Various Artists - Chart Toppers: Dance Hits of the 50s

About 3 seconds of silence between songs

The songs are good but I bought the cd for a 50's dance party but cannot use it because of the longgggg silence between each song (about 3 - 4 seconds)...which is an eternity if you think of people standing on the dance floor in complete silence! Not sure why it's a "dance" cd but has pauses...hmmmm. I'm not sure why "Ain't that a shame"(mellow song) and "The Rock and Roll Waltz" (really slow) are on a dance cd...all the rest of the songs are really upbeat and I could think of a hundred other uptempo songs they could have used instead of these two. April 28, 2008

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE !!!

Chart Toppers: Dance Hits of the 50s is a terrific CD that gives us fifteen great dance hits from the 1950s! The quality of the sound is excellent; the remastering job was very well done. The artwork impresses me, too.

The CD track set opens with the Bill Haley And His Comets doing one of my very favorite `50s hits, "(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock." Bill never sounded better and this song has an incredible beat! The upbeat melody is very catchy. Jerry Lee Lewis sings `Great Balls Of Fire" very well with a good musical arrangement; and listen for The Champs to perform a spirited "Tequila." "Tequila" doesn't have many lyrics; but the Latin flavor to this number really makes it a hit!

"Let The Good Times Roll" continues the hits; this tune by Shelley & Lee features them handling key and tempo changes effortlessly. The percussion, drums and guitars carry the bulk of the melody; but watch out for that fearless horn solo in the musical interlude!

Bobby Darin's Queen Of The Hop" is infectiously upbeat and catchy; Bobby sings this to perfection and this truly is classic `50s dance music--and great early rock and roll as well. Bobby's excellent diction bolsters his performance even further. "Short Shorts" by The Royal Teens has a rockin' beat that blows me away; the brass is very strong and the hand clapping makes the song go far!

Pat Boone sings a slower tempo dance hit called "Ain't That A Shame;" many people will enjoy this torchy early rock ballad. Pat sings this with great sensitivity, too. In addition, there's also Kay Starr's charming "Rock And Roll Waltz;" this really isn't a rock tune but it's great for slow dancing with your sweetheart! Kay sings very sweetly and her diction is excellent. Kay sings of how her parents tried to dance a waltz to "a rock and roll song!" "Rock And Roll Waltz" is a very cute number.

Harry Belafonte also makes a solid contribution with his "Banana Boat (Day-O)." The drums start this nicely and Harry's voice fades in as he starts to sing this ballad. The backup vocalists do a great job harmonizing; the drums and percussion work very well on this number.

Overall, this is one CD fans of `50s music will want in their collections. Get this today and crank up the volume--you'll be dancing all night long!
February 22, 2008

Who can resist this genre?

If you love the 50s music, this is a must-have album! It's hard to sit still while this CD is playing. I listen to it over and over. May 13, 2007

dance hits of the 50's

I think the songs sound great and I play this tape all the time. May 6, 2007

you sent me the wrong CD

I would have enjoyed my order if you had sent me the one I requested: Chart Toppers - Romantic Hits -50's/dp/B0000060m4; instead you sent me Chart Toppers -Dances of the -50's. Your return policy wasn't convenient. I think you owe me the correct item;will return other,but opened if you provide mailer. I ordered the romantic hits specifically for one track something Santos. Thanks for asking, but I don't want to order more since the first time you didn't send me what I ordered, and that was a real bummer.

Sincerely,

Theodore L. Wood January 13, 2007

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