2008 marks 50 years of British rock'n'roll. To celebrate we run through some of the greatest tracks to have emerged from these isles, decade-by-decade, one decade a day - starting with...
The '50s
Rock'n'roll swept in from across the Atlantic and Britain was never the same. Youtube and the absence of video cameras in the '50s means these are the highlights, not the full list, from Q magazine's Best British Tracks of the 1950s.
For the full list of the best British tracks, and albums, 1958-2008, see the new issue of Q magazine, on sale now.
Rock Island Line
Lonnie Donegan
Decca, 1955
Banjo-playing Scot does Leadbelly and inspires the first generation of British rock stars, including The Beatles. Here's John Lennon and Yoko Ono covering the song in 1972.
Rock With The Caveman
Tommy Steele
Decca, 1956
Debut single from squeaky-clean cockney teen idol turned bouncing would-be rock'n'roller. In the absence of footage of Rock With The Cavemen, here's Steele performing Elevator Rock, his second single and released the same year. He subsequently released some singles that didn't have 'rock' in the title.
However, we have found a cover of Rock With The Caveman by '80s rockabilly revivalists the Polecats, featuring current Morrissey sidekick Boz Boorer on guitar.
Endless Sleep
Marty Wilde
Phillips, 1958
There's no footage of the man born Reg Smith doing Endless Sleep, but here he is with Cliff Richard on early UK pop show Oh Boy in 1959. The track's a cover of Buddy Holly's Bobby Darin-penned Early in The Morning.
Move It
Cliff Richard & The Drifters
Columbia, 1958
The first true British rock'n'roll track, performed here with The Shadows.
Maybe Tomorrow
Billy Fury
Decca, 1959
He was all heart but died young in 1983, his face later appearing on the sleeve to The Smith's farewell single, Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Love Me, released in 1987.
Brand New Cadillac
Vince Taylor & The Playboys
Parlophone, 1959
Leather-clad hip-wiggler who was later covered by The Clash on 1979's London Calling album. Here they are doing exactly that, live in 1983.
Please Don't Touch
Johnny Kidd & The Pirates
HMV, 1959
Eye-patch wearing rocker, who would reach number one a year later with Shakin' All Over.
What Do You Want?
Adam Faith
Parlophone, 1959
Strings by John Barry, peculiar chirpy vocal Faith's own. Here's the West Londoner performing his best-known track in the '60s.
Tomorrow, the 1960s...
8:12 AM | 04/02/2008
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Move It: Britain's first and finest rock 'n' roll record. Cliff's early stuff is classic!
Posted by Peter Perchard at 9:52 AM | 07/02/2008 | Report Abuse
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