Episode #11 of ROOTS ROCK RADIO is now archived at the link below. Here's the playlist:

1. TALL COOL ONE, The Wailers (1959)
2. EVERYBODY’S TRYING TO BE MY BABY, Carl Perkins (1957)
3. DO YOU WANNA DANCE, Bobby Freeman (1958)
4. I’M SHAKIN’, Little Willie John (1960)
5. JIM DANDY, LaVern Baker (1956-57)
6. RING CHIMES, The Cadets (1957)
7. YOU’RE SO FINE, Little Walter (1954)
8. C’MON EVERYBODY, Eddie Cochran (1958-59)
9. HUSHABYE, The Mystics (1959)
10. HE WILL BREAK YOUR HEART, Jerry Butler (1960)
11. LONG, LONELY NIGHTS, Lee Andrews & The Hearts (1957)
12. DARLING, HOW LONG, The Heartbeats (1956)
13. MY SONG, Johnny Ace (1952)
14. LA BAMBA, Ritchie Valens (1958-59)
15. HELLO MARY LOU, Ricky Nelson (1961)
16. KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY BABY, Little Eva (1962)
17. WORK WITH ME ANNIE, The Midnighters (1954)
18. I GOT IT, Little Richard (1959)
19. DOWN THE LINE, Jerry Lee Lewis (1958)
20. THAT’S ALL RIGHT, Elvis Presley (1954)
21. FLIP, FLOP AND FLY, Big Joe Turner (1955)
22. OH, BOY!, Buddy Holly & The Crickets (1958)
23. IN MY DIARY, The Moonglows (1955)
24. LONELY BLUE BOY, Conway Twitty (1960)
25. CAN I COME OVER TONIGHT, The Velours (1957)
26. SURF RIDER, The Lively Ones (1963)
27. RUNAROUND SUE, Dion (1961)
28. BYE BYE JOHNNY, Chuck Berry (1960)
29. DON’T YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU, The Clovers (1951)
30. HEARTS OF STONE, The Jewels (1954)
31. MY BLUE HEAVEN, Fats Domino (1956)
32. SEA CRUISE, Frankie Ford (1959)
33. PENNIES FROM HEAVEN, The Skyliners (1960)
34. THE FOOL, Sanford Clark (1956)
35. EMOTIONS, Brenda Lee (1961)
36. TO BE LOVED (Forever), The Pentagons (1961)
37. ON MY WORD OF HONOR, The Platters (1956)
38. ROCK THE JOINT, Jimmy Preston & His Prestonians (1949)
39. SEE YOU LATER ALLIGATOR, Bill Haley & His Comets (1956)
40. HENRIETTA, Jimmy Dee & The Offbeats (1957)
41. THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT, The Tokens (1961)
42. WHEN WILL I BE LOVED, The Everly Brothers (1960)
43. I PUT A SPELL ON YOU, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (1956)
44. THEN HE KISSED ME, The Crystals (1963)
45. HEART AND SOUL, The Cleftones (1961)
46. COME GO WITH ME, The Del Vikings (1957)
47. BABY IT’S YOU, The Shirelles (1961-62)
48. WHY DON’T YOU WRITE ME, The Jacks (1955)
49. CRYING IN THE CHAPEL, The Orioles (1953)
50. GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART GOODNIGHT, The Spaniels (1954)

https://www.mixcloud.com/dean-fiora/roots-rock-radio-1950s-rock-n-roll-episode-11/

Dean wrote:

> Episode #11 of ROOTS ROCK RADIO is now archived at the link below. Here's the playlist:

> 2. EVERYBODY’S TRYING TO BE MY BABY, Carl Perkins (1957)

Adapted by Carl from the Rex Griffin version originally out in 1936
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYx7doEJuZk

> 11. LONG, LONELY NIGHTS, Lee Andrews & The Hearts (1957)

Famously covered by Clyde McPhatter in one of the very few occasions where Clyde came off decidedly--and IMO quite rightly---second best

> 14. LA BAMBA, Ritchie Valens (1958-59)

As well as being the flipside to his big “Donna” hit on the UK London release as per in the USA “La Bamba” was also reissued in 1962 on London with “Ooh My Head” as the flip

> 15. HELLO MARY LOU, Ricky Nelson (1961)

Best version of the classic Gene Pitney-penned number that is IMO the much superior side of the 1961 double smash (b/w “Travelin’ Man”) as I posted in another thread earlier today

BTW here for comparison is the Johnny Duncan original (this is the US country guy of that name NOT the “Last Train To San Fernando” bloke)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4VY8o44-N0

> 18. I GOT IT, Little Richard (1959)

Blueprint for the slightly later "She's Got It". This one was recorded at Cosmo's aka J&M Studio in New Orleans May 9 1956 with an all star backing combo of Edgar Blanchard (gtr)Frank Fields [bs],Earl Palmer [ds],Lee Allen [ten sax],Alvin “Red” Tyler [bar sax]).It went unissued until January 1960 when Specialty released it as a single b/w "Baby"

Meanwhile "She's Got It" came from a session on September 6 1956 in Hollywood and was released almost
immediately b/w "Heeby-Jeebies".The song also featured of course in the classic r&r movie "The Girl Can't Help It"
> 20. THAT’S ALL RIGHT, Elvis Presley (1954)

His debut single for Sun was a really excellent revival of the Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup classic.

Wonder whatever happened to this Presley guy?

> 24. LONELY BLUE BOY, Conway Twitty (1960)

Well one thing that happened to Elvis was that he recorded the original version of this song (as "Danny") intended for (but not used) in the movie "King Creole". Elvis' version went unreleased for decades

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNGx3lglLEk

First release on the song came in April 1959 via our own Cliff Richard & The Shadows (titled again as "Danny") on his first LP "Cliff"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93UqyQOCKoo

> 30. HEARTS OF STONE, The Jewels (1954)

The original (and best version IMO) of the song that spawned so very many covers--some famous,some not

Here's a few of the "nots"

LOUIE INNIS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB9wbHAJJWE

RUDY GRAY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l1iJK9-8UI

THE GOOFERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9TiwSm4Lpc

VICKI YOUNG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQtTJ0HEtVU

RED FOLEY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJm9n00z1aM

RUBY WELLS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm66TadVYCo

> 32. SEA CRUISE, Frankie Ford (1959)

Here’s the 1958 original version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7BA1pu4sXk

And the perfectly dreadful UK cover version (from 1959)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heG8thS4YFA

> 34. THE FOOL, Sanford Clark (1956)

Originally released on MCI label before Dot

> 36. TO BE LOVED (Forever), The Pentagons (1961)

A HUGE long time favorite of mine originally released in 1960 on Fleet International before reaching hit status on the Donna label

> 39. SEE YOU LATER ALLIGATOR, Bill Haley & His Comets (1956)

One of Haley’s very best---a superb cover of the Bobby Charles original (as “Later Alligator”)

> 41. THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT, The Tokens (1961)

Originally from 1939 as “Mbube” by Solomon Linda’s Original Evening Birds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH0BrpCK0Cc

Then adapted in 1952 as “Wimoweh” by The Weavers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwqTA-G2Dxs

Before finally ending up in the Tokens #1 1961 hit above (which I have to admit as always disliking--even tho I liked their earlier “Tonight I Fell In Love” hit

And naturally it spawned the inevitable "answer" record

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j58bGEeVgfo

> 42. WHEN WILL I BE LOVED, The Everly Brothers (1960)

Along with Sam Cooke’s “Wonderful World” this was one of the very best recordings ever left in the vaults of an act’s previous record company (in this case Cadence) after switching labels (to Warner Bros in this instance)

> 43. I PUT A SPELL ON YOU, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (1956)

As I’ve mentioned many times on here I MUCH prefer the “Little Demon” flipside here

> 45. HEART AND SOUL, The Cleftones (1961)

I loved both versions of “Heart And Soul” that I heard on the radio in 1961----this one of course and the Jan & Dean revival too

> 46. COME GO WITH ME, The Del Vikings (1957)

One of the greatest vocal group records ever IMO that also has one of my favorite ever sax breaks courtesy Mr Gene Upshaw

> 48. WHY DON’T YOU WRITE ME, The Jacks (1955)

One of those instances where the cover record is sooooo much better than the original (in this case by The Feathers)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LH0iKKAEj8

And where BOTH these leave this other really limp cover version in the dust!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqoXkrD_Tzk

Not to mention this one too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXE7lKIkjKM

> 49. CRYING IN THE CHAPEL, The Orioles (1953)

The absolutely DEFINITIVE version of the song though I like it a lot by Elvis too

But this cover from over on this side of the pond may just be the worst version ever!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO3-lIH2clU

There ya go!! Sweet revenge for 1776!!! That'll learn ya damn Yankees!!

> 50. GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART GOODNIGHT, The Spaniels (1954)

GREAT performance from one of the best r&b vocal groups ever.

And tailor made for deejays everywhere as the ultimate "sign off" record

Roger wrote:

>> 32. SEA CRUISE, Frankie Ford (1959)

> Here’s the 1958 original version
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7BA1pu4sXk

> And the perfectly dreadful UK cover version (from 1959)
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heG8thS4YFA

Pugh.

>> 41. THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT, The Tokens (1961)

> And naturally it spawned the inevitable "answer" record

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j58bGEeVgfo

Don't remember ever knowing this answer, but perhaps I just got lucky and forgot about it.

>> 48. WHY DON’T YOU WRITE ME, The Jacks (1955)

> One of those instances where the cover record is sooooo much better than the original (in this case by The Feathers)
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LH0iKKAEj8

> And where BOTH these leave this other really limp cover version in the dust!
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqoXkrD_Tzk

> Not to mention this one too
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXE7lKIkjKM

Shit.