It Came from Rock & Roll

The final day of the seven-week overview class “It Came from Rock and Roll” at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the CSULB campus, was also the day of the passing of soul singer Aretha Franklin, the dominant story of all newscasts.

Many students at 50-years or older, came of age when the Eagles and Michael Jackson topped the charts and hadn’t before heard many of the records played in class, thanks to a total absence of 50s and 60s rock and roll on commercial radio.

Rating each record with a one to ten rating, ten being best, might this very emotional event affect the score of the already-planned play of her giant hit, “Respect?” Short answer. It didn’t.

“For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield (No. 1). The oldest student, a 93-year-old Peace and Freedom Party veteran, was at the show when the legendary Buffalo Springfield broke up backstage at the Long Beach arena in 1968. As it turned out, the classic Buffalo Springfield protest anthem, “For What It’s Worth” from early 1967 was the highest rated song in the 2018 class.

In the 2016 class, “For What It’s Worth” hit number two, with Franklin’s “Respect” rated at number one. In the February 2017 OLLI class, “For What It’s Worth” was the third highest rated song, tied with Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock” from 1954. In 2018, “Rock Around the Clock” was number two.

The class, first titled “Rock And Roll: the Roots” began at CSULB Extension in 1983 and lasted until 1987. Speakers and guests at these classes included Johnny Otis, Hank Ballard and Richard Berry, whose original version of “Louie Louie” was the number four highest rated record in 1983 after “Earth Angel” by the Penguins. In 2018, Berry’s “Louie Louie” reached number 21. In 1988, Berry and other local rhythm and blues stars performed in the memorably raucous “Louie Louie” cruise at Long Beach harbor.

“Earth Angel” by the Penguins (No. 4), the only record to chart consistently between the surveys of 1983 and 2018 was one of the oldest hit rock and roll records known to mankind. An L.A. rhythm and blues classic from summer 1954, “Earth Angel” hit No. 4 in the 2018 survey, No. 5 in 2015; No. 8 in 2017 and No. 3 way back in the original CSULB survey in 1983.

“Respect” by Aretha Franklin (tie No. 6) with fellow one-time gospel singer Sam Cooke’s “You Send Me,” the number one rated record in 2017.

“Angel Baby” by Rosie & Originals (tie No. 10) from 1960 is considered both the first fully teenaged produced hit and an early example of a garage record. In 2015 and 2016, the Righteous Brothers’ “Little Latin Lupe Lu” from 1963 tied with “Angel Baby,” harkening back to Rosie of the Originals appearing under the auspices of the Doo Wop Society at the Petroleum Club. In 2017, “Angel Baby” tied with Dick Dale’s “Let’s Go Trippin.”

“Come On Let’s Go” by Hispanic rocker Ritchie Valens (tie No. 10) with “Angel Baby” at number ten, the same position in 2017, when it tied with Righteous Bros’ “Little Latin Lupe Lu” and the Beach Boys’ “Surfin’” Valens appeared at the Long Beach Auditorium to promote “Come On Let’s Go” in 1958 before his death at the peak of his major hit, “La Bamba” in 1959.  

“Little Latin Lupe Lu” by the Orange County-based Righteous Brothers (tie No. 16); in 2017 it tied with Ritchie Valens’ “Come On Let’s Go” and Beach Boys’ “Surfin’” after a strong start at number five in 2015 and number eight in 2016. Just prior to the time that hit was hot, high tenor Bobby Hatfield made a short-lived undergrad appearance at Long Beach State College, while also appearing with Bill Medley at certain local beer bars on “wet T-shirt days.”

“Tequila” by the Champs (tie No. 17), a Grammy Award winning number one instrumental written and performed by Danny Flores who led his band at the NuPike at the time, tied with “Earth Angel” by the Penguins at number five. In 2018, “Tequila” shared the 17 position with the Beach Boys, “Surfin’” and “Let’s Go Trippin” by Dick Dale & the Del Tones

“Let’s Go Trippin” by Dick Dale & the Del Tones (tie No. 17) was based on a step teens danced at Dale’s appearances at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa. Dale’s popularity began after he placed third in an Elvis imitator contest at the U.A. Theater in Long Beach in 1958. The number one and two winners couldn’t accept, so Dale won a series of bookings at regional U.A. theaters, leading to his recording career.

No. 17 “Surfin” by the Beach Boys (tie No. 17) was their debut, No. 1 on KFWB when they performed at the Ritchie Valens Memorial Concert at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium on December 31, 1961. In 2015 and in 2016, “Surfin’” tied with Dick Dale’s instrumental surfing debut, “Let’s Go Trippin”.” As the Beach Boys made their auditorium debut with Dale on December 23, 1961, surf was king in ‘61 and 1962, soul and Motown a year later, the British Invasion two years later.

steve@beachcomber.news