John Lennon’s 16th birthday

The rock ‘n’ roll fanatic John Lennon used his 16th birthday money to buy two much-prized 78rpm records.

While each was quite different, they both had a marked influence on the young Lennon. Elvis Presley’s ‘Hound Dog’ was backed with ‘Don’t Be Cruel’, both songs destined to become classics.

The other vinyl disc was by The Goons, the comedy troupe whose broadcasts Lennon cherished. The release in question was ‘The Ying-Tong Song’, written by Spike Milligan, which reached number three in the charts in 1956.

Hound Dog by Elvis Presley

Last updated: 26 May 2020
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