Andrew Hickey: A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs

Andrew Hickey, A History of Rock Music: 500 Songs

Andrew Hickey launched his podcast on “A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs” in October 2018. He asserted that “rock and roll as a cultural force is, it is safe to say, dead” H1-9 which he said made it “possible to assess rock music…in a historical context.” H1-9 He starts in 1938 with “a few pre-rock songs that clearly influenced the burgeoning rock and roll genre” H1-9 and plans to works up to 1999. As of this posting, the most recent podcast was episode 171 for the Beatles “Hey Jude” on December 17, 2023. To access the podcast (either the audio or a transcript) click on the episode number. Click on the song title (when applicable) to see its devoted DMDB page. Click here to see other lists from critics and individuals and here to see other lists from publications and/or organizations Episode 1: Benny Goodman Sextet “Flying Home” (1939) Episode 2: Big Joe Turner & Pete Johnson “Roll ‘Em Pete” (1938) Episode 3: Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys “Ida Red” (1951) Episode 4: Louis Jordan “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie” (1946) Episode 5: Rosetta Tharpe “This Train” (1922) Episode 6: The Ink Spots “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin” (1941) Episode 7: Wynonie Harris “Good Rockin’ Tonight” (1948) Episode 8: Fats Domino “The Fat Man” (1950) Episode 9: Les Paul with Mary Ford “How High the Moon” (1951) Episode 10: Johnny Otis, Little Esther, & the Robins “Double Crossin’ Blues” (1950) Episode 11: Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats “Rocket 88” (1951) Episode 12: Lloyd Price “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” (1952) Episode 13: Ruth Brown “Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean” (1953) Episode 14: Hank Williams “Jambalaya on the Bayou” (1952) Episode 15: Big Mama Thornton “Hound Dog” (1953) Episode 16: Bill Haley & His Saddlemen “Crazy Man Crazy” (1953) Episode 17: Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters “Money Honey” (1953) Episode 18: The Chords “Sh-Boom” (1954) Episode 19: Elvis Presley “That’s All Right, Mama” (1954) Episode 20: Bill Haley & the Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock” (1954) Episode 21: Lonnie Donegan “Rock Island Line” (1956) Episode 22: Etta James & the Peaches “The Wallflower (Roll with Me Henry)” (1955) Episode 23: Johnny Ace “Pledging My Love” (1955) Episode 24: Gene & Eunice “Ko Ko Mo” (1955) Episode 25: The Penguins “Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)” (1954) Episode 26: Fats Domino “Ain’t That a Shame” (1955) Episode 27: LaVern Baker “Tweedle Dee” (1955) Episode 28: The Moonglows “Sincerely” (1955) Episode 29: Chuck Berry “Maybellene” (1955) Episode 30: Bo Diddley “Bo Diddley” (1955) Episode 31: The Platters “Only You (And You Alone)” (1955) Episode 32: Ray Charles “I Gotta Woman” (1955) Episode 33: Elvis Presley “Mystery Train” (1955) Episode 34: Little Richard “Tutti Frutti” (1955) Episode 35: Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” (1956) Episode 36: Carl Perkins “Blue Suede Shoes” (1956) Episode 37: Johnny Cash “I Walk the Line” (1956) Episode 38: Elvis Presley “Heartbreak Hotel” (1956) Episode 39: James Brown & the Famous Flames “Please Please Please” (1956) Episode 40: Janis Martin “Drugstore Rock ‘N’ Roll” (1956) Episode 41: Gene Vincent & the Bluecaps “Be-Bop-A-Lula” (1956) Episode 42: Roy Orbison & the Teen Kings “Ooby Dooby” (1956) Episode 43: Wanda Jackson “I Gotta Know” (1956) Episode 44: Johnny Burnette & the Rock ‘N’ Roll Trio “Train Kept A-Rollin’” (1956) Episode 45: Fats Domino “Blueberry Hill” (1956) Episode 46: Chuck Berry “Brown-Eyed Handsome Man” (1956) Episode 47: Jesse Belvin “Goodnight My Love” (1956) Episode 48: Tommy Steele “Rock with the Caveman” (1956) Episode 49: Mickey & Sylvia “Love Is Strange” (1957) Episode 50: Bill Doggett “Honky Tonk” (1956) BONUS (in Volume 1 book): Johnnie Ray & the Four Lads “Cry” (1951)

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs Volume 1: From Savoy Stompers to Clock Rockers compiles transcripts from episodes 1 to 50 with an episode on Johnny Ray’s “Cry” instead of Bill Doggett’s “Honky Tonk.”

Episode 51: Carl Perkins “Matchbox” (1957) Episode 52: Eddie Cochran “Twenty Flight Rock” (1958) Episode 53: Screamin’ Jay Hawkins “I Put a Spell on You” (1956) Episode 54: Little Richard “Keep A-Knockin’” (1957) Episode 55: The Coasters “Searchin’” (1957) Episode 56: The Everly Brothers “Bye Bye Love” (1957) Episode 57: Billy Lee Riley & the Little Green Men “Flying Saucers Rock ‘n’ Roll” (1957) Episode 58: The Bobbettes “Mr. Lee” (1957) Episode 59: Jerry Lee Lewis “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” (1957) Episode 60: Sam Cooke “You Send Me” (1957) Episode 61: Buddy Holly and The Crickets “That’ll Be the Day” (1957) Episode 62: Elvis Presley “Jailhouse Rock” (1957) Episode 63: Dale Hawkins “Susie Q” (1957) Episode 64: Jackie Wilson “Reet Petite” (1957) Episode 65: The Chantels “Maybe” (1958) Episode 66: Jerry Lee Lewis “Great Balls of Fire” (1957) Episode 67: Chuck Berry “Johnny B. Goode” (1958) Episode 68: The Coasters “Yakety Yak” (1958) Episode 69: Wanda Jackson “Fujiyama Mama” (1957) Episode 70: Cliff Richard & the Drifters “Move It” (1958) Episode 71: Johnny Otis “Willie and the Hand Jive” (1958) Episode 72: Elvis Presley “Trouble” (1958) Episode 73: Ritchie Valens “La Bamba” (1958) Episode 74: Buddy Holly & the Crickets “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” (1959) BONUS (in Volume 2 book): The Big Bopper “Chantilly Lace” (1958) Episode 75: The Drifters “There Goes My Baby” (1959) Episode 76: Lloyd Price “Stagger Lee” (1958) Episode 77: Vince Taylor & the Playboys “Brand New Cadillac” (1958) Episode 78: Ray Charles “What’d I Say” (1959) Episode 79: Brenda Lee “Sweet Nothin’s” (1960) Episode 80: Barrett Strong “Money (That’s What I Want)” (1960) Episode 81: The Isley Brothers “Shout” (1959) Episode 82: Elvis Presley “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” Episode 83: Roy Orbison “Only the Lonely” (1960) Episode 84: Johnny Kidd & the Pirates “Shakin’ All Over” (1960) Episode 85: Eddie Cochran “Three Steps to Heaven” (1960) Episode 86: The Gamblers “LSD-25” (1960) Episode 87: The Shadows “Apache” (1960) Episode 88: The Everly Brothers “Cathy’s Clown” (1960) Episode 89: The Shirelles “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” (1960) Episode 90: Del Shannon “Runaway” (1961) Episode 91: Chubby Checker “The Twist” (1960) Episode 92: The Tokens “The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh)” (1961) Episode 93: The Marvelettes “Please Mr. Postman” (1961) Episode 94: Ben E. King “Stand by Me” (1961) Episode 95: Arthur Alexander “You Better Move On” (1961) Episode 96: Little Eva Little Eva “The Loco-Motion” (1962) Episode 97: Bob Dylan “Song to Woody” Episode 98: Adam Faith “I’ve Just Fallen for Someone” (1961) Episode 99: The Beach Boys “Surfin’ Safari” (1962) Episode 100: The Beatles “Love Me Do” (1962)

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs Volume 2: From the Million Dollar Quartet to the Fab Four compiles transcripts from episodes 51 to 100.

Episode 101: The Tornados “Telstar” Episode 102: The Isley Brothers “Twist and Shout” (1962) Episode 103: Marvin Gaye “Hitch Hike” (1963) Episode 104: The Crystals “He’s a Rebel” (1962) Episode 105: Booker T & the MGs “Green Onions” (1962) Episode 106: The Kingsmen “Louie Louie” (1963) Episode 107: Jan & Dean “Surf City” (1963) Episode 108: The Rolling Stones “I Wanna Be Your Man” (1963) Episode 109: Peter, Paul, & Mary “Blowin’ in the Wind” (1963) Episode 110: The Ronettes “Be My Baby” (1963) Episode 111: Martha & the Vandellas “Heat Wave” (1963) Episode 112: The Beatles “She Loves You” (1963) Episode 113: The Searchers “Needles and Pins” (1964) Episode 114: Millie Small “My Boy Lollipop” (1964) Episode 115: The Animals “The House of the Rising Sun” (1964) Episode 116: The Supremes “Where Did Our Love Go” (1964) Episode 117: The Beach Boys “Don’t Worry Baby” (1964) Episode 118: Manfred Mann “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” (1964) Episode 119: The Kinks “You Really Got Me” (1964) Episode 120: The Beatles “A Hard Day’s Night” (1964) Episode 121: The Shangri-La’s “Leader of the Pack” (1964) Episode 122: Sam Cooke “A Change Is Gonna Come” (1965) Episode 123: The Righteous Brothers “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” (1965) Episode 124: The Impressions “People Get Ready” (1965) Episode 125: Them “Here Comes the Night” (1965) Episode 126: The Yardbirds “For Your Love” (1965) Episode 127: The Beatles “Ticket to Ride” (1965) Episode 128: The Byrds “Mr. Tambourine Man” (1965) Episode 129: The Rolling Stones “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965) Episode 130: Bob Dylan “Like a Rolling Stone” (1965) Episode 131: The Supremes “I Hear a Symphony” (1965) Episode 132: Four Tops “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” (1965) Episode 133: The Temptations “My Girl” (1964) Episode 134: Wilson Pickett “In the Midnight Hour” (1965) Episode 135: Simon & Garfunkel “The Sound of Silence” (1965) Episode 136: The Who “My Generation” (1965) Episode 137: James Brown “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” (1965) Episode 138: The Bobby Fuller Four “I Fought the Law” (1966) Episode 139: The Byrds “Eight Miles High” (1966) Episode 140: The Mothers of Invention “Trouble Every Day” (1967) Episode 141: Ike & Tina Turner “River Deep, Mountain High” (1966) Episode 142: The Beach Boys “God Only Knows” (1966) Episode 143: The Lovin’ Spoonful “Summer in the City” (1966) Episode 144: The Monkees “Last Train to Clarksville” (1966) Episode 145: The Beatles “Tomorrow Never Knows” (1966) Episode 146: The Beach Boys “Good Vibrations” (1966) Episode 147: The Jimi Hendrix Experience “Hey Joe” (1966) Episode 148: The Doors “Light My Fire” (1967) Episode 149: Aretha Franklin “Respect” (1967) Episode 150: The Beatles “All You Need Is Love” (1967) Episode 151: Scott McKenzie “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)” (1967) Episode 152: Buffalo Springfield “For What It’s Worth” (1967) Episode 153: The Beach Boys “Heroes and Villains” (1967) Episode 154: The Turtles “Happy Together” (1967) Episode 155: The Kinks “Waterloo Sunset” (1967) Episode 156: Stevie Wonder “I Was Made to Love Her” (1967) Episode 157: Pink Floyd “See Emily Play” (1967) Episode 158: Jefferson Airplane “White Rabbit” (1967) Episode 159: The Small Faces “Itchycoo Park” (1967) Episode 160: The Move “Flowers in the Rain” (1967) Episode 161: Love “Alone Again Or” (1967) Episode 162: The Monkees “Daydream Believer” (1967) Episode 163: Otis Redding “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” (1968) Episode 164: Velvet Underground “White Light/White Heat” (1968) Episode 165: The Grateful Dead “Dark Star” (1968) Episode 166: Cream “Cross Road Blues (aka ‘Crossroads’)” (1969) Episode 167: The Band “The Weight” (1968) Episode 168: Aretha Franklin “I Say a Little Prayer” (1968) Episode 169: Big Brother & The Holding Company “Piece of My Heart” (1968) Episode 170: Van Morrison “Astral Weeks” (1968) Episode 171: The Beatles “Hey Jude” (1968) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: lists from critics and individuals Dave’s Music Database: lists from publications and/or organizations Andrew Hickey “A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs” H1 Andrew Hickey (12/8/2019). A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs Volume 1: From Savoy Stompers to Clock Rockers H2 Andrew Hickey (1/6/2021). A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs Volume 2: From the Million Dollar Quartet to the Fab Four First posted 11/16/2022; last updated 1/12/2024.