Find songs

Persistence in love despite rejection

Dedicating one's life to love

Elvis Presley's early records brought country, blues, gospel, R&B and pop into a new rock-and-roll setting during the 1950s. His singing and physical stage style helped carry that mixture to a large audience. His...

The biblical creation of woman

Using soap as a metaphor for cleansing oneself of a past love

Scottish patriotism and military service

Moving on from a past relationship

A teenage girl's first love

Native American themes

A 1926 song about missing a former love

Kokomo, on Asia Minor, is the recording name used by pianist, arranger, songwriter and producer Jimmy Wisner. A classically trained musician who led a Philadelphia jazz trio, Wisner adopted that name for the 1961 pop...

Exotic themes popular in the early 1960s

A sad love story

The popularity of babysitting among teenagers

A girl named Barbara Ann

A heroic miner who sacrifices himself to save others

Tony Orlando moved from New York doo-wop singing into the professional songwriting world, recording demos and early singles such as Halfway to Paradise and Bless You. Work in music publishing preceded his return to...

Rodgers and Hart's 1934 standard

The process of moving on after heartbreak

A dance popular in Bristol, Pennsylvania

A rock and roll version of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee"

The excitement of youth and rock and roll

Exotic sounds of India

The idea of a girl for every month of the year

The idea that less flesh means more feeling

The irrationality of love

Orbison's personal experiences with heartbreak

The idea of Cupid as a matchmaker

A soldier returning home to his loved ones

Expressing love through a song

A humorous 1924 novelty song

Advice against gambling on love

Reassurance in times of trouble

Fantasizing about a love interest

Calling someone foolish in matters of love

A tragic story of a soldier's lost love

A traditional English folk song

Expressing deep love

Theme from the film "Exodus"

Theme song from the film of the same name

The captivating eyes of a love interest

Bobby Rydell began performing as a child drummer in Philadelphia before becoming associated with the city's teen-pop singers. His recording repertoire included Wild One, Volare, Swingin' School and Wildwood Days,...

Dramatic farewell to a difficult life

Saying farewell to a love interest

The feeling of being close to achieving happiness

Congratulating someone for ending a bad relationship

A cover of the 1954 hit by The Fontane Sisters

Meeting a new love interest

Faron Young developed his country career around Shreveport clubs, radio and the Louisiana Hayride before recording for Capitol and moving to Nashville. His repertoire ranged from energetic honky-tonk songs such as...

The idea of leaving a bad relationship

The pain of lost love

Confusion about one's feelings in love

The pain of a broken relationship

Enjoyment of life and love

Appreciation for a partner's love

Promise of loyalty in a relationship

Returning to a former love

Persistence in pursuing a love interest

Growing up and experiencing love

A Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II standard

Optimism in a relationship

Reminiscing about past love

Long-distance romance

Instrumental inspired by late-night revelry

Nature as a metaphor for love

Celebration of drum-based rock and roll

The continued popularity of the Twist dance

Attraction to a girlfriend's younger sister

The feelings of isolation in adolescence

The Shirelles began as a school vocal group in Passaic, New Jersey, before recording I Met Him on a Sunday for Florence Greenberg's Tiara label. Their later Scepter work paired an R&B background with string...

The allure of Mexico as an exotic destination

African-American spiritual songs

The pain of being apart from a loved one

The allure of a beautiful model

A tragic tale of misunderstanding and suicide

The Four Preps were a West Coast vocal quartet associated with Capitol Records. A Hollywood High School talent-show appearance led to their recording opportunity in 1956, with Dreamy Eyes among their early releases....

Expressing deep love beyond words

Common complaints about mothers-in-law

A jazz standard from 1926

Loneliness after a breakup

Describing the ideal romantic partner

Theme song from the TV show of the same name

A tale of lost love

The feeling of recovering from heartbreak

The consequences of drinking too much

Being focused solely on one's love interest

The popularity of peanut butter as a snack

Waiting for a letter from a loved one

The Drifters connected gospel-influenced rhythm and blues with the more orchestrated soul records of the 1960s. Their changing lead singers included Clyde McPhatter, Ben E. King, Rudy Lewis and Johnny Moore. Working...

A new dance craze

Describing the beauty of one's love

A beautiful girl with angelic eyes

Late-night partying

Using rain as a metaphor for tears

Bobby Vee grew up in Fargo, North Dakota, and began playing guitar as a teenager. His early performances with the Shadows led to recording Susie Baby for Soma in 1959, followed by a move to Liberty. His repertoire...

A unfaithful girlfriend

Shannon's personal experiences with heartbreak and loneliness

The fear of losing a loved one

The emotional impact of sad films

Floyd Cramer brought a recognizable piano style to Nashville recording sessions and to his own instrumental records. Raised in Arkansas, he learned by ear and worked on the Louisiana Hayride before settling in...

Gary U.S. Bonds established his career with records including New Orleans, Quarter to Three and School Is Out. Later collaborations with Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt and members of the E Street Band produced...

The vastness of heartbreak

Advice about finding the right partner

The joy of being in love

Ben E. King's baritone voice became familiar through his work as a lead singer with the Drifters and through an extensive solo recording career. His repertoire included Stand by Me, Spanish Harlem, Don't Play That...

The importance of support in relationships

The popularity of cars with manual transmissions

The original Japanese lyrics were about sadness and isolation, inspired by student protests in Japan.

An Italian song "Torna a Surriento"

Using candy as a metaphor for affection

Experimentation with unusual time signatures in jazz

Adam Wade developed a career that moved from singing into acting and television. Raised in Pittsburgh, he recorded for Coed Records and became known for songs including Ruby, Take Good Care of Her and The Writing on...

A plea to a new lover to treat an ex-partner well

The destructive insect that plagued cotton crops

A new dance craze

The true story of Ferdinand Waldo Demara

African folk song "Mbube"

Overcoming obstacles in love

A new variation of the popular Twist dance

A particularly sad moment

Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields' standard from 1936

Signs of a failing relationship

Watching a loved one leave

Romantic nighttime atmosphere

Cautioning against hasty decisions in love

Troy Shondell was the recording name adopted by Indiana singer and multi-instrumentalist Gary Schelton, who had earlier released records as Gary Shelton. His career began with rockabilly and regional performances...

Nostalgia for old love songs

The excitement of falling in love

The excitement of new love

The restlessness of sleepless nights

The support provided by a loving partner

The lifestyle of a globetrotting lover

The different aspects of true love

A cover of the 1955 hit, about longing for a loved one

A plea for a lover to return

The pleasure of daydreaming

The sound and motion of wheels

Theme from the film of the same name

A playful tribute to doo-wop music

The uncertainty of young love

Ferlin Husky combined country singing with comedy and impersonations. After a Missouri upbringing, he worked in St. Louis and California, performing under the earlier name Terry Preston and developing his Simon Crum...

The emptiness of life without a loved one

The magic of nighttime

German folk song "Muss i denn"

New Orleans street slang

Arthur Lyman was a Hawaiian vibraphonist associated with the exotica and lounge styles. He played in Martin Denny's group before beginning a separate recording career in 1957. His own records retained the...

Loyalty in a relationship

Realizing the value of something after it's gone

A 1938 song by Johnny Mercer and Harry Warren

Gratitude for a loving partner