GOOD MORNING, CLASS OF '64
In 1958, we would have turned twelve or were almost ready to turn twelve years old. We had one year of the preteen years left before we became teenagers. Our interest in popular music of the fifties was probably growing and got peaked by teenagers we knew who listened to it. American Bandstand might have been the first program turned to when teenage family members came through the door, after a day at school. Was there disappointment at not being able to watch that cowboy show on the other channel? With only one television in the household, the most powerful wrist in the room won the twist of the knob.
Do you remember this haunting tune?
Endless Sleep, by Jody Reynolds, who wrote and recorded the song, is said to be the first of the teen tragedy songs (or "death rock ballads"). While later tragedy songs ended in someone's death, the victim in Endless Sleep is rescued. In the original written version, the victim dies, but, in 1958, the record company insisted on a happy ending.
Did you know who he was?
ENDLESS SLEEP - JODY REYNOLDS
reached #5 in the
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart
on July 7, 1958
Charted at #5 on Billboard Hot 100 in May 1958
and #5 on the R&B chart.
Did you know who he was?
I
don't remember if I knew who Hank Williams, Jr. was, in 1964, but he
recorded Endless Sleep and sang it on the television program Shindig.
I do remember trying to watch Shindig on a fuzzy TV screen with sound that hissed and scratched. Maybe that's how I missed Hank Williams, Jr.
Hank Williams Jr - Endless Sleep (Shindig 1964)
ENDLESS SLEEP by HANK WILLIAMS JR.
reached #46 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart in 1964
Wednesday is our Poll Day!
So, which version of Endless Sleep
would you rather listen to.
You'll find the poll in the sidebar, to the right.
No comments:
Post a Comment