Eddie Cochran: Two of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 500 Songs that Shaped Rock & Roll

Eddie Cochran

Eddie Cochran

Birth name: Ray Edward Cochran
Born: October 3, 1938
Albert Lea, Minnesota, US.
Died: April 17, 1960 (aged 21)
Bath, Somerset, England
Occupation: Singer-songwriter, musician
Instruments: Guitar, vocals
Years active:1952–1960

Eddie Cochran was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. Two of his songs, "C'mon Everybody" and "Summertime Blues," appear on the Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock list and are among Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 choices of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Summertime Blues  (1958)

Eddie Cochran

"Summertime Blues" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. It ranks number 74 on Rolling Stone's 2003 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It's also on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's list of "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll;."

Cochran was 19 years old when he recorded "Summertime Blues." He wrote it with Jerry Capehart, a songwriter who helped him get a record deal. It's about a teenager's summer vacation struggles with his parents, boss, and congressman. Capehart explained the inspiration for this song in Rolling Stone magazine's Top 500 songs issue:

"There had been a lot of songs about summer, but none about the hardships of summer." 

James Dean

It was a big hit with teenagers who related to the lyrics. It created a "James Dean" type of image for Cochran: a Rebel With a Guitar. His legend was secured two years later when he died at 21 years old while riding in the back of a taxi. 

"Summertime Blues" was planned as the B-side of "Love Again," a song written by 17-year-old Sharon Sheeley. Female songwriters were rare then, but Sheeley's first effort, "Poor Little Fool," was a number 1 hit for Ricky Nelson. Eddy's record company knew "Summertime Blues" was the bigger hit. Sheeley provided the hand claps on it. 

Eventually, she became Cochran's girlfriend. She was in the car when it crashed and killed him in 1960.

Marc Bolan

Marc Bolan of T. Rex recorded the song in 1970 as the B-side to their breakthrough "Ride a White Swan" single in a strange turn of events. Bolan died at 29 years old in an automobile accident. His girlfriend, Gloria Jones, who first recorded "Tainted Love," was driving the car that killed him.

Gloria Jones & Marc Bolan

C'mon Everybody (1958)

"C'mon Everybody" by Eddie Cochran" was initially released as the B-side of his hit song "Summertime Blues." It was Cochran's most significant hit before his death. In the United States, the song got to number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's ranked number 411 on the 2003 Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. 

Eddy Cochran & Sharon Sheely

The Sex Pistols covered it in 1979, and it's on the soundtrack to their movie "The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle." The song charted at number 14 in the UK a second time in 1988 after it was used in Levi's jeans commercial. The ad featured Cochran's former fiancé, Sharon Sheeley. The storyline was about how she got Eddy's attention by wearing Levis.

Somethin' Else (1959)

Cochran wrote "Somethin' Else with Sharon Sheeley and his older brother, Bob Cochran. The lyrics describe how Cochran wants a convertible he can't afford, and a girl he doesn't think will go out with him. He saves his money, buys an older car, and asks the girl out. It peaked at 22 on the UK Singles Chart but only reached 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. 

Somethin' Else (1979)

Sid Vicious

The Sex Pistols released a cover of "Something Else," credited to "Sex Pistols: vocals Sid Vicious," three weeks after Vicious died. It peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart.