographies you only can find the recording date in July of 1955. This song (that obtained a Grammy) probably should be changed to 1956 but I can’t double check it.
16. THE EL DORADOS “At My Front Door”: RD 08/55, double checked.
17. ELVIS PRESLEY, SCOTTY and BILL “Baby Let’s Play House”: RD 04/55, double checked.
18. JOHNNY ACE “Good Rockin’ Tonight”: 1954, see 1954 songs.
19. THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET “Django”: RD not available, on RYM they not date the single and the album that contains it is dated as from 1956, given the fact that the recordign session was in December of 1954 1955 was a probable release date for the single.
20. EDDY ARNOLD & HIS GUITAR “Cattle Call”: RD 06/55, double checked, with a previous version released in 1945.
21. FRANK SINATRA “When Your Lover Has Gone”: RD 04/55 as part of “Wee Small” album, not as a single, double checked, with a previous version released in 1945 as a single.
22. THE TURBANS “When You Dance”: RD 07/55, double checked.
23. CHET BAKER “Let’s Get Lost”: RD 1955, opening the wonderful album “Sings and Plays with Bud Shank, Russ Freeman and Strings”, double checked.
24. ‘SONNY BOY’ WILLIAMSON “Don’t Start Me Talkin’”: RD 09/55, double checked.
25. THE NUTMEGS “Story Untold”: RD 1955, double checked.
26. BILL HALEY AND HIS COMETS “See You Later Alligator”: RD 12/55 according to RYM but both Wikipedia and a complete Haley discography date the recording session on 12 December of 1955 and the single release on 1 of February of 1956. 1956 then.
27. THE CHEERS “Black Denim Trousers”: RD 1955, double checked.
28. SMILEY LEWIS “I Hear You Knocking”: RD 07/55, double checked.
29. LAVERN BAKER “Tweedlee Dee”: 1954, see 1954 songs.
30. THE ROBINS “Smokey Joe Café”: RD 10/55, double checked.
31. LOUIS ARMSTRONG “Mack the Knife”: RD 10/55, double checked.
32. ELVIS PRESLEY, SCOTTY and BILL “Milkcow Blues Boogie”: RD 01/55, double checked.
And the Top 25 of 1955 according to RYM:
1. BO DIDDLEY “Bo Diddley/I’m a Man”: see AM #4 and #10.
2. JOHHNY CASH and the TENNESSEE TWO “Folsom Prison Blues”: 1955, see above.
3. LITTLE RICHARD “Tutti Frutti”: see AM #1.
4. MUDDY WATERS “Manish Boy”: see AM #5.
5. CHUCK BERRY “Maybellene”: see AM #2.
6. ELVIS PRESLEY, SCOTTY and BILL “Mystery Train”: see AM #3.
7. FATS DOMINO “Ain’t It a Shame”: see AM #8.
8. THE TEENAGERS featuring FRANKIE LYMON “Why Do Fools Fall in Love”: 1955, see above.
9. THE PLATTERS “The Great Pretender”: see AM #6.
10. ‘TENNESSEE’ ERNIE FORD “Sixteen Tons”: see AM #7.
11. JULIE LONDON “Cry Me River”: see AM #12.
12. THE PLATTERS “Only You (and You Alone)”: see AM #11.
13. ELVIS PRESLEY, SCOTTY and BILL “Baby Let’s Play House/I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone”: see AM #17.
14. JOHHNY CASH and the TENNESSEE TWO “Cry! Cry! Cry!”: RD 06/55, double checked.
15. SMILEY LEWIS “I Hear You Knocking”: see AM #28.
16. LONNIE DONEGAN “Rock Island Line”: 1955, see 1954 songs.
17. THE CADILLACS “Speedo”: see AM #13.
18. ELVIS PRESLEY, SCOTTY and BILL “Milkcow Blues Boogie”: see AM #32.
19. BILL HALEY AND HIS COMETS “See You Later Alligator”: 1956, see AM #26.
20. DEAN MARTIN “Memories Are Made of This”: RD 11/55, double checked.
21. LITTLE WALTER & HIS JUKES “My Babe”: RD 02/55, double checked.
22. ‘SONNY BOY’ WILLIAMSON “Don’t Start Me Talkin’”: see AM #24.
23. FRANK SINATRA “Love and Marriage”: RD 10/55, double checked.
24. NAT ‘KING’ COLE “A Blossom Fell”: RD 04/55, double checked.
25. THE EL DORADOS “At My Front Door”: see AM #16.
1956-1958. About the voted albums and song so far:
- GUY WARREN SOUNDS “Themes for African Drums”: 1958 according to many sources and 1959 according to others, so I’m going to keep with 1958.
- BO DIDDLEY “Bo Diddley”: 1958 according to AM, RYM, Wikipedia and other sources but sources highly reliable as bnspubs, wangdandula, soulfunkindamusic or AMG dates as 1957, so I’m going to consider it 1957 for the poll.
- HARRY PARTCH “The Bewitched”: not sure about this one, it was premièred in 1957 and recorded, but probably not released till much later (1973?). Anyway, 1957.
- SONNY ROLLINS “Saxophone Colossus”: 1956 according to AM and 1957 according to RYM. Probably it was released in December of 1956 according to Wikipedia.
- MACHITO “Kenya”: released in 01/58 according to RYM and bnspubs.
- MILES DAVIS “Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet”: although it was recorded from May to October of 1956 it was released in September of 1959. John, Romain, you still can vote for this album next month.
- GLENN GOULD “Goldberg Variations”: sorry, John, I’m sure that this release of that Bach work is great, but I’ve decided to not include only classical releases if they are first recordings of a new classical work (which obviously it’s not the case talking about Bach).
- JOHN COLTRANE “Blue Train”: recorded in September of 1957 according to many sources and probably released in February of 1958 but only according to RYM. Since I’ve not been able to double check it I’m going to stay with 1957 (all the other sources date is as 1957, there’s even one that dates it as released in December of 1957).
- BÉLA BÁRTOK “Concerto for Orchestra”: same as Glenn Gould’s, not eligible as it was first premiered in 1945.
- ELVIS PRESLEY “That’s All Right”: it’s a 1954 song and it’s already selected for the last round. John, are you sure that was the Elvis song you wanted to vote?
- BERNARD HERRMANN “Fahrenheit 451”: sorry Romain but the movie was premiered in 1966 and the album was not gong to be released till 1974, anyway you can vote for the album in 1966, so in July.
- MILES DAVIS “Porgy and Bess”: recorded in July and August of 1958 according to Jazz discography and released in 1958 according to many sources except RYM that dates it as 1959. Since I’ve not been able to double check I’m gonna stay with 1958. So, Romain, I’m going to put again this album in your list just above “Vertigo” soundtrack.
- JACQUES BREL “Quand on n’a que l’amour”: as Miguel pointed, tha album was released in 1957 although all the material that included was previously released as two EPs in 1956 (including the title song). See here.
- MILES DAVIS “Workin’” and “Steamin’”: recorded in 1956 but released respectively in 1959 and… 1961!! So, Romain, you can still vote for them next month.
- LOUIS & BEBE BARRON “Forbidden Planet”: the movie was premiered in 1956 but the album was released in 1978, anyway I’m going to count your vote (I did it before in other movie soundtracks).
I promise that soon I’ll go with Charlie Driggs songs.
So, remember, "Bo Diddley" first album is from 1957.
Hello Honorio.
Sorry for all theses problems in dates
And thanks for all this job. It's so difficult for having the good released date.
Hi Honorio,
Sorry for coming over like an ass, but as far as I know is Bo Diddley´s debut from 1958. It also shows in the sites you refer to. Here Bo Diddley´s album (Chess 1431) is listed afer the Dale Hawkins album (Chess 1429), which is from 1958. So it seems kinda illogical if Bo Diddley was released earlier. I have a Bo Diddley box set by the Chess label and in its liner notes his debut is copyrighted as a 1958 release as well.
In any case, keep up the good work :)
OK, Mindrocker, your reasoning seems correct. But I must point to the fact that all these 4 sources (that I’m using as reference) list it as 1957, even in Soulfunkindamusic list tat Dale Hawkins album as 1957 too. Anyway I’m going to trust your Chess box, definitely let’s return to 1958 for the first Bo Diddley album.
These release dates are a nightmare
Seems that there is no truth and that we just have to agree on a convention.
So Bo Diddley is from 1958, but please let it stay eligible even if some songs were released in 1955 (so 3 years before)
I think that in some cases a 3-year gap could be allowed.
The Bo Diddley album has an icon status that should make it eligible whatever.
I'm pretty sure that, without the Bo D album, there would have been no Rolling Stones (or not so good RS)or not so good British invasion blues influenced bands (Animals, Yardbirds et al).
EDIT : I first thought that the Moondog album had material from 1953 but after a checking I realized it's not the case.
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Infiniti AC Condenser
Isuzu AC Condenser
More dates:
- HENRY MANCINI “Peter Gunn Theme”: the single was released in 1959 according to RYM and Global Dog Productions but the album was released in 1958 according to this complete discography so it’s OK with 1958.
- CHUCK BERRY “Memphis”: every consulted source date is as released in June of 1959 as “Memphis, Tennessee”. Charlie Driggs, was it that “Memphis” you wanted to vote? If so, vote again for it next month.
- NINA SIMONE “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”: every consulted source date is as released in 1960 as a single and also as part of the albums “Nina Simone & Her Friends” but it was included as bonus tracks of the album “Jazz as Played on an Exclusive Side Street Club”. So Charlie Driggs, next month again.
- ELLA FITZGERALD & LOUIS ARMSTRONG “Ella and Louis”: 1956 on AM and 1957 on RYM, but I’ve a complete Ella discography that dates it as 1956, so 1956.
- MICKEY & SYLVIA “Love Is Strange”: 1956 on AM and January 1957 on RYM, but since in two reliable discographies, here and there shows as 1956, let’s keep with 1956.
I'm assuming Wolf's Moanin' In The Moonlight is considered ineligible for 1959?
Brad, I sincerely hope that Honorio will consider Moanin' In The Moonlight eligible, it's my all-time #6. Apart from that, although a few songs may date as far back as 1951, most of 'em are from the years '56-'58 and have never been released on album before. So, I guess it falls within our eligibility limits ? I know that RYM rates it as a compilation, but on other sites like Wikipedia and AMG it's listed as Howlin' Wolf's bonafide debut.
For your sake I hope it makes it in (plus, it truly is a remarkable and under-looked album) I recall your praise for it earlier this year. Would it be justifiable, however, given that we omitted Birth Of The Cool? Admittedly, I'm a bit fuzzy on the rules.
Well, before talking about Chester Arthur Burnett some comments about the last edition:
- The only album that I’ve changed the date on AM was NAT ‘KING’ COLE “After Midnight”: released in November of 1956 according to RYM and especially this huge Capitol discography.
- In many other albums I preferred to stay with the AM date release for not being able to double check the different date appearing on RYM, like “Saxophone Colossus” (1956), “Ella and Louis” (1956), “Blue Train” (1957), Davis’ “Porgy and Bess” (1958) and “Moanin’” (1958). It would be great that Blue Note and Verve labels could clarify the dates when they released such classic jazz works. They are still active labels and probably they keep some archives of their own catalog.
- The only song that I’ve changed the date of release that appears on AM was THE SILHOUETTES’ “Get a Job”: both according to RYM and soulfunkindamusic it was previously released in 1957 in Junior label as a B-side and later in January of 1958 as a A-side on Ember label.
- About 1959 or 1960 releases that you can still vote this month we had: Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster, Art Blakey au Club Saint Germain (Nicolas, I haven’t found information about the date of release but the recording took place on 28th of December of 1958 so probably the release was during 1959), Memphis, Tennessee and Buddy Holly’s True Love Ways, not released till 1960. Some Mindrocker choices were not released till some time later as being part of compilations or so but I kept the recording date.
And about the first Howlin’ Wolf album I know that it’s a compilation but I’m going to consider it eligible for the poll. The songs that contained were:
1. Moanin’ at Midnight: previously released as A-side single on October of 1951.
2. How Many More Years: B-side of Moanin’ (October 1951).
3. Smokestack Lightning: A-side single (February 1956).
4. Baby How Long: A-side single (July 1954).
5. No Place to Go: A-side single (May 1954).
6. All Night Boogie: A-side single (December 1953).
7. Evil: B-side of Baby (July 1954).
8. I’m Leaving You: A-side single (November 1958).
9. Moanin’ for My Baby: A-side single (May 1958).
10. I Asked for Water: A-side single (August 1956).
11. Forty-Four: B-side of “I’ll Be Around” (January 1955).
12. Somebody in My Home: A-side single (July 1957).
So, since the album was released on 1959, three of the 12 songs were released on a two year period before the release of the album. So eligible for the poll despite being a compilation.
About the rules I've decided to include some compilations if the songs included were released in a period of two years before the release of the compilation. Brad, you can scroll up to read my comments about “Birth of the Cool”, you will see that the songs were first released as singles during 1949 and 1950, 8 of them were later released as a 10” album called “Classics in Jazz” in 1954 that later was expanded with three more songs (previously released too in 1949 and 1950) as “Birth of the Cool” in 1957.
About the albums voted so far this month only two minor changes of date of release, the soundtracks of “À bout de souffle” and “L’eau à la bouche” were released in 1960. And, John, “Moanin’” was considered as released in 1958 and in fact it’s already elected for the last round.
And what about "Chuck Berry Is On top" from 1959 ?
Apart from Maybellene (1955) and Roll Over beethoven (1956)10 of the 12 songs are from 1958 and 1959.
Of course, "Chuck Berry Is on Top" is not only eligible but highly recommendable.
Charlie Driggs voted Bernard Herrmann's "Psycho:Prelude" as his #1 song. Superb choice, Charlie!
Now I wonder, are both the songs and the full soundtrack (which I think wasn't released until much later) eligible for the 1960 poll?
In my opinion, a film release is a kind of music release, too. So I suggest soundtracks should be eligible for the year the film came out.
Some comments about the results of the elegibility research of the first albums and songs voted for 1959-1961:
- THE STAPLE SINGERS’ “Uncloudy Day” was released as a single in 1956 on Vee-Jay label and as part of the first album of the band on 1959. So, Charlie Driggs, if the album version is different it is eligible. If it’s the same that the 1956 single version, I’m afraid it’s not.
- As Henrik pointed the first release on record of BERNARD HERRMANN soundtrack of “Psycho” was many years after the movie première and even after being re-recorded in 1975 by the composer because he was not completely satisfied with the original score. This re-recording was first released in 1975 and the original soundtrack was never released (except a bootleg recording in 1998). So giving this fact (and the fact that we previously have considered eligible some similar records, for instance another Herrmann soundtrack, “The Day the Earth Stood Still”) in my opinion “Psycho” should be eligible.
- The only information I’ve found about HANK MARR’s “Greasy Spoon” is that it was recorded (maybe) in 1959 but it was not released till 1963 by Federal label.
- PERCY FAITH “Theme from ‘A Summer Place’” was voted by Slick (a big big welcome!) as 1960 and by Brad as 1959’s. According to most sources it was released at the end of 1959, although it charted in early 1960 (it was at the time the instrumental track that spent more time at #1 of the charts).
- THE HIGHWAYMEN “Michael” was released in 1960 by United Artist label.
- JOHNNY CASH “I Still Miss Someone” was released in December of 1958 by Columbia records, in fact received some votes last month.
- But the biggest problem I have is with ETTA JAMES’ “At Last!” album. The single was released according to every source in January of 1961 by Argo label, subsidiary of Chess Records. But previously it was released as part of the album of the same name, released the 15 of November of 1960 according to RYM, Wikipedia and AM, while pages as reliable as bnspubs or soulfunkindamusic date it as 1961. I don’t which source I should trust more so I think I’m going to stay with 1960.
Cecil Taylor's "Live at the Cafe Montmartre /Nefertiti, the Beautiful One Has Come"... 1962 or '63?
Well, Brad, I’m not sure but it seems that this album comes from a concert on 23 of November of 1962 on Café Montmartre on Copenhagen, you can see it on a complete Cecil Taylor sessionography and on this other page. It seems that the first release was on a Danish label called Debut on 1963 as "Live at the Café Montmartre", being released in the US for the first time on 1964 on Fantasy Label. Both releases featured 4 songs (one of them, "D Trad, That's What", 21 minutes long). The same Danish label (Debut) released a second album called "Nefertiti, the Beautiful One Has Come" in 1966 with another 4 songs from the same 1962 concert. Finally Arista Freedom released a double album in 1976 with the 8 songs called also "Nefertiti, the Beautiful One Has Come".
Confusing enough? My opinion is that we should consider the album a 1963 album.
Excellent, H... I was leaning toward 1963 anyway, but figured I'd better check with someone else. Thanks!
Some brief comments about the eligibility of your 1962-1964 lists. I didn’t find any song or album on your lists released prior to 1962 and only two of your choices were released in 1965:
- John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme” was recorded on December 9 of 1964 (in one session!) and released on February of 1965 according to different sources. So Charlie Driggs you can (I would dare yo say you “must”) vote for it again in 1965.
- Astrud Gilberto’s “The Astrud Gilberto Album” was recorded on January of 1965 and released on 1965 according to Jazz Discography. So, Miguel, you can still vote for sweet Astrud.
- Howlin’ Wolf’s single “Killin’ Floor” was released on February of 1965 according to different sources so, Nicolas, there still a chance for Mr. Burnett.
A whole other question is the release date of Sam Cooke’s A Change is Gonna Come. It was on my 1964 list, and Charlie Driggs and Mindrocker voted for it too. I finally removed it from my list seeing that very few people voted for it (and that many people are voting for it on the 1965 lists) but it’s a 1964 song. I’ll explain:
- It was recorded on Deecember 21st of 1963.
- It was first released as the B-side opener of the album Ain’t That Good News released by RCA Victor label on March of 1964. It was the final studio album issued during Cooke’s lifetime according to Wikipedia. After Cooke’s death (on February 1965) RCA released an album called “Shake” that included “Change” too opening the B-side again.
- Sam Cooke was shot dead at a motel on December 11th of 1964 and less than two weeks after that (December 22nd of 1964, exactly a year after the recording session) the song was released in a posthumous single with “Shake” on the A-side, acting like the singer’s testament. Some sources date that single as released on January of 1965 (including RYM) but most of the sources (including songsofsamcooke.com, Wikipedia, GlobalDog or soulfulkindamusic).
So finally 1965 for the poll but Henrik should consider puting the song in the 1964 lists (and probably “Shake” too!). And don’t forget to vote for that wonderful song that Cooke wrote as his own answer to Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind”, including surprising lines coming from a gospel singer like “It’s been too hard living / but I’m afraid to die / I don’t know what’s up there / beyond the sky”.
The Velvet Underground's "Sunday Morning" - 1966 or 1967?
I've always considered it 1967 due to the LP release date, but it looks like the single may have been released in December 1966 (per wikipedia and AM), in which case it becomes my easy choice for #1 song of 1966.
I suppose I just want to clarify whether this is going to truly be considered a 1966 song or not.
Thanks!
Edit: I suppose the same goes for B-side "Femme Fatale", (and of course the July '66 single release "All Tomorrow's Parties/"I'll Be Your Mirror" - never realized this came out before the album!)
Sorry for the delay on the answer (I’ve been out for the weekend), but:
- Of course you can (must) vote for “Sunday Morning” as a 1966 song (in fact it’s listed like that in Acclaimed Music) and also for “Femme Fatale”, “I’ll Be Your Mirror” and “All Tomorrow’s Parties”. The one thing I’m not so sure is about voting separately for the single and album version of the last one (I think the single version was only an edited version of the album version, please correct me if I’m wrong). My opinion is that the ones that want to vote for Warhol’s favourite song should vote for it in 1966.
- BillAdama, I agree with you about that some compilations should be eligible but: 1) that Robert Johnson fabulous album “King of the Delta Blues Singers” compiles material originally released in 1937 and 1938 (so I consider it not eligible for this poll because of the rules I posted here) and 2) that particular compilation was initially released by Columbia in the USA in 1961 as Stephan pointed, it seems that 1966 is the date of the UK release (quite significant anyway because of its decisive influence on many British R&B bands of that time).
Some considerations about eligibility of your 1965 votes:
- Sven, three Beach Boys songs you voted were part of the 1965 album “Today!” but were released as part of singles during 1964, “When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)” (released in August 1964), “She Knows Me Too Well” (B-side of “When I Grow Up”) and “Dance, Dance, Dance” (released as a single in October of 1964). I’ve added your votes to the 1964 spreadsheet and displaced three songs up of your 1965 list.
- Sven, it seems that Larry Young’s “Unity” was recorded in November of 1965 but released in early 1966 by Blue Note Records, so you can vote for it again in your 1966 list.
- Charlie Driggs, same about “The Seeds” debut album, it was released in April 1966 by GNP label, so you can vote again for it in 1966 (in fact it had already received votes from Mindrocker).
Charlie Driggs, two songs from your Top 20 were released (or so it seems) in 1967, so I’ve move up the number 21 and 22 (allowing the wonderful “Tomorrow Never Knows” and “Reason to Believe” receive some points). The not allowed songs were:
- The Turtles’ “Happy Together” was released on January of 1967 according to different sources, including RateYourMusic, Wikipedia and the usually highly reliable Global Dog Productions, however there’s a Turtles web site that list it as 1966. Probably we should consider it 1967 as date of release so more people can vote for that great sunny slice of music.
- Martha & the Vandellas’ “Jimmy Mack” was released on 1967 according to all the sources including Global Dog Productions and Soulfulkindamusic.
Fred, about your vote for Albert Ayler’s “Truth Is Marching In” I’m not quite sure. Ayler recorded that song with his Quintet at Slug’s Saloon on May 1 of 1966 but it seems that it was not released till 1982 by an Italian label. He recorded that song again at Village Vanguard on December 18 of 1966 and released by Impulse label on 1968. The first one lasts for 8:48 and the second on for 12:12, which one you voted for? Anyway none of these versions were really released on 1966 but I can include it since I’m not completely sure about that Italian release. But if you prefer adding another song as your #20 I can move up the other songs on your list.
Honorio, you're of course right with "Happy together", but "Jimmy Mack" seems to be released on the album "Watchout" in 1966 according to RYM, Wikipedia an other sources.
Oops, Charlie Driggs, you’re right, of course, “Jimmy Mack” is eligible.
Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth": 1966 or 1967?
For What it´s Worth was written by Springfield guitarist/vocalist Stephen Stills in november 1966, as a comment on the riots on Sunset Strip in L.A., involving police and the early hippie crowd, protesting the closing of their favourite hangout Pandora´s Box and the general harassment to them by the cops (so, it´s not about the Vietnam war). It´s listed on several sites as a ´66 song, but as far as I know was it released in january 1967.
For What It´s Worth was originally not on Buffalo Springfield´s debut album, but after it became a hit, the album was quickly re-issued, now with the fresh hitsong included.
So the first Buffalo Springfield album is from 1967 ??
Love that album
Henrik, it seems to me that Mindrocker’s suggestion is correct. “Buffalo Springfield” (the first album) was released on December of 1966 according to Rate your Music, Both Sides Now and every other source consulted. The first release did not include “For What It’s Worth”, opening the album with “Go and Say Goodbye”. “For What It’s Worth” was released as the A-side of a single soon after the release of the album. As you point the exact release date is uncertain, Rate your Music date it as released on December 23rd of 1966, but every other source I found on the web list it as released on January of 1967, including sources as reliable as Global Dog Productions or Soulful Kinda Music. As you and Mindrocker pointed previously, after the success of the single Atco label made a second pressing of “Buffalo Springfield” first album (released on April of 1967) with “For What It’s Worth” replacing “Baby Don’t Scold Me” and opening the A-side.
So the final verdict should be in my opinion: “Buffalo Springfield” (the album) 1966 and “For What It’s Worth” 1967. Both in Global Dog and Soulful Kinda Music assign the single the catalog number 4569 that correlates well with the dates of release of the other singles. Anyway since we don’t know which posterior single charted around Christmas we cannot rule out some degree of uncertainty.
I looked up that email and here's what SavoyBG wrote to me:
Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" is shown at #29 on KHJ's December 28th chart.
The record is on Atco 6459. It first made the Billboard charts as a single for the week ending January 28, 1967.
"The Beat Goes On" by Sonny & Cher (Atco 6461) is two numbers AFTER "For What It's Worth" and the Sonny & Cher record first enterd the Billboard singles chart for the week ending January 14, 1967. The Sonny & Cher record was also released in December of 1966, and was reviewed as so.
A KOL Seattle chart dated December 28, 1966 shows "The Beat Goes On" as a KOL Future Hit (A Hitbound).
A KTKT chart from Tucson AZ dated Dec. 30, 1966 has it at #40.
KHJ in LA shows "The Beat Goes On" as a Hitbound on their chart previewed December 21st, 1966, and #30 on the next chart dated December 28th.
All this sounds quite convincing, but maybe we should still go with the crowd?
Oops, yes, it's 6549 and not 4569. Well, that research look absolutely impeccable, so maybe we should accept 1966 as the date of release. In that case, you can expect "For What It's Worth" on my 1966 list for sure. Great song.
OK, let's do it. 1966 it is then.
Why don't we just call up Stephen Stills and ask him?
Yeah it was '66,I just wish I could remember recording it...
Many thanks Stephen for coming here to clarify it. And don’t worry if you don’t remember the recording session, your long time friend David Crosby even didn’t remember his name…
I remember my name, I just don't remember how to spell it.
Serge Gainsbourg/Anna Karina, et al- "Anna" soundtrack... 1966 or 1967?
I'm confused- it looks like the EP was released in December 1966 while the TV movie came out in january'67. Should the songs on the EP be considered '66 and the rest of the full length LP '67?
This article may give a clue, but I can't read French!:
http://www.ruedescollectionneurs.com/magazine/mag/anna.php
Thanks for your help!
According both to an exhaustive Gainsbourg discographie and Soundtrack Collector it seems that both the EP and the LP were released on 1967, but in rate your Music they date the EP as released on December of 1966. I’m not sure but probably 1967 could be correct.
And surprisingly we reached to 100 comments on this thread...