It’s 20 years before I’m born – February, 1957 – this week. Let’s take a break from April, 2022 to hear what it sounded like…
The songs of February, 1957
“A Rose And A Baby Ruth” – George Hamilton Iv
“Banana Boat Song” – Fontane Sisters
“Banana Boat Song” – Harry Belafonte
“Banana Boat Song” – Steve Lawrence*
“Banana Boat Song” – Tarriers*
“Blue Monday” – Fats Domino
“Blueberry Hill” – Fats Domino
“Can I Steal A Little Love” – Frank Sinatra*
“Cinco Robles” – Russell Arms*
“Cindy Oh Cindy” – Eddie Fisher
“Don’t Forbid Me” – Pat Boone
“Gonna Get Along Without You Now” – Patience And Prudence
“Green Door” – Jim Lowe
“Hey Jealous Lover” – Frank Sinatra
“I Dreamed” – Betty Johnson
“I Love My Baby” – Jill Corey
“Jamaica Farewell” – Harry Belanfonte
“Jim Dandy” – Lavern Baker
“Just Walkin’ In The Rain” – Johnnie Ray
“Knee Deep In The Blues” – Guy Mitchell*
“Love Is Strange” – Mickey And Sylvia
“Love Me Tender” – Elvis Presley
“Marianne” – Hilltoppers*
“Marianne” – Terry Gilkyson And The Easy Riders*
“Moonlight Gambler” – Frankie Laine
“On My Word Of Honour” – Platters
“Rock-A-Bye My Baby” – Jerry Lee Lewis
“Since I Met You Baby” – Ivory Joe Hunter
“Singing The Blues” – Guy Mitchell
“Too Much” – Elvis Presley
“True Love” – Bing Crosby And Grace Kelly
“Who Needs You” – Four Lads*
“Wringle Wrangle” – Fess Parker*
“You Don’t Owe Me A Thing” – Johnnie Ray
“Young Love” – Sonny James
“Young Love” – Tab Hunter
* = 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 the 16th of the month, the “Toddlers’ Truce”, a mandated television close down between 6 and 7 pm, was abolished in the United Kingdom. Apparently it had been around since the end of the war and was indeed designed to ensure children got off to bed!
It was controversial, aside from the parenting-by-numbers aspect of it, because it didn’t have an impact on the BBC – who were paid for by the government and actually saved money by not having to have programming – but effected the revenue of the newer, commercial, ITV network.
Speaking of controversy, of a much heavier sort, on the 18 February, 68-year-old Whanganui farmer Walter Bolton became the last person to be executed in New Zealand when he was hanged at Mount Eden prison. Well done, New Zealand on ending that barbarism.
Later that month Swedish film classic “The Seventh Seal”, directed by Ingmar Bergman, was released. Watch the trailer below:
Some history
What’d Sadie think?
A bit of chop and change around the number 1 spot this month. “Singing The Blues” by Guy Mitchell holds on for 1 more week before Pat Boone’s “Don’t Forbid Me” hits a high for a week and then “Young Love” by Tab Hunter rounds it out for the last. 2 weeks.
It’s a relatively light, post-Xmas, set of new songs on the charts this week….
Another “Banana Boat Song” cover, this time by Steve Lawrence. Some songs have great covers. But with some songs it’s really just all about the original. Banana Boat Song is one of the latter. So pass on this version.
Meanwhile, “Can I Steal A Little Love” by Frank Sinatra is Frank belting it out at his best. Great stuff!
But then when listening to “Cinco Robles” by Russell Arms we were asleep 4 bars in. Luckily we woke up to listen to “Knee Deep In The Blues” by Guy Mitchell which ain’t bad. Nor is “Who Needs You” by the Four Lads. But neither really grabbed us.
I’m not sure what is going on in “Marianne” by the Hilltoppers, but the lyrics “Leave your fat old mamma home, she never will say yes” are probably the least problematic aspect of it? Apparently it was a traditional calypso song made popular by Trinidadian calypsonian, “Roaring Lion” that was popular in 1945 after V-J day in Trinidad. But I think by 1957 it was all a tad lost in translation. Though wikipedia tells me that it was used as comedy number about my all-time favourite, Cary Grant, which went something like this…
All day, all night, Cary Grant
That’s all I hear from my wife, is Cary Grant
What can he do that I can’t
Big deal, big star, Cary Grant
“Wringle Wrangle” is a song by Fess Parker that is so terrible its borderline great . The name rang a bell, and it turns out he is known for his portrayals of Davy Crockett in the Disney TV miniseries which ran from ’54-55. Which the mere mention of has that song from a few weeks back stuck in our ear.
Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.