# Best rock and roll albums (1956-64) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 21, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882 "2013-10-21T23:22:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/1 "2013-10-21T23:22:06Z")
It’s commonly accepted that before the Beatles and Dylan, rock albums were packed with halfhearted covers and other filler. But there had to be some that were strong listens from start to finish. Does anyone know of any early rock LPs they could recommend? ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/2 "2013-10-21T23:26:23Z")
Starting with 1956, I’ve always been fond of Gene Vincent _Bluejean Bop_ Capitol T764. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/3 "2013-10-21T23:34:27Z")
I would look for some early Muddy Waters from this period, I have listened to his best of CD from this period and it was some great rockabilly stylings, well it was before rockabilly but you an hear it there. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/4 "2013-10-21T23:39:49Z")
James Brown, Live at the Apollo (1963) ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/5 "2013-10-21T23:40:29Z")
I can’t name any specific albums, but you might want some Carl Perkins or Jerry Lee Lewis. Chuck Berry and Little Richard too. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/6 "2013-10-21T23:46:02Z")
Buddy Holly, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/7 "2013-10-21T23:58:39Z")
Elvis’ self-titled album - the one the Clash nicked the design of for London Calling: > **[Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley - Amazon.com Music](https://www.amazon.com/Elvis-Presley-Vinyl/dp/B001F7XIKG)** > > Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley - Amazon.com Music Song list: 1. Heartbreak Hotel 2. I Was The One 3. Blue Suede Shoes 4. I’m Counting On You 5. I Got A Woman 6. One-Sided Love Affair 7. I Love You Because 8. Just Because 9. Tutti Frutti 10. Trying To Get To You 11. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You) 12. I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’) 13. Blue Moon 14. Money Honey 15. Shake, Rattle And Roll 16. My Baby Left Me 17. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy 18. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/8 "2013-10-22T00:19:12Z")
The first album by the Coasters. There was also a [Greatest Hits](http://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=486048) album in 1959 that was even better. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/9 "2013-10-22T00:39:55Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > I can’t name any specific albums, but you might want some Carl Perkins or Jerry Lee Lewis. Chuck Berry and Little Richard too. I’ll add The Shadows and Gene Vincent to the list…artists who show up over and over again in rock biographies as huge influences. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/10 "2013-10-22T01:07:15Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > I’ll add The Shadows and Gene Vincent to the list…artists who show up over and over again in rock biographies as huge influences. Yeah, Gene Vincent’s would be Blue Jean Bop - great tracks with the amazing Cliff Gallup on lead guitar: [Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps - Blue Jean Bop - Amazon.com Music](http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Jean-Bop-Gene-Vincent/dp/B00006I0AQ/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_9). ETA: Duh - mentioned in post #2… ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/11 "2013-10-22T01:37:40Z")
Originally issued in 1963, [The Wham Of That Memphis Man](http://www.amazon.com/Wham-That-Memphis-Man/dp/B000IHYTQ6/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1382404958&sr=1-2&keywords=lonnie+mack) by [Lonnie Mack](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonnie_Mack) has been re-issued many times (I have a vinyl copy on Rounder Records from the 80s). Mack is an under-appreciated pioneer of blues-rock guitar who influenced a lot of guitarists, like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Beck and Duane Allman. He’s also a soulful vocalist who can sing gospel, blues, rock and country with the best of them, and _The Wham Of That Memphis Man_ has a little bit of everything. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/12 "2013-10-22T01:40:01Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Jerry Lee Lewis Live at the Star Club, Hamburg (1964). ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/13 "2013-10-22T19:27:10Z")
["It’s Everly Time"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/its-everly-time-mw0000649309)and "[A Date with the Everly Brothers"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-date-with-the-everly-brothers-mw0000187454). No fillers there. You can hear their crucial influence on the Beatles when you compare them with the Fab Four’s early albums released only two or three years later. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/14 "2013-10-22T19:34:21Z")
> [@Bob's Zombie](#): > > Live at the Star Club, Hamburg (1964). Really? Cool! Was The Star Club a known Music spot, or was it already famous as a key club for The Beatles during their time in Hamburg? ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/15 "2013-10-22T19:51:59Z")
Nevermind ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/16 "2013-10-22T20:09:28Z")
Sorry for the double post, but I misread my cite and posted bullshit above. I try again: > [@WordMan](#): > > Really? Cool! Was The Star Club a known Music spot, or was it already famous as a key club for The Beatles during their time in Hamburg? [According to wiki,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star-Club) the Beatles had the opening gig for the club on April, 13th 1962. But it became the hottest place for rock’n roll in Germany, maybe in whole continental Europe for the next years. Almost the whole early American rock’n roll aristocracy and many great British bands played there. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/17 "2013-10-22T20:45:48Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Nevermind Nope, [that](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevermind) was 1991. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/18 "2013-10-22T21:28:52Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Elvis’ self-titled album - the one the Clash nicked the design of for London Calling: > > [Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley - Amazon.com Music](http://www.amazon.com/Elvis-Presley-Vinyl/dp/B001F7XIKG/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_2) > > Song list: > > 1. Heartbreak Hotel > 2. I Was The One > 3. Blue Suede Shoes > 4. I’m Counting On You > 5. I Got A Woman > 6. One-Sided Love Affair > 7. I Love You Because > 8. Just Because > 9. Tutti Frutti > 10. Trying To Get To You > 11. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You) > 12. I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’) > 13. Blue Moon > 14. Money Honey > 15. Shake, Rattle And Roll > 16. My Baby Left Me > 17. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy > 18. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You This is not the song list of the original album. For instance, _Heartbreak Hotel_ wasn’t on the album. Wiki: > [@](#): > > On May 18, 1999, it was reissued with an altered running order, adding on six bonus tracks from three non-album singles, including the chart-toppers “Heartbreak Hotel” and “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You.” The original album is super cool, so it deserves its place in this thread in any case. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-albums-1956-64/671882/19 "2013-10-22T21:34:11Z")
Thanks, good info. This is an interesting thread.