'50s Pop

You can't really think '50s without thinking Frank and Dean, whose musical supremacy would go unchallenged until a young lad from Tupelo, Mississippi, pushed them all the way out of the mainstream into Las Vegas (where they flourished). Meanwhile, the Platters, Penguins, and Orioles were weaving doo-wop magic in R&B-land.

As television replaced radio in the hearts of millions of Americans, show themes such as "Dragnet" and "The Ballad of Davy Crockett," among many others, took their place on the charts. Also, guitarist Les Paul demonstrated his genius as both a player and pioneer of multi-track recording on "How High the Moon."

The military snare makes its second appearance on our playlist with Johnny Horton's "The Battle of New Orleans" (Mitch Miller, A&R chief at Horton's label, had used it on his own "Yellow Rose of Texas" earlier). Singers from Nat King Cole to Tennessee Ernie Ford take a decidedly less martial route.

Welcome to the Cold War, the Eisenhower years, fins on cars, and the transition between big bands and rock 'n' roll. Salmon pink, charcoal grey, and turquoise were the signature colors of the '50s, even, it seemed on the television sets, whose color (if you could afford it) left something to be desired. Come explore the last of the crooners and the foreshadowings of a musical revolution that would change youth culture dramatically and permanently.