The Mojo Collection: The Ultimate Music Companion

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Lonnie Donegan - Rock Island Line - The Singles Anthology 1955-67

Only 2 top 40 hits in the US, but 29 top 40 hits in the UK (again, as MOJO, the British perspective of the list)
I've only listened to scattered Donegan hits, so first time I've heard a good retrospective - enjoying the folk and rockabilly elements

 

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Lonnie Donegan - Rock Island Line - The Singles Anthology 1955-67

Only 2 top 40 hits in the US, but 29 top 40 hits in the UK (again, as MOJO, the British perspective of the list)
I've only listened to scattered Donegan hits, so first time I've heard a good retrospective - enjoying the folk and rockabilly elements

Wasn't is Lonnie Donegan and others that inspired John, Paul, George, and some drummer to start a skiffle band?

 

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Buddy Holly & The Crickets - The "Chirping" Crickets (1957)
Buddy Holly - Gold (anthology)

A whole lotta Holly (and some overlap here) as not only are the Crickets' 1957 classic is on the MOJO list but also a Holly anthology covering his other big hits - Gold is a more comprehensive overview of Holly's all-too-brief career and the comp I own.

 

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Nina Simone - Little Girl Blue (1959 - recorded 1957)

 

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Billie Holiday - Lady in Satin (1958)

 

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Mahalia Jackson - Newport 1958

 

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Frank Sinatra - Come Fly with Me (1958)
Frank Sinatra - Sings for Only the Lonely (1958)

 

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Frank Sinatra - Come Fly with Me (1958)
Frank Sinatra - Sings for Only the Lonely (1958)

Did Frank ever have the artist for Only the Lonely executed gangland-style for portraying him in clown makeup?

 

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Muddy Waters - His Best 1947-1955 and His Best 1956-1964

 

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The Everly Brothers - All Time Original Hits

 

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Ornette Coleman- The Shape of Jazz to Come (1959)

 

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Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (1959)

 

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Just:
Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um (1959)

Now:
Bo Diddley - The Definitive Collection

 

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Interesting Omissions: 1959 was such an important year in jazz, and three of the classic albums of the year (Miles, Mingus, Ornette) were included. Still, it seems wrong not to have the Brubeck Quartet's Time Out; I'd personally include Art Blakey's Moanin'. Again, jazz is not Mojo's primary focus but one could argue Brilliant Corners, Miles Round About Midnight, Ellington At Newport and Cannonball Adderley's Something Else.

As for pop/rock, it's interesting to not include Elvis' 1956 RCA debut as most lists do include that album - still the King was represented by the Sun Sessions and will appear as we enter the early 1960s.

 

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Billy Fury - The Sound of Fury (1960)

Again the British roots of Mojo, though Fury had the same amount of hits in the 1960s as the Beatles in the UK (like 26 top 40 hits), he was unheard of on these sure. A little Buddy Holly, a little Elvis - it's just an OK album and I'd choose Buddy and Elvis over Fury.

 

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The Best of Little Anthony & The Imperials

I've had this Rhino comp for years and break it out every, I don't know, five years. Enjoyable - yes (especially with combo of earlier doo wop and later songs like "Hurts So Bad" and "Goin' Out of My Head"). Not sure I would but it on an essential, core collection, but what the hell

Actually saw them in concert (and Bo Diddley) in that oldies concert I mentioned in my Jerry Lee Lewis post above. Aside from the hits they did an interesting cover of Patti LaBelle's "New Attitude" (from Beverly Hills Cop).

 

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Elvis Presley - Elvis is Back! (1960)

 

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Elvis Presley - Elvis is Back! (1960)

I am still waiting to hear the album version of "Do the Clam."

"Hey everybody gather 'round, and listen to that bongo sound..."

Now, we're talkin'....

 

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^
Such a corny song, but, as far as Elvis films go, I have a soft spot for the corniness of Girl Happy where that song is used.

First of all - young Shelly Fabares but the plot of Elvis being asked by a club owner with a mobster vibe to look after his young daughter to keep her safe during spring break including from a Casanova-like Italian exchange student is especially chuckle-worthy. Gee I wonder what'll happen.

In the NYC area during the 1970s there was the "4:30 movie" which would sandwich films in to the 90 minutes before the 6 pm news - theme weeks were common like Godzilla week, Planet of the Apes week, and, yes, Elvis week so I've seen more Elvis films than a young lad should have and actually remember them a bit fondly.

 

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Joan Baez - Joan Baez (1960)