Have you ever heard a song that you felt could've been a hit, if not for one small thing? It may have been because of the production or singing, or were too long and were not played, were not released as singles and hidden on albums, or simply on albums that nobody bought and some were simply not marketed well. Also, there are thousands of records that missed the grade simply because the competition was so intense, particularly in the 60's.
Lots of music slipped through the radio sifting process, and have become lost over time. Radio stations usually program their playlists based on chart success. No sales or chart success led to no lasting memory of many of the songs. They became lost gems.
I trawled through my collection and have identified songs that were not big hits, many not at all. It was a frustrating yet delightful exercise. I could make so many more volumes of lost gems but decided to limit findings to 40 tracks per decade. These tracks are presented in 20 tracks per disc. Further, I have tried to pick four tracks per year of that decade. Some years in a particular decade had more powerful tracks and therefore some years may have had more tracks and others that had less. You may also say that there are other tracks that should also be included in these lists. And I agree. But limiting these track to 40 per decade make for a better compilation, rather than post everything.
I am pleased to present 12 discs in total covering each decade starting 1950's and ending 2000's that capture tracks that SHOULD have been bigger hits.
In this first post of "These Songs Should Have Been Bigger Hits" the Fifties and Sixties are represented. Next I will post the balance of Sixties material and both Seventies discs...
I hope some of these forgotten gems may ring a long dormant bell. Enjoy these beautiful songs.
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VA - These Songs Should Have Been Bigger Hits (A Butterboy Compilation) PART 1
VA - Should Have Been A Bigger Hit 50's CD1
https://www70.zippyshare.com/v/Q9xhLP0a/file.html
VA - Should Have Been A Bigger Hit 50's CD2
https://www70.zippyshare.com/v/xyvDKfDE/file.html
VA - Should Have Been A Bigger Hit 60's CD1
https://www70.zippyshare.com/v/TU8XhJOo/file.html
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Track list 1 50's CD1
01 Jimmy Liggins - Cadillac Boogie 02:42 1950 [?]
02 Mills Brothers - Daddy's Little Girl 02:55 1950 [5]
03 Tennessee Ernie Ford - My Hobby 02:33 1950 [0]
04 Dinah Washington - Time Out For Tears 02:58 1950 [8]
05 Eddie Fisher - Bring Back The Thrill 03:03 1951 [14]
06 Tony Bennett - Anywhere I Wander 02:56 1951 [0]
07 Billy Ward and the Dominoes - No! Says My Heart 03:10 1951 [0]
08 Tampa Red - She's Dynamite 02:22 1951 [0]
09 Howlin' Wolf - Wolf is at Your Door 02:57 1952 [0]
10 Hilltoppers - Trying 03:06 1952 [7]
11 Doris Day & Johnnie Ray - A Full Time Job 02:11 1952 [20]
12 Little Richard - I Brought it All on Myself 02:55 1952 [0]
13 Percy Mayflied - The River's Invitation 02:53 1953 [99]
14 Perry Como - Wild Horses 02:49 1953 [6]
15 Patti Page - Now That I'm in Love 02:22 1953 [18]
16 Little Esther - Cherry Wine 02:21 1953 [0]
17 Cadillacs - Zoom-Boom-Zing 02:48 1954 [0]
18 Fats Domino - Thinking of You 02:09 1954 [14]
19 Elvis Presley - That's All Right 01:55 1954 [0]
20 Eartha Kitt - Lovin' Spree 02:57 1954 [20]
Track list 2 50's CD2
21 Crew Cuts - Mostly Martha 02:39 1955 [31]
22 Chordettes - Humming Bird 02:19 1955 [0]
23 Alma Cogan - Never Do a Tango With an Eskimo 02:12 1955 [6]
24 Tennessee Ernie Ford - His Hands 02:36 1955 [13]
25 Nat 'king' Cole - To the Ends of the Earth 02:26 1956 [25]
26 Guy Mitchell - Crazy With Love 02:23 1956 [53]
27 Pat Boone - I'm in Love With You 02:25 1956 [57]
28 Tommy Steele - Rock With the Caveman 01:57 1956 [13]
29 Eddie Cochran - Twenty Flight Rock 01:45 1957 [0]
30 Sal Mineo - Start Movin' (In My Direction) 02:33 1957 [9]
31 Don & Dewey - Leavin' it All Up to You 02:15 1957 [8]
32 Andy Williams - Lips of Wine 01:42 1957 [17]
33 Paul Anka - Midnight 01:56 1958 [69]
34 Lee Andrews & the Hearts - Try the Impossible 03:08 1958 [33]
35 Elvis Presley - Lover Doll 02:10 1958 [0]
36 Frankie Avalon - Gingerbread 02:05 1958 [9]
37 Robert Parker - All Night Long (Part1) 02:50 1959 [113]
38 Johnny Restivo - The Shape I'm In 02:06 1959 [80]
39 Tab Hunter - Apple Blossom Time 02:13 1959 [31]
40 Kay Starr - Night Train 02:47 1959 [125]
Track list 3 60's CD1
01 Aaron Neville - Over You 02:18 1960 [111]
02 Googie Rene - The Slide, Part 1 03:04 1960 [20]
03 Eddie Quinteros - Come Dance With Me 01:51 1960 [25]
04 Bobby Darin - Somebody to Love 02:14 1960 [45]
05 Bobby Vee - One Last Kiss 01:59 1960 [112]
06 Dion - Somebody Nobody Wants 02:46 1961 [103]
07 Eddy Jones & the Cyclones - Say What 01:56 1961 [?]
08 Johnny Cash - The Rebel Johnny Yuma 01:52 1961 [108]
09 Marvin Rainwater - Boo Hoo 01:46 1961 [119]
10 Del Shannon - I Won't Be There 02:02 1962 [113]
11 Chantels - Here it Comes Again 02:22 1962 [118]
12 Temptations - Paradise (Mono) 02:48 1962 [122]
13 Baby Washington - A Handful of Memories 02:21 1962 [116]
14 Nolan Strong (With the Diablos) - Mind Over Matter 03:12 1962 [0]
15 Little Stevie Wonder - I Call It Pretty Music But... 02:29 1963 [101]
16 Ray Charles - No Letter Today 03:01 1963 [105]
17 Johnny Crawford - Cry on My Shoulder 02:34 1963 [126]
18 Doris Troy - Tomorrow is Another Day 02:24 1963 [0]
19 Skeeter Davis - Let Me Get Close to You 02:34 1964 [106]
20 Robin Ward - Winter's Here 02:46 1964 [0]