Beach Music
As a child growing up in Carolina I went to the shag dance clubs with my parents. In Greensboro we would shag at The Bushes and Thirsty’s. The Carolina Shag is a dance native to the Carolinas and started at the coast- Atlantic Beach, Carolina Beach, Morehead City down to North Myrtle, Virginia Beach and many other locales. The term Beach Music refers to the music we dance to, which originated with bands playing at the coast This music spans and unites many generations for those that listen to it, love it, and simply can’t live without it. It is a unique culture that is being well-preserved by those that cherish the dance, the music and the people we have grown up with that make it so special. Below is a list of some of my favorite songs and it will certainly grow as I recall more of them. For more information on the history of Beach Music visit BeachShag.com.
| The Ravens | Green Eyes |
| Chuck Berry | Little Queenie |
| Mills Brothers | A Donut and a Dream |
| Ruth Brown | Love Contest |
| Smiley Lewis | Mama Don’t Like |
| Doris Troy | Just One Look |
| Roy Milton | Hop, Skip, Now Jump |
| The Drifters | Let Your Heart be Your Guide |
| Redd Fox | Crazy House |
| Al Wilson | Show and Tell |
| Wynonnie Harris | Lollipop mama |
| David Ruffin | Walk Away from Love |
| The 5 Royals | I Got To Know |
| E.B. Lenore | Mama Talk To Your Daughter |
| Joe Turner | Morning, Noon and Night |
| The Dominoes | Sixty Minute Man |
| Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs | Stay & May I |
| The Cadillacs | Speedo |
| The Coasters | Zing |
| Clyde McPhatter | Ta ta |
| The Drifters | Not That Kind of Guy |
| The Dominoes | Have Mercy Baby |
| Clarence Carter | Too Weak To Fight it |
| The Ikettes | I’m Blue |
| Bill Doggett | Honky Tonk 1 & 2 |
| Amos Milburn | Gonna Tell My Mama |
| Earl Bostic | Rhapsody |
| Ruth Brown | 5-10-15 |
| The Drifters | Drip Drop |
| The Temptations | My Girl |
| Amos Milburn | Roll Mr. Jelly |
| Ruth Brown | I’ll Wait for you |
| Hank Ballard | Rock-n-Roll Wedding |
| Brook Benton | Got What it Takes |
| Fats Domino | Sick and Tired |
| Walter Jackson | There Goes That Song |
| Clyde McPhatter | Boogie Woogie Roll |
| Big Maybelle | Don’t Want to Cry |
| Chuck Willis | Hang Up My Rock-n-Roll Shoes |
| Lenny Williams | 10 Ways of Loving You |
| Candy Staton | Young Hearts Run Free |
| Jackie Wilson | By The Light of the Silvery Moon |
| Clarence Carter | Strokin |
| The Drifters | Under The Boardwalk |
| Earl Bostic | Moonglow |
| Solomon Burke | Cry To Me |
| Jr. Walker & allstars | What Does it Take |
| Mary Wells | Two Lovers |
| The Five Keys | Ling, Ting Tong |
| The Temptations | The Way you do the Things you do |
| The Manhattans | I’ll Never Find Another Love |
