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    Thirty Six Albums That Matter: Pop Gallery eBooks, #3
    Thirty Six Albums That Matter: Pop Gallery eBooks, #3
    Thirty Six Albums That Matter: Pop Gallery eBooks, #3
    Ebook158 pages1 hour

    Thirty Six Albums That Matter: Pop Gallery eBooks, #3

    By Marc Platt

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    About this ebook

    “Thirty Six Albums That Matter”: (With Several Video Links at the End of Manuscript) You could argue what are the BEST 36 albums of all time until the cows come home. That is NOT what this book is about. This is about the culture of popular albums. Each one of these albums (or CDs) contributed something significant to past generation’s listening habits or had a big impact on culture because of that record in some way.

    To say something matters doesn’t mean it will matter to everyone.

    These are recordings I feel matter in the context of popular music since the year 1956. These are recordings that go from Elvis Presley’s debut until Nirvana’s 1991 ‘Nevermind.’

    These are not necessarily my own favorite recordings of particular artists. For instance, my favorite Beatles album is ‘The White Album.’ The general consensus among critics and fans is that ‘Sgt.Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band’ was the most important record, so that’s the one I chose. You get the idea. You will gain a lot of knowledge with this very easy read for young and older fans alike. 

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMarc Platt
    Release dateJul 15, 2015
    ISBN9781516388370
    Thirty Six Albums That Matter: Pop Gallery eBooks, #3

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      Book preview

      Thirty Six Albums That Matter - Marc Platt

      Thirty Six Albums That Matter

      1956 Elvis Presley‘Elvis Presley’

      1957 Buddy Holly‘The Chirping Crickets’

      1960 Chuck Berry‘Rockin’ at the Hops’

      1963 Bob Dylan  ‘The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan’

      1964 Dusty Springfield‘A Girl Called Dusty’

      1964 The Supremes ‘‘Where Did Our Love Go’

      1965 Bob Dylan  ‘Bringing It All Home’

      1966 Beach Boys‘Pet Sounds’

      1966 Marvin Gaye‘Moods of Marvin Gaye’

      1967 The Doors‘The Doors’

      1967 Sinatra & Jobim ‘Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim’

      1967 The Beatles‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’

      1967 Jimi Hendrix Experience‘Are You Experienced?’

      1968 The Zombies‘Oddessey & Oracle’

      1968 Rolling Stones‘Beggars Banquet’

      1969 The Band‘The Band’

      1970 Van Morrison‘Moondance’

      1971 Harry Nilsson ‘Nilsson Schmilsson’

      1971 Led Zeppelin‘Led Zeppelin IV’

      1971 The Who‘Who’s Next’

      1971 Carole King‘Tapestry’

      1972 Eagles‘Eagles’

      1973 Big Star‘#1 Record’

      1973 Pink Floyd‘Dark Side of the Moon’

      1974 Linda Ronstadt  ‘Heart Like a Wheel’

      1975 Bruce Springsteen‘Born To Run’

      1976 Ramones‘The Ramones’

      1977 Sex Pistols‘Never Mind The Bollocks’

      1978 Elvis Costello‘This Year’s Model’

      1979 The Clash‘London Calling’

      1982 Michael Jackson‘Thriller’

      1983 R.E.M.‘Murmer’

      1984 Replacements‘Let it Be’

      1984 Madonna‘Like a Virgin’

      1987 U2‘Joshua Tree’

      1991 Nirvana‘Nevermind’

      Intro

      You could argue what are the BEST 36 albums of all time until the cows come home. That is NOT what this book is about. This is about the culture of popular albums. Each one of these albums (or CDs) contributed something significant to past generation’s listening habits or had a big impact on culture because of that record in some way.

      To say something matters doesn’t mean it will matter to everyone.

      These are recordings I feel matter in the context of popular music since the year 1956. These are recordings that go from Elvis Presley’s debut until Nirvana’s 1991 ‘Nevermind.’

      These are not necessarily my own favorite recordings of particular artists. For instance, my favorite Beatles album is ‘The White Album.’ The general consensus among critics and fans is that ‘Sgt.Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band’ was the most important record, so that’s the one I chose.

      ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ IS my favorite Pink Floyd record. I am partial to Elvis Presley’s ‘Sun Sessions,’ but went with the RCA debut album for this book. It can be argued that ‘Sun Sessions’ was historically more important, but that was mostly regional. It wasn’t until ‘Elvis Presley’ was released in 1956, that the world knew who this former truck driver was.

      I wanted to get some major Motown artists like Marvin Gaye and The Supremes in the mix. Dusty Springfield made significant contributions and this debut album really made an impact. ‘A Girl Called Dusty’ mattered.

      Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born to Run’ was a no brainer. This changed everything for him in his career and was a milestone achievement. It made Springsteen’s live act the hottest ticket in rock for decades.

      There are two Bob Dylan recordings. ‘The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan’ recording was a seminal folk recording and ‘Bringing it all Home’ was the starting point for his electric career, which changed folk overnight to folk rock.

      There are so many great albums and artists like The Byrds, Tom Petty, Yardbirds, Simon & Garfunkel, Lovin’ Spoonful, Nick Drake and Smokey Robinson to name a few that were left off this list. I could have easily done 100 Records That Mattered, but this will have to do.

      I love so many albums and artists, but these albums fit the need for this project.

      Maybe it will turn you or someone you know on to some material you may not have given a decent look to in the past.

      Pop and rock music has always been treated like disposable product by the people who actually sold the music to the masses. The true artists tried to make art out of something that was barely appreciated that way by the people who made those decisions.

      There are always exceptions to that rule. Men like Ahmet Ertegun, Berry Gordy, Jac Holzman, Chris Blackwell and George Martin are just a few who really made a difference and cared about the art form of making great music.

      Take your time and go through this appreciation for these records and make your own decision if I got it right.

      You can also check out my Multi-Media Digital Pop Music Series at www.popgalleryseries.com.

      Marc Platt

      Los Angeles, 2015

      Elvis Presley

      The original album does NOT have "Heartbreak Hotel," which was the Elvis single that really launched him world-wide.

      Presley did record several singles for Sam Phillips at Sun Records in Memphis, but those were mostly regional recordings. This record is a stunning debut for the former truck driver, starting with a Carl Perkins song that made both men famous and a lot of money.

      ––––––––

      Side One:

      "Blue Suede Shoes was written in 1955 by Carl Perkins after some prodding from his friend Johnny Cash, who suggested he write about blue suede shoes that he had bought. Perkins was playing a dance soon after and noticed some boys dancing and saying things like Hey man, don’t step on my suedes. When Perkins wrote the words down he misspelled Suede. His original spelling was Blue ‘Swade’ Shoes." Perkins, Elvis, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran all recorded versions of this early rock n’ roll classic song.

      "I'm Counting On You is a song by Don Robertson. It is a ballad that features that distinct Floyd Kramer piano sound we would hear in these early recordings. Steve Sholes is listed as Producer," but it is well-established that Elvis was the producer on all these recordings. In those days a staff producer was assigned to artists, but Elvis was running this show.

      "I Got a Woman" is a great Ray Charles song that is well-served here by Elvis. This has the band on it Scotty Moore (guitar), Bill Black (upright bass) and DJ Fontana (drums) and Floyd Kramer (piano). This one smokes.

      "One-Sided Love Affair" is a VERY fun and hooky song was written by Bill Campbell. This is an underrated gem. Elvis does all kinds of vocal tongue-and-cheek fun. There is strong boogie-woogie piano, expertly played by Shorty Long.

      "I Love You Because" is a Sun Session holdover produced by Sam Phillips in Memphis. Bill Black and Scotty Moore are the only backing. This song was written by Leon Payne. Elvis croons this ballad and there is a lot of Scotty Moore jazz noodling on the guitar.

      "Just Because" was written by Sydney Robin, Bob & Joe Shelton and is another Sun Sessions recording from 1954. Bill Black and Scotty Moore were still his backing band. This is a quicker country, blues rocker.

      Side Two:

      "Tutti Frutti is a Little Richard classic that was greatly-aided by Elvis recording his version. It really helped put Little Richard on the map with white folks. Little Richard Penniman" always expressed great gratitude to the white artists who exposed his music. Elvis produced this track.

      "Trying To Get To You" is yet another debut album masterpiece. This is one of those songs Elvis belts. The song was written by Rose Marie Singleton and Charlie McCoy. There is no doubt that Elvis Presley created rock n’ roll on this album. You can hear it in the passion in his voice.

      "I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You)" is my favorite song on this record. It rocks and has every element a great rock n’ roll song needs: Passion, rhythm, hooks and a great message. It was written by Howard Biggs and Joe Thomas.

      "I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’)" is a ballad from the Sun Sessions in 1954 with Bill and Scotty. It picks up in the second half of the song in that bluesy rockin’ Elvis Presley style we would all come to know. It was written by Jimmy Wakely.

      "Blue Moon" is a classic early Sun Sessions Elvis track produced by Sam Phillips. Elvis howls and croons his way to regional stardom before becoming a national figure. It is a Rogers & Hart classic. It is one of Elvis’s best-known early tracks.

      "Money Honey is a rock n’ roll classic. It was written by Jesse Stone and features Floyd Kramer on piano, DJ on drums, Scotty on guitar and Bill Black on upright bass. This song is the precursor to Jailhouse Rock," a song that was soon to come and launch Elvis Presley to even greater heights.

      Context

      ‘Elvis Presley’ is a fantastic debut record at a time albums were a collection of singles. This is a collection of odds and ends in the respect that RCA purchased recordings from Sam Phillips and Sun Records and mixed in. In my opinion, if you had to own one record by Elvis Presley, this would be it.

      Buddy Holly: The Chirping Crickets

      Remember, Buddy Holly was only 22-years-old when he left the planet in that plane crash in Iowa with Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. He did record a lot of material, but none more important than this ‘The Chirping Crickets’ debut album. This put Holly in that upper stratosphere of Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry. If you had to own one Buddy Holly disc, this is it.

      Side One

      "Oh Boy was a big hit for Buddy Holly. He did NOT write the song. This one was penned by Sonny West, Bill Tilghman and Norman Petty. Oh Boy" is a great way to start Buddy Holly’s short recording career as a rock n’ roll pioneer. It moves quickly and is over before you know it.

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