The Forgotten Song

356 words

The Forgotten Song

As he aged, Old Joe Lewis, a former blues singer, made it his life mission to educate the younger generation about the hidden history of modern popular music. He highlighted the great R&B hits of the 1940s and 1950s on his podcast, The Forgotten Song, challenging his listeners to explore the original versions of songs like the classic song, “Hound Dog” This track, one of Elvis's greatest hits, had an earlier and mostly forgotten original version by Big Mama Thornton

He played the top music of the 50s, comparing the white cover versions to the raw and unfiltered Black versions on the "race list," which was later renamed R&B. He argued that the most popular rock songs were often white covers of Black songs, which are now mostly forgotten.
His curated list and the podcast went viral.

Popular Songs of the 1950s

Mona Lisa - Nat King Cole
The Tennessee Waltz - Patti Page
Don't Be Cruel - Elvis Presley
Rock Around the Clock - Bill Haley & His Comets
Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley

"Race Songs" (later known as Rhythm & Blues)

Hound Dog - Big Mama Thornton
Rocket 88 - Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats
Maybellene - Chuck Berry
Tutti Frutti - Little Richard
Shake, Rattle and Roll - Big Joe Turner

His list and podcast reignited a debate among music critics about the legacy of Funk, Disco, R&B, Motown,
and hip-hop, as alternatives to the toned-down, white establishment versions of the same songs. He noted that while
white artists made millions, their Black counterparts often struggled to make a living.

Social conservatives were quick to denounce his podcast as just another example of the radical left-wing cultural Marxism, multiculturalism, and the DEI "woke virus" that they claimed was ruining the country's culture. Even the President and Vice President gave their opinion denouncing this sad misguided left-wing attack on American cultural traditions and noted. that Joe Lewis did not discuss country music at all.

His supporters, particularly those in the music industry, sided with Old Joe, saying it was long overdue to fully examine the roots of most modern popular music.