Contrary to some people’s beliefs, Ritchie Valens wasn’t born in Mexico but in the San Fernando area of Los Angeles. His parents, though, were both from Mexico.
He was one of the forerunners of what became known as “Chicano Rock.” Mexican-American artists have their own style of music, especially Rock n Roll. So, when we look at the top ten Ritchie Valens songs, we are going to see evidence of that music culture.
Oh Very Young
Cat Stevens wrote, “Oh very young – What will you leave us this time? – You’re only dancing on this earth for a short while.” That sentiment certainly applied to Ritchie Valens. He was only 17 when he died in the same plane crash that took Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper as well as the pilot. “Oh Very Young,” indeed.
But, despite his young age, he was still recognized as one of Rock n Roll’s emerging talents. And, despite the fact he had never actually released an album in his lifetime. However, he had already scored some hit records, which are included on this list.
The future was yet to come, but sadly not for him…
Fortunately, 70 or so years after his death, his music is still played and enjoyed, and a few of Ritchie Valens’ best songs became Rock n Roll standards. Perhaps his death was a bigger loss to music than people realized at the time.
Unfortunately, there are not many options when it comes to choosing the top 10 songs by Ritchie Valens. They might be few in number, but his songs capture the excitement of the time when Rock & Roll was beginning to shake the world. Let’s take a look and listen.
Top 50 Ritchie Valens Songs
1 Paddiwack Song
This is actually an English nursery rhyme. The origins of the song go back to at least the 1840s in England. It was published in the English Folk-Songs for Schools in 1906.
Much later, it was revived by Peter Seeger. Over 250 years, the song has had a range of lyrics and verses, but the version most sung today is the Seeger version. He included it in his album, American Folk Songs For Children, which he recorded in 1953.
I expect wherever you live, you may have sung this at school, “Well this old man, he played six – He played knick-knack on my sticks – Knick-knack, paddywhack, give a dog a bone – This old man came rollin’ home.” Ritchie Valens’ version gave it a new arrangement in a very Rock and Roll style.
2 Framed
This was a song released as the B-side to “Come On Let’s Go.” It was written by Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber and was first released by The Robins in 1954.
It is a song with a political and racial undertone which was not common at the time. There are some humorous lyrics in the song. But, it mainly deals with an issue that still seems to be relevant today in racially sensitive areas in America. “I was framed, framed – I was blamed, framed – Well, I never knew nothin’ – But I always get framed.”
The song was included on the first posthumous album and is one example of how good this young man was in his time. It may well have been the case that his community was subject to the racial equality that impacted African-Americans. His version doesn’t pull any punches in its performance.
3 My Darling is Gone
The first posthumous album of Ritchie Valens’ work was successful and reached #23 on the American Album chart. Bob Keane was given the job of assembling and preparing to release any material not already used. Everything that was initially considered usable had already been included on the first album, Ritchie Valens.
It was no easy task since all that was left were rough cuts and quickly prepared demos. However, he did a remarkable job of piecing them all together. It didn’t generate any big hits, but it gave us something else.
There could be little done to polish up the vocals, which is one of the interesting things about the recordings. “My Darling Is Gone” was one of the tracks on the album Ritchie. When you hear it, there is a raw feel to it that is what he would have sounded like when laying down the demo. That gives the song historical significance.
4 That’s My Little Suzie
This is the first track on the first posthumous Ritchie Valens album after his death. It was assembled from previously unreleased material by Bob Keane and released in March 1959.
This has an interesting typical 50s rhythm, with writing credits going to Richie Valens and Bob Keane. It demonstrates how he was able to take on different styles of music and still deliver a good performance.
5 Boney Maroney
This is another track from that first posthumous album, Ritchie Valens. First released by Larry Williams in 1957, this is a Rock n Roll classic that has been covered by dozens of people.
Considering when it was recorded, the Valens version has got something extra with some well-constructed guitar work. I tried to establish who was playing the guitar part. I cannot find any definitive statement other than a couple of passing references. However, he was known for being a useful guitarist, so it wouldn’t surprise me if it was him.
6 Little Girl
This was a track that was released while Ritchie Valens was still alive in 1958. It didn’t do too well on the American chart, only reaching #92. Once again, it was a collaboration between Valens and Bob Keane. A typically 50s song, it wouldn’t have been out of place in the film American Graffiti.
Despite its lack of appeal to the record-buying public at the time, it is a well-loved Ritchie Valens song by his fans. Probably because it was released before the accident.
7 Ooh! My Head
When everything had calmed down after the plane crash, we were left with a considerable amount of work that Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper had left behind. Not the case with Ritchie Valens. At 17 years old, he hadn’t really even started.
The lack of material is evident, but he gave us a glimpse of what he could do. That is an indication of what he may have become. This song is one of those that give us that insight.
This is 50s Rock n Roll, and he could knock it out with the best of them. The voice, the look, and, of course, he was actually playing the guitar, unlike some did. There is no doubt he would have gone far.
8 Donna
A poignant tale of one of the top ten Ritchie Valens songs. Ritchie met his childhood sweetheart at the school they both went to, San Fernando High. Her name was Donna Ludwig. He had mentioned to her he was writing a song about her, but she didn’t get to hear it before the accident.
The first time she heard it was after his death when she heard it on the radio. It had been recorded just a few months before the accident, and it was supposed to be a surprise for her.
The song was released in December of 1958 and went to #2 in America and #4 in Australia. In turn, “Donna” became one of Ritche Valens’ most popular songs and a hit record.
9 Come On, Let’s Go
Back in the mists of time, my parents decided to upgrade our old Dansette Junior record player and bought a Radiogram. The main reason was that my sister was Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis mad, my dad liked Sarah Vaughan, and my mother, Perry Como. Me? I was too young, they thought. However, everyone was allowed to buy one single to celebrate the purchase, and they did let me join in with that.
I wanted “Come On Let’s Go” by Tommy Steele. And, despite attempts at persuading me to get “How Much Is That Doggie In The Window,” I got my way. Unbeknown to me, of course, it had been already been a hit in America for Ritchie Valens.
What was incredible about the song was that he was only 16 when he wrote it. In America, it reached #42 towards the end of 1958. It became the first song with a Chicano influence to become a hit on mainstream charts. Once again, it leaves us wondering what might have been if he had lived because this is top-drawer purist rock n roll.
10 La Bamba
Undoubtedly the song he will always be associated with and on most people’s lists as one of the Rock n Roll sounds of the 50s. It started life as the B-side of the single “Donna,” but it wasn’t long before it took on a life of its own.
It is an adaptation of a traditional Mexican folk song originally recorded as “El Jarocho” in 1938 by Alvaro Hernández Ortiz. Ritchie discarded the traditional folk arrangement and gave it some souped-up Rock n Roll instead.
As a single, it wasn’t as successful as “Donna,” only reaching #22 on the American chart. But, it became Ritchie Valens’ most famous song and is now recognized as one of the great tracks of the period.
11We Belong Together by Ritchie Valens
12Rockin’ All Night by Ritchie Valens
13In a Turkish Town by Ritchie Valens
14Bluebirds Over the Mountain by Ritchie Valens
15Stay Beside Me by Ritchie Valens
16Cry, Cry, Cry by Ritchie Valens
17Dooby Dooby Wah by Ritchie Valens
18Hi-Tone by Ritchie Valens
19Fast Freight by Ritchie Valens
20Big Baby Blues by Ritchie Valens
21Let’s Rock and Roll by Ritchie Valens
22My Blue Heaven by Ritchie Valens
23Hurry Up by Ritchie Valens
24My Heart by Ritchie Valens
25Now You’re Gone by Ritchie Valens
26Ooh! My Soul by Ritchie Valens
27Little Mama by Ritchie Valens
28Valens’ Blues by Ritchie Valens
29Donna (Spanish Version) by Ritchie Valens
30Stay in My Heart by Ritchie Valens
31You’re My One and Only by Ritchie Valens
32Malagueña by Ritchie Valens
33La Bamba (45 version) by Ritchie Valens
34Ritchie’s Blues by Ritchie Valens
35That’s My Little Suzie (1959 version) by Ritchie Valens
36I’m a Fool to Care by Ritchie Valens
37Let’s Go by Ritchie Valens
38Little Girl (single version) by Ritchie Valens
39Blue Monday by Ritchie Valens
40Boney-Moronie by Ritchie Valens
41From Beyond by Ritchie Valens
42Do You Wanna Dance? by Ritchie Valens
43Donna (Alternate Version) by Ritchie Valens
44Hi-Tone (Alternate Version) by Ritchie Valens
45Let’s Rock and Roll (Alternate Version) by Ritchie Valens
46Now You’re Gone (Alternate Version) by Ritchie Valens
47Cry, Cry, Cry (Alternate Version) by Ritchie Valens
48In a Turkish Town (Alternate Version) by Ritchie Valens
49Ooh! My Soul (Alternate Version) by Ritchie Valens
50Little Girl, Little Girl (Alternate Version) by Ritchie Valens
Want More Music from the 50s and 60s?
Well, check out our thoughts on the Most Famous Singers Of The 1950s, the Most Famous Black Singers Of The 1960s, the Best 60s Rock Bands, the Top Frank Sinatra Songs Of All Time, and the Best Beatles Songs for more incredible song selections.
Top 50 Ritchie Valens Songs – Final Thoughts
But for the intervention of fate, where would we be today? In just 15 months, we lost Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, and Eddie Cochran. Where would we be today if they had all lived?
I suspect we may have been lauding someone else as the King Of Rock n Roll. Holly and Cochran were good musicians and wrote great songs. Their records at the time were way ahead of all others. That sets them above anyone else if we are talking ‘great.’ Richie Valens, though, never got the chance to compete.
He was taken far too soon…
All that was left of this 17-year-old was some half-finished demos, an awful live recording at a school dance, and some rehearsal tapes. Not much for a young man clearly very talented for his time.
Bob Keane managed to put together two posthumous albums, Ritchie and Ritchie Valens, both released in 1959, but that was it. But, never mind, what we have been left with was memorable Rock n Roll from the time. Maybe that is enough.
Until next time, let the music play.
