We’ve had our first sighting of Xmas advertising in New Zealand, so no doubt things were feeling decidedly Xmasy a month later in November of 1954. No sign of seasonal tunes yet but we have a bumper crop of 10 new tunes on the mainstream charts….
The songs of November, 1954
“Bazoom I Need Your Lovin'” – Cheers
“Cara Mia” – David Whitfield
“Count Your Blessings” – Eddie Fisher
“Dim Dim The Lights” – Bill Haley And His Comets
“Hajji Baba” – Nat King Cole
“Hey There” – Rosemary Clooney
“Hold My Hand” – Don Cornell
“I Need You Now” – Eddie Fisher
“If I Give My Heart To You” – Denise Lor
“If I Give My Heart To You” – Doris Day
“It’s A Woman’s World” – Four Aces
“Make Yourself Comfortable” – Sarah Vaughan
“Mambo Italiano” – Rosemary Clooney
“Mr Sandman” – Chordettes
“Mr Sandman” – Four Aces
“Muskrat Ramble” – Mcguire Sisters
“Papa Loves Mambo” – Perry Como
“Runaround” – Three Chuckles
“Sh-Boom” – Crew Cuts
“Shake Rattle And Roll” – Bill Haley And His Comets
“Skokiaan” – Four Lads
“Skokiaan” – Ralph Marterie
“Smile” – Nat King Cole
“Teach Me Tonight” – Decastro Sisters
“The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane” – Ames Brothers
“This Ole House” – Rosemary Clooney
“Wither Thou Goest” – Les Paul & Mary Ford
You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link or embedded below:
This month in history
How long ago was 1954? Well french artist, Henri Matisse born in _1869_, died aged 84 on November 3 of the year. Here’s a nice documentary on his life:
Meanwhile just being birthed was “Hancock’s Half Hour” on BBC radio. Comedian Tony Hancock starred in the show, playing an exaggerated and much poorer version of his own character and lifestyle, Anthony Aloysius St John Hancock, a down-at-heel comedian.
By all accounts the series was influential in the development of the situation comedy, with its move away from radio variety towards a focus on character development. You can listen to a 1954 episode below:
On November 23rd The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 3.27 points, or 0.86 percent, closing at an all-time high of 382.74. More significantly, this is the first time the Dow has surpassed its peak level reached just before the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Only took two decades, a world war and major economic boom…
Speaking of boom, this was the month the world was introduced to the classic film monster Godzilla:
What’d Sadie think?
“This Ole House” by Rosemary Clooney takes the number 1 spot all month, and deservedly so to our ears. Though there’s some brilliant newcomers…
The charts start on a fun note with “Bazoom I Need Your Lovin'” by The Cheers. If you’re not singing “bazooooom” by the end of the song and the rest of your day you’re not listening close enough.
“Count Your Blessings” by Eddie Fisher is just all too chill after Bazoom I’m afraid Eddie.
Bill Haley And His Comets follow up “Shake rattle and roll” with “Dim Dim The Lights” which is a bit too similar yet not as good.
“Hajji Baba” by Nat King Cole showcases his amazing voice but is a fairly lacklustre song. It’s from the soundtrack to the 1954 film, “The Adventures of Hajji Baba” which is as exploitive as you imagine a ’50s film named this to be. You can watch the whole film here:
Who knew, before it was “A Man’s world” it was “(It’s A) Woman’s World” according to the Four Aces. Now I wasn’t around in the 1950’s but I do believe that wasn’t strictly speaking the case. The lyrics speak volumes,
It’s a woman’s world when she’s in love
It’s a woman’s world, his kiss can make her glow
And that’s what makes it so, it’s a woman’s world
But it has a lovely melody despite the content. Speaking of lovely, “Make Yourself Comfortable” by Sarah Vaughan had us swaying.
Ok I’ll confess, I thought “Mambo Italiano” was a Dean Martin song originally but he didn’t cover it till 1955. It was written in 1954 for Rosemary Clooney whose version is just great. Bob Merrill reportedly wrote it “under a recording deadline, scribbling hastily on a paper napkin in an Italian restaurant in New York City, and then using the wall pay-phone to dictate the melody, rhythm and lyrics to the studio pianist.”. Who saws greatness takes time? (People who charge by the hour.)
It’s a month for the classics we all know. “Mr Sandman” by the Chordettes wasn’t the first version, that was by Vaughn Monroe and his orchestra, but it was the first to chart. I need a new way to say “it’s a classic for a reason”.
Meanwhile there’s a reason why you don’t recognise “Runaround” by Three Chuckles. Neither the song or the band have been heard of since, snore!
“The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane” by Ames Brothers closes the charts and is just weird. But the horns and “boom-diddi-booms” are fun. I shan’t spoil the ending…
So go listen to it, and the rest of the playlist in full playlist on Youtube via this link.