From Elvis to Little Richard: 5 of the Best Rock Songs of the ’50s

It’s the middle of the century: Walt Disney has just released Cinderella, millions of people watched Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, and the U.S. Supreme court ruled on the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education. But what of the music world? Where was it heading? We’re glad you asked.

The music world was barreling down the road of innovation in the ’50s, evolving at a pace, not unlike the booming population increase felt in the U.S. So, in order to recapture just a little bit of the sound from this era, we’ve rounded up five of the best rock songs from the ’50s. Check those tunes out below.

1. “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley (1957)

What better way to kick this off than with a famous tune from the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll? The Presley recorded song “Jailhouse Rock” was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller for the film of the same name. Presley’s subsequent vocal and dance performance of the song has long been hailed as one of the King’s finest, and the song itself includes lyrics that could be interpreted as sly references to same-sex relationships. It was, undoubtedly, ahead of its time.

2. “Wake Up Little Susie” by The Everly Brothers (1957)

The songwriting husband and wife team of Felice and Boudleaux Bryant penned The Everly Brothers’ tune “Wake Up Little Susie” about an innocent outing with scandalous implications. In the song, a young couple goes out to see a movie (likely at a drive-in movie theater) and they both fall asleep. The movie wasn’t so hot/ It didn’t have much of a plot, the male character says, We fell asleep, our goose is cooked/ Our reputation is shot.

“Wake Up Little Susie” went on to become a number one hit for The Everly Brothers, but we’re still not sure what ever happened to Little Susie once she finally made it home.

3. “Tutti Frutti” by Little Richard (1955)

Just as Presley was referred to as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Little Richard was known as the Architect of Rock ‘n’ Roll. He helped to define and challenge the new style of rock music that was emerging in the ’50s. Richard, born Richard Penniman, wrote “Tutti Frutti” with Dorothy LaBostrie and it became his first major hit.

4. “Great Balls of Fire” by Jerry Lee Lewis (1957)

Seeing a slight resurgence after its appearance in Top Gun: Maverick, “Great Balls of Fire” is one of Jerry Lee Lewis’ most recognizable rock ‘n’ roll hits.

You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain
Too much love drives a man insane
You broke my will
But what a thrill
Goodness gracious, great balls of fire!

5. “Shake, Rattle and Roll” by Big Joe Turner (1954)

Jesse Stone, also known by his pen name Charles F. Calhoun, wrote “Shake, Rattle and Roll” for Big Joe Turner in 1954. It’s an up-tempo song that Turner recorded in New York City with a shouting chorus supporting his vocals. “Shake, Rattle and Roll” also includes sexual innuendos that were considered exceptionally scandalous for the time. We suppose that the baby boom had a bigger effect on the States than just its population size…

Photo of Elvis by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images