Various 1957 Rhythm & Rock (CD)

(Hit Parade Records) 24 tracks - all tracks mono - original 45rpm single versions

Rock ’n’ roll was still new in 1957, full of the exuberance and vitality of youth. Recapture those halcyon days of early rock with Hard To Find Jukebox Classics 1957: Rhythm & Rock, a compendium of classic and rare hits from the days of ducktailed cats and poodle-skirted chicks. One of two new volumes in Hit Parade’s Jukebox Classics series, Rhythm & Rock brings back a time when a nickel bought two and a half minutes of pure joy in jukebox heaven. Bursting with 24 classic and rare hits, digitally remastered to audiophile standards, this is one record hop you won’t want to miss!

Be warned: Some of this vintage rock ’n’ roll is not for the faint of heart – Little Richard’s “Good Golly, Miss Molly” and Ronnie Self’s “Bop-A-Lena” are two of the fiercest rockers the world had ever heard up to that point. If you’ve never heard “Bop-A-Lena” before, brace yourself! And songs like Chuck Willis’ “C.C. Rider” and Bobby Scott’s “Chain Gang” will remind you why your parents thought this music might turn you into a juvenile delinquent!

But don’t think these rhythm numbers skimp on melody – in addition to a raft of rockabilly, R&B, and rock ’n’ roll classics, you’ll hear the sublime vocal harmonies of Billy Ward & The Dominoes and The Rays, the gorgeous ballads of Clyde McPhatter and Sam Cooke, and the sweet teen serenade of Johnny Dee’s “Sittin’ In The Balcony.” There’s a touch of humor, too, with the vocal impressions of Clarence “Frogman” Henry on “Ain’t Got No Home,” and record buyers loved Johnnie & Joe’s “Over The Mountain; Across The Sea” so much that it became a hit twice!

You’ll be mesmerized by the hypnotic rockabilly rhythm of Sanford Clark’s “The Fool,” and we challenge you to listen to Thurston Harris’ irresistible “Little Bitty Pretty One” without humming along! Not one, but both of Charlie Gracie’s Top 20 hits are here, including his chart-topper, “Butterfly.” Hit Parade has received many requests for Billy Williams’ “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter” and Sonny Knight’s “Confidential,” so we’re delighted to include both of those hard-to-find hits on this particularly “hepped up” edition of Jukebox Classics. With almost an hour’s worth of music and a 12-page booklet full of photos and lengthy biographical notes by noted music writer Greg Adams