Preston Epps is an American drummer and percussionist chiefly known for his use of the bongos. In 1959 he released the utterly unique (for the time) hybrid of surf-rockabilly and head-spinning bongo beats known as Bongo Rock- today's Best Song Ever.
Bongo Rock kicked off a resurgence of interest in bongo flavoured pop music, with Epps himself crafting many follow up singles (such as Bongo Rocket, Bootlace Bongo, and the aptly named Bongo Bongo Bongo). The original (later covered in 1973 by The Incredible Bongo Band) still remains the best example of the form- punk slashes of surf guitar duking it out with the spine shimmying bongo lines.
Clocking in at a little over two minutes, the song remains as danceable and toe tapping as it did fifty years ago. The bongos can't help but remind me of the old Hanna-Barbara cartoon sound effect of characters running away, but this only adds to the song's charm. I love imagining a rebel-without-a-cause version of Yogi Bear running from a squadron of motorcycle bound Ranger Smiths.
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