Just through serendipity I stumbled upon a four volume set of Dick Clark’s All Time Hits. The first two volumes include hits from the 1950s to the early 1960s. I haven’t heard some of these songs for decades!
I was a fan of Ritchie Valens–who died in a plane crash in 1959–but “Donna” seldom gets played on Western New York Oldies radio stations. I do like “Lollipop” by The Chordettes and Bobby Day’s “Rocking’ Robin.” When is the last time you head “The Stroll” by The Diamonds? I haven’t heard it in at least 40 years!
Volume 2 includes Freddy Cannon–“who always shoots his mouth off” according to one DJ–singing “Palisades Park.” And my favorite Dion song, “Teenager in Love.” I’ve always like Terry Stafford’s “Suspicion” which sounds a lot like Elvis.
Do you remember this hits that Dick Clark believes all “All Time” songs? Any favorites here? GRADE: B (for both)
TRACK LIST:
| 1 | The Platters– | Smoke Gets In Your Eyes | 2:37 |
| 2 | The Penguins– | Earth Angel | 2:56 |
| 3 | The Skyliners– | Since I Don’t Have You | 2:35 |
| 4 | Ritchie Valens– | Donna | 2:21 |
| 5 | The Crests– | 16 Candles | 2:50 |
| 6 | The Teddy Bears– | To Know Him Is To Love Him | 2:23 |
| 7 | Dion & The Belmonts– | A Teenager In Love | 2:33 |
| 8 | Connie Francis– | Who’s Sorry Now | 2:16 |
| 9 | Paul Anka– | Diana | 2:22 |
| 10 | The Chordettes– | Lollipop | 2:08 |
| 11 | Everly Brothers– | Wake Up Little Susie | 2:01 |
| 12 | Carl Perkins– | Blue Suede Shoes | 2:12 |
| 13 | Freddy Cannon– | Tallahassee Lassie | 2:31 |
| 14 | Jerry Lee Lewis– | Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On | 2:51 |
| 15 | Huey “Piano” Smith & His Clowns– | Rockin’ Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu | 2:16 |
| 16 | Frankie Ford– | Sea Cruise | 2:44 |
| 17 | Bobby Day– | Rockin’ Robin | 2:34 |
| 18 | The Olympics– | Western Movies | 2:21 |
| 19 | The Diamonds– | The Stroll | 2:26 |
| 20 | Little Caesar & The Romans– | Those Oldies But Goodies | 3:11 |
| 21 | The Spaniels– | Goodnight Sweetheart | 2:42 |
TRACK LIST:
| 1 | Dion (3)– | Wanderer | 2:40 |
| 2 | Del Shannon– | Runaway | 2:18 |
| 3 | Freddy Cannon– | Palisades Park | 1:50 |
| 4 | Johnny Tillotson– | Poetry In Motion | 2:31 |
| 5 | Betty Everett– | Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss) | 2:10 |
| 6 | Jimmy Clanton– | Venus In Blue Jeans | 2:19 |
| 7 | The Shirelles– | Soldier Boy | 2:41 |
| 8 | Everly Brothers– | (’til) I Kissed You | 2:23 |
| 9 | The Dixie Cups– | Chapel Of Love | 2:45 |
| 10 | Gene Chandler– | Duke Of Earl | 2:18 |
| 11 | Curtis Lee– | Pretty Little Angel Eyes | 2:41 |
| 12 | Bobby Lewis– | Tossin’ And Turnin’ | 2:17 |
| 13 | The Shangri-Las– | Leader Of The Pack | 2:48 |
| 14 | Terry Stafford– | Suspicion | 2:28 |
| 15 | Petula Clark– | Downtown | 3:03 |
| 16 | The O’Kaysions– | Girl Watcher | 2:31 |
| 17 | Brenton Wood– | Gimme Little Sign | 2:17 |
| 18 | Bob & Earl– | Harlem Shuffle | 2:51 |
| 19 | The Duprees– | You Belong To Me | 2:35 |
| 20 | Gladys Knight And The Pips– | Every Beat Of My Heart | 2:02 |
| 21 | The Casinos– | Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye | 3:03 |
How old am I? I remember almost all of these performers awkwardly lip-syncing these songs on BANDSTAND as a kid. That’s how old I am.
Fred, I hurried home from school to watch AMERICAN BANDSTAND, too!
Although a number of these songs—but not all—are just slightly before my time (I grew up with the Beatles and their contemporaries), I do know most of these songs—and some of them (“Whole Lotta Shaking”, “The Wanderer”, “Sea Cruise”) are big favorites. I give a lot of credit to the first 50 or so episodes of Andrew Hickey’s mammoth podcast undertaking, “A History of Rock and Roll in 500 Songs”, where a number of these classic songs and artists are spotlighted in great detail (writers, producers, influences, session musicians, etc.). After listening to the podcast, I can listen with fresh ears to many of these classic (and, in some cases, now sadly forgotten) records.
Deb, many of the songs on DICK CLARK’S ALL-TIME HITS, VOLUMES 1 & 2 include sadly forgotten tunes. Like you I’m a fan of Andrew Hickey’s A HISTORY OF ROCK AND ROLL IN 500 SONGS.
My kind of music. It’s got a good beat and you can dance to it, Dick.
Jerry, you took the words right out of some teenager’s mouth on AMERICAN BANDSTAND!
These were a bit before my time but I do know a good chunk of them and a few were still getting airplay on the car radio when I was a tyke. I have vivid memories of hearing Petula Clark’s “Downtown” for the first time and I shared Glenn Gould’s rhapsodic response to it, although it’s now somewhat bittersweet because downtowns, where they still exists, are nothing like they used to be.
“American Bandstand” was already an anachronism when I was a kid but I remember finding it charmingly old fashioned at the time.
I’m utterly depressed by the state of contemporary pop music whenever it is forced upon me. The stuff I hear when I’m getting groceries is reductive to the point of soul-stealing blandness. I wouldn’t touch Spotify with a ten-foot pole so I’ve been thankfully spared the torture of AI aural slop.
Bryon: I just read that Spotify has removed 75 million (million!) tracks they said were AI-generated. AI and bots makes it easy to flood the market with music that sounds somewhat like original content.
Deb, AI generated music and videos will continue to flood the internet! This is just the beginning…
Well, I have 8 of these on my playlist of music I stream when I’m in the basement smoking my pipe and puttering around my workshop like an old codger…
Dan, I’m sure your playlist is full of great songs!
My sister was on American Bandstand in L.A. and got to Rate a Record. She couldn’t resist using the “got a good beat” cliche, and Dick said something like, “if I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that…”.
As to the songs themselves, of course I know them all. I grew up with this music! “Runaway” is my all-time favorite song.
Here’s a fun yidbit: Freddie Cannon (who is now 87!)’s “Palisades Park” was written by Chuck (Gong Show) Harris. You could look it up. What’s more, I took Jackie there when we were dating. Yes, I’m old.
I have most (maybe all) of these on one Oldies collection or another.
Favorites?
Since I Don’t Have You
Sea Cruise
Runaway
Duke of Earl
So many others. Good collection.
Jeff, Dick Clark was a mover-and-shaker in the early days of Rock ‘N Roll. Dozens of great acts got their first TV exposure on AMERICAN BANDSTAND. It’s great that your sister got to say, “It’s got a good beat”!
Barris, not Harris. Another autocorrect victim?
Chuck Barris
Why did it change it to Harris?
Jeff, WORDPRESS loves to change things…from right to wrong!
Jeff, the Deep State made you do it.
Oops, I see you already caught the error. Sorry.
OK, you sold Jackie. She had me order volumes 1 and 2, the latter for “Poetry in Motion ” and, ” Venus in Blue Jeans,” even though we have them on other collections. 3 & 4 didn’t appeal to her.
Jeff, Volumes 3 & 4 include songs from later years.
I know all of them and like most of them!
Bob, I figured this was your type of music. Classic!
I remember all of them and liked if not loved them all. My favorite era was the 60s though. My first concert was the Beatles first Hollywood bowl concert. I went with a neighbor, Danny Husky who was the son of Country music singer Ferlin Husky. We had nosebleed seats.
Maggie, yeah but you actually saw The Beatles live! Not that many people can make that claim!