Rock music as we know it today started its early evolution in the early 1960s. Hard rock, metal, and punk weren’t even on the minds of early rock and roll musicians, and yet, rock eventually went in those directions. And there’s a lot to love about some of the OG rock and roll classics. Let’s look at just a few rock songs from 1963, specifically, that are quite fun to listen to today!
“Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)” by The Crystals
This little R&B rock and roll tune from The Crystals dropped in April 1963 and was a fast hit for the band. Co-written by the famed Phil Spector, this song was composed in only two days. That’s impressive, considering how amazing a song this is. It’s your typical boy-meets-girl rock and roll tune, and it became a No. 3 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart upon its release.
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“(You’re The) Devil In Disguise” by Elvis Presley
What would a list of rock and roll songs from 1963 be without mentioning at least one Elvis Presley tune? I went with the rock and roll pop single “(You’re The) Devil In Disguise”, released in June of that year. Naturally, the track made it all the way to No. 3 on the Hot 100. This song also marked Presley’s last Top 10 single on the R&B charts.
Fun fact: when listening to the song on the BBC television series Juke Box Jury, The Beatles’ John Lennon famously said that this song was a “miss” and that Presley was turning into Bing Crosby. Ouch.
“Mean Woman Blues” by Roy Orbison
Speaking of Elvis Presley, this tune was originally recorded by Presley for the soundtrack of the 1967 film Loving You. Roy Orbison debuted his version of the rock and roll song in 1963, and it’s quite a unique improvement on the original. It’s also one of the most recognizable rock and roll songs from 1963, in my opinion. Orbison’s version was a No. 5 hit on the Hot 100 chart, though I have to say, I’m a bigger fan of the A-side “Blue Bayou”. Both songs are fantastic, of course.
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