What are your top 10 favorite oldies songs?

[radioman148]

Instrumentals, you say?

Beatnik Fly - Johnny & The Hurricanes
Woo Hoo - The Rock-a-Teens
Truck Stop - Jerry Smith
Because They're Young - Duane Eddy & The Rebels
The Madison Time - The Ray Bryant Combo

Ghost Riders In The Sky - The Ramrods
A Swingin' Safari - Billy Vaughn (Did you ever listen to that simultaneously with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", by The Tokens?)
Out of Limits - The Marketts
Harlem Nocturne - The Viscounts (AKA The Mike Hammer Theme)
Bumble Boogie - B. Bumble & The Stingers

Is "Woo Hoo" really an instrumental? Those are tough lyrics ;D

 

[radioman148]

As in vocals, I can’t narrow my instrumental picks down to 10, so here are my top 25 in no particular order.

Rumble – Link Wray
Cannon Ball – Duane Eddy
Raunchy – Ernie Freeman (I like this version more than the Bill Justis recording)
Time Is Tight – Booker T and the MGs
Tequila – The Champs

Topsy, Pts I/II – Cozy Cole
Hide Away – Freddy King
Guitar Boogie Shuffle – The Virtues
Honky-Tonk, Pts I & II – Bill Doggett
Matchbox – Carl Perkins

Midnight In Moscow – Kenny Ball
Washington Square – The Village Stompers
Sleep Walk – Santo and Johnny
Maria Elena – Los Indios Tabajaras
Saints Rock and Roll – Bill Haley

Walk Don’t Run – The Ventures
Apache – Jordan Ingman
Harlem Nocturne – The Viscounts
Last Date – Floyd Cramer
Red River Rock – Johnnie and the Hurricanes

Wonderland By Night – Bert Kaemfert
Yakety Sax – Boots Randolph
Detour – Duane Eddy
Slow Walk – Sil Austin
Ram-Bunk-Shus – Bill Doggett

Can't believe I forgot "Topsy Pt 2" that's one of my favorites.
Grid--are you from the west? It seems that Ernie Freeman's version of "Raunchy" was more popular in the west & Bill Justice's in the east.

 

[RADIO TRUTH]

We need more Dickie Goodman on this thread.

 

[radioman148]

OK, How about "Flying Saucer" and "The Touchables"

 

[hornet61]

too funny .......lets not forget his patner Buccannon......or "Mr Jaws" and "Energy Crisis"

 

[radioman148]

too funny .......lets not forget his patner Buccannon......or "Mr Jaws" and "Energy Crisis"

or "Berlin Top 10" & Ben Crazy"
Actually Buchanan was only with him in the beginning for the first few years. After that Goodman was on his own

 

[cyberdad]

I'm not sure if Buchanan and Goodman' stuff qualifies as instrumentals. But if they do, then we've got to include "It's a Gas" by Alfred E. Newman. And also "Mah Nah Mah Nah" by Piero Umiliani.

 

[radioman148]

I'm not sure if Buchanan and Goodman' stuff qualifies as instrumentals. But if they do, then we've got to include "It's a Gas" by Alfred E. Newman. And also "Mah Nah Mah Nah" by Piero Umiliani.

I believe we would have to include Goodman & the ones you mentioned as novelty not instrumentals.

 

[gr8oldies]

Mine will be a bit Motown-heavy.

Top 10 Vocals

1. Qucksand-Martha and the Vandellas
2. Baby I Nees Your Lovin'--Four Tops
3. More Love-Smokey Robinson and the Miralces
4. Get Ready-Temptations
5. Please Please Me-Beatles
6. Only the Strong Survive-Jerry Butler
7. Oh What A Night-Dells ('69 Version)
8. You Keep Me Hangin' On..Supremes
9. Baby Love- Supremes
10. Gypsy Woman-Brian Hyland

Of course I'll think of more..

Top 5 instrumentsals.

1.Soulful Strut--Young Holt Unlimited
2. Grazin in the Grass-Hugh Masakela
3. You've Got to Pay the Price-Al Kent
4. The Good the Bad and the Ugly-Hugo Montenegro
5. The Horse-Clif Nobles & Co.

 

[radioman148]

"Only The Strong Survive" is a great one.

 

[Silkie]

At Last - Etta James
Tweedle Dee Dee - Laverne Baker

 

[GridLeakBias]

At Last - Etta James
Tweedle Dee Dee - Laverne Baker

Two great picks.

And Etta still rocks, at age 71, after years of drug abuse and addiction and physical problems related to her extreme obesity. If you're an Etta fan, her 1992 album, "The Right Time" is a must have. Try it, you'll love it.

 

[Silkie]

At Last - Etta James
Tweedle Dee Dee - Laverne Baker

Two great picks.

And Etta still rocks, at age 71, after years of drug abuse and addiction and physical problems related to her extreme obesity. If you're an Etta fan, her 1992 album, "The Right Time" is a must have. Try it, you'll love it.

Thanks for the referral.

 

[GridLeakBias]

At Last - Etta James
Tweedle Dee Dee - Laverne Baker

Two great picks.

And Etta still rocks, at age 71, after years of drug abuse and addiction and physical problems related to her extreme obesity. If you're an Etta fan, her 1992 album, "The Right Time" is a must have. Try it, you'll love it.

Thanks for the referral.

Here is a cut from the album, a blues oriented [and] humorous put-down of a man whose lovemaking leaves much to be desired :

“Your love is like tryin’
to start a fire with a wet match
You won’t even get a spark like that…”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKh82BAV_Co

The remainder of the album is solid blues, except her duet with Steve Winwood on “Give It Up”, which has a solid rock ‘n’ roll flavor.

 

[radioman148]

At Last - Etta James
Tweedle Dee Dee - Laverne Baker

Two great picks.

And Etta still rocks, at age 71, after years of drug abuse and addiction and physical problems related to her extreme obesity. If you're an Etta fan, her 1992 album, "The Right Time" is a must have. Try it, you'll love it.

I saw Etta in person in 2007 and she can still put on a show.

 

[Oldiesaholic]

1. "Be My Baby" - The Ronettes.
2. "You Can't Hurry Love" - The Supremes.
3. "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice" - The Lovin' Spoonful.
4. "Higher and Higher" - Jackie Wilson.
5. "Revolution" - The Beatles.
6. "A Love So Fine" - The Chiffons.
7. "Mirage" - Tommy James/Shondells.
8. "She's Just My Style" - Gary Lewis/Playboys.
9. "A Big Hunk O' Love" - Elvis.
10. "Hound Dog Man" - Fabian.

"There is no cure for an oldiesaholic, only treatment."

 

[radioman148]

1. "Be My Baby" - The Ronettes.
2. "You Can't Hurry Love" - The Supremes.
3. "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice" - The Lovin' Spoonful.
4. "Higher and Higher" - Jackie Wilson.
5. "Revolution" - The Beatles.
6. "A Love So Fine" - The Chiffons.
7. "Mirage" - Tommy James/Shondells.
8. "She's Just My Style" - Gary Lewis/Playboys.
9. "A Big Hunk O' Love" - Elvis.
10. "Hound Dog Man" - Fabian.

"There is no cure for an oldiesaholic, only treatment."

"She's Just My Style" is definitely my favorite Gary Lewis & Playboys song.

 

[Silkie]

A difficult task at best. I have hundreds of CDs, Cassette tapes, 45s and LPs of my favorite oldies. The following are ten that you just don't hear on the radio, with the exception of two, which are occasionally played on my favorite oldies station, about eight miles down the road. They also play stuff that is nearly impossible to find.

It's Getting Better - Cass Elliott
I Got Rhythm - The Happenings
You Got It - Roy Orbison
Beyond The Sea - Bobby Darin
The Morse Code of Love - The Manhattan Transfer version (although I have & like The Capris as well)
Silver Bird - Mark Lindsey
I Like Dreamin' - Kenny Nolan
Walking In The Rain - The Ronettes
Sweet Baby James - James Taylor
Thunder and Lightning - Chi Coltrane

 

[cyberdad]

Some of my favorites in no particular order (year approximate in some cases)....

You Got the Right String Baby, But the Wrong Yo Yo.....Dr. Feelgood & the Interns (1962)
Real Rock Drive....Bill Haley & Saddlemen (1952)
Open The Door Richard...Louis Jordan (1947)
Misty Mountain Hop...Led Zeplin (1971)
Chica Chica Boom...Carmen Miranda (1940)
Shimmy Like My Sister Kate...Olympics (1960...also Beatles bootleg live cover 1961)
Someday...Smiley Lewis (1956)
Uno Mundo...Buffalo Springfield (1968)
Last Date...Skeeter Davis (1960)
Frenesi...Artie Shaw (1940)
Baby Come Back...Equals (1968)
Tiger By the Tail...Buck Owens (1966)
Eh Cumpari....Julius La Rosa (1953)
Spider & The Fly...Rolling Stones (1965)
Dust My Broom...Elmore James (1952)
Walk Don't Run....Ventures (1960)
How High The Moon...Les Paul/Mary Ford (1951)
Dancin' Jones....Neville Brothers (1978)
Its Gonna Work Out Fine...Ike & Tina Turner (1961)
My Girl is Red Hot...Billy C. Riley (1956)
Bitter Bad...Melanie (1973)
And Your Bird Can Sing....Beatles (1966)
Cow Cow Boogie....Ella Mae Morse (1942)
Heart of Glass...Blondie (1979)
Straw Hat Song...Desi Arnaz (1949)
Topsy Part 2....Cozy Cole (1958)
Tennesee Birdwalk....Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan (1970)
Positively 4th Street....Bob Dylan (1965)
Traffic Jam....Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks (1973)

(& Many, mamny more. All of these are on my IPod)

 

[Silkie]

Some of my favorites in no particular order (year approximate in some cases)....

You Got the Right String Baby, But the Wrong Yo Yo.....Dr. Feelgood & the Interns (1962)
Real Rock Drive....Bill Haley & Saddlemen (1952)
Open The Door Richard...Louis Jordan (1947)
Misty Mountain Hop...Led Zeplin (1971)
Chica Chica Boom...Carmen Miranda (1940)
Shimmy Like My Sister Kate...Olympics (1960...also Beatles bootleg live cover 1961)
Someday...Smiley Lewis (1956)
Uno Mundo...Buffalo Springfield (1968)
Last Date...Skeeter Davis (1960)
Frenesi...Artie Shaw (1940)
Baby Come Back...Equals (1968)
Tiger By the Tail...Buck Owens (1966)
Eh Cumpari....Julius La Rosa (1953)
Spider & The Fly...Rolling Stones (1965)
Dust My Broom...Elmore James (1952)
Walk Don't Run....Ventures (1960)
How High The Moon...Les Paul/Mary Ford (1951)
Dancin' Jones....Neville Brothers (1978)
Its Gonna Work Out Fine...Ike & Tina Turner (1961)
My Girl is Red Hot...Billy C. Riley (1956)
Bitter Bad...Melanie (1973)
And Your Bird Can Sing....Beatles (1966)
Cow Cow Boogie....Ella Mae Morse (1942)
Heart of Glass...Blondie (1979)
Straw Hat Song...Desi Arnaz (1949)
Topsy Part 2....Cozy Cole (1958)
Tennesee Birdwalk....Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan (1970)
Positively 4th Street....Bob Dylan (1965)
Traffic Jam....Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks (1973)

(& Many, mamny more. All of these are on my IPod)

Right about many many more that could be listed. Actually I should clarify there is another that you rarely hear on the radio, and that is Thunder & Lightning. I have in fact heard it on a couple of rare occasions. Good stuff!