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1955

Episode 5 of 50

Jeremy Vine introduces an audio journey through five decades. ITV was launched, James Dean died, Third Man Kim Philby is unmasked, rock 'n' roll dominates and Elvis Presley emerges.

Sounds Of The 20th Century is an audio journey through five decades of triumph, tragedy and trivia in 50 hour-long episodes.

Each programme is dedicated to one year from 1951 to 2000 and features nothing that wasn't heard, seen or read at the time. There's no hindsight, no "I-heart-the-80s"-style reminiscences; just the music, the news, the radio, the TV and the movies as they were first experienced.

Jeremy Vine introduces 1955. A year when when a young singer called Elvis Presley starts to get noticed. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Television gets its first competitor with the arrival of ITV and shows like Take Your Pick and Dragnet. James Dean is killed before moviegoers have seen him in Rebel Without A Cause, Ruth Ellis becomes the last woman in Britain to be hanged and Kim Philby is unmasked as the Third Man.

The music comes from rock'n'rollers like Little Richard, Chuck Berry and - with his music for the controversial film Blackboard Jungle - Bill Haley.

57 minutes

Last on

Tue 3 Feb 2015 23:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2

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Music Played

  • Tracklisting

    • Ruby Murray

      Softly Softly

  • Bill Haley and His Comets

    Rock Around The Clock

  • Fats Domino

    Ain't That A Shame

  • Dickie Valentine

    Finger Of Suspicion

  • Bo Diddley

    Bo Diddley

  • Mitch Miller

    The Yellow Rose Of Texas

  • Ray Charles

    I Got A Woman

  • Chuck Berry

    Maybelline

  • Pengu!ns

    Earth Angel

  • The Platters

    Only You (And You Alone)

  • The Johnston Brothers

    Hernando's Hideaway

  • Etta James

    Roll With Me Henry

  • Bill Haley

    See You Later Alligater

  • Jimmy Young

    Unchained Melody

  • Bill Hayes

    The Ballad Of Davy Crockett

  • Tennessee Ernie Ford

    Sixteen Tons

  • Little Richard

    Tutti Frutti

  • The Platters

    Great Pretender

  • Elvis Presley - That's Alright Mama

  • Elvis Presley - That's Alright Mama

  • Elvis Presley - Mystery Train

Credit

Producer Trevor Dann

Broadcasts

  • Thu 5 May 2011 22:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2
  • Tue 3 Feb 2015 23:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2