1956 Songs: Singing the Blues

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Rock and roll is just over 70 years old, but country music as a recorded genre is well over a century old. In fact, last year was the centennial of the first million-selling country music record (“The Prisoner’s Song” by Vernon Dalhart). So it’s not a surprise that both songs celebrating anniversaries this year (60th and 70th) are country. But this one has other options! Singing the Blues - Marty Robbins If you don’t like Marty Robbins, SHAME ON YOU! Just kidding. If you don’t care for Marty Robbins’ version, there’s always the Tommy Steele version or the Guy Mitchell version of this song to fall back on. But Robbins recorded it first. A friend of his, Melvin Endsley, wrote it, so Robbins had first crack at it. This was a major pop song in Europe by Tommy Steele, and on the pop chart the Mitchell version was #1. The major difference in the versions is the whistling: you will hear it on the Steele and Mitchell versions, while the country version has a pretty rocking guitar for 1956 country. Actually, not all that surprising: Robbins had thirteen pop top 40 hits, including the distinction of the first #1 song of 1960, AND the first #1 song in chart history that was over four minutes long (both being his classic western “El Paso”). If you listen to something like “Ruby Ann” you’ll hear a rock influence. Here’s to Marty Robbins, one of the legends of country…no, ANY music. Singing the Blues Written by Melvin Endsley Recorded by Marty Robbins Released as a single, 1956 The dream is gone I thought was mine: