For any of us coming of age during a certain "Ed Sullivan Show" broadcast February 1964, the soundtrack of our very lives has, more often than not, been composed of a series of three-minute, seven-inch, 45-RPM recordings …along with, once we got older (or at least negotiated heftier weekly allowances), a few of those great big long-playing stereophonic albums just like the ones Dad kept stashed inside the Home Entertainment Center. Yes indeed, AM Radio was in many respects our tinny, tiny Graduate School in Musical Life, wasn't it? At least back in its pre-demographicized, monophonic Golden Age that is, when unsuspectingly eager ears might encounter, say, Roger Miller, Sam the Sham, and the Singing Nun during one single Friday night Triple-Play.

It is in the Spirit of those long-gone Rock-Poppin' times that I have compiled below a list of records I feel contributed the very most to raising us boom-babies straightly and strongly up beneath our covers late late at night, glued to the nearest six transistors when we all should have been sleeping or studying for some stupid History final.

Why… this is, I suppose, my All-Time Top 40 of the (predominately) Top 40! YOUR survey might be far, far different… and actually it SHOULD be, lest we've already all forgotten how to follow our own different drummists down memory alley.

In Alphabetical Order, then, I hereby humbly nominate…

1. ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
2. "Blowin' In The Wind" by Bob Dylan
3. "Bo Diddley" by Bo Diddley
4. "Bye Bye Love" by The Everly Brothers
5. FREAK OUT! by The Mothers Of Invention
6. "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys
7. "Heartbreak Hotel" by Elvis Presley
8. "House Of The Rising Sun" by The Animals
9. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones
10. "I Want To Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles
11. JOHN WESLEY HARDING by Bob Dylan
12. "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry
13. "Light My Fire" by The Doors
14. "Like A Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan
15. "Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen (etc.!)
16. MUSIC FROM BIG PINK by The Band
17. NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS, HERE'S The Sex Pistols
18. "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" by James Brown
19. PET SOUNDS by The Beach Boys
20. "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
21. RAMONES by Ramones
22. "Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley & his Comets
23. RUBBER SOUL by The Beatles
24. SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND by The Beatles
25. "Shop Around" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
26. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana
27. SWEETHEART OF THE RODEO by The Byrds
28. "That'll Be The Day" by Buddy Holly & The Crickets
29. "That's All Right" / "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" by Elvis Presley
30. "The Twist" by Chubby Checker
31. TOMMY by The Who
32. TROUT MASK REPLICA by Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band
33. "Tutti Frutti" by Little Richard
34. "What'd I Say" by Ray Charles
35. WHAT'S GOING ON by Marvin Gaye
36. "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On" by Jerry Lee Lewis
37. "Wild Thing" by The Troggs
38. "Wipe Out" by The Surfaris
39. "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks
40. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" by The Righteous Brothers

Sure, now that I think of it, there's at least forty more slabs-o-vinyl I can think of, off the top of what's left of my head, that bolted us right where it counted and still can cause a powerful pause or two within our, a-hemm, hectic "grown-up" lives of today. Nevertheless, here's more than hoping you've recognized at least a few of your closest, truest musical friends upon this hasty survey.

Now then...
ON With The NEW!!


(C) 2000 - Gary "Pig" Gold