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50s Poll Recommendations

Post here your recommendations for the 50s poll.

And here's mine for January:
Protest songs can be funny. Georges Brassens wrote a semi-autobiographical song with “La mauvaise reputation” (“Bad Reputation”) about feeling different growing in a little village and converted it in his signature piece, a humorous anarchist chant. You know, the good folks don't like it if you take a different road than they do (“les braves gens n'aiment pas que l'on suive une autre route qu'eux".

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Great Georges Brassens ! He's my favorite artist after Bruce.

In that video of La Mauvaise Reputation he's pretty old and already ill. That's the problem with Brassens videos.

I myself have A LOT of songs to recommend. I have tons of songs from this era, so much that it's difficult to list them all. Of course, what thrills me the most in the early 50's are the pre-rock'nroll songs, so there's a lot of country, blues and r&b.

I have spotifyed them so if you can spotify too go to my playlist

You'll find the likes of Hank, Georges, Big Bill Broonzy, Prof Longhair, Lady Day, Lloyd Price, Little Walter, Cowboy Copas, etc...

If I had to chose one video, now Honorio has picked Georges, I would post this one of Big Bill Broonzy playing the guitar part of his song "Hey, Hey" from 1951 (top 10 material for me). If you play the guitar you will appreciate his skills. Clapton later covered that, but he had not the same laid back, down home feeling. Big Bill was the main session guitarist in Chicago blues recordings before Muddy W. You'll find the song in the spotify list.

>

And speaking of funny protest songs, my number one of 1950-52 will be "Le Gorille" by Brassens, the story of a gorilla which escapes the zoo, and in a hurry to lose its cherry, runs after an old lady and a judge. The question is : which one will he pick ?
Instead of chosing the old lady "like anybody would have done", " he grabbed the judge by the ear and took him into a bush"

Translation of the last lines :

"the end would have been delightful, but sadly I can't tell it, and that's a pity, that would have been fun, cause the judge at the climax moment, cried mama, weeped a lot, like the man that, the very same day, he had sent to have his head cut."

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Another one ? ok, ok...

The REAL "Dust my Broom" from 1951, on Trumpet records with Sonny Boy Williamson on harp. I have told the story of this session here a few years ago. so I quote myself :

"The star of that session was Sonny Boy Williamson II (one of the greatest bluesmen, you should see him on youtube). He had brought with him a bunch of other Delta bluesmen including a young and very nervous man named Elmore James.
Let AMG tell the rest of the story :

"Nervous and unsure of his abilities as a recording artist, Elmore was surreptitiously recorded by Lillian McMurray of Trumpet Records at the tail end of a Sonny Boy session doing his now-signature tune, "Dust My Broom." Legend has it that James didn't even stay around long enough to hear the playback, much less record a second side."

The song is awesome : the famous Robert Johnson riff on the slide guitar is played on a saturated guitar with sheer intensity and doubled by Sonny Boy's very distinctive harmonica.
Elmore gave everything he had in each recording. That's the blues.

Trumpet had to put another guy's song on the B-side and the outcome surprised everyone : a massive R&B hit !

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

And here are Charlie Gillett's lists as he put them in appendix of his great book "Sound of the city" about the birth and youth of rock'n'roll (1946-71)
Everything here is golden material

this is not my list


1950

1. Ivory Joe Hunter - I Almost Lost My Mind (MGM) blues
2. Fats Domino - The Fat Man (Imperial) r&b
3. Hank Williams - Long Gone Lonesome Blues (MGM) country
4. Joe Liggins - Pink Champagne (Specialty) r&b
5. Roy Brown - Hard Luck Blues (De Luxe/King)blues
6. Ruth Brown - Teardrops From My Eyes (Atlantic)r&b
7. Percy Mayfield - Please Send Me Someone To Love (Specialty) r&b
8. Five Blind Boys - Our Father (Peacock) gospel


1951

1. James Wayne - Tend To Your Business (Sittin' In With)r&b
2. Jackie Brenston - Rocket 88 (Chess) r&b
3. The Dominoes - Sixty Minute Man (Federal)r&b
4. The Clovers - Don't You Know I Love you (Atlantic)
5. Sonny Boy Williamson II - Eyesight To The Blind (Trumpet) blues
6. Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads -Cry (Okeh/Columbia)
pop
7. B.B. King - Three O'Clock Blues (RPM) blues


1952

1. Jimmy Forrest - Night Train (United)jazz
2. Elmore James - Dust My Broom (Trumpet) blues
3. Rosco Gordon - No more Doggin'(RPM)r&b
4. Lloyd Price - Lawdy Miss Clawdy (Specialty) r&b
5. Little Walter - Juke (Checker/Chess) blues
6. Willie Mabon - I Don't Know (Chess) blues

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Sorry, I posted in the wrong site


I post about 2010 : 15 answers
about the beautiful fifties : 0

I guess I'll run back to 1950 when everybody blew cigarette smoke on each other

How many of you guys have spotify accounts ?

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

nicolas
I post about 2010 : 15 answers
about the beautiful fifties : 0

I guess I'll run back to 1950 when everybody blew cigarette smoke on each other

Sign of the times, Nic. Go ahead, continue posting those wonderful song and blowing cigarette smoke on all those youngsters
About "Dust My Broom" I see that there are two versions, the one you posted with Sonny Boy Williamson on harmonica released on 1951 and another one with a full band including electric guitar, drums and horns (released maybe on 1952?), I mean this one. Charlie Driggs dated it as from 1952 but I think I'm going to consider it as a 1951 song no matter the version you choose. OK?

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

About "Dust my Broom" :

The version with SBW on the harmonica is from 1951 and was first pressed by Trumpet records in 1951 (#146).

There was no "Dust my Broom" recorded or issued in 1952.

According to another source, it was released by Trumpet in late 1951 and became a hit in 1952, so that explains the confusion.

After his Trumpet recordings, Elmore signed with the Bihari Brothers (Kent records) and recorded 2 sides in 1952. A version of "Dust My Broom" was rejected and the tapes lost.

According to this excellent discography , he didn't record "Dust My Broom" before 1959 . That's the Youtube version you linked to.

So "Dust My Broom" is really from 1951, as this other discography attests too.

And I quit smoking in 2001

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

nicolas
And I quit smoking in 2001

Me too, quite a coincidence! I smoke my last cigarette on my birthday party on 2001. Almost 10 years now! It was probably the best decision I've taken in my whole life.

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Honorio

About "Dust My Broom" I see that there are two versions, the one you posted with Sonny Boy Williamson on harmonica released on 1951 and another one with a full band including electric guitar, drums and horns (released maybe on 1952?), I mean this one. Charlie Driggs dated it as from 1952 but I think I'm going to consider it as a 1951 song no matter the version you choose. OK?


Elmore James recorded Dust my broom several times. The version you're referring to dates from the 1960-61 sessions he did for Bobby Robinson's Fire/Fury label. If I'm not mistaken was it released in '64, after Elmore's death. The original Dust my broom is from 1951, though.

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Another great song from 1950 (sorry, it's HD, but you can have a coffee or beer or wine on me while it's loading)



And mindrocker, you're right, the 2nd version of "Dust My broom" was recorded by the Fire label around 1959-60 and released in 1964 according to the sources above.

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Honorio
nicolas
And I quit smoking in 2001

Me too, quite a coincidence! I smoke my last cigarette on my birthday party on 2001. Almost 10 years now! It was probably the best decision I've taken in my whole life.


Amen too that

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations



banjo playing was never the same after Earl Scruggs.

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Excellent recommendations, Nicolas. I also love your Spotify playlist, an endless source of blues and country hidden gems (only one minor flaw, the version of “Singin’ in the Rain” it’s not Gene Kelly’s original).
But now I wanted to point to a song that possess a breathtaking beauty, Gerry Mulligan Quartet’s “My Funny Valentine”. And I will seize the opportunity to clarify the eligibility and date of release. After composing and arranging for other artists (notably Miles Davis on “Birth of the Cool”) and releasing his fist solo album in 1951, Gerry Mulligan formed his historical first quartet in 1952 with Chet Baker on trumpet, Bob Whitlock on bass and Chico Hamilton on drums. On their third recording session together in 09/02/52 they cut 4 tunes including a sublime 2’55” instrumental rendition of “My Funny Valentine”. This song was released at the end of 1952 as A-side of a single on Fantasy label as Gerry Mulligan Quartet and later in early 1953 as part of the Quartet first album for Fantasy. To add some confusion there will be three other albums called “Gerry Mulligan Quartet” too in 1953 for other label (Pacific Jazz Records) coming from sessions on October 1952, January and April of 1953. And even more confusing is that RYM list “My Funny Valentine” as a Chet Baker 1952 single without information about the label in what must be a mistake. The Quartet 1952 instrumental version is basically a Baker trumpet solo so frequently is (wrongly) credited to Chet Baker. And, unfairly enough, for me the highlight of the track is the Mulligan part. Given the fact that the Quartet had no piano or guitar, the harmonic counterpoint was given in this song by Mulligan’s baritone sax, playing heavenly harmonies that intertwined with the trumpet solo and not abandoning a humble background till his own solemn and brief solo at 2’05”. Listen, listen, listen…



Chet Baker left Gerry Mulligan Quartet in June of 1953 to form his own Quartet with Russ Freeman on piano and different bass players and drummers. After three instrumental albums a 25-years old Chet decided to sing with a pure and unprofessional (in 50s terms) voice that proved widely successful and largely influential (Sinatra himself sang during these years some songs previously released by Baker). In 02/15/54 (so the day after Valentine’s Day!) Chet recorded with his Quartet his 2’19” vocal version with almost the same solemn (almost gloomy) beauty of his instrumental version. This version was released as part of his lauded album Chet Baker Sings. So, Charlie Driggs, if you wanted to vote for this vocal version and RYM confused you, you must wait till 1954. If not, I will add your votes to Gerry Mulligan Quartet. In my case I simply can’t choose between the two versions, so I put the instrumental as #5 of 1950-1952 poll and I’m going to put the vocal one at #4 of 1953-1955. What else can I do?

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Beautiful !

I love the instrumental version. keep on posting jazz gems like that !

i'm not a jazz specialist (I've got a lot of work with do with blues and country) so I need a little jazz education !

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

I'm discovering Bahamian Blind Blake. It's fascinating !

Not to be confused with bluesman Blind Blake, a fantastic guitarist and singer of the 1920s and 30s. Blues is a huge influence on this Bahamaian musician, and he took his name from the bluesman. But there's a Caribbean flavour to his music that is just delicious.
Everybody knows this song by the way. Blues connoisseurs will recognize the guitar intro, typical of the original Blind Blake style.

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

This song, "Danny's Dream" by Lars Gullin, must not be missed when you make your list for 1954. I let the music speak for itself...

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

1953 : La Marine, Georges Brassens. Wonderful song about sailors. "All the joys, all the pains, of everlasting love stories, we find them, in short, in our little one night loves"

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Nicolas, in additions to very great songs of Brassens, I can add three of my favorites songs about this magnificient artist : "Au bois de mon coeur" "Le bistrot" and "Les oiseaux de passages".
You like them ?

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

I love those 3 songs, especially "Le Bistrot", one of my very favorite Brassens songs.
I don't know "Les Oiseaux de passage" very well, I'm more familiar with his early work (before 1965)

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

And then there's Boris Vian. the 50's are a fantastic era for French chanson. While American pop was saved by Rock n' Roll, French chanson was ruined by it (with the exception of Gainsbourg, of course.

Le Déserteur, written in 1954, the year when the indochine war ended and the Algerian war started. The song was banned from airplay until the 1960s.

These 2 songs were released in 1955




But Vian could also be very funny, and had a huge sense of humor.


and, to illustrate the hipsters thread, "J'suis snob"




English translation (found somewhere on the Web)

I'm a snob... I'm a snob
It's about the only fault I can stomach
It requires months of toil
It's the life of a galley-slave
But when I go out with Hildegarde
It's always me that they're looking at
I'm a snob... a frightful snob
All my friends are snobbish too
We're snobs and we know it

Organdie shirts, shoes made from zebu-hide
An Italian tie and a devilish moth-eaten suit
A ruby on the finger...of your foot, not that one!
Pitch-black nails and a pretty litte handkerchief
I go to the cinema to watch Swedish films
And nip into the cafe to drink whisky galore
I don't have indigestion, nobody does that anymore
I've got an ulcer, it's less common and it's dearer

I'm a snob... I'm a snob
My name's Patrick, but they call me Bob
I go horse-riding every morning
Because I love the smell of fresh manure
I only keep company with baronesses
With surnames like trombones
I'm a snob... an outrageous snob
And when I talk of love
It's stark-naked in the courtyard

We get together with our friends
Every Friday, where we snob it up in style
There's coca cola, we hate that
And camambert which we eat with a teaspoon
My apartment is truly charming
I heat it with diamonds, you couldn't wish for anything more smoking [fumant= smoky OR fantastic]
I had a TV, but found it tiresome
I've turned it round... from the back it's riveting

I'm snob... I'm a snob
I've been consumed by the bug
I have accidents in Jaguars
I spend the month of August in the sack
It's small details like that
That make you a snob or not
I'm a snob... Even more snobbish than 5 minutes ago
And when I die
I want a shroud from chez Dior

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Henrik, the Lars Gullik song is great

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

nicolas
Henrik, the Lars Gullik song is great
I was really hoping for a response like this. Now I'm happy!

I haven't listened to Boris Vian yet, hopefully you'll get a similar response back from me.

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

nicolas
In fact he had written the song like you said with the "armed" ending, but Mouloudji changed that, arguing that being against war meant being non violent, and Vian finally kept that line,
which in my opinion is even stronger.

Agree with you, sometimes (only sometimes) censorship betters art. This was absolutely true during Franco dictatorship, singers were in need to use metaphors to escape censorship making their message much more poetic. Anyway freedom is way better, no doubt about it.
Now three suggestions. First Mexican bolero, a music style built on a Latin slow rhythm pattern, wooden guitars, tight vocal harmonies and desperately romantic lyrics (like Rubén Blades once said boleros only talk about love that begins or love that ends). Los Panchos were a Mexican trio that exemplifies this style like no one else, with a trajectory of more than 40 years (and with a discography very difficult to trace!). “Lo dudo” (“I doubt it”) was probably released in 1954 and it’s one of their better songs. Sorry but all the You Tube videos of this song feature gay images (I’ve selected the most discreet), since Almodóvar used this song to maximum impact on the last scene of his movie “La ley del deseo” (“Law of Desire”) it has become a kind of gay anthem. By the way this is my favourite Almodóvar movie just before getting international acclaim with “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” and I strongly recommend it despite its gay content.



And now the delicious Silvana Mangano “singing” (it seems that she did not sing this one after all) and sensually dancing “Anna (El negro zumbón)”:



And now something completely different but absolutely fascinating: the Lotte Lenya 1955 version of “Moritat vom Mackie Messer”

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

More of the completely different!!

I seriously consider Leroy Anderson's "The Typewriter" to be my number one song from 1953. Here's a live version...




And here's the original recording by Leroy Anderson's Orchestra.

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

1954 : After hearing Elvis' version of his "Blue Moon Of Kentucky", a song he first recorded in 1946, Bill Monroe decided to record it again. Monroe was a good businessman, knowing when there was some money to make, but his 1954 version is wonderful. The best bluegrass can provide (equal to Flatt & Scrugg's "Foggy MB")

I didn't find it on you tube but you can listen to it here

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Hi, here are my main recommendations for the years 1956-58

1956

There is a solid Brassens fan club here, and I'm very happy about that. Georges got a lot of votes for his first 2 albums, but he was excellent in the mid-50s, even better musically speaking.

Here is one of his most beautiful melodies (with a Django-like 2nd guitar).Everybody praised him for his lyrics, but his melodies were huge too. Musical snobs despised him because of his spare arrangements and so-called simple songs. But the songs are not so simple and the simple fact that some of you picked them even though you don't necessarily understand the words is a great proof of that. THe guys who couldn't understand that had "washbasin ears", as Georges's friend, writer René Fallet said once. They were just jerks who thought that good meant complex or outwardly sophisticated.

Brassens didn't want to rely on a producer to make his arrangements and kept his songs simple : two guitars, a double bass.
But if you play his songs and speed up or syncopate the tempo, you realize they swing like hell.
This song is about his companion, Joha Heiman, aka "pupchen" ("little doll",derived from German). He met her in 1947 and stayed faithful to her for all his life, although they never married and lived in separate houses.

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

nicolas
Hi, here are my main recommendations for the years 1956-58

1956

There is a solid Brassens fan club here, and I'm very happy about that. Georges got a lot of votes for his first 2 albums, but he was excellent in the mid-50s, even better musically speaking.

Here is one of his most beautiful melodies (with a Django-like 2nd guitar).Everybody praised him for his lyrics, but his melodies were huge too. Musical snobs despised him because of his spare arrangements and so-called simple songs. But the songs are not so simple and the simple fact that some of you picked them even though you don't necessarily understand the words is a great proof of that. THe guys who couldn't understand that had "washbasin ears", as Georges's friend, writer René Fallet said once. They were just jerks who thought that good meant complex or outwardly sophisticated.
>



Aaaaah Nicolas ! One of his most beautiful songs indeed. When I listen it, I cry. He has the capacity of shake my heart each time. Like "Jeanne" !

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

1957

In a previous post, I said that I didn't like the early Jacques Brel as much as the Brel from the 60

That was a bit exaggerated. If his first three albums are way under his later work, there is this song, "quand on n'a que l'amour", especially with these arrangements.

The early Brel was a little naive and preaching. Brassens used to call him "l'abbé Brel" (the abbot Brel). Brel compared to Brassens had a bourgeois and catholic upbringing and even if he tries to escape it, it still shows in his first efforts.

And then in 1959 he experienced a sort of metamorphosis, with an excellent album including the big standard "Ne me quitte pas". And then, everything he did later was excellent.

But this song from 1957, "quand on n'a que l'amour" (When love is all you have) is one of his best IMO. I sang it at my sister's wedding.

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Nicolas, I absolutely agree with you that "Quand on n'a que l'amour" is a great song. But we should clarify that was released in 1956 on an EP. You can check here .

... and I hope that you and I will not be the only ones to vote this song.

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

thanks Miguel !

I didn't use the same discography as yours, but yours looks more serious.

So, Ok, I'll have it as 1956, but 1956 is already crowded with excellent songs and I'm not sure it will be first like it was in 1957.

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Jimmy Rogers - Walking By Myself (1956)

This terrific blues song features the best harmonica solo of all times, by Big Walter Horton.



And what about other recommandations for 1956-58 ? Am I the only one ?

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

if you insist, here's my #1 for 1956!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ahbE6bcVf8

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Brad, I'm posting your video. Great song !

This is "I Love Paris" by Ella Fitzgerald (1956), Brad's number one song for that year

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

I can't begin to imagine even starting on the 50s. I guess it makes it more admirable that you guys have. What's the best way to start? Go as far back in time as you can? Go backwards from 1965? What sounds most like an album? How did you guys do it?

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Well, probably the most obvious thing in the world is to recommend Elvis Presley in a 50s poll but, first, 1956-1958 was one of the most brilliant periods for a particular artist (do you remember that thread about the peak years?). And, secondly I want to vindicate Elvis third movie, King Creole, as one of the best rock movies ever. Most of the merit goes to the setting in New Orleans, the solid directing by Michael Curtiz (the one of “Casablanca”, no less) and of course the great soundtrack, mostly originals from Leiber & Stoller. I always liked a lot “Trouble”, my #196 song of all time and I’m puzzled to see that it’s not even bubbling under on AM 1958 list. The cocky lyrics, the cool vocal delivery of Elvis, the New Orleans horns arrangement, the doubling of the tempo at the last part, the final yeah! Wow!



And Zorg, you just can begin with 1956-1958. Try to listen in Spotify (or whatever) the songs listed on AM list, the song on Nicolas list in progress, the songs voted by Charlie Driggs, John or Brad, you will find a fascinating universe. C’mon Everybody!

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Another French 1956 gem (this year is one of the very best in all rock history), very idiosyncratic and more than probably banned on air at the time given its lyrics.

Boris Vian (don't forget to vote for his 1956 album) wrote this one, but as for most of the hundreds of songs he wrote, it was sung by another artist, Magali Noël. Vian himself does the hilarious spoken interludes

I was about to forget about this gem that I used to listen as a kid when my dad played it. Well most of the excitement is in the sadomasochist lyrics.
It's about a girl who wants to be hurt by his lover. I found this funny video lip-synched by two girls (the fact that they are two girls add a little spice to the vid).

You'll find an English translation (and the French words) below



Fais-moi Mal Johnny (English translation)

He stood up when I approached him
Once up he was really smaller
I thought to myself, "it's in the bag!"
That cutie's for my bed
He came up to my shoulder
But he was very well built
He followed me into my shack
And I shouted, go on Wolfy

Hurt me Johnny
Fly me to the sky, zoom
Hurt me Johnny
I like love when it goes "boom"!

(spoken by Vian) He's gonna hurt her, He's gonna hurt her

He was stripped down to his socks
Nice yellow ones with blue stripes
He looked at me with a dumb eye
he understood nothing, the poor one
he told me with a sorrowfull face
I woudn't hurt a fly
he was bugging me, i slapped him
and I squaeked with an angry face..

hurt me Johnny..
I'm not a fly, bzzz
I like love when it goes "boom"!

(Spoken) Come on, hurt her
Come on, hurt her

Seeing that he was not excited
I savagely insulted him
I gave him all kinds of names
and many more others less common
It woke him up abruptely
and he told me " come off it!"
you really think I'm a dead loss?
I will give you some "serie noire"

you're hurting me Johnny
No, not with feet.. zing
you're hurting me
I dont' like love that goes "bang"

(Spoken) He hurt her, He hurt her

he put on his little shirt
his li'l suit, his li'l shoes
I went down the stairs
letting me with a dislocated shoulder
for thugs this type
it wasn't worth making an effort
Now I got bruises all over my butt
And never again will I say

Hurt me Johnny
Fly me to the sky, zoom
Hurt me Johnny
I like love when it goes "boom"!

(spoken) Holy cow,I'm sick of it !

Fais-moi mal Johnny (Français)

Fais-moi Mal Johnny

Il s'est levé à mon approche
Debout, il était bien plus p'tit
Je me suis dit c'est dans la poche
Ce mignon-là, c'est pour mon lit
Il m'arrivait jusqu'à l'épaule
Mais il était râblé comme tout
Il m'a suivie jusqu'à ma piaule
Et j'ai crié vas-y mon loup

Fais-moi mal, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny
Envole-moi au ciel... zoum!
Fais-moi mal, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny
Moi j'aim' l'amour qui fait boum!

Il n'avait plus que ses chaussettes
Des bell' jaunes avec des raies bleues
Il m'a regardé d'un œil bête
Il comprenait rien, l'malheureux
Et il m'a dit l'air désolé
Je n'ferais pas d'mal à une mouche
Il m'énervait! Je l'ai giflé
Et j'ai grincé d'un air farouche

Fais-moi mal, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny
Je n'suis pas une mouche... zoum!
Fais-moi mal, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny
Moi j'aim' l'amour qui fait boum!

Voyant qu'il ne s'excitait guère
Je l'ai insulté sauvagement
J'y ai donné tous les noms d'la terre
Et encor' d'aut's bien moins courants
Ça l'a réveillé aussi sec
Et il m'a dit arrête ton charre
Tu m'prends vraiment pour un pauve mec
J'vais t'en r'filer, d'la série noire

Tu m'fais mal, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny
Pas avec des pieds... zing!
Tu m'fais mal, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny
J'aim' pas l'amour qui fait bing!

Il a remis sa p'tite chemise
Son p'tit complet, ses p'tits souliers
Il est descendu l'escalier
En m'laissant une épaule démise
Pour des voyous de cette espèce
C'est bien la peine de faire des frais
Maintenant, j'ai des bleus plein les fesses
Et plus jamais je ne dirai
(and I will never say again...)
From: http://lyricstranslate.com

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

Hello! That's funny that you mention this one, because with Henri Salvador's "Rock 'n' Roll Mops", these are two Boris Vian songs that were included in both the "Discothèque parfaite de l'odyssée du rock" and Hervé Bourhis' "Petit livre rock", which are to be included on the site. Therefore, the two are currently the most likely french songs of the 50s to have a chance to enter acclaimedmusic. That was just my useless moment of personal pride for contributing to this site .

Regarding the song itself, I'm not a huge fan of the sound of the 50s, but this one is one of my fave, and don't forget that's it's considered one of the very first rock-sounding recording from France, hence its historical importance. It was effectively banned from radios at the time, and this is not exactly the most played french song from the 50s on "Nostalgie" .

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

R.I.P. Johnny Maestro

1958 Recommendation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar5btDrZ9I4&feature=player_embedded

(sorry, Nicolas- I haven't figured out the video-embedding situation yet. And thanks for posting my last one!)

By the way- loved that last video!

Re: 50s Poll Recommendations

A very cinematographic suggestions this month, with 3 masters of the scores plus another master of music in general. I’m talking about Henry Mancini, Bernard Herrmann, Nino Rota and Antônio Carlos Jobim. Let’s begin with my #1 song for 1959-1961 (and #13 of all-time), “Moon River”. Mancini was part of that glorious team (that included also Truman Capote, Blake Edwards, Hubert de Givenchy and, of course, Audrey Hepburn) that provided an everlasting definition of class. And the song “Moon River” can be used also to describe beauty. Oddly the only version released on record at the time was the orchestral one, the one appearing on AM list, but the delicate (and much superior) version sang by Audrey Hepburn remained unissued on record till 1993. That’s the one I love, of course, with that imperfect but sweet voice of Audrey Hepburn and with her magnetic presence sitting at the windowsill.



Vinícius de Moraes wrote the play “Orfeu da Conceição” (1956), an adaptation of the classic Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice setting in a favela de Rio de Janeiro during the Carnival, and Antônio Carlos Jobim wrote the songs of the play (including classic numbers as “A felicidade” or “Lamento no morro” ), but for the 1959 movie “Orfeu negro” directed by Marcel Carné another song was added, this time composed by Brazilian guitarist Luiz Bonfá, the immortal “Manhã de carnaval”. My favourite version is the one sung by João Gilberto that it appears on the album as “Scene du lever du soleil” (not available on YouTube) but the one sung by Elizete Cardoso is delicious too:



And one the most fascinating scores ever was the one by Bernard Herrmann for Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho”. Due to the lower budget for this particular film Herrmann was forced to record with a smaller string orchestra instead a symphonic orchestra, resulting in the most suggestive score from Herrmann and for sure the most disturbing (even terrifying!). Like Henrik suggested in the eligibility thread it was not released on record till 1975 (re-recorded for the occasion at a slower tempo), the original soundtrack was never officially released.



And now I prefer ending with a more optimistic note with the vital soundtrack of “La dolce vita” composed by Italian genius Nino Rota, author of many excellent scores for directors as prestigious as Federico Fellini or Francis Ford Coppola. Enjoy…