26 August 1956 “It Don’t Mean A Thing, If It Ain’t Got That Swing: Music 1956”

Other than the radio and jukebox, here in 1956 our music is on vinyl. Records, we call them.
 This photo is a wonderful shot of a record store. It is quite large so click on it to see the details of the shop (thanks to Shorpy). Of a Saturday night, this place would probably be jumping with kids getting the latest.
Elvis, seen here himself with with records, is becoming quite popular. He has his first #1 hit this year with Heartbreak Hotel (the song from the same titled album) It was released in January of this year and he is rocketing to stardom, quickly. In fact this year Paramount will sign Elvis to a three picture deal.

  Most likely at my age I would not hear Elvis other than on the radio. I don’t think his record would end up on my shelf.
One who would be added to my collection (and is, by the way, as I have almost all Doris Day on LP) is Doris Day.This is her latest album here in 1956. Here is one of the songs from this album, “Hello, my lover, Goodbye”.

And so you can hear how it would sound to me, here in 1956, here is another song from that album, although played on a more modern record player. You can still hear the richness and the ‘pop’ that the album offers. Give it a listen and imagine yourself in your vintage dress, dancing with hubby after the kids are tucked in, he still wearing his shirt and tie from dinner. And maybe if you have a teenage daughter, she is quietly listening to Elvis in her room instead of getting a good night sleep, it is a school night after all.

Carl Perkins, whom I have mentioned before, has a hit on the R&B charts with “Blue Suede Shoes”. This is the first time a country artist has made it into the R & B list.

  Many people today recall this song with Elvis. Though, this is its beginning and you can see the cross sounds of R & B and Country that Elvis used.
In the opera world, the famous Maria Callas records Verdi “Il Trovatore”. This would most likely also make it into my Record collection.

This year, in July, the Met Opera actually cancelled the 56-57 Opera Season because of a Labor dispute. However, they were able to find a common ground and on 29 October, the New York Opera season would begin.
Another fun Music movement here in the mid 50’s is Mambo music.

Many might recall Rosemary Clooney’s “Mambo Italiano”

 
Mambo even influenced Sit-coms, and this Honeymooners from this year (1956) Called “Mama Loves Mambo”, was called this as a play on the title of another popular Mama number, “Papa loves Mambo”.
Here is the Honeymooner episode from this year.

Do you have a favorite song from the 1950’s?
Until tomorrow, Happy Homemaking!