"Peggy Sue" was recorded by Buddy Holly and released in 1957. While the name belonged to a girl who was dating Holly's drummer, there was no romantic triangle. The song had originally been called "Cindy Lou," but Holly preferred the new name for the song. Holly recorded a sequel to the song, "Peggy Sue Got Married," which was released after Holly's death in an infamous plane crash Feb. 3, 1959.
"Great Balls of Fire," by Jerry Lee Lewis, is listed on popculturemadness.com's list of '50s songs that "Mom and Dad Hated." The song was typical of Lewis' style of intense playing style and what was, for the time, thinly veiled sexuality. In the words of the Artist Direct's biography, "he was every parents' worst nightmare perfectly realized: a long, blonde-haired Southerner who played the piano and sang with uncontrolled fury and abandon, while simultaneously reveling in his own sexuality." His music pushed the musical boundaries of the time and inspired future artists like Eric Clapton.
"Rock Around the Clock," by Bill Haley and His Comets, has come to represent both early rock 'n' roll and the entire 1950s, thanks to its inclusion as the title music for the TV show "Happy Days." The song was written by Max Freedman and intended for Bill Haley to perform. However, factors prevented Haley from recording the song until 1954. The rock number was released when rock 'n' roll was still reasonably obscure, so the record company originally labeled the song a "Novelty Foxtrot."