Best Short Rock n' Roll Tunes

That memory ... the master is right again ... 1:34 according to Joel Whitburn.

 

I know, I'm F**king great....

 

Let's not go crazy now!!!

mud-

 

Wonderin' aloud by Jethro Tull

 

Crazy? Just the facts Jack...

 

"Band 6" from Headquarters by The Monkees. :36 of audio bliss. I used to crack 'em up with that one during "play records" time in elementary school.

Actually, Headquarters is full of great short songs. The only song longer than 2:35 on the entire album is "Shades of Gray," which pushes the envelope all the way out to 3:20. "You Told Me" is 2:22, the wonderful "You Just May Be The One" is 2:00, the lovely "Early Monrning Blues and Greens" is also 2:00, and the sublime "Randy Scouse Git" is a brief but powerful 2:35.

 

Great 45 !!!! ... as I am sure you know, Mike, it was recorded here in Dallas and released on local DJ, Jim Lowe's (no relation to the Green Door man) White Rock label (probably named after a local lake) and subsequently leased to Challenge for national distribution.

It is a rare one ... but I run across White Rock 45s every blue moon.

 

C'MON - Let me show you where it's at!
The name of the place is: I Like It Like That

DC5 - 1:31

 

Re: Re: Best Short Rock n' Roll Tunes

I wonder where alla the masters ended up for that label? I'd sure like alla the Bobby Poe/Big Al Downing stuff scooped up onto one digital drink coaster (from tapes, of course)...

 

The King had a bunch of good ones ... take your pick ...

Don't Be Cruel - 2:03
Hound Dog - 2:15
Heartbreak Hotel - 2:06
All Shook Up - 1:58
Jailhouse Rock - 2:10
Teddy Bear - 1:43

The best short two-sided one IMHO is ...

Searchin (2:17)/Young Blood (2:15)

 

"My Dingaling" - Chuck Berry
The Twist" - Chubby Checkers

 

In the days of cassettes I'd sometime completely fill a side with the likes of HER MAJESTY and MIRACLE CURE from TOMMY. Now those are short tunes.

 

Gee CM, by 60s standards most of those are long-uns!

 

Well, Peter, you are right - where was Berry Gordy and the rest of Motown's quality control department? Asleep at the switch? How could they leave so much fat on these songs? Trim the bridges, maybe lose a chorus, a nip and tuck here and there, and they would be at a lean minute and a half each. I mean, did Junior Walker really need to take two sax solos in 'What Does it Take"? Who the hell did he think he was?

 

Here's a few...

"Liar, Liar" The Castaways (1:52)

"Everybody" Tommy Roe (1:50)

"Only Sixteen" Sam Cooke (1:54)

"Catch Us If You Can" The Dave Clark Five (1:56)

"Yakety Yak" The Coasters (1:52)

"Many Tears Ago" Connie Francis (1:55)

"Can't Be Still" Booker T & The MGs (1:57)

"Like Long Hair" Paul Revere & The Raiders (1:55)

"The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" Simon & Garfunkel (1:54)

"Shape Of Things To Come" Max Frost & The Troopers (1:54)

 

How about the whole "Get Happy" album by the gnarly Elvis!
20+ 2 minute zappers.

 

Here's some I don't think were mentioned:

"Do You Want To Know A Secret"-The Beatles(1:56)

"It's Not Unusual"-Tom Jones(2:03)

"Hippy Hippy Shake"-The Swinging Blue Jeans(1:55)

"Great Balls Of Fire"-Jerry Lee Lewis(1:50)

"Bits And Pieces"-The Dave Clark Five(1:59)

"Bread And Butter"-The Newbeats(1:58)

"Papa's Got A Brand New Bag pt. 1"-James Brown(1:55)

"Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?"-The Lovin' Spoonful(2:00)

"A Groovy Kind Of Love"-The Mindbenders(1:57)

 

uhh...wasn't this supposed to be 'short' songs?

Monkees "Band 6" at 38 seconds!
Monkees "Zilch" at 1:05

Strawberry Alarm Clock "Starting Out The Day" at a whopping 1:19!

 

"Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs 1:31

Paul

 

Claudine Clark - "Party Lights" 2:25
Carl Perkins - "Blue Suede Shoes" 2:17
Jimi Hendrix - "EXP" 1:55
"Ain't No Telling" 1:46
David Bowie - "Holy Holy" 2:20
Led Zeppelin - "Good Times Bad Times" 2:46
"Communication Breakdown" 2:05
"Living Loving Maid" 2:39... I awlays though Zep was at their best when they kept it short and to the point

 

Whoops..... I fergot
Shel Silverstien - "26 Second Song" :26

 

Good point, great album!

Paul

 

OK--here are a couple of quick ones.

The Beatles "Her Majesty" (so short--so great!)

The Beach Boys "All Summer Long" (could have picked any of a hundred but this one keeps going around my head today. I've been listening to The Beach Boys a lot this week...it's 15 below zero in Maine. Help!)

 

Bad Moon Rising | Creedence Clearwater Revival - 2:23

 

"Love So Fine" - Roger Nichols & The Small Circle Of Friends - 1:57