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100 Greatest Beach Music Songs

Criteria: These songs were ranked based upon their initial and lasting poularity among Beach Music fans, and on their impact and influence on Beach Music and its culture.

www.beachmusic45.com
Last Updated: 2007-03-15
Greatest Beach Music Songs
  1. Sixty Minute Man - Dominoes
  2. Carolina Girls - General Johnson & the Chairmen of the Board
  3. I Love Beach Music - Embers
  4. Ms. Grace - Tymes
  5. Summertime's Calling Me - Catalinas
  6. Stay - Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs
  7. My Girl - Temptations
  8. Cool Me Out - Lamont Dozier
  9. Under The Boardwalk - Drifters
10. Myrtle Beach Days - Fantastic Shakers
11. Brenda - O.C. Smith
12. One Mint Julep - Clovers
13. It Will Stand - Showmen
14. Rainy Day Bells - Globetrotters
15. Lady Soul - Temptations
16. Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy - Tams
17. You're More Than A Number In My Little Red Book - Drifters
18. Hey Baby - Bruce Channel
19. With This Ring - Platters
20. Nip Sip - Clovers
21. Party Time Man - Futures
22. Club Savoy - Rockin' Louie & The Mamma Jammers
23. Thank You John - Willie Tee
24. Think - The "5" Royales
25. (I'm Just Thinking About) Cooling Out - Jerry Butler
26. My Guy - Mary Wells
27. Come Get To This - Marvin Gaye
28. You Bring Out The Boogie In Me - Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee
29. Hello Stranger - Barbara Lewis
30. 39-21-46 - Showmen
31. Green Eyes - Ravens
32. It Ain't No Big Thing - Radiants
33. Work With Me Annie - Midnighters
34. Anna - Arthur Alexander
35. Don't Drop It - Wilbert Harrison
36. It's All Right - Impressions
37. Baby I Need Your Lovin' - Four Tops
38. Good Rockin' Tonight - Wynonie Harris
39. I Got The Fever - Prophets
40. Just A Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody - Louis Prima
41. Safronia B - Calvin Boze
42. Going Back To Louisiana - Delbert McClinton
43. Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart - Coasters
44. This Old Heart Of Mine - Isley Brothers
45. Stubborn Kind Of Fellow - Marvin Gaye
46. You're So Fine - Falcons
47. Searchin' - Coasters
48. Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee - Stick McGhee
49. The Entertainer - Tony Clarke
50. Lipstick Traces - Benny Spellman
51. She Shot A Hole In My Soul - Clifford Curry
52. Give Me Just A Little More Time - Chairmen Of The Board
53. Just One Look - Doris Troy
54. But It's Alright - J.J. Jackson
55. What Kind Of Fool (Do You Think I Am) - Tams
56. I Need Your Loving - Don Gardner & Dee Dee Ford
57. Easy Comin' Out (Hard Goin' In) - William Bell
58. Girl Watcher - O'Kaysions
59. White Cliffs Of Dover - Checkers
60. Annie Had A Baby - Midnighters
61. I Do Love You - Billy Stewart
62. A Quiet Place - Garnet Mimms & the Enchanters
63. Kissin' In The Back Row Of The Movies - Drifters
64. I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) - Four Tops
65. Meet Me With Your Black Drawers On - Gloria Hardiman
66. Something Old, Something New - Fantastics
67. It Started With A Kiss - Hot Chocolate
68. Kansas City - Wilbert Harrison
69. Shakin' The Shack - Fantastic Shakers
70. I Used To Cry Mercy, Mercy - Lamplighters
71. Walking Up A One Way Street - Willie Tee
72. Surely I Love You - Rosco Gordon
73. Kidnapper - Jewell & the Rubies
74. More Today Than Yesterday - Spiral Starecase
75. Across The Street - Lenny O'Henry
76. Mercy Mr. Percy - Varetta Dillard
77. Jamie - Eddie Holland
78. I Got Loaded - Peppermint Harris
79. Hold Back The Night - Trammps
80. Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love) - Swingin' Medallions
81. Wee Baby Blues - Joe Turner
82. Lonely Teardrops - Jackie Wilson
83. That's Summertime To Me - Dale Van Horn
84. Rub A Little Boogie - Champion Jack Dupree
85. Flamingo - Earl Bostic
86. (Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean - Ruth Brown
87. Smoky Places - Corsairs
88. Cry To Me - Solomon Burke
89. I Love You 1,000 Times - Platters
90. Searching For My Love - Bobby Moore & the Rhythm Aces
91. Chicken Shack Boogie - Amos Milburn
92. May I - Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs
93. I Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind - Four Tops
94. Would You Believe - Tempests
95. Candy - Astors
96. The Last Of The Good Rocking Men - Four Jacks
97. I'm Gonna Miss You - Artistics
98. Ocean Boulevard - Band Of Oz
99. Love Makes The World Go Round - Deon Jackson
100. Bless Your Heart - General Johnson & the Chairmen
The Dominoes
The Dominoes

General Johnson and Chairmen Of The Board
General Johnson and
The Chairmen Of The Board

The Embers
The Embers

The Tymes
The Tymes

The Catalinas
The Catalinas

Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs
Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs








Spotify Beach Music Songs playlist link image

Definition:

Beach Music is extremely popular in the Carolinas, as far north as Virginia and as far south as northern Florida. It has nothing to do with surf music or the Beach Boys or California. It is mainly R&B music with a beat that is good for doing a dance called "The Shag." Very simply stated, the Shag is a slowed down jitterbug with a few fancy steps, but it was danced slightly different depending on your location in the Southeast. Basically a "perfect" song to "Shag" to is 120 beats per minute.

Beach Music was born after World War II and evolved from two different sources. It was a combination of the black big band sound (i.e. Tiny Bradshaw, Todd Rhodes, Lucky Millinder, Paul Williams, etc.) and the country blues of the South. The juke boxes at the beaches of the Carolinas were instrumental in exposing the young people to the "new" sound. Most of the Juke Boxes in the clubs down by the beaches (in the Black AND White venues) were stocked with many of the same records. The white kids found this new music fresh and addictive and a new dance (The Shag) was created around the early R&B sound.

White kids could "HEAR" the music of the late 40's & early 50's on the black radio stations in the large cities in the Carolinas. Also a major force was 50,000 Watt WLAC from Nashville, which broadcast R&B at night for over 30 years. The problem was that, because of the segregated society at that time, the white kids could not "celebrate" this music in their hometowns. The Carolina kids escaped to the beach, away from their parents, preachers & teachers, to party, drink & dance to their beloved music.

Beach Music has evolved over the years and is still going strong today 60 years later in the Southeast. Although most of the music on this list is over 40 years old, Beach Music is truly a timeless culture. In the southeast Beach Music is popular with people of all ages, from 8 to 80.




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