A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs

Episode eighty-three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at Only the Lonely by Roy Orbison, and how Orbison finally found success by ignoring conventional pop song structure. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more infor

Episode eighty-two of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at Are You Lonesome Tonight? by Elvis Presley, and the way his promising comeback after leaving the Army quickly got derailed. This episode also contains a brief acknowledgment of

Episode eighty-one of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at Shout by the Isley Brothers, and the beginnings of a career that would lead to six decades of hit singles. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, an

Episode eighty of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at Money by Barrett Strong, the dispute over its authorship, and the start of a record label that would change music. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information

Episode seventy-nine of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at Sweet Nothins by Brenda Lee, and at the career of a performer who started in the 1940s and who was most recently in the top ten only four months ago. Click the full post to re

Episode seventy-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at Whatd I Say by Ray Charles, and at Charles career in jazz, soul, and country. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the epis

Episode seventy-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at Brand New Cadillac by Vince Taylor and the Playboys, and the sad career of rock musics first acid casualty. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more i

Episode seventy-six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at Stagger Lee by Lloyd Price, and how a barroom fight 125 years ago led to a song performed by everyone from Ma Rainey to Neil Diamond. Click the full post to read line

Episode seventy-five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at There Goes My Baby by the Drifters, and how a fake record label, a band sacked for drunkenness, and a kettledrum player who couldnt play led to a genre-defining hit. Click the

Episode seventy-four of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at It Doesnt Matter Any More by Buddy Holly, and at the reasons he ended up on the plane that killed him. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and