VA - Swinging 50s [2021] (10 x CDs)

POP

VA - Swinging 50s [2021] (10 x CDs)

Originally released by Documents label in 2011, Swinging 50s takes a fresh look at a decade that’s often reduced to clichés, but this 2021 set reminds you how much movement and invention lived beneath the surface. Instead of leaning on jukebox staples or the most obvious radio hits, the compilation focuses on the transitional sound of the era, where swing was slimming down, rhythm sections were getting punchier, and the early DNA of rock ’n’ roll was beginning to show itself in small but unmistakable ways.

The tracks here capture the fifties in motion. You still hear the big‑band influence in the brass and arrangements, but the feel is tighter, more rhythmic, more forward‑leaning. Jump‑blues energy sits comfortably next to cocktail‑jazz polish; early R&B shuffles brush up against bright, upbeat pop that filled living rooms through radio and television. It’s the sound of musicians adapting on the fly, reshaping familiar forms as tastes shifted around them.

Documents’ restoration gives these recordings a warm, present feel without stripping away their period character. Many of the selections come from labels that thrived in the singles market—imprints that documented the everyday sound of the decade rather than its mythologised highlights. That’s part of the charm: this isn’t a museum piece, it’s a portrait of the fifties as they actually sounded in real time.

Swinging 50s offers a curated window into a decade that’s far richer and more varied than the nostalgia lens suggests. It shows how the seeds of modern pop and rock were already taking root in the rhythms, arrangements, and attitude of the era. The fifties didn’t just swing, they evolved. (B)

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Track lists

CD01

01 Dean Martin - Memories Are Made of This 2:18

02 Tab Hunter - Young Love 2:16

03 Robin Luke - Susie Darlin 2:38

04 Doris Day - A Guy is a Guy 2:38

05 Domenico Modugno - Nel Blu Di Pinto Di Blu 3:41

06 Johnnie Ray - Just Walkin' in The Rain 2:36

07 Elvis Presley - Love Me Tender 2:42

08 Pat Boone - Ain't That a Shame 2:23

09 Neil Sedaka - Oh Carol 2:15

10 Ames Brothers - Naughty Lady of Shady Lane 2:56

11 Platters - Twilight Time 2:44

12 Jim Reeves - He'll Have to Go 2:18

13 Ricky Nelson - Never Be Anyone Else but You 2:18

14 Teresa Brewer - Music, Music, Music 3:20

15 Guy Mitchell - Heartaches By The Number 2:33

16 McGuire Sisters - Sugartime 2:22

17 Perry Como - Hot Diggity 2:23

18 Les Paul - Vaya con Dios 2:53

19 Weavers - Goodnight Irene 3:19

20 Gogi Grant - The Wayward Wind 3:00

CD02

01 Debbie Reynolds - Tammy 3:04

02 Elvis Presley - Paralyzed 2:24

03 Perry Como - Don't Let The Stars Get in Your Eyes 2:39

04 Pat Boone - I'll Be Home 3:00

05 Browns - The Three Bells 2:50

06 Marty Robbins - A White Sport Coat 2:30

07 Rosemary Clooney - This Ole House 2:22

08 Terry Gilkinson - Marianne 2:16

09 Dean Martin - Angel Baby 2:49

10 Ivory Joe Hunter - I Almost Lost My Mind 3:13

11 Perez Prado and His Orchestra - Why Wait 2:18

12 Doris Day - Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera) 2:05

13 Fleetwoods - Come Softly to Me 2:25

14 Frankie Laine - Answer Me 2:30

15 Jim Reeves - Four Walls 2:46

16 Teresa Brewer - Till I Waltz Again with You 3:02

17 Platters - Only You 2:36

18 Art & Dottie Todd - Chanson D'amour (Song of Love) 2:58

19 Rocco Granata - Marina 2:50

20 Les Paul, Mary Ford - Mockingbird Hill 2:15

CD03

01 Perry Como - Papa Loves Mambo 2:41

02 Pat Boone - Don't Forbid Me 2:19

03 Mitch Miller - The Yellow Rose of Texas - The Yellow Rose of Texas 3:02

04 Andy Williams - Butterfly 2:20

05 Marty Robbins - The Story of My Life 2:39

06 Lloyd Price - Personality 2:33

07 Patti Page - Tennesse Waltz 3:04

08 Elvis Presley - Loving You 2:12

09 Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly - True Love 3:11

10 Archie Bleyer - Hernando's Hideaway 2:36

11 Ivory Joe Hunter - Since I Met You Baby 2:43

12 Jane Morgan - The Day the Rains Came 3:00

13 Frankie Avalon - Venus 2:22

14 Billy Vaughn - La Paloma 2:33

15 Harry Belafonte - Banana Boat Song (day-o) 3:08

16 Kingston Trio - Tom Dooley 3:18

17 Ritchie Valens - Donna 2:29

18 Jim Lowe - The Green Door 2:12

19 Platters - The Great Pretender 2:37

20 Georgia Gibbs - Dance With Me Henry 2:16

CD04

01 Billy Vaughn - Sail Along Silv'ry Moon 1:58

02 Chordettes - No Wheels 2:33

03 Harry Belafonte - Jamaica Farewell 3:07

04 Johnny Cash - I Walk the Line 2:42

05 Gaylords - Ma, Ma, Ma, Marie 1:54

06 Don Gibson - Blue Blue Day 1:58

07 Billy Vaughn - Raunchy 2:14

08 Dean Martin - That s Amore 3:06

09 Ivory Joe Hunter - Empty Arms 2:42

10 Perry Como - Juke Box Baby 2:16

11 Ricky Nelson - A Teenager's romance 2:17

12 Mitchell Torok - Caribbean 2:24

13 Earl Grant - The End 2:20

14 Jim Reeves - Mexican Joe 2:38

15 Kalin Twins - Forget Me Not 2:27

16 Elvis Presley - Don't 2:49

17 Jimmie Rodgers - Honeycomb 2:20

18 Everly Brothers - All I Have to Do is Dream 2:21

19 Pat Boone - Love Letters in the Sand 2:15

20 Hank Snow - I'm Moving On 2:51

CD05

01 Cliff Richard - Living Doll 2:36

02 Guy Mitchell - Singing the Blues 2:26

03 Pat Boone - Why Baby Why 1:57

04 Johnny Cash - Get Rhythm 2:14

05 Elvis Presley - I Want to Be Free 2:17

06 Chordettes - Lollipop 2:35

07 Conway Twitty - Heavenly 2:31

08 Harry Belafonte - Will His Love Be Like His Rum? 2:36

09 Paul Anka - I Love You Baby 2:12

10 Buddy Holly - Heartbeat 2:09

11 Ricky Nelson - Poor Little Fool 2:32

12 Jim Reeves - Billy Bayou 2:11

13 Bobby Darin - Dream Lover 2:36

14 Doris Day - Everybody Loves a Lover 2:46

15 Ivory Joe Hunter - A Tear Fell 2:55

16 Jimmie Rodgers - Kisses Sweeter Than Wine 2:20

17 Marvin Rainwater - Baby Don't Go 2:09

18 Connie Francis - Who's Sorry Now 2:19

19 Perry Como - Magic Moments 2:38

20 Pat Boone - Sugar Moon 1:56

CD06

01 Conway Twitty - It's Only Make Believe 2:12

02 Cliff Richard - Travellin' Light 2:39

03 Johnny Preston - Running Bear 2:38

04 Fats Domino - Blueberry Hill 2:24

05 Eddie Fisher - Oh My Papa 3:06

06 Johnny Duncan - Last Train to San Fernando 2:18

07 Chordettes - Mister sandman 2:27

08 Pat Boone - Bernadine 2:10

09 Kingston Trio - Ruby Red 2:17

10 Buddy Holly, Buddy Holly - Everyday 2:09

11 Connie Francis - My Happiness 2:30

12 Don Gibson - Oh, Lonesome Me 2:28

13 Elvis Presley - A Fool Such as I 2:26

14 Fontane Sisters - Hearts of Stone 2:02

15 Harry Belafonte - Come Back Liza 3:06

16 Four Preps - Big Man 2:21

17 Jim Reeves - Yonder Comes A Sucker 1:54

18 Big Joe Turner - Corrine Corrina 2:52

19 Tennessee Ernie Ford - Sixteen Tons 2:41

20 Perry Como - Catch a Falling Star 2:26

CD07

01 Elvis Presley - I Want You, I Need You, I Love You 2:35

02 Marilyn Monroe - I Wanna Be Loved By You 3:01

03 Guy Mitchell - Crazy With Love. 2:23

04 Emile Ford - What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me for 2:06

05 Tab Hunter - Red Sails in the Sunset 2:19

06 Frankie Laine - High Noon 2:25

07 Pat Boone - Remember You're Mine 2:16

08 Perry Como - Love Makes The World Go Round 2:53

09 Buddy Holly - Think it Over 1:50

10 Gaylords - Sweeter Than You 1:59

11 Harry Belafonte - Mama Look A Boo Boo 5:15

12 Fats Domino - Ain't That A Shame 2:28

13 Steve Lawrence - Pretty Blue Eyes 1:52

14 Edmundo Ros - Melody D'Amour 2:59

15 Dean Martin - Return to Me 2:25

16 Tony Bennett - In the Middle of an Island 1:37

17 Jerry Keller - Here Comes Summer 2:08

18 Teddy Bears - To Know Him is to Love Him 2:23

19 Elvis Presley - Don't Be Cruel 2:02

20 Buddy Holly - Listen to Me 2:25

CD08

01 Harry Belafonte - Island in The Sun 3:21

02 Perry Como - Round and Round (with Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra & The Ray Charles Singers) 2:32

03 Fats Domino - Valley of Tears 1:54

04 Pat Boone - Chains of Love 1:51

05 Dion - A Teenager in Love 2:36

06 Shirley Bassey - Kiss Me Honey Honey Kiss Me 2:26

07 Paul Anka - Don't Gamble with Love 2:25

08 Elvis Presley - Have I Told You Lately That I Love You 2:33

09 Don Gibson - I Can't Stop Loving You 2:32

10 Johnny Horton - Whispering Pines 2:55

11 P rez Prado - Patricia 2:20

12 Buddy Holly - Words of Love 1:54

13 Frankie Avalon - Teacher's Pet 2:00

14 Slim Dusty - A Pub With No Beer 3:00

15 Johnnie Ray - Such A Night 2:13

16 Sophia Loren - Bing Bang Bong 2:20

17 Marty Robbins - El Paso, Pt. 1 4:21

18 Fats Domino - I Want to Walk You Home 2:20

19 Peggy Lee - Fever 3:20

20 John Buck and The Blazers - Chi Chi 1:57

CD09

01 Pat Boone - April Love 2:41

02 Harry Belafonte - Coconut Woman 3:16

03 Buddy Holly - Maybe Baby 2:04

04 Paul Anka - That's Love 2:32

05 Marty Robbins - Stairway of Love 2:08

06 Frankie Avalon - Oh La La 2:33

07 Laurie London - He's Got the Whole World in His Hands 2:20

08 Mitch Miller, The Gang & Orchestra - March From The River Kwai and Colonel Bogey 2:28

09 Perry Como - Mandolins in The Moonlight 2:43

10 Diamonds - Little Darlin' 2:07

11 Ricky Nelson - Half Breed 2:05

12 Drifters - There Goes My Baby 2:12

13 Bill Haley & His Comets - A, B, C, Boogie 2:29

14 Ames Brothers - Rockin' Shoes 1:56

15 Eddie Fisher - Cindy Oh Cindy 2:51

16 Kay Starr - Rock and Roll Waltz 2:59

17 Paul Anka - Put Your Head on My Shoulder 2:39

18 Buddy Holly - Look at Me 2:06

19 Pat Boone - A Wonderful Time Up There 2:07

20 Elvis Presley - Too Much 2:34

CD10

01 Paul Anka - What You've Done to Me 2:25

02 Elvis Presley - Doncha Think It's Time 1:57

03 Johnny Horton - All for The Love of A Girl 2:29

04 Drifters - Drip Drop 2:30

05 Pat Boone - Good Rockin' Tonight 2:21

06 Little Richard - Send Me Some Lovin' 2:18

07 Doris Day - Choo Choo Train 2:20

08 Cliff Richard - I Gotta Know 2:27

09 Harry Belafonte - Matilda 3:13

10 Carl Dobkins Jr - Love is Everything 1:55

11 Wilbert Harrison - Kansas City 2:28

12 Paul Anka - You Are My Destiny 2:27

13 Ricky Nelson - Lonesome Town 2:13

14 Sam Cooke - You Send Me 2:42

15 Little Richard - Can't Believe You Wanna Leave 2:25

16 Ames Brothers - Rag Mop 2:39

17 Frankie Avalon - Why 2:36

18 Perry Como - Moon Talk 2:36

19 Buddy Holly - Peggy Sue Got Married 2:35

20 Barbara Evans - Souvenirs 2:04

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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