I personally have purchased the entire British Hit Parade series, from 1954 to 1961, which contained every charted a side singles that entered the UK chart during those years. I am glad to find that in this current The Coral Story, many rare songs, which I have been searching for, have not charted, thus a welcome new addition to my library.
The label is One Day Music, a re-issue label from UK, also has other similar releases, such as The Top Rank Story 1960 & 1961 (each 2 CDs)(reviewed elsewhere), The Pye International Story (2 CDs)(reviewed elsewhere) and Oh Boy: the Brunswick Story (2 CDs)(reviewed elsewhere)…these are the popular labels (Top Rank, Pye International, Coral and Brunswick) from the 60s.
If you like oldies from UK and US, this set is an enjoyable listening experience. But for collectors like myself, this set is like a goldmine with lots of rare gems. This set with such a cheap price is recommended, especially for collectors. (Dr. Joseph Lee, The Guardian)

For record-buyers of a certain age, the Coral label means only one thing – Buddy Holly! The rock era’s first ever singer-songwriter cut his solo hits with this subsidiary of the Decca Record Company formed in 1949. Prior to his emergence, Coral’s most famous artists were the McGuire sisters, Lawrence Welk, and Teresa Brewer (who married label manager Bob Thiele). Debbie Reynolds with the movie-promoted Tammy gives Coral its greatest success. There are many other artists on Coral, such as Johnny Burnette, Patsy Cline, Moon Mullican, our Canadian the Diamonds.
When Buddy Holly and his band the Crickets broke through in their native United States in 1957, they were marketed by Decca Records as separate acts: Brunswick for the Crickets and Coral for Buddy Holly.
Jerry Allison of the Crickets married Peggy Sue Gerron, the girl immortalized in song: Peggy Sue and Peggy Sue Got Married. Sonny Curtis is another Cricket who wrote More Than I Can Say (my favourite version is that by Bobby Vee). The Crickets later moved to Liberty label.
This Rave On: The Coral Story is a 2 CD set with 50 songs. The sound is quite clean with minimal hiss. The song listing, with the label & number, UK and US chart positions, is as follows:
trax disc 1:
01 Peggy Sue – Buddy Holly (61885)(UK 6/1957)(US 3/1957) 02 Rock, Rock, Rock – Jimmy Cavelle & His House Rockers (61728)(UK & US, uncharted) 03 Crazy Street – The Matys Brothers (61941)(UK & US, uncharted) 04 Rock ‘n’ Roll Boogie – The Alan Freed Rock ‘n’ Roll Band (61749)(UK & US, uncharted)* rare gem 05 Tear In Up – Johnny Burnette (61651)(UK & US, uncharted)* rare gem 1956 06 Black Denim Trousers And Motocycle Boots – Diamonds (61502)(UK & US, uncharted) 07 Lorraine – Buddy Covelle (62181)(UK & US, uncharted) 08 He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands – Barbara McNair (61972)(UK & US, uncharted) 09 To The Party – The Bay Bops (62004)(UK & US, uncharted) 10 Wooden Heart – Bobbi Martin (62285)(UK & US, uncharted)* rare gem 11 More Than I Can Say – Crickets (62198)(UK 42/1960)(US, uncharted) the original version 12 Angel Of Love - Charlie Gracie (62115)(UK & US, uncharted) 13 My Boy Flat Top – Dorothy Collins (61510)(UK, uncharted)(US 16/1955) 14 Eyes Of Tears – Marty Evans (62251)(UK & US, uncharted) 15 A White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation) – Johnny Desmond (61835)(UK & US, uncharted) Marty Robbins had the pop version 16 Real Wild Child – Ivan (62017)(UK, uncharted)(US 68/1958)* rare gem Ivan was Jerry Allison of the Crickets, with Buddy Holly on lead guitar 17 That’s My Desire – The Exotics (62268)(UK & US, uncharted) 18 (You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care – Buddy Holly (62283)(UK & US, uncharted) 19 Lonesome Train (On A Lonesome Track) – Johnny Burnette (61758)(UK & US, uncharted) 20 Moon’s Rock - Moon Mullican (62042)(UK & US, uncharted)* rare gem 21 Turn The Cards Slowly – Patsy Cline (61523)(UK & US, uncharted) 22 Sugartime – McGuire Sisters (61523)(UK 14/1958)(US 1/1957) 23 Soda Shoppe Rock – Jimmy Cavelle & His House Rockers (61689)(UK & US, uncharted) 24 Ricochet – Teresa Brewer (61043)(UK, uncharted)(US 2/1953) 25 Tammy – Debbie Reynolds (UK 2/1957)(US 1/1957)
trax disc 2:
01 Rave On – Buddy Holly (61985)(UK 5/1958)(US 37/1958) 02 Cool It Baby – Dorothy Collins (61711)(UK & US, uncharted) 03 Hurry Up, Buttercup – Charlie Gracie (62073)(UK & US, uncharted) 04 Rock Billy Boogie – Johnny Burnette (61918)(UK & US, uncharted)*rare gem 1957 05 Be My Bride – Charlie Phillips (61970)(UK & US, uncharted) 06 Angel Or Devil – Bobby Keene (62290)(UK & US, uncharted) 07 Dance On Pretty Clown – Andy Rose (62109)(UK & US, uncharted) he had a hit Just Young in 1958 08 Jenny Lee – Moon Muulican (61994)(UK & US, uncharted)* rare gem 09 I Love You Honey – Patsy Cline (61583)(UK & US, uncharted) 10 Peggy Sue Got Married – Crickets (62238)(UK 13/1959)(US, uncharted) 11 Rock Island Line – Don Cornell (61613)(UK, uncharted)(US 59/1956) 12 True Love Gone – Enchanters (61756)(UK & US, uncharted) 13 It Doesn’t Matter Anymore – Buddy Holly (62074)(UK 1/1959(US 13/1959) 14 Hearts Of Stone – Goofers (61305)(UK & US, uncharted) cover version of The Fontaine Sisters’ No. 1 hit 15 Blues Stay Away From Me – Johnny & Dorsey Burnette (62190)(UK & US, uncharted) 16 You Send Me – Teresa Brewer (61898)(UK, uncharted)(US 8/1957) 17 That’ll Be Alright – Ivan (62081)(UK & US, uncharted)* rare gem 18 There Was A Fungus Among Us – Terry Noland & The Anita Kerr Singers (62274)(UK & US, uncharted) 19 Lo-o-ve – Lemon Drops (62145)(UK & US, uncharted) 20 I Gotta Go Get My Baby – Marvin Rainwater (61342)(UK & US, uncharted) 21 Talk About My Baby – Sonny Curtis (62207)(UK & US, uncharted)* rare gem 22 Rock Me My Baby – Dorothy Collins (61922)(UK & US, uncharted)* rare gem 23 The Stroll – The Lancers (61930)(UK & US, uncharted) 24 I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter – Billy Williams (61830)(UK 22/1957)(US 3/1957)* rare gem 25 Vision Of Love – Explorers (62147)(UK & US, uncharted)
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