Record #0552: Sh-Boom / Crazy About You Baby – THE CREW-CUTS

Metronome B 656 (original) Finland, 1954 or 1955
Words & Music by:  Side A – Jimmy Keyes, Claude Feaster, Carl Feaster, Floyd McRae, James Edwards; Side B – Rudi Maugeri, Pat Barrett
Musicians: Rudi Maugeri (baritone), John Perkins (tenor), Ray Perkins (bass vocals), Pat Barrett (tenor), and an orchestra conducted by David Carroll
Recording sessions: Side A - New York (?), NY, May 1954; Side B - 1954
Highest chart positions:  The success in the Finnish charts is unknown. The original US & UK releases charted as follows: Side A -US #1, UK #12; Side B - US #8

When originally released in the States, these were the A-sides of two of the Crew-Cuts' early singles.

The very first recording of "Sh-Boom" was made by "The Chords" (who also wrote the song) in March 1954. Their release went to US #5 and US R&B #2.

List price:  Not listed (Finnish pressing)

Record #0551: Holiday For Love / Don't Do It Darlin' – WEBB PIERCE

Decca 9-30419 (original) USA, Aug. 1957
Words & Music by:  Side A – Webb Pierce, Wayne Walker, Mel Tillis; Side B – Pierce
Musicians: Webb Pierce (lead vocals), Hank Garland (guitar), Harold Bradley (guitar), Lightnin' Chance (bass), Buddy Harman (drums), Owen Bradley (piano), The Jordanaires (backing vocals), Mildred Kirkham (backing vocals on side B)
Recording sessions: Bradley Film and Recording Studio, Nashville, TN, Side A - Jul. 11, 1957; Side B - Jun. 27, 1957
Highest chart positions:  Side A - US Country #3; Side B - US Country #12

Here's Webb Pierce with the Nashville A-Team again. The rocking A-side track was one of his 52 hits in US Country Top 10. The flip is a more typical country song of his.

List price:  Very Good+ is $7,50, Near Mint is $15

Record #0550: You Are My Destiny / When I Stop Loving You (That'll Be the Day) – PAUL ANKA

ABC-Paramount (original) USA, Dec. 1957
Words & Music by:  Side A – Paul Anka; Side B – I. Joseph, A. Elias
Musicians: Paul Anka (lead vocals) and an orchestra conducted by Don Costa
Recording sessions: Produced by Don Costa at, Side A - Bell Sound Studios (?), New York, NY, Sep. 27, 1957; Side B - Capitol Recording Studio, New York, NY, May 20, 1957
Highest chart positions:  Side A - US #7, US R&B #14, UK #6

Here's Anka's third charting single in the US and the second one to hit the US R&B charts. In the UK this was his 4th single to chart as the preceding release "I Love You, Baby" / "Tell Me That You Love Me" was flipped over and it went to UK #25.

The flip on this single was recorded in the same session with "Diana", "Don't Gamble With Love" and "Tell Me That You Love Me".

List price:  Very Good+ is $10, Near Mint is $20

Record #0549: Not So Long Ago / I Hope You Learn a Lot – MARTY ROBBINS

Columbia 4-42831 (original) USA, Jul. 23, 1963
Words & Music by:  Side A – Marty Robbins; Side B – Bobby Sykes
Musicians: Marty Robbins (vocals), Jerry Kennedy (guitar), Jack Pruett (guitar), Jerry Byrd (steel guitar), Louis Dunn (bass), Bill Pursell (piano), Hylton Hawkins (organ)
Recording sessions: Produced by Don Law and Frank Jones at Columbia Recording Studio, Nashville, TN, Jun. 3, 1963
Highest chart positions:  US #115, US Country #13

Robbins was backed by some top notch Nashville musicians in this. Though the YouTube post of side A claims so, Grady Martin was not in this session.

List price:  Very Good+ is $6, Near Mint is $12

Record #0548: My Isle of Golden Dreams / Aloha Oe (Farewell To Thee) – MARTY ROBBINS

Columbia 4-21213 (original) USA, Jan. 25, 1954
Words & Music by:  Side A – Gus Kahn, Walter Blaufuss; Side B – Liliuokalani
Musicians: Marty Robbins (vocals and rhythm guitar), Jimmy Rollins (guitar), Joe Knight (guitar), Joe Vincent (steel guitar), Grundy Harbert (bass), Johnny Gimble (fiddle), Harold Carmack (piano), Fred Cantu (drums)
Recording sessions: Produced by Don Law at Jim Beck Studio, Dallas, TX, Dec. 19, 1953
Highest chart positions:  none

Just like the Robbins' single in my previous post, this one failed to chart.

The flip was written by Queen of Hawaii. It was a US #10 hit for Frank Ferera in 1924.

List price:  Very Good+ is $15, Near Mint is $30

Record #0547: Sing Me Something Sentimental / At the End of a Long Lonely Day – MARTY ROBBINS

Columbia 4-21145 (original) USA, Aug. 3, 1953
Words & Music by:  Side A – Marty Robbins; Side B – Robbins
Musicians: Marty Robbins (vocals and rhythm guitar), Jimmy Rollins (guitar), Joe Knight (guitar), Joe Vincent (steel guitar), Edward Duncan (bass), Johnny Gimble (fiddle), Harold Carmack (piano)
Recording sessions: Produced by Don Law at Jim Beck Studio, Dallas, TX, Jun. 6, 1953
Highest chart positions:  none

This is from Robbins' early career; his 6th single release. By this time he had already had two singles in US Country Top 10, but this one failed to enter national charts.

List price:  Very Good+ is $15, Near Mint is $30

Record #0546: It's Still Rock And Roll To Me / Through the Long Night – BILLY JOEL

Columbia 1-11276 (original) USA, May 12, 1980
Words & Music by:  Side A – Billy Joel; Side B – Billy Joel
Musicians: Side A - Billy Joel (vocals, piano and electric piano, synthesizer on side B), Russell Javors (guitar), Dave Brown (guitar), Richie Cannata (sax on side A), Liberty DeVitto (drums and percussion), Doug Stegmeyer (bass)
Recording sessions: Produced by Phil Ramone in New York (?), NY, 1979
Highest chart positions:  US #1, UK #14, Canada #1, Ireland #11, Australia #10

This was Billy Joel's first US #1 hit single. Both of these songs were included in his 1980 album "Glass Houses", which topped the album charts in USA and Canada.

List price:  Very Good+ is $2, Near Mint is $4