VA - The 1959 R&B Hits Collection (2023)

This continues the strand of R&B and country collections associated with Acrobat’s highly popular “America’s Greatest Hits” series, this one focusing on the top R&B records in the US Billboard charts during 1959. This great value 115-track 4-CD anthology includes, with the exception of certain records which are unavailable for inclusion due to copyright restrictions, just about every record which peaked in the Top 14 positions of Billboard’s “Hot R&B Sides” chart during the year. The pop and R&B market was continuing to evolve as rock ‘n’ roll matured, and new strands arrived, with pop-flavoured R&B vocal groups making a significant impact, along with fine R&B vocalists who readily crossed into the pop charts, while the boundaries between pop and R&B continued to become less clear, as some pure pop records got traction on R&B radio stations.

As a result a lot of familiar rock ‘n’ roll names appear in this collection along with one or two that will cause raised eyebrows in terms their R&B credentials. However, what that does is create a fascinating and varied collection as blues guitarists, doo-wop groups, R&B divas, great R&B vocalists and jazz orchestras jostle for position with big-name rock ‘n’ rollers, and who would say any of their records don’t belong in the R&B chart? There were 15 different No. 1s, shared by 11 artists, with the great vocalists Brook Benton, Jackie Wilson and Lloyd Price the only ones with more than one chart-topper, and Benton having the longest-running No. 1 of the year. As with all these collections, it provides a window onto a dynamic and exciting musical environment, and includes a number of unfamiliar names and recordings of which even enthusiasts of the genre may not be too aware, and which will be welcome additions to their collections.

Tracklist
CD1
01. Jackie Wilson - Lonely Teardrops
02. Lloyd Price - Stagger Lee
03. Clyde McPhatter - A Lover's Question
04. Fats Domino - Whole Lotta Lovin'
05. David Seville - Chipmunk Song
06. James Brown, The Famous Flames - Try Me (I Need You)
07. Dee Clark - Nobody But You
08. The Platters - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
09. Kingston Trio - Tom Dooley
10. Eugene Church and The Fellows - Pretty Girls Everywhere
11. LaVern Baker - I Cried A Tear
12. Sam Cooke - Love You Most Of All
13. Ray Charles - (Night Time Is) The Right Time
14. Teddy Bears - To Know Him Is To Love Him
15. Elvis Presley - One Night
16. Crests - 16 Candles
17. Little Jr. Parker - Sweet Home Chicago
18. Connie Francis - My Happiness
19. Brook Benton - It's Just A Matter Of Time
20. Ritchie Valens - Donna
21. Jimmy Barnes - No Regrets
22. The Coasters - Charlie Brown
23. Ray Anthony - Peter Gunn Theme
24. Sam Cooke - Everybody Likes To Cha Cha
25. Frankie Avalon - Venus
26. Fats Domino - Telling Lies
27. Marv Johnson - Come To Me
28. Fleetwoods - Come Softly To Me

CD2
01. Lloyd Price - Where Were You On Our Wedding Day
02. Jackie Wilson - That's Why
03. The Skyliners - Since I Don't Have You
04. Fiesta - So Fine
05. Chuck Berry - Almost Grown
06. The Falcons - You're So Fine
07. Jesse Belvin - Guess Who
08. Frankie Ford - Sea Cruise
09. Clyde McPhatter - Lovey Dovey
10. Dodie Stevens - Pink Shoelaces
11. Rod Bernard - This Should Go On Forever
12. Wilbert Harrison - Kansas City
13. Dave (Baby) Cortez - Happy Organ
14. The Platters - Enchanted
15. Roy Hamilton - I Need Your Lovin'
16. Brook Benton - So Close
17. LaVern Baker - I Waited Too Long
18. Little Jr. Parker - Five Long Years
19. Brook Benton - Endlessly
20. Martin Denny - Quiet Village
21. Lloyd Price - Personality
22. Johnny Horton - Battle Of New Orleans
23. Fats Domino - I'm Ready
24. Bobby Darin - Dream Lover
25. The Impalas - Sorry, I Ran All The Way Home
26. Big Jay McNeely - There Is Something On Your Mind
27. Freddy Cannon - Tallahassee Lassie
28. The Drifters - There Goes My Baby
29. The Flamingos - I Only Have Eyes For You

CD3
01. The Coasters - Along Came Jones
02. Paul Anka - Lonely Boy
03. Dinah Washington - What A Difference A Day Makes
04. Dee Clark - Just Keep It Up
05. Connie Francis - Lipstick On Your Collar
06. Bobby (Blue) Bland - I'm Not Ashamed
07. Stonewall Jackson - Waterloo
08. Ray Charles - What'd I Say
09. Jackie Wilson - I'll Be Satisfied
10. Sam Cooke - Only Sixteen
11. Brook Benton - Thank You Pretty Baby
12. Clyde McPhatter - Since You've Been Gone
13. Nina Simone - I Loves You Porgy
14. Sammy Turner - Lavender Blue
15. Fats Domino - I Want To Walk You Home
16. Carl Dobkins - My Heart Is An Open Book
17. Elvis Presley - A Big Hunk O' Love
18. Lloyd Price - I'm Gonna Get Married
19. Phil Phillips - Sea Of Love
20. Bo Diddley - Crackin' Up
21. Johnny, The Hurricanes - Red River Rock
22. The Browns - The Three Bells
23. Eugene Church - Miami
24. Santo, Johnny - Sleep Walk
25. Nat King Cole - Midnight Flyer
26. The Coasters - Poison Ivy
27. LaVern Baker - So High, So Low
28. Ray Sharpe - Linda Lu
29. Bo Diddley - Say Man

CD4
01. Sarah Vaughan - Broken Hearted Melody
02. Dee Clark - Hey Little Girl
03. Jackie Wilson - You Better Know It
04. Bobby Darin - Mack The Knife
05. Ronnie Hawkins, The Hawks - Mary Lou
06. Paul Anka - Put Your Head On My Shoulder
07. Della Reese - Don't You Know
08. The Fleetwoods - Mr. Blue
09. Jerry Wallace With The Jewels - Primrose Lane
10. The Drifters - (If You Cry) True Love, True Love
11. Brook Benton - So Many Ways
12. Ruth Brown - I Don't Know
13. The Drifters - Dance With Me
14. Sammy Turner - Always
15. Spacemen - The Clouds
16. Marv Johnson - You Got What It Takes
17. Sarah Vaughan - Smooth Operator
18. Johnny Mathis - Misty
19. Clyde McPhatter - You Went Back On Your Word
20. Crests - The Angels Listened In
21. Lloyd Price - Come Into My Heart
22. Ernie Fields - In The Mood
23. Fats Domino - Be My Guest
24. Ray Charles - I'm Movin' On
25. Jackie Wilson - Talk That Talk
26. Bill Black Combo - Smokie (Part II)
27. Nutty Squirrels - Uh! Oh!
28. Buster Brown - Fannie Mae
29. Bobby (Blue) Bland - I'll Take Care Of You