100 Greatest Songs From 1953

Criteria: These songs from 1953 were chosen and ranked based on their initial and lasting popularity, and on their impact on the overall scope of musical history.

Note: Yearly song lists go by earliest 'release date' (Single, Album, or Country of first release). Not necessarily the year a song peaked in the U.S. charts.

1. Money Honey
Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter
2. Your Cheatin' Heart
Hank Williams
3. Crying In The Chapel
Orioles
4. Gee
Crows
5. Shake A Hand
Faye Adams
6. Honey Hush
Joe Turner
7. Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean
Ruth Brown
8. Hound Dog
Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton
9. Kaw-Liga
Hank Williams
10. The Things That I Used To Do
Guitar Slim
11. Help Me Somebody
"5" Royales
12. Going To The River
Fats Domino
13. The Clock
Johnny Ace
14. Please Don't Leave Me
Fats Domino
15. Crazy, Man Crazy
Bill Haley with Haley's Comets
16. Good Lovin'
Clovers
17. I Didn't Want To Do It
Spiders
18. Please Love Me
B.B. King
19. Feelin' Good
Little Junior's Blue Flames
20. Sunday Kind Of Love
Harptones
21. One Scotch. One Bourbon, One Beer
Amos Milburn
22. I'll Be True
Faye Adams
23. I'm Mad
Willie Mabon
24. Crawlin'
Clovers
25. TV Mama
Joe Turner
26. I Wanna Know
Du Droppers
27. Too Much Lovin'
"5" Royales
28. You're So Fine
Little Walter
29. Woke Up This Morning
B.B. King
30. Please Hurry Home
B.B. King
31. Laundromat Blues
"5" Royales
32. Mess Around
Ray Charles
33. Bear Cat
Rufus Thomas
34. Crazy, Crazy, Crazy
"5" Royales
35. Rags To Riches
Tony Bennett / Dominoes
36. Don't Deceive Me
Chuck Willis
37. Blues With A Feeling
Little Walter
38. 24 Hours
Eddie Boyd
39. Baby It's You
Spaniels
40. These Foolish Things
Dominoes
41. Get It
Royals
42. Mercy Mr. Percy
Varetta Dillard
43. Let Me Go Home, Whiskey
Amos Milburn
44. Baby Doll
Marvin & Johnny
45. Golden Teardrops
Flamingos
46. White Cliffs Of Dover
Checkers
47. Saving My Love For You
Johnny Ace
48. Cross My Heart
Johnny Ace
49. My Country Man
Big Maybelle
50. My Saddest Hour
Five Keys

51. Rose Mary
Fats Domino
52. You're Still My Baby
Chuck Willis
53. Soul On Fire
Lavern Baker
54. I Love You So
Crows
55. Mad Love
Muddy Waters
56. My Man's An Undertaker
Dinah Washington
57. Hittin' On Me
Buddy & Ella Johnson
58. Tell Me Pretty Baby
Lloyd Price
59. Drunk
Jimmy Liggins
60. Just Walkin' In The Rain
Prisonaires
61. You're The One
Spiders
62. Marie
Four Tunes
63. If I Can't Have You
Flamingos
64. Let's Have A Party
Amos Milburn
65. Oke-She-Moke-She-Pop
Joe Turner
66. You Can't Keep A Good Man Down
Dominoes
67. I Had A Notion
Joe Morris
68. Ain't It A Shame
Lloyd Price
69. Early In The Morning
Elmore James
70. There Stands The Glass
Webb Pierce
71. Caldonia's Party
Smiley Lewis
72. Mystery Train
Little Junior's Blue Flames
73. That's Amore
Dean Martin
74. Way Back Home
Big Maybelle
75. Daddy Rollin' Stone
Otis Blackwell
76. Mexican Joe
Jim Reeves
77. Something's Wrong
Fats Domino
78. I'm Just Your Fool
Buddy & Ella Johnson
79. Perfect Woman
Four Blazes
80. I'll Never Tell
Harptones
81. Playgirl
Smiley Lewis
82. Nadine
Coronets
83. Fractured
Bill Haley with Haley's Comets
84. Third Degree
Eddie Boyd
85. Wild Wild Young Men
Ruth Brown
86. Well, I Done Got Over It
Guitar Slim
87. You're Mine
Crickets
88. In The Mission Of St. Augustine
Orioles
89. Send For Me
Big Maybelle
90. A Thousand Stars
Rivileers
91. Till Then
Orioles
92. The Way I Feel
Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter
93. She Felt Too Good
Jimmy McCracklin
94. Good, Good Whiskey
Amos Milburn
95. The Deacon Don't Like It
Wynonie Harris
96. My Girl Awaits Me
Castelles
97. Big Mamou
Smiley Lewis
98. My Kind Of Woman
Emitt Slay Trio
99. T.V. is the Thing
Dinah Washington
100. Santa Baby
Eartha Kitt
20 more worth mentioning.
101. The Comeback
Memphis Slim
102. Rack 'em Back
Bobby Mitchell & the Toppers
103. Teadrops On My Pillow
Orioles
104. The Bells Ring Out
Spaniels
105. Laugh (Though You Feel Like Crying)
Swallows
106. Cherry Wine
Little Esther
107. Is It A Dream
Vocaleers
108. The Shrine Of St. Cecilia
Royals
109. Lucy Mae Blues
Frankie Lee Sims
110. Where You At
Lloyd Price
111. Hey Joe!
Carl Smith
112. Whiskey, Women And Loaded Dice
Sticks McGhee
113. Baby' I'm Doin' It
Anisteen Allen
114. Too Close To Heaven
Professor Alex Bradford
115. Rockin' Is Our Bizness
Treniers
116. I Found Out (What You Do When You Go 'Round There)
Du Droppers
117. Shirley, Come Back To Me
Shirley & Lee
118. Take These Chains From My Heart
Hank Williams
119. The River's Invitation
Percy Mayfield
120. 3-D
Big Jay McNeely
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1953
An unheralded great record from 1953
Bruce's choice:
* Jungle Juice
Sticks McGhee
Adam's choice:
* Another Soldier Gone
Voilinaires
Brett's choice:
* I've Been Your Dog (Ever Since I've Been Your Man)
The Moonglows
    1952   |   1954

Last Updated: 2009-07-12