What are your top 10 favorite oldies songs?

[radioman148]

A difficult task at best. I have hundreds of CDs, Cassette tapes, 45s and LPs of my favorite oldies. The following are ten that you just don't hear on the radio, with the exception of two, which are occasionally played on my favorite oldies station, about eight miles down the road. They also play stuff that is nearly impossible to find.

It's Getting Better - Cass Elliott
I Got Rhythm - The Happenings
You Got It - Roy Orbison
Beyond The Sea - Bobby Darin
The Morse Code of Love - The Manhattan Transfer version (although I have & like The Capris as well)
Silver Bird - Mark Lindsey
I Like Dreamin' - Kenny Nolan
Walking In The Rain - The Ronettes
Sweet Baby James - James Taylor
Thunder and Lightning - Chi Coltrane

"You Got It" by Orbison was recorded in 1988, but sounds every bit as good as any of his 60s stuff.

 

[radioman148]

Some of my favorites in no particular order (year approximate in some cases)....

You Got the Right String Baby, But the Wrong Yo Yo.....Dr. Feelgood & the Interns (1962)
Real Rock Drive....Bill Haley & Saddlemen (1952)
Open The Door Richard...Louis Jordan (1947)
Misty Mountain Hop...Led Zeplin (1971)
Chica Chica Boom...Carmen Miranda (1940)
Shimmy Like My Sister Kate...Olympics (1960...also Beatles bootleg live cover 1961)
Someday...Smiley Lewis (1956)
Uno Mundo...Buffalo Springfield (1968)
Last Date...Skeeter Davis (1960)
Frenesi...Artie Shaw (1940)
Baby Come Back...Equals (1968)
Tiger By the Tail...Buck Owens (1966)
Eh Cumpari....Julius La Rosa (1953)
Spider & The Fly...Rolling Stones (1965)
Dust My Broom...Elmore James (1952)
Walk Don't Run....Ventures (1960)
How High The Moon...Les Paul/Mary Ford (1951)
Dancin' Jones....Neville Brothers (1978)
Its Gonna Work Out Fine...Ike & Tina Turner (1961)
My Girl is Red Hot...Billy C. Riley (1956)
Bitter Bad...Melanie (1973)
And Your Bird Can Sing....Beatles (1966)
Cow Cow Boogie....Ella Mae Morse (1942)
Heart of Glass...Blondie (1979)
Straw Hat Song...Desi Arnaz (1949)
Topsy Part 2....Cozy Cole (1958)
Tennesee Birdwalk....Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan (1970)
Positively 4th Street....Bob Dylan (1965)
Traffic Jam....Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks (1973)

(& Many, mamny more. All of these are on my IPod)

Right about many many more that could be listed. Actually I should clarify there is another that you rarely hear on the radio, and that is Thunder & Lightning. I have in fact heard it on a couple of rare occasions. Good stuff!

"Baby Come Back" by the Equals sounds fantastic on a summer night driving with the top down and the volume cranked up.

 

[FRR]

Springfield Plane - Kenny O'Dell

 

[Silkie]

A difficult task at best. I have hundreds of CDs, Cassette tapes, 45s and LPs of my favorite oldies. The following are ten that you just don't hear on the radio, with the exception of two, which are occasionally played on my favorite oldies station, about eight miles down the road. They also play stuff that is nearly impossible to find.

It's Getting Better - Cass Elliott
I Got Rhythm - The Happenings
You Got It - Roy Orbison
Beyond The Sea - Bobby Darin
The Morse Code of Love - The Manhattan Transfer version (although I have & like The Capris as well)
Silver Bird - Mark Lindsey
I Like Dreamin' - Kenny Nolan
Walking In The Rain - The Ronettes
Sweet Baby James - James Taylor
Thunder and Lightning - Chi Coltrane

"You Got It" by Orbison was recorded in 1988, but sounds every bit as good as any of his 60s stuff.

Absolutely. I knew it was eighties stuff. I have it, but it still has that quality, just as you said.

 

[radioman148]

A difficult task at best. I have hundreds of CDs, Cassette tapes, 45s and LPs of my favorite oldies. The following are ten that you just don't hear on the radio, with the exception of two, which are occasionally played on my favorite oldies station, about eight miles down the road. They also play stuff that is nearly impossible to find.

It's Getting Better - Cass Elliott
I Got Rhythm - The Happenings
You Got It - Roy Orbison
Beyond The Sea - Bobby Darin
The Morse Code of Love - The Manhattan Transfer version (although I have & like The Capris as well)
Silver Bird - Mark Lindsey
I Like Dreamin' - Kenny Nolan
Walking In The Rain - The Ronettes
Sweet Baby James - James Taylor
Thunder and Lightning - Chi Coltrane

"You Got It" by Orbison was recorded in 1988, but sounds every bit as good as any of his 60s stuff.

Absolutely. I knew it was eighties stuff. I have it, but it still has that quality, just as you said.

Yeah it's a great record in any year.

 

[cyberdad]

"Baby Come Back" by the Equals sounds fantastic on a summer night driving with the top down and the volume cranked up.

For me, the late 60s was a time where a lot of acts were effectively playing "can you top this" with the special effects and flower power stuff. Some of the results were interesting, some of it was quite good, but a LOT of it was downright silly. I always thought Eddy Grant & company did us all a big...and timely...favor by putting out a great little tune to remind us that there was still such a thing as pure, joyful, straight-ahead, unvarnished rock and roll. The opening guitar riff is one of the BEST ever!

 

[radioman148]

>>I always thought Eddy Grant & company did us all a big...and timely...favor by putting out a great little tune to remind us that there was still such a thing as pure, joyful, straight-ahead, unvarnished rock and roll. The opening guitar riff is one of the BEST ever!>>

That opening guitar is great and "Baby Come Back" reached #1 in England. As they would say there
that song was a real "cracker".

 

[hornet61]

a few more from the hornets nest:

1. soul coaxing - raymond lefevre
2. it was i - skip and flip
3. there's got to be a word - innocence
4. mr lonely - videls
5. Sha la la - manfred mann
6. my cherie amor - stevie wonder
7. my baby - temptations
8. heart and soul - incredibles
9. love me - mel carter
10. on bended knee - barbara lewis
11. the fool - ann ford
12 the fool - sanford clark
13. fame and fortune - the king
14. save your hearft for me - gary lewis
15. until it's time for you to go - by any one
16 reason to believe - cher or rod stewart
17. girl - beatles

gotta run later

 

[radioman148]

a few more from the hornets nest:

1. soul coaxing - raymond lefevre
2. it was i - skip and flip
3. there's got to be a word - innocence
4. mr lonely - videls
5. Sha la la - manfred mann
6. my cherie amor - stevie wonder
7. my baby - temptations
8. heart and soul - incredibles
9. love me - mel carter
10. on bended knee - barbara lewis
11. the fool - ann ford
12 the fool - sanford clark
13. fame and fortune - the king
14. save your hearft for me - gary lewis
15. until it's time for you to go - by any one
16 reason to believe - cher or rod stewart
17. girl - beatles

gotta run later

Soul Coaxing is one of my favorite instrumentals.

 

[GridLeakBias]

Some of my favorites in no particular order (year approximate in some cases)....

You Got the Right String Baby, But the Wrong Yo Yo.....Dr. Feelgood & the Interns (1962)
Real Rock Drive....Bill Haley & Saddlemen (1952)
Open The Door Richard...Louis Jordan (1947)
Misty Mountain Hop...Led Zeplin (1971)
Chica Chica Boom...Carmen Miranda (1940)
Shimmy Like My Sister Kate...Olympics (1960...also Beatles bootleg live cover 1961)
Someday...Smiley Lewis (1956)
Uno Mundo...Buffalo Springfield (1968)
Last Date...Skeeter Davis (1960)
Frenesi...Artie Shaw (1940)
Baby Come Back...Equals (1968)
Tiger By the Tail...Buck Owens (1966)
Eh Cumpari....Julius La Rosa (1953)
Spider & The Fly...Rolling Stones (1965)
Dust My Broom...Elmore James (1952)
Walk Don't Run....Ventures (1960)
How High The Moon...Les Paul/Mary Ford (1951)
Dancin' Jones....Neville Brothers (1978)
Its Gonna Work Out Fine...Ike & Tina Turner (1961)
My Girl is Red Hot...Billy C. Riley (1956)
Bitter Bad...Melanie (1973)
And Your Bird Can Sing....Beatles (1966)
Cow Cow Boogie....Ella Mae Morse (1942)
Heart of Glass...Blondie (1979)
Straw Hat Song...Desi Arnaz (1949)
Topsy Part 2....Cozy Cole (1958)
Tennesee Birdwalk....Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan (1970)
Positively 4th Street....Bob Dylan (1965)
Traffic Jam....Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks (1973)

(& Many, mamny more. All of these are on my IPod)

I’m happy to see someone who appreciates some of the early pioneers from the pre-R&R years, such as Louis Jordan, Elmore James, Smiley Lewis and Les Paul. Good picks.

 

[cyberdad]

I’m happy to see someone who appreciates some of the early pioneers from the pre-R&R years, such as Louis Jordan, Elmore James, Smiley Lewis and Les Paul. Good picks.

The "blue eyed" R&B track from 18-year old Ella Mae Morse ("Cow Cow Boogie") may have been the best of the pre-R&R group. I could have just as easily included a few of Morse's other early & mid 40s hits, "Mr. Five-by-Five", "House of Blue Lights" or "Milkman". All of which contained the (also "blue eyed') soulful piano work of bandleader Freddie Slack. IMHO, both deserve to be in the Rock Hall as early influences.

"Cow Cow" was then-fledgling Capitol Records' first national smash hit. (Although Morse only got paid $35 as a session singer). You can check out the video on You Tube.

Much of Morse's work was considered "too suggestive" by most broadcasters. She then settled down and married a career Navy officer in the late '40s. But after a brief hiatus, she was back on the charts again in 1952 with another gem..."Blacksmith Blues".

 

[GridLeakBias]

The "blue eyed" R&B track from 18-year old Ella Mae Morse ("Cow Cow Boogie") may have been the best of the pre-R&R group. I could have just as easily included a few of Morse's other early & mid 40s hits, "Mr. Five-by-Five", "House of Blue Lights" or "Milkman". All of which contained the (also "blue eyed') soulful piano work of bandleader Freddie Slack. IMHO, both deserve to be in the Rock Hall as early influences.

"Cow Cow" was then-fledgling Capitol Records' first national smash hit. (Although Morse only got paid $35 as a session singer). You can check out the video on You Tube.

Much of Morse's work was considered "too suggestive" by most broadcasters. She then settled down and married a career Navy officer in the late '40s. But after a brief hiatus, she was back on the charts again in 1952 with another gem..."Blacksmith Blues".

Thanks a million, Cow Cow Boogie is a great tune I’ve known since early youth, but somehow, I never knew the artist or orchestra.

I intend to remedy my ignorance and add Slack/Morse to my collection as soon as possible.

 

[radioman148]

Anyone remember Amos Milburn? "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer & Chicken Shack Boogie" classic R&B from the early 50s.

 

[oldies76]

Top 10 Instrumentals:

1 Exodus Ferrante & Teicher 1961
2 Apache Jorgen Ingmann 1961
3 Walk, Don't Run Ventures 1960
4 Hang 'em High Booker T & MG's 1968
5 Melting Pot Booker T & MG's 1971
6 Delicado Percy Faith 1952
7 Poor People of Paris Les Baxter 1956
8 Happy Organ Dave "Baby" Cortez 1959
9 Patricia Perez Prado 1958
10 Summer's Place Percy Faith 1960

I could name many more, but I'd just thought of a Top 10 (no particular order or preference, they're all great).

Also "Misirlou" from early 63 by Dick Dale & Del-Tones comes to mind...

 

[radioman148]

Top 10 Instrumentals:

1 Exodus Ferrante & Teicher 1961
2 Apache Jorgen Ingmann 1961
3 Walk, Don't Run Ventures 1960
4 Hang 'em High Booker T & MG's 1968
5 Melting Pot Booker T & MG's 1971
6 Delicado Percy Faith 1952
7 Poor People of Paris Les Baxter 1956
8 Happy Organ Dave "Baby" Cortez 1959
9 Patricia Perez Prado 1958
10 Summer's Place Percy Faith 1960

I could name many more, but I'd just thought of a Top 10 (no particular order or preference, they're all great).

Also "Misirlou" from early 63 by Dick Dale & Del-Tones comes to mind...

Misirlou was a big hit on the west coast, but never did much in the midwest or east. It's a good one though.

 

[AlexBrowne]

Tough task; in alphabetical order by artist:

The Beatles: "Please Please Me"
Ray Charles: "What'd I Say"
Lou Christie: "Lightnin' Strikes"
Sam Cooke: "Shake"
Creedence Clearwater Revival: "Fortunate Son"
The Crystals: "Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)"
The 5th Dimension: "Up -- Up And Away"
The 4 Seasons Featuring the "sound" of Frankie Valli: "Let's Hang On!"
Marvin Gaye: "Ain't That Peculiar"
Tommy James And The Shondells: "Crystal Blue Persuasion"
Ben E. King: "Stand By Me"
The Knickerbockers: "Lies"
Little Anthony and The Imperials: "Take Me Back"
Darlene Love: "Wait Til' My Bobby Gets Home"
Martha & The Vandellas: "Nowhere To Run"
Roy Orbison And The Candy Men: "Oh, Pretty Woman"
Gene Pitney: "It Hurts To Be In Love"
The Righteous Brothers: "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"
Marty Robbins: "El Paso"
The Temptations: "My Girl"
The Trade Winds: "New York's A Lonely Town"
The Tymes: "So Much In Love"
The Vogues: "Five O'Clock World"
Dionne Warwick: "I Say A Little Prayer"
The Young Rascals: "Good Lovin'"

10 Instrumentals:
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass: "Taste Of Honey"
Mr. Acker Bilk: "Stranger On The Shore"
Dave Brubeck Quartet: "Take Five"
The Champs: "Tequila"
Percy Faith and his Orchestra: "The Theme From 'A Summer Place'"
Sounds Orchestral: "Cast Your Fate To The Wind"
The Surfaris: "Wipe Out"
The Tornadoes: "Telstar"
The Village Stompers: "Washington Square"
Kai Winding & Orchestra: "More"

 

[hornet61]

brand new oldie to add to my list.

da doo ron ron .....2009

today i was found guilty of killing someone with my gun
da doo ron ron .......da doo ron ron

i tried to call it suicide, or say she shot herself while on the run
da doo ron ron .......da doo ron ron

I pleaded someone pity me like bobby blake and OJ Mon
da doo ron ron .......da doo ron ron

where were you when i needed you officer furhmon
da doo ron ron .......da doo ron ron

 

[hornet61]

please disregard my do doo ron ron ...2009 posting here..........i hit the wrong button, it was intended for a new topic on the 60's/70's.....didn't mean to divert from this thread, sorry,sorry,sorry.

 

[GridLeakBias]

Anyone remember Amos Milburn? "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer & Chicken Shack Boogie" classic R&B from the early 50s.

Yes, I have these in my collection. "Chicken Shack Boogie" is indeed a classic.

 

[Silkie]

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