He wrote essential hits of rock’n’roll, still listened to in the 21st century: Tutti Frutti, Lucille, Long Tall Sally, Rip it up, Good Golly Miss Molly… Little Richard, an eccentric and very scandalous character in the 1950s, died on Saturday May 9, 2020 at the age of 87.
With him, it is one of the last witnesses of this feverish time which dies out. Only Jerry Lee Lewis still brandishes the flame of rock’n’roll.
Playlist: Iggy Pop’s extraordinary career in ten major titles
More than sixty years after the explosion of this artistic movement, we offer you a return to an eventful epic that only lasted a handful of years. But which has influenced several generations of artists. Till today.
Rémi Bonnet
Playlist: top 10 songs from Disney movies
1. Louis Jordan – Caldonia
[1945ThewarisoverandAmericawantstohavefunLouisJordanistheretomaketheGI’sdanceAndtobuildthefoundationsofrock’n’roll
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2. Roy Brown – Good rockin ‘tonight
The singer engraved this classic in 1947. Elvis Presley delivered a feverish version a few years later.
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Playlist: the top 10 amazing, absurd, or cult covers
3. Jackie Brenston – Rocket 88
This complete stranger recorded this track in 1951 which could well be the first authentic piece of rock’n’roll. In his group, Ike Turner, who will become famous with his wife Tina Turner.
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Playlist: fifteen songs that sum up the genius of Oasis
4. Big Mama Thornton – Hound dog
This title will go into legend thanks to Elvis Presley, but it was she who sang it first. In a much more roots and badass version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frsBq9MCNVg
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5. Big Joe Turner – Shake, rattle and roll
The missing link between jazz and rock’n’roll is him.
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Playlist: the ten good musical news since the beginning of containment
6. Bill Haley – Rock around the clock
It is thanks to this song that rock’n’roll fashion swept the whole world.
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7. Elvis Presley – That’s all right
1954: first single by Elvis Presley and start of a revolution.
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8. Chuck Berry – Maybellene
The real poet of rock’n’roll. After Maybellene, dozens of other miniature masterpieces will follow: Roll over Beethoven, Johnny B. Goode, and many others.
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Playlist: twenty psychedelic “trips” to escape
9. Little Richard – Tutti Frutti
The most extreme performer of his time. Queer and transgender, he scandalized his contemporaries. Before making them dance.
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10. Carl Perkins – Blue Suede Shoes
“One for the money, two for the show”. All is said.
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11. Gene Vincent – Be-Bop-a-lula
The song that gave its performer a little bit of eternity.
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Playlist: fifteen tracks to remember the genius of Christophe
12. Bo Diddley – Who do you love
Without him, no Rolling Stones.
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13. Roy Orbison – Ooby Dooby
One of the rare frenzied titles of a singer more at ease in melodramatic ballads.
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14. Johnny Burnette – Train kept a’rollin ‘
A piece of fundamental importance that will be taken up by the biggest: Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith … and Motörhead.
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Playlist: but what were we listening to exactly thirty years ago?
15. Buddy Holly – Peggy Sue
Before dying prematurely at 22, the singer with glasses had time to invent modern pop five years before the Beatles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R8rl5I9XOs
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16. Ritchie Valens – La Bamba
The song is so famous that a film is dedicated to it.
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17. Jerry Lee Lewis – Great balls of fire
The most outrageous title of the most controversial singer of his time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQa7wOu_I_A
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Playlist: fifteen songs that make you happy!
18. Eddie Cochran – C’mon everybody
The singer had time to write a handful of classics before dying at 21.
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19. Vince Taylor – Brand new cadillac
A classic taken over by the Clashes on their legendary London Calling.
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Playlist: fifty years without the Beatles, their journey in twenty essential tracks
20. Wanda Jackson – Hard-headed woman
At 82, she has just announced her retirement. It’s too bad…
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