Time for another tournament!
A few years ago, we held a fun 1980s name-song tournament. (Come on, Eileen, you must remember!) This year, let’s go back even further — let’s check out songs with names in the titles from the early rock and roll era (late ’50s and early ’60s).
I’ll explain more about the tournament at the bottom of the post. For now, I’ll just forewarn you that each link opens a video in a new page so that you don’t lose your place on this page, which is pretty long.
Group 1
| Match | Song | Song | |
| #1 | “Denise” (1963) by Randy & the Rainbows | vs. | “Deserie” (1957) by The Charts |
| #2 | “Carol” (1957) by Chuck Berry | vs. | “Dede Dinah” (1958) by Frankie Avalon |
| #3 | “Fannie Mae” (1959) by Buster Brown | vs. | “Eddie My Love” (1956) by The Teen Queens |
| #4 | “Diana” (1957) by Paul Anka | vs. | “Anna (Go to Him)” (1962) by Arthur Alexander |
| #5 | “Barbara Ann” (1961) by The Regents | vs. | “Dusty” (1964) by The Rag Dolls |
| #6 | “Claudette” (1958) by The Everly Brothers | vs. | “Bobby’s Girl” (1962) by Marcie Blane |
| #7 | “Donna” (1958) by Ritchie Valens | vs. | “Donna the Prima Donna” (1963) by Dion |
| #8 | “Be-Bop-A-Lula” (1956) by Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps | vs. | “Cathy’s Clown” (1960) by The Everly Brothers |
Which song is better? (1 of 32)
- "Denise" by Randy & the Rainbows (56%, 5 Votes)
- "Deserie" by The Charts (44%, 4 Votes)
Total Voters: 9
Loading ...Which song is better? (2 of 32)
- "Carol" by Chuck Berry (80%, 8 Votes)
- "Dede Dinah" by Frankie Avalon (20%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 10
Loading ...Which song is better? (3 of 32)
- "Eddie My Love" by The Teen Queens (88%, 7 Votes)
- "Fannie Mae" by Buster Brown (13%, 1 Votes)
Total Voters: 8
Loading ...Which song is better? (4 of 32)
- "Anna (Go to Him)" by Arthur Alexander (56%, 5 Votes)
- "Diana" by Paul Anka (44%, 4 Votes)
Total Voters: 8
Loading ...Which song is better? (5 of 32)
- "Barbara Ann" by The Regents (63%, 5 Votes)
- "Dusty" by The Rag Doll (38%, 3 Votes)
Total Voters: 8
Loading ...Which song is better? (6 of 32)
- "Claudette" by The Everly Brothers (57%, 4 Votes)
- "Bobby's Girl" by Marcie Blane (43%, 3 Votes)
Total Voters: 7
Loading ...Which song is better? (7 of 32)
- "Donna" by Ritchie Valens (71%, 5 Votes)
- "Donna the Prima Donna" by Dion (29%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 7
Loading ...Which song is better? (8 of 32)
- "Cathy's Clown" by The Everly Brothers (56%, 5 Votes)
- "Be-Bop-A-Lula" by Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps (44%, 4 Votes)
Total Voters: 9
Loading ...Group 2
| Match | Song | Song | |
| #1 | “Good Golly Miss Molly” (1956) by Little Richard | vs. | “Katy Too” (1961) by Johnny Cash |
| #2 | “Hit the Road Jack” (1961) by Ray Charles | vs. | “Jimmy Boy” (1963) by The Girlfriends |
| #3 | “Jacqueline” (1958) by Bobby Helms | vs. | “Just Like Eddie” (1963) by Heinz |
| #4 | “Lana” (1961) by The Velvets | vs. | “Jeannie Jeannie Jeannie” (1958) by Eddie Cochran |
| #5 | “Hello Mary Lou” (1961) by Ricky Nelson | vs. | “Jim Dandy” (1956) by LaVern Baker |
| #6 | “Johnny Angel” (1962) by Shelley Fabares | vs. | “Judy’s Turn to Cry” (1963) by Lesley Gore |
| #7 | “Johnny B. Goode” (1958) by Chuck Berry | vs. | “Hats off to Larry” (1961) by Del Shannon |
| #8 | “Hey Paula” (1962) by Paul & Paula | vs. | “Jenny, Jenny” (1956) by Little Richard |
Which song is better? (9 of 32)
- "Good Golly Miss Molly" by Little Richard (100%, 6 Votes)
- "Katy Too" by Johnny Cash (0%, 0 Votes)
Total Voters: 6
Loading ...Which song is better? (10 of 32)
- "Hit the Road Jack" by Ray Charles (100%, 6 Votes)
- "Jimmy Boy" by The Girlfriends (0%, 0 Votes)
Total Voters: 6
Loading ...Which song is better? (11 of 32)
- "Just Like Eddie" by Heinz (67%, 4 Votes)
- "Jacqueline" by Bobby Helms (33%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 6
Loading ...Which song is better? (12 of 32)
- "Jeannie Jeannie Jeannie" by Eddie Cochran (67%, 4 Votes)
- "Lana" by The Velvets (33%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 6
Loading ...Which song is better? (13 of 32)
- "Hello Mary Lou" by Ricky Nelson (71%, 5 Votes)
- "Jim Dandy" by LaVern Baker (29%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 7
Loading ...Which song is better? (14 of 32)
- "Johnny Angel" by Shelley Fabares (67%, 4 Votes)
- "Judy's Turn to Cry" by Lesley Gore (33%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 6
Loading ...Which song is better? (15 of 32)
- "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry (100%, 6 Votes)
- "Hats off to Larry" by Del Shannon (0%, 0 Votes)
Total Voters: 6
Loading ...Which song is better? (16 of 32)
- "Hey Paula" by Paul & Paula (67%, 4 Votes)
- "Jenny, Jenny" by Little Richard (33%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 6
Loading ...Group 3
| Match | Song | Song | |
| #1 | “Lucille” (1957) by Little Richard | vs. | “Oh Rose Marie” (1959) by The Fascinators |
| #2 | “Mary Ann” (1956) by Ray Charles | vs. | “Oh Julie” (1958) by The Crescendos |
| #3 | “Maybellene” (1955) by Chuck Berry | vs. | “Little Latin Lupe Lu” (1963) by The Righteous Brothers |
| #4 | “Nadine” (1964) by Chuck Berry | vs. | “Little Diane” (1962) by Dion |
| #5 | “Oh! Carol” (1959) by Neil Sedaka | vs. | “Peggy Sue” (1957) by Buddy Holly and The Crickets |
| #6 | “Louie Louie” (1957) by Richard Berry | vs. | “Mickey’s Monkey” (1963) by The Miracles |
| #7 | “Marlena” (1963) by The Four Seasons | vs. | “My Girl Josephine” (1960) by Fats Domino |
| #8 | “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame” (1961) by Elvis Presley | vs. | “Long Tall Sally” (1956) by Little Richard |
Which song is better? (17 of 32)
- "Lucille" by Little Richard (100%, 7 Votes)
- "Oh Rose Marie" by The Fascinators (0%, 0 Votes)
Total Voters: 7
Loading ...Which song is better? (18 of 32)
- "Oh Julie" by The Crescendos (60%, 3 Votes)
- "Mary Ann" by Ray Charles (40%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 5
Loading ...Which song is better? (19 of 32)
- "Maybellene" by Chuck Berry (80%, 4 Votes)
- "Little Latin Lupe Lu" by The Righteous Brothers (20%, 1 Votes)
Total Voters: 5
Loading ...Which song is better? (20 of 32)
- "Nadine" by Chuck Berry (60%, 3 Votes)
- "Little Diane" by Dion (40%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 5
Loading ...Which song is better? (21 of 32)
- "Peggy Sue" by Buddy Holly and The Crickets (100%, 5 Votes)
- "Oh! Carol" by Neil Sedaka (0%, 0 Votes)
Total Voters: 5
Loading ...Which song is better? (22 of 32)
- "Louie Louie" by Richard Berry (60%, 3 Votes)
- "Mickey's Monkey" by The Miracles (40%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 5
Loading ...Which song is better? (23 of 32)
- "Marlena" by The Four Seasons (60%, 3 Votes)
- "My Girl Josephine" by Fats Domino (40%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 5
Loading ...Which song is better? (24 of 32)
- "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" by Elvis Presley (60%, 3 Votes)
- "Long Tall Sally" by Little Richard (40%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 5
Loading ...Group 4
| Match | Song | Song | |
| #1 | “Venus” (1959) by Frankie Avalon | vs. | “Ride on Josephine” (1960) by Bo Diddley |
| #2 | “Sandy” (1959) by Larry Hall | vs. | “Tall Paul” (1959) by Annette Funicello |
| #3 | “Sandy” (1963) by Dion | vs. | “Ruby Baby” (1956) by The Drifters |
| #4 | “Ronnie” (1964) by The Four Seasons | vs. | “Ruby Ann” (1962) by Marty Robbins |
| #5 | “Wake Up Little Susie” (1957) by The Everly Brothers | vs. | “Sally, Go ‘Round the Roses” (1963) by The Jaynetts |
| #6 | “Sherry” (1962) by The Four Seasons | vs. | “Susie Q” (1957) by Dale Hawkins |
| #7 | “Runaround Sue” (1961) by Dion | vs. | “Venus in Blue Jeans” (1962) by Jimmy Clanton |
| #8 | “Sheila” (1962) by Tommy Roe | vs. | “Susie Darlin’” (1958) by Robin Luke |
Which song is better? (25 of 32)
- "Ride on Josephine" by Bo Diddley (67%, 4 Votes)
- "Venus" by Frankie Avalon (33%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 6
Loading ...Which song is better? (26 of 32)
- "Tall Paul" by Annette Funicello (67%, 4 Votes)
- "Sandy" by Larry Hall (33%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 6
Loading ...Which song is better? (27 of 32)
- "Sandy" by Dion (57%, 4 Votes)
- "Ruby Baby" by The Drifters (43%, 3 Votes)
Total Voters: 6
Loading ...Which song is better? (28 of 32)
- "Ruby Ann" by Marty Robbins (67%, 4 Votes)
- "Ronnie" by The Four Seasons (33%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 6
Loading ...Which song is better? (29 of 32)
- "Wake Up Little Susie" by The Everly Brothers (57%, 4 Votes)
- "Sally, Go 'Round the Roses" by The Jaynetts (43%, 3 Votes)
Total Voters: 7
Loading ...Which song is better? (30 of 32)
- "Susie Q" by Dale Hawkins (71%, 5 Votes)
- "Sherry" by The Four Seasons (29%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 7
Loading ...Which song is better? (31 of 32)
- "Runaround Sue" by Dion (67%, 4 Votes)
- "Venus in Blue Jeans" by Jimmy Clanton (33%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 6
Loading ...Which song is better? (32 of 32)
- "Sheila" by Tommy Roe (67%, 4 Votes)
- "Susie Darlin'" by Robin Luke (33%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 6
Loading ...…And that’s it for now! Round 2 will start on Friday.
Here’s the full tournament schedule:
- Round 1 (64 songs to 32): Vote March 12-15
- Round 2 (32 to 16): Vote March 16-19
- Sweet 16 (16 to 8): Vote March 20-22
- Elite Eight (8 to 4): Vote March 23-25
- Final Four (4 to 2): Vote March 26-27
- Championship (2 to 1): Vote March 28-29
- Winner (1): Announced on March 30
Polls close at 11:59 PM (Mountain Time) on the last day of each round.
And finally, in case you’re wondering how I chose the groups and the pairings: The groups are alphabetical (A to F, G to L, L to P, and R to W). To rank the songs within each group, I used that “total” number of Google search results as a proxy for popularity. Then I created match-ups in true March Madness style: first vs. last, second vs. second-to-last, and so forth.