Acrobat Music

The R&B No. 1s of the '50s
The R&B No. 1s of the '50s

Various Artists
Styles: R&B
Catalogue Number: ACSCD6003
Acrobat has built a formidable reputation based on its completist chart collections such as the British Hit Parade and America’s Greatest Hits series, as well as its British and US “No. 1s of the 50s” collections from the pop charts. This collection addresses the hugely significant R&B market, pulling together every record that topped the US R&B charts during a decade when the genre moved forward creatively, reflecting the revolution in the wider pop landscape. It comprises a whopping 159 tracks, making it a very substantial 6-CD that traces the development of the genre from the blues and honking R&B of the early years through the vocal groups and doowop stylists through to the latter years when rock ‘n’ roll saw a convergence between the pop and R&B markets, and the development of the soul styles that took hold in the ‘60s. It covers the genre from blues stars like Ivory Joe Hunter, B.B King and John Lee Hooker, through R&B songstresses like Ruth Brown and Lavern Baker, and vocal groups such The Dominoes, The Clovers, The Platters and The Drifters. Inevitably great names like Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and Clyde McPhatter feature, and many artists that both paved the way for rock ‘n’ roll and heralded its arrival – Johnny Otis, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Lloyd Price and many more etc. It’s a feast of quality blues, R&B, doowop, and rock ‘n’ roll entertainment that traces a very significant creative development in the history of popular music. The genre-friendly packaging echoes the styling of our existing popular chart-based series, and the booklet has comprehensive background notes.

Disk 1:
Track Title Artist
1 I Almost Lost My Mind Ivory Joe Hunter
2 Double Crossing Blues Johnny Otis Quintette,The Robins and Little Esther
3 Mistrusting Blues Little Esther with Mel Walker and the Johnny Otis Orchestra
4 I Need You So Ivory Joe Hunter
5 Pink Champagne Joe Liggins and His Honeydrippers
6 Cupid Boogie Johnny Otis OrchestraLittle Esther and Mel Walker
7 Hard Luck Blues Roy Brown
8 Mona Lisa Nat "King" Cole
9 Blue Light Boogie (Parts 1 & 2) Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five
10 Blue Shadows Lowell Fulson
11 Anytime Anyplace Anywhere Joe Morris Orchestra
12 Please Send Me Someone To Love Percy Mayfield
13 Teardrops From My Eyes Ruth Brown
14 Bad Bad Whiskey Amos Milburn
15 Black Night Charles Brown
16 Rocket 88 Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats
17 Chica Boo Lloyd Glenn
18 Sixty Minute Man The Dominoes
19 Don’t You Know I Love You The Clovers
20 The Glory Of Love The Five Keys
21 T' 99 Blues Jimmie Nelson and the Peter Rabbit Trio
22 Fool Fool Fool The Clovers
23 I Got Loaded "Peppermint" Harris
24 I'm In The Mood John Lee Hooker
Disk 2:
Track Title Artist
1 Because Of You Tab Smith and His Orchestra
2 Flamingo Earl Bostic and His Orchestra
3 Weepin' And Cryin' Griffin Brothers Orchestra
4 Cry Johnnie Ray and The Four Lads
5 Three O’Clock Blues B.B. King
6 Night Train Jimmy Forrest
7 Booted Roscoe Gordon
8 5–10–15 Hours Ruth Brown
9 Have Mercy Baby The Dominoes
10 Goin' Home Fats Domino
11 Lawdy Miss Clawdy Lloyd Price
12 Mary Jo Four Blazes
13 Ting-A-Ling The Clovers
14 My Song Johnny Ace
15 Juke Little Walter
16 Five Long Years Eddie Boyd
17 You Know I Love You B.B. King
18 I Don't Know Willie Mabon And His Combo
19 Baby Don't Do It The Five Royales
20 (Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean Ruth Brown
21 Hound Dog Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton"
22 I'm Mad Willie Mabon and His Combo"
23 Help Me Somebody The Five Royales
24 Please Love Me B.B. King
25 The Clock Johnny Ace
Disk 3:
Track Title Artist
1 Crying In The Chapel The Orioles
2 Shake A Hand Faye Adams
3 Money Honey Clyde Mcphatter and The Drifters
4 Honey Hush Big Joe Turner
5 The Things That I Used To Do Guitar Slim
6 I'll Be True Faye Adams
7 You'll Never Walk Alone Roy Hamilton
8 Work With Me Annie The Midnighters
9 Shake Rattle And Roll Big Joe Turner
10 Honey Love The Drifters feat. Clyde McPhatter
11 Oh What A Dream Ruth Brown
12 Annie Had A Baby The Midnighters
13 It Hurts Me To My Heart Faye Adams
14 Mambo Baby Ruth Brown
15 Hearts Of Stone The Charms
16 You Upset Me Baby B.B. King
17 Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine) The Penguins
18 Sincerely The Moonglows
19 Pledging My Love Johnny Ace
20 The Wallflower (Dance With Me Henry) Etta James
21 My Babe Little Walter
22 I Got A Woman Ray Charles
23 Unchained Melody Roy Hamilton
24 Ain't That A Shame Fats Domino
25 Unchained Melody Al Hibbler
Disk 4:
Track Title Artist
1 Bo Diddley Bo Diddley
2 A Fool For You Ray Charles
3 Maybellene Chuck Berry
4 Only You (And You Alone) The Platters
5 All By Myself Fats Domino
6 Hands Off Jay McShann And His Orchestra
7 Poor Me Fats Domino
8 Adorable The Drifters
9 The Great Pretender The Platters
10 At My Front Door The El Dorados
11 Why Do Fools Fall In Love Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers
12 Drown In My Own Tears Ray Charles
13 Long Tall Sally Little Richard
14 I'm In Love Again Fats Domino
15 Fever Little Willie John
16 Treasure Of Love Clyde McPhatter
17 Rip It Up Little Richard
18 My Prayer The Platters
19 Honky Tonk (Parts 1 & 2) Bill Doggett
20 Let The Good Times Roll Shirley & Lee
21 Hound Dog Elvis Presley
22 Don’t Be Cruel Elvis Presley
23 Blueberry Hill Fats Domino
24 Since I Met You Baby Ivory Joe Hunter
25 Blue Monday Fats Domino
26 Jim Dandy Lavern Baker
27 Love Is Strange Mickey and Sylvia
28 I'm Walkin' Fats Domino
Disk 5:
Track Title Artist
1 Lucille Little Richard
2 School Day Chuck Berry
3 All Shook Up Elvis Presley
4 Young Blood The Coasters
5 Searchin' The Coasters
6 C.C. Rider Chuck Willis
7 Short Fat Fannie Larry Williams
8 Send For Me Nat "King" Cole
9 Further Up The Road Bobby "Blue" Bland
10 (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear Elvis Presley
11 Whole Lot Of Shakin' Going On Jerry Lee Lewis
12 Long Lonely Nights Clyde McPhatter
13 Diana Paul Anka
14 Mr. Lee The Bobbettes
15 Honeycomb Jimmie Rodgers
16 Jailhouse Rock Elvis Presley
17 Wake Up Little Susie The Everly Brothers
18 You Send Me Sam Cooke
19 At The Hop Danny & the Juniors
20 Raunchy Ernie Freeman
21 Raunchy Bill Justis And His Orchestra
22 I'll Come Running Back To You Sam Cooke
23 Get A Job The Silhouettes
24 Sweet Little Sixteen Chuck Berry
25 Tequila The Champs
26 Twilight Time The Platters
27 Wear My Ring Around Your Neck Elvis Presley
28 All I Have To Do Is Dream The Everly Brothers
29 Witch Doctor David Seville
Disk 6:
Track Title Artist
1 Yakety Yak The Coasters
2 What Am I Living For Chuck Willis
3 Splish Splash Bobby Darin
4 Patricia Perez Prado And His Orchestra
5 Just A Dream Jimmy Clanton
6 Little Star The Elegants
7 When The Kalin Twins
8 It's All In The Game Tommy Edwards
9 Rock-In Robin Bobby Day
10 Topsy Part 2 Cozy Cole
11 A Lover's Question Clyde McPhatter
12 Lonely Teardrops Jackie Wilson
13 Try Me James Brown
14 Stagger Lee Lloyd Price
15 It's Just A Matter Of Time Brook Benton
16 Kansas City Wilbert Harrison
17 Personality Lloyd Price
18 There Goes My Baby The Drifters
19 What'd I Say (Part 1) Ray Charles
20 Thank You Pretty Baby Brook Benton
21 I'm Gonna Get Married Lloyd Price
22 I Want To Walk You Home Fats Domino
23 Poison Ivy The Coasters
24 Sea Of Love Phil Phillips
25 You Better Know It Jackie Wilson
26 So Many Ways Brook Benton
27 Don't You Know? Della Reese
28 The Clouds The Spacemen
©2008 Acrobat Music