Dion: Runaround Sue (1961)

Dion broke from the Bellmonts to score chart success. "Runaround Sue" recounts the tale of an unfaithful girlfriend. The song ended up in a viral video featuring an 88-year-old woman in 2013. It also charted for Leif Garrett in 1978 and appeared on the Eddie and the Cruisers soundtrack in 1983.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oluTLUjSWVc

1959 in Music

People believed rock n roll died in 1959. Indeed, the year marked the end of the first generation of rockers. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper died in a plane crash. Holly's death dealt a significant blow to the genre. By this point, Jerry Lee Lewis fell due to personal scandal, Little Richard quit performing in favor of the ministry, and Elvis Presley was drafted. Despite this, rock's so-called last gasp produced iconic works such as "La Bamba", "What I'd Say", and "There Goes My Baby." Rock n Roll gives way to the Dance Craze, teen idols, and Folk revival. Meanwhile, The Supremes form and Jimi Hendrix buys his first guitar. The year's biggest star was Bobby Darin.

#1 song of 1959:
Mack the Knife by Bobby Darin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qrjtr_uFac

Iconic songs of 1959:

Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEIDep_UMmk

El Paso by Marty Robbins: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UVVS5-9HvA

I Only Have Eyes for You by The Flamingos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63nlhoda2MY

La Bamba by Ritchie Valens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Coy8Hoa1DNw

Sea of Love by Phil Phillips: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EroRtEUmZcU

A Teenager in Love by Dion and the Belmonts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pwgswchPDo

There Goes by Baby by The Drifters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noFS4_oEakI

What I'd Say by Ray Charles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIqWwiC1BFI



Other hits:

The Battle of New Orleans by Johnny Horton: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL7XS_8qgXM

Stagger Lee by Lloyd Price: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCPutYaGFlE

Lonesome Town by Ricky Nelson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN7mjvok6MI

Love Potion Number Nine by The Clovers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt7htnE1s4o

Dream Lover by Bobby Darin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzkECdHu1dQ

Poison Ivy by The Coasters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRfRITVdz4k

Personality by Lloyd Price: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thwJBqzNB7g

The future appeared in 1959 with...


Teen Idol Frankie Avalon:
Venus by Frankie Avalon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fakpqLDEQAo



Kicking off the folk revival:

M.T.A. by The Kingston Trio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Jw_v3F_Q0



Chubby Checker's remake kicks off the Dance Craze:

The Twist by Hank Ballard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUZqK65OAHE



and later becomes a key component of a Clint Eastwood film:

Misty by Johnny Mathis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JwhJMFDybQ









　


　

　

　
　


　 

Mort Shuman: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2010

Rock Hall Bio: http://rockhall.com/inductees/mort-shuman/



Shuman was a writer at the famous Brill Building in New York.

Some of his works:

A Teenager in Love by Dion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pwgswchPDo

Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucubLr3ZLbw

This Magic Moment by The Drifters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul041CSNJto



He died in 1991.

Doc Pomus: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 1992

Rock Hall Bio:

http://rockhall.com/inductees/doc-pomus/bio/

He became a fan after hearing Big Joe Turner. Polio left his wheelchair bound.
Doc Pomus wrote some of popular music’s most popular songs.

This Magic Moment by the Drifters:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVJ5Oyyimpw

Young Blood by the Coasters:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgX3a6ApQbs

A Teenager in Love by Dion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNYdcwunG7g

Lonely Avenue by Ray Charles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH7rl0ifDwM

Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFw5a5Bp_Pw

There Must be a Better World Somewhere by B.B. King:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRUf3AE0i6I

Doc Pomus died in 1991.

Dion: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 1989

His career in links.

Rock Hall Bio: http://rockhall.com/inductees/dion/bio/

Official Site:

http://diondimucci.com/

Dion was one of the most popular performers before the British Invasion.

With the Belmonts (1957-1960):

I Wonder Why (1958):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZBSGaWrEn4

Dion and the Belmonts played on the Winter Dance Party tour in 1959. Dion could not afford the $36 needed to fly and stuck with the bus. The plane, carrying Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens, crashed killing the three.

A Teenager in Love (1959):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNYdcwunG7g

Where or When (1960):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmi3yYJmkRc

In 1960, Dion checked into rehab for a heroin addiction. The band split later in the year over financial disagreements.

Solo:

Lonely Teenager (1960):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8b8fd6K5PI

Runaround Sue (1961):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c49klxPex-k

The Wanderer (1961):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m6lymJy57E

Lovers Who Wander (1962):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIfg2M_-kuE

Little Diane (1962):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKu8sha9ATQ

Ruby Baby (1962):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRjviO8negQ

Donna the Prima Donna (1963)

:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igGVFZNCbZI

Drip Drop (1963):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSW_MFMOAco

The British Invasion hit and Dion’s fortunes changed. In 1968, he cleaned up again and changed his style and life.

Abraham, Martin, and John (1968):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPdYViBu0is

Your Own Back Yard (1970):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKYb6XVWsIs

In 1979, he became born again. He did not return to rock for a decade.

Written on the Subway Wall w/ Paul Simon and Lou Reed (1989):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xynbNneZkmI

Today, he works in the prison ministry and tries to help those with addiction.

Rock n Roll Hall of Fame 25^th Anniversary Concert (2009):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMlBjFKOodM

Rolling Stone Mag's Top 500 Songs #231-250

231. Moondance: Van Morrison- I picture little faeries dancing around to this song at night.


232. Just Like a Woman: Bob Dylan- This might have been about a former girlfriend’s early death. Edie Sedgwick also influenced the Cult’s “Edie.”

233. Sexual Healing: Marvin Gaye- Reminds me of the old record store. Some 40something guy brought in his 20 year old girlfriend looking for something to screw to. He set off pedophile vibes and she was dressed in white lace.

234. Only the Lonely: Roy Orbison- All time classic. Probably ranked too low.

235. We Gotta Get Out of This Place: The Animals- Every Junior High Schoolers feeling…then every high schoolers feeling and then…every person in the workforce’s feeling…then every person that Jack Kevorkian visits feeling…

236. Paper Planes: MIA- How in the world did this crap make it? And how did it score so high? This is just mind boggling.

237. I Feel A Whole Lot Better: The Byrds-Not a bad song. Not sure why it made the list or is this high.

238. Everyday: Buddy Holly- A great example of Holly’s studio genius.

239. I Got a Woman: Ray Charles- Ray Charles rewrote old gospel songs. Wish I’d have thought of that…anything out there without a copyright nowadays?

240. Planet Rock- Afrika Bambaataa- This belongs in the Star Wars cantina.

241. I Fall to Pieces: Patsy Cline- The Tigers theme song every August since 2006.

242. Son of a Preacher Man: Dusty Springfield- One of those rare instances of a white Euro girl sounding like a black American

243. The Wanderer: Dion- Ted Kennedy’s theme before he got remarried.

244. Stand!: Sly and the Family Stone- A civil rights anthem

245. Rocket Man: Elton John- Put this with Bowie’s Space Oddity and you have rock sci-fi.

246. Love Shack: B-52’s- The love shack burnt down a few years back.

247. Gimme Some Lovin’: Spencer Davis Group- This bombards the senses.

248. Higher and Higher: Jackie Wilson- Another Jackie Wilson tune.

249. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down: The Band- A Civil War rock song…about the end of the Old South….written by a Canadian!

250. Hot Fun in the Summertime: Sly and the Family Stone- One of those all time summer songs that (ironically) got released as kids went back to school.