While the new sound of rock and roll came to dominate the pop record charts during The Elvis Era, there was still a place for the classic love song. These are the songs for slow dancing and romancing at the local lover's lane. Of course in those days you'd mostly have to rely on the local deejay to provide the right song at the right time as this was before even the 8-Track players had been invented. I've selected and ranked what I consider to be the best "love" songs of the era -- excluding the heartbreak songs. There is some gray area here as some, while proclaiming eternal love, still are a bit of a lament over lost love. For example, Ray Charles' "I Can't Stop Loving You" is clearly tinged with sadness, it seems to me it is expressing an undying love.

Two of the top three are instrumentals. My top ranked romance song, "Stranger on the Shore" could easily be disqualified from this list if the lyrics were considered, but since there are no voices on the record, I choose to ignore those lyrics which clearly declare a heart break produced as one watches their love sail away "taking all my dreams and taking all of me." On the other hand, "A Summer Place" is a bonafide love song even with the lyrics: "There are no gloomy skies when seen through the eyes of those who are blessed with love." The number two ranked "Moon River" could also have been an instrumental as Henry Mancini's version reached #11 in 1962. Jerry Butler also had a #11 vocal version of the song. But I listed Andy Williams' version, even though it was never released as a single -- most recognize it as the classic version.

Johnny Mathis and The Lettermen both get two songs in the top twenty. Mathis was the king of the romantic ballad during The Elvis Era. I selected "Misty" at #8 even though it was (at the time) one of his less popular ballads. Mr. Mathis had nine top twenty records during the era, five of which I would give an A+ rating. The Lettermen were the soft counterpoint to rock and roll in the early 1960's and their renditions of two romantic classics, "The Way You Look Tonight" and "When I Fall in Love" both make the list.

The Platters were ever-present on the charts in the mid to late 1950's and their r&b influenced ballads are representative of the era. I find "Twilight Time" to be their best -- another Platter classic, "Only You" predates the era (1955). The doo-wop sound of rock and roll is also represented on the list by The Flamingo's "I Only Have Eyes For You," The Fleetwoods' "Come Softly To Me" and The Capris' "There's A Moon Out Tonight."

There are other romance songs that I would also give an A+ rating, but to continue to split hairs and rank them is too taxing an effort -- therefore they are listed in alphabetical order.