1958 Reflection

     After reviewing all 8 songs to hit #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 1958, it is interesting to see that despite the year being remembered in the present day for being full of Rock And Roll, there wasn't a single true Rock And Roll song that hit number one. The closest we got to the genre was "Little Star", and even then, that song is too gentle to be considered any form or Rockabilly or Rock And Roll. 

     The good thing about these hit songs is all of them were listenable  When I eventually get to reviewing modern auto-tuned pop songs with repetitive melodies and refrains, I'm sure I will long for when I was reviewing songs like these from 1958, despite their lyrical cheesiness. 

     However, I should also mention that about half of these songs did not leave a big lasting impression on me. They were all pleasant  but also very laid back and dated sounding. It really ironic that even though R&B and Rock And Roll music were not topping the charts, both genres have continued popularity today. It just goes to show you that chart success does not necessarily equal longevity. 

Best #1 Hit Song Of 1958 - "Tom Dooley" - The Kingston Trio. 
     
    Right as soon as I saw this song on the list, I practically earmarked it for the top spot, although I gave the remaining 7 songs a generous listen as well. The song is really one of the few timeless songs on the list and lyrically it is by far the best one of the bunch, no contest. 

Worst #1 Hit Song Of 1958 - "The Chipmunk Song" - The Chipmunks With David Saville. 

    There were no truly, "Bad", or "Worst", songs of this year. Every song was listenable in some form or another, so this is more of the "Weakest" song. With that logic in place, I debated putting "It's All In The Game" in this slot. However, the song has a nice melody and can be listened to more than three times. On the other hand, I could barely listen to "The Chipmunk Song" three times. It just doesn't come across to me as one of the top songs of an entire year, and its novelty factor gets old fast. Again, not a bad song, but it's the weakest of the 8. 

     With that, we end 1958, and move on first to my own personal overview and thoughts of 1959. 

                               Until Next Time - Dr. Rock -