ROCK AND ROLL!!!

A few days ago, ok almost a week, Sean linked this list of Fifty Moments that Shaped Pop History. He posted his thoughts, and solicited comments from others. So, here are my thoughts on the list.

The list starts with Elvis in 1954. However, it is noteworthy that in 1953 (a year after they ditched their country image and changed their moniker from the Sadlemen to the Comets) Bill Haley and Co. recorded the first Rock and Roll song to make the Billboard Top 20. The song was "Crazy Man Crazy" (penned by Haley himself, the same cannot be said for The King). Elvis is an obvious and necessary choice for the list, but Haley deserves a mention in the birth of Rock and Roll.

Jaq mentions "The Day the Music Died." More important, in the shaping of pop music, than the death of Holly and Valens was the INCREDIBLE career of Holly. Made even more incredible by the fact that his recording career lasted about a year and a half. While Haley did it first, Holly was the first to primarily rely on his own material. Buddy Holly was Rock and Roll's first singer/songwriter, and this set the stage, of course, for...

"Ladies and gentlemen, THE BEATLES!" Need something to watch this weekend? Check out the two disk set containing all four appearances by the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. Compare the Fab Four with what was passing for entertainment on US television at the time. You can't.

Sean is right. Forget the Stones. The Who are it. Are you a Mod or a Rocker? Or a Mocker?*

More Beatles. Revolver is often sited as a transformation album, and Sgt. Pepper as a landmark in Rock and Roll history. While the importance of Sgt. Pepper was long overplayed, it seems to be too often dismissed lately. Sgt. Pepper was (and is) important, but Revolver is where its at (it is my favorite pop album, and contains my favorite song, "And Your Bird Can Sing"). And while not full blown psycedellica, Rubber Soul hints at the transformation. "Tomorrow Never Knows" is a masterpiece.

Pet Sounds. Overrated.

1969. No mention of Tommy?

Marvin Gaye, "What's Going On?" Gorgeous. I think this is still in my top five non-Beatles pop albums. Hmmmm, I smell another list.

Video Killed the Radio Star. Again Sean is right MTV, good and bad.

Another item that maybe should be listed (from Sean's comments) Run DMC and Aerosmith. This helped move Hip-Hop to the mainstream. Hey Ya!

*The first person to correctly identify the "mocker" reference wins a prize. Dan is not eligible.