There’s something nice about the current month, in 2022, matching the year we are listening to – in this case, May, 1957. Let’s listen!
The songs of May, 1957
“A Teenager’s Romance” – Ricky Nelson*
“A White Sport Coat” – Marty Robbins
“All Shook Up” – Elvis Presley
“Almost Paradise” – Roger Williams
“Bernadine” – Pat Boone*
“Butterfly” – Andy Williams
“Butterfly” – Charlie Gracie
“Chantez-Chantez” – Dinah Shore
“Come Go With Me” – Dell-Vikings
“Dark Moon” – Bonnie Guitar
“Dark Moon” – Gale Storm*
“Empty Arms” – Teresa Brewer*
“Four Walls” – Jim Reeves*
“Goin’ Steady” – Tommy Sands*
“Gone” – Ferlin Husky
“He’s Mine” – Platters*
“I Just Don’T Know” – Four Lads*
“I’m Sorry” – Platters
“I’m Stickin’ With You” – Jimmy Bowen & Rhythm Orchids
“I’m Walkin'” – Fats Domino
“I’m Walkin'” – Ricky Nelson*
“Little Darlin'” – Diamonds
“Love Is A Golden Ring” – Frankie Laine
“Love Letters In The Sand” – Pat Boone*
“Lucille” – Little Richard
“Mama Look At Bubu” – Harry Belafonte
“Mangos” – Rosemary Clooney*
“Marianne” – Hilltoppers
“Marianne” – Terry Gilkyson & Easy Riders
“Ninety-Nine Ways” – Tab Hunter
“Party Doll” – Buddy Knox
“Party Doll” – Steve Lawrence
“Pledge Of Love” – Ken Copeland*
“Pledge Of Love” – Mitchell Torok*
“Rock-A-Billy” – Guy Mitchell
“Round And Round” – Perry Como
“School Day” – Chuck Berry
“Searchin'” – Coasters*
“Shish-Kebab” – Ralph Marterie Orchestra*
“Sittin’ In The Balcony” – Eddie Cochran
“So Rare” – Jimmy Dorsey
“Start Movin'” – Sal Mineo*
“Talkin’ To The Blues” – Jim Lowe*
“Teenage Crush” – Tommy Sands
“Who Needs You” – Four Lads
“Why Baby Why” – Pat Boone
“Wonderful Wonderful” – Johnny Mathis*
“Yes Tonight Josephine” – Johnnie Ray*
“Young Blood” – Coasters
* = New to the chart this week.
You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link or embedded below:
This month in history
On May 1, very veteran broadcaster Larry King makes his first appearance on radio. As the story goest he manager of a small station, WAHR in Miami Beach, hired him to clean up and perform miscellaneous tasks. When one of the station’s announcers abruptly quit, King was put on the air.
And then, in a big month for media history, on May 6 the Pulitzer prize is awarded to Senator John F. Kennedy for “Profiles in Courage”, a 1956 volume of short biographies describing acts of bravery and integrity by eight United States Senators. Didn’t do his run for President any harm I’m sure.
On May 15 in Operation Grapple, Britain tests its first hydrogen bomb near Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. Luckily the threat of nuclear war has waned since…oh wait.
In more war related news, on May 17th at the 10th Cannes Film Festival: “Friendly Persuasion”, a civil war film directed by William Wyler wins the Palme d’Or. Interestingly the film was originally released with no screenwriting credit because Michal Wilson was on the Hollywood blacklist for being a “damn commie”. He continued to write, uncredited for some time, including the screenplay for personal favourite, “Planet of the Apes” (1968).
What’d Sadie think?
It’s Elvis all the time at the top of the charts with “All Shook Up” at number 1 for the whole month.
Love ’em
“A Teenager’s Romance” – Ricky Nelson
“Four Walls” – Jim Reeves
“Goin’ Steady” – Tommy Sands
“Searchin'” – Coasters
Like ’em
“Bernadine” – Pat Boone
“Dark Moon” – Gale Storm
“Empty Arms” – Teresa Brewer
“He’s Mine” – Platters
“I’m Walkin'” – Ricky Nelson
“Mangos” – Rosemary Clooney
“Pledge Of Love” – Ken Copeland
“Start Movin'” – Sal Mineo
“Wonderful Wonderful” – Johnny Mathis
Leave ’em
“I Just Don’t Know” – Four Lads
“Love Letters In The Sand” – Pat Boone
“Shish-Kebab” – Ralph Marterie Orchestra
“Talkin’ To The Blues” – Jim Lowe
“Yes Tonight Josephine” – Johnnie Ray
Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.