Have you ever noticed how Rock and Roll seems to transport us back to a time years ago, when we were dating, dancing, going all day and night without stopping? Hearing that music may be all it takes to get us plugged in again, reviving those feelings and energy.
When was the last time you heard early rockers of the 1950s like Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry? If you recognize Jailhouse Rock, Long Tall Sally, Rock Around the Clock, and Johnny B. Goode, then you probably remember those early Rock ‘n Roll singers pretty well. It was a time of sock hops, leather jackets, and cruising around on a Friday night.
If you get the itch to hear those sounds again, I’ve gathered videos of the top artists performing their best songs and posted them at Boomers Life music. The videos are sorted into the greatest
1950s rock songs,
1960s rock songs,
1970s rock songs and
1980s rock songs.
Early rock and roll changed a bit in the 1960s to embrace the Summer of Love and Woodstock. An English invasion brought the Beatles and Rolling Stones to American shores, where they shared Billboard Top 100 spots with the Beach Boys, the Doors, Marvin Gaye, and Aretha Franklin. Amid the smoky haze of Maui Wowie drifting past guys in bell bottoms, and girls with flowers in their hair, we listened to Hey Jude, and (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction. Good Vibrations would sometimes Light My Fire, especially if I Heard It through the Grapevine, and felt the R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Then the 1970s came in two waves. Bruce Springsteen was Born to Run, and Simon and Garfunkel built a Bridge Over Troubled Water. The Eagles checked into Hotel California, while Led Zeppelin climbed a Stairway to Heaven. The other wave involved a disco ball slowly turning over crowded rooms of alcohol-assisted dancers as Donna Summer sang I Feel Love, and the Bee Gees were Stayin’ Alive, Stayin’ Alive. Guys wore tight pants and pastel shirts while doing their John Travolta thing, and young women discovered name-brand styles again.
Moonwalking into the 1980s with Michael Jackson was followed by the artist sometimes known as Prince, a hot blond always known as Madonna, Gordon Sumner known as Sting, and an Irish band known as U2. It sounded like a police blotter, especially for Sting. Amid the clicking of backward steps we heard the story of Billie Jean, and the wail When Doves Cry. Few were still Like a Virgin, but many were hanging on Every Breath You Take, and trying to get by With or Without You. Those were the days of raves swathed in artificial fog and held at undisclosed locations. To find them, you followed the other party-goers, and hoped the police would not arrive until later.
We lived through all those years, and arrived where we are today. Yet that energetic, fun-loving, dancing person we once were still seems to be somewhere inside. Tapping into that energy and those great feelings is sometimes just as easy as playing that rock and roll music again, and moving with the music. No one has to know. The only thing that might give you away is the big smile on your face the rest of the day.
Onward to
Boomers music videos and rock songs.
