5 Flop Songs From The '50s That Belong On Every Road Trip Playlist

No matter the season, it's always a good time to get behind the wheel and take on America's most iconic road trips, hitting the road from state to state, coast to coast, or wherever the feeling takes you. And we all know a road trip is not complete without a driving playlist. Perhaps you, like me, tend to theme your playlists? On a trip around Scotland last summer, we had nine hours of songs by Scottish acts and artists — and yes, "500 Miles" snuck on there.

Maybe your driving playlists are themed to decades. If so, the hits or the flops from the '80s are a must. And by "flop," we mean a song that didn't do well in its own time and/or on first release, which is all the more reason to show it some love now. Here we have chosen "flop" songs from the '50s that deserve to be on your next road trip playlist for a good sing-along as the miles fly by. We can't quite believe these tracks didn't do well on first release, as they're such iconic tracks in the rock 'n' roll canon now, so it's never too late to love a good thing. Let's hit the road.

No self-respecting playlist is complete without Elvis. His back catalog has so much to choose from, and maybe you've been grooving to the best road trip songs of the '60s, enjoying bangers from his 1968 comeback special as you sing along down the highway. "Suspicious Minds" live in Vegas is our personal favorite.

But today we urge you to consider adding an excellent flop to your queue. Back when Elvis was still recording at Sun Records, his 1955 version of "Mystery Train" did not make the Top 40. Quite surprising considering the King's catalog of hits.

No one did Gothic Americana quite like The Man in Black, Johnny Cash. His knack for telling dark stories set him apart from other stars of his era. A righteous floor stomper that's ideal for long drives,
"Folsom Prison Blues" was released as a B-side to "So Doggone Lonesome" in 1955, and was something of a quiet flop.

Just over a decade later, a new live version of the B-side topped the country charts for four weeks, following the Man in Black's iconic 1968 Folsom Prison show. More than 50 years later, the tune is the perfect stomper for any long American road trip.

You would never believe it, but what is now one of our most beloved Christmas songs was originally quite a flop. When Chuck Berry first released "Run Rudolph Run" in 1958 he was already one of the biggest names in music, but it is fair to say that the wider public wasn't ready for a festive rock 'n' roll rager like this. Christmas songs of the era tended to be more traditional, and "Run Rudolph Run" was anything but, it's titular character notwithstanding.

Perhaps it was ahead of its time, but it barely made a dent in the pop charts. However, cemented by its use in the '90s hit movie "Home Alone," the song experienced a renaissance in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Better late than never, and you get us where we're going on our festive road trips.

Artists finding fame after their death is nothing new, but a posthumous resurgence can never overshadow the tragedy of a life cut short. The story of Mexican-American rock 'n' roll star Ritchie Valens is particularly tragic. His track "Come On, Let's Go" is a brilliant, driving tune that encourages forward movement with its catchy guitar riffs and positive lyrics. But in his own lifetime, Valens didn't get very far with this track, as it was only a moderate chart success.

His tragic death at age 17 came during the Winter Dance Party tour, when he and Buddy Holly were among those killed in a plane crash in 1959. Valens' death brought with it a resurgence in popularity, particularly after the 1987 movie about his life, "La Bamba," which highlighted his role as a pioneer of Chicano rock 'n' roll.

Rock 'n' roll flops didn't just happen Stateside. British rockabilly singer Vince Taylor released "Brand New Cadillac" in 1959 as a B-side to "Pledgin' My Love," receiving little fanfare and certainly no chart position. The jaunty chords and almost surf-rock-style drums provided by his backing band The Playboys sound like they could have come straight from a Batman chase scene, well before the Caped Crusader hit television screens.

Either way, it's a great driving soundtrack, but the track was all but forgotten until iconic British band The Clash covered it on "London Calling," the 1979 LP that went on to be one of punk's defining albums. Why not add both to your road trip playlist?