Top R&B Songs of 1956 Greatest Hits and Chart Singles

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #19] US: B-side to Don't Be Cruel; hit for Big Mama Thornton in 1953; charted as Don't Be Cruel / Hound Dog in US Hot 100 charts
[RCA Epa-940+]
written by Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller

[Columbia 40769]
written by Melvin Endsley

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #45]
[RCA Victor 47-6420]
written by Mae Boren Axton, Thomas Durden & Elvis Presley

[Dot 15521]
written by Charles Singleton

hit for Glenn Miller in 1939
[Mercury 70893]
written by Georges Boulanger & Jimmy Kennedy

as The Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon
[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #307]
[Gee 1002]
written by Frankie Lymon, Herman Santiago & George Goldner

[Capitol 3602]
written by Ric Cartey & Carole Joyner

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #81] #1 hit for Glenn Miller in 1940
[Imperial 5407]
written by Vincent Rose, Al Lewis & Larry Stock

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #437] adapted from "Aura Lee", 1861
[RCA Victor 47-6643]
written by Vera Matson, Elvis Presley, George R. Poulton & Ken Darby

[Dot 15486]
written by Bob Davie & Marvin Moore

[RCA Epa-940+]
written by Maurice Mysels & Ira Kosloff

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #95]
[Sun 234]
written by Carl Perkins

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #56]
[Specialty 572 A]
written by Enotris Johnson, Robert Blackwell & Richard Penniman

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #197] charted as Don't Be Cruel / Hound Dog in US Hot 100 charts
[RCA Epa-940+]
written by Otis Blackwell & Elvis Presley

[Imperial 5386]
written by Antoine Domino & Dave Bartholomew

[Decca 29791]
written by Robert Guidry

[Glory 249]
written by traditional

instrumental
[King 4950]
written by Bill Doggett, Billy Butler, Clifford Scott & Shep Shepherd

US: from Elvis, Volume 1 EP
[RCA Epa-992+]
written by Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller

[Imperial 5417]
written by Antoine Domino & Dave Bartholomew

instrumental
[RCA Victor 6537]
written by Eddie Heywood

as Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps
[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #102]
[Capitol 3450]
written by Gene Vincent, Donald Graves & Tex Davis

[novelty]
[Luniverse 101]
written by Bill Buchanan & Dickie Goodman

written by Buck Ram

[Dot 45-15481]
written by Naomi Ford & Lee Hazlewood

[Atlantic 1092]
written by Joe Shapiro & Lou Stallman

[Specialty 579]
written by Robert Blackwell & John Marascalco

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #43]
[Specialty 561]
written by Richard Penniman & Dorothy LaBostrie

[Atlantic 1111]
written by Ivory Joe Hunter

as Otis Williams and His Charms
[Deluxe 6093]
written by Jack Fulton & Lois Steele

[Gee 1012]
written by Morris Levy, George Goldner & Richard Barrett

hit for Guy Lombardo in 1937
[Imperial 5396]
written by Cliff Friend & Dave Franklin

[RPM 453]
written by Aaron Collins

written by Jeanette Miles, Paul Robi & Tony Williams [singer]

as LaVern Baker & The Gliders
[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #343]
[Atlantic 1116]
written by Lincoln Chase

[novelty]
[Modern 994]
written by James Johnson [James E. Johnson], Ernestine Smith & Al Curry

B side to You'll Never Never Know
[Mercury 70948]
written by Robert Mellin

[Aladdin 3325]
written by Leonard Lee

instrumental
[Mercury 70963]
written by Sil Austin

B side to I'm in Love Again; #1 hit for Paul Whiteman in 1927
[Imperial 5386]
written by Walter Donaldson & George A. Whiting

[King 4935]
written by Eddie Cooley & John Davenport

as Nat "King" Cole and the Four Knights
[Capitol 3456]
written by Clyde Otis & Kelly Owens

as Clarence "Frogman" Henry
[Argo 5259]
written by Clarence Henry

[Dot 15507]
written by Dorinda Morgan

[Decca 29870]
written by Arrett Keefer, Bill Haley & Ruth Keefer

as The Jay Hawks
written by James Johnson [James E. Johnson], Ernestine Smith & Al Curry

B side to One in a Million
[Mercury 71011]
written by Harry Nesbitt, Max Nesbitt & Geoffrey Venis

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #90]
[Ember 1005]
written by Fred Parris

US B-side to Love Me Tender
[RCA Victor 47-6643]
written by Aaron Schroeder & Cliff Owens

[Atlantic 1104]
written by Dorian Burton, Howard Plummer & LaVern Baker

instrumental
[King 5000]
written by Sil Austin

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #97]
[Chess 1626]
written by Chuck Berry

[Chess 1629]
written by Billy Davis [Roquel Davis], Harry Pratt & Charles Sutton

B side to Blueberry Hill
[Imperial 5407]
written by Antoine Domino & Dave Bartholomew

[Pilgrim 715]
written by Ronnie Jordan & John McDermott

[Capitol 3502]
written by Ivory Joe Hunter & Clyde Otis

[Flip 315]
written by Ed Wells

B side to Long Tall Sally
[Specialty 572]
written by Richard Penniman, Eddie Bocage, Albert Collins & James Smith [guitarist]

[Atlantic 1094]
written by Mack David, Teddy McRae & Sid Wyche

[novelty]
[Clef 89162]
written by Vernon Duke & E. Y. Harburg

written by J. Mayo Williams, Bo Chatman & Mitchell Parish

[Aladdin 3338]
written by Leonard Lee

[Atlantic 1081]
written by Willis Carroll & Carmen Taylor

[Imperial 5375]
written by Fats Domino & Dave Bartholomew

[Mercury 70889]
written by Teddy McRae, Sid Wyche & Mack David

[Mercury 70934]
written by Ronnie Jordan & John McDermott

B side to When My Dreamboat Comes Home
[Imperial 5396]
written by Antoine Domino & Dave Bartholomew

[Rama 216]
written by James Sheppard & William H. Miller

as Gus Jinkins
[Flash 115]
written by Gus Jenkins

B side to Rip It Up
[Specialty 579]
written by Robert Blackwell & John Marascalco

B side to My Prayer
[Mercury 70893]
written by Buck Ram

charted as Drown in My Own Tears / Mary in US R&B charts
[Atlantic 1085]
written by Henry Glover

[Gee 1011]
written by George Goldner & Herb Cox

as Otis Williams and His New Group
[Deluxe 6091]
written by Rudy Toombs

B side to Who Can Explain?
[Gee 1018]
written by Jimmy Castor & Jimmy Smith

[Atlantic 1104]
written by Dorian Burton & Howard Plummer

[Melba 102]
written by The Willows & Morty Craft

[Gee 1022]
written by Morris Levy, George Goldner & Richard Barrett

[Vee-Jay 226]
written by Jimmy Reed

written by Jean Miles & Katherine Harrison

[Atlantic 1098]
written by Chuck Willis

[Atlantic 1083]
written by Blanche Carter

[RPM 468]
written by Ivory Joe Hunter

written by Jimmy Reed

[Atco 6073]
written by Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller

[Chess 1635]
written by Chuck Berry

[Checker 827]
written by Ellas McDaniel

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #260]
[Vee-Jay 204]
written by Marvin Junior & Johnny Funches

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #142]
[Federal 12258]
written by James Brown & Johnny Terry

written by Mertis John Jr.

as Ernie Freeman Combo
instrumental
[Cash 1017]
written by John Gray, Mike Akapoff & Ernie Freeman

[Checker 830]
written by Ferdinand Washington & Stanley Lewis

charted as Hallelujah, I Love Her So / What Would I Do without You in US R&B charts
[Atlantic 1096]
written by Ray Charles

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #374] B side to "Too Much Monkey Business" in the US
[Chess 1635]
written by Chuck Berry

B side to Bad Luck
[RPM 468]
written by B.B. King & Jules Taub

[Atlantic 1108]
written by Doc Pomus

written by Willie Dixon

B side to Need Your Love So Bad
written by Rudy Toombs

written by McKinley Morganfield

written by Bernard Roth