Up-to-dates

A day late this week because Sadie was away for the weekend. But most importantly… happy birthday darling Sadie! Yes, our little girl is two today. We started this a couple of weeks after she was born, which means we’ve nearly been at this for 24 months! Time really flies with a child, but even more so when you’re listening to music history at 4x speed. So after 2 years at it, it’s the middle of summer in the USA in July, 1958 on our charts. Let’s see what they were listening to by the pool…

Songs of the month

“A Certain Smile” – Johnny Mathis*
“All I Have To Do Is Dream” – Everly Brothers
“Big Man” – Four Preps
“Do You Want To Dance” – Bobby Freeman
“Don’t Ask Me Why” – Elvis Presley*
“Endless Sleep” – Jody Reynolds
“Fever” – Peggy Lee*
“For Your Precious Love” – Jerry Butler And The Impressions*
“Ginger Bread” – Frankie Avalon*
“Guess Things Happen That Way” – Johnny Cash
“Hard Headed Woman” – Elvis Presley
“High School Confidential” – Jerry Lee Lewis
“I Wonder Why” – Dion And The Belmonts
“If Dreams Came True” – Pat Boone*
“Jeannie Lee” – Jan And Arnie
“Johnny B. Goode” – Chuck Berry
“Just A Dream” – Jimmy Clanton*
“Left Right Out Of Your Heart” – Patti Page*
“Leroy” – Jack Scott
“Little Star” – Elegants*
“Looking Back” – Nat King Cole
“My True Love” – Jack Scott*
“No Chemise Please” – Gerry Granahan
“Oh Lonesome Me” – Don Gibson
“One Summer Night” – Danleers*
“Padre” – Toni Arden
“Patricia” – Prez Prado
“Poor Little Fool” – Ricky Nelson*
“Rebel Rouser” – Duane Eddy*
“Return To Me” – Dean Martin
“Secretly” – Jimmie Rodgers
“Splish Splash” – Bobby Darin
“Sugar Moon” – Pat Boone
“The Purple People Eater” – Sheb Wooley
“Twilight Time” – Platters
“Wear My Ring Around Your Neck” – Elvis Presley
“What Am I Living For” – Chuck Willis
“When” – Kalin Twins
“Willie And The Hand Jive” – Johnny Otis*
“Witch Doctor” – David Seville
“Yakety Yak” – Coasters

* = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

On the 2nd of July, the world’s largest hotel at the time, the 1,065-room Stardust Resort and Casino, opened in the United States in Las Vegas – home to many a crooner who will be in the charts over the coming years.

And on the 12th “The Quarrymen”, a group of Liverpool musicians (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, with drummer Colin Hanton and keyboardist John Lowe) paid 17 shillings and 6 pence to make their first professional recording, a 78 rpm disc of their performance of “In Spite of All the Danger” (an original song by McCartney and Harrison) and a cover version of Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be the Day”. Lennon, McCartney and Harrison (without Hanton and Lowe) would later rename the group “The Beatles”…

Then on the 14th over in Japan the first anime and first color television show, Mogura no Abanchūru (“Mole’s Adventure”), was telecast on Nippon TV (NTV).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF09NF3ywts

What’d Sadie think?

“The Purple People Eater” was number 1 for 2 weeks then “Yakety Yak” got a week at the top before “Patricia” by Prez Prado rounded out the month.

After I said just last week how infrequently we can’t find songs I was going to say we were missing 2 this week… but on further investigation it turns out there is an error in the charts I have where a song was misattributed to the wrong artist. Something I need to keep an eye on.

Loved ’em

“A Certain Smile” by Johnny Mathis is a lovely tune written for the 1958 film of the same name, based on the novel, also titled the same, by Françoise Sagan.

“Fever” was an R&B Chart hit in 1956, but this great cover by Peggy Lee became the most widely known version of and the singer’s signature song.

“Left Right Out Of Your Heart” is a typically fun Patti Page number.

“One Summer Night” was the debut, and biggest hit, for the Danleers – a lovely piece of doo-wop.

“Poor Little Fool” is a finger-snapping tune by Ricky Nelson with a fascinating origin. Written by 16 year old Sharon Sheeley. Working as a model she had apparently met Elvis Presley, and he encouraged her to write.

It was based on her disappointment following a short-lived relationship with Don Everly of The Everly Brothers. Sheeley sought Ricky Nelson to record the tune. She drove to his house, and claimed her car had broken down. He came to her aid, and she sprang the song on him. Her version was at a much faster tempo than his recording.

The awesomely named “Rebel Rouser” was Duane Eddy’s first gold disc and if it doesn’t have you stomping, clapping or clicking you’re not listening hard enough.

“Willie And The Hand Jive” is a great number by singer songwriter Johnny Otis. Apparently the tune was partly inspired by the music sung by a chain gang Otis heard while he was touring. The lyrics are about a man who became famous for doing a dance with his hands, but evidently the song has been accused of glorifying masturbation… How ’50s.

Liked ’em

And then there’s the best of the rest…

• “Don’t Ask Me Why” – Elvis Presley
• “For Your Precious Love” – Jerry Butler And The Impressions
• “If Dreams Came True” – Pat Boone
• “Just A Dream” – Jimmy Clanton
• “Little Star” – Elegants
• “My True Love” – Jack Scott
• “No Chemise Please” – Gerry Granahan

Leave ’em

• “Ginger Bread” – Frankie Avalon

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

We’re already six months through our 1958 journey, let’s see what is charting this month:

Songs of the month

“All I Have To Do Is Dream” – Everly Brothers
“Big Man” – Four Preps
“Book Of Love” – Monotones*
“Chanson D’Amour” – Art And Dotty Todd
“Do You Want To Dance” – Bobby Freeman
“Do You Want To Dance” – Laurie London*
“El Rancho Rock” – Champs*
“Endless Sleep” – Jody Reynolds*
“For Your Love” – Ed Townsend
“Guess Things Happen That Way” – Johnny Cash*
“Hard Headed Woman” – Elvis Presley*
“He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands” – Laurie London
“High School Confidential” – Jerry Lee Lewis*
“I Wonder Why” – Dion And The Belmonts*
“Jeannie Lee” – Jan And Arnie
“Johnny B. Goode” – Chuck Berry
“Kewpie Doll” – Perry Como
“Leroy” – Jack Scott*
“Let The Bells Keep Ringing” – Paul Anka*
“Looking Back” – Nat King Cole
“No Chemise Please” – Gerry Granahan*
“Oh Lonesome Me” – Don Gibson
“Padre” – Toni Arden*
“Patricia” – Prez Prado*
“Return To Me” – Dean Martin
“Rumble” – Link Wray
“Secretly” – Jimmie Rodgers
“Splish Splash” – Bobby Darin*
“Sugar Moon” – Pat Boone
“Talk To Me Talk To Me” – Little Willie John
“Tequila” – Champs
“The Purple People Eater” – Sheb Wooley*
“To Be Loved” – Jackie Wilson
“Torero” – Renato Carosone
“Twilight Time” – Platters
“Wear My Ring Around Your Neck” – Elvis Presley
“What Am I Living For” – Chuck Willis
“When” – Kalin Twins*
“Witch Doctor” – David Seville
“Yakety Yak” – Coasters*
“You” – Aquatones
“Zorro” – Chordettes*

* = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

On June 9 Queen Elizabeth officially opened London Gatwick Airport, (LGW) – my 3rd favourite airport in London (to be avoided if possible.) Great news reel from the time below:

We don’t talk much about album releases. – it’d complicate an already difficult task, but sometimes they come up in history notes. On June 24 Nina Simone released her debut jazz album “Little Girl Blue”. No footage from that year, but a few later we can see her on TV in 1961:

On June 17th the Wooden Roller Coaster at Playland, which is in the Pacific National Exhibition, Vancouver, Canada opened, and is still open to this day. A construction video from 1958 below doesn’t make it look any safer than “wooden roller coaster” sounds…

What’d Sadie think?

The awesome “All I Have To Do Is Dream” by the Everly Brothers hangs on to the number 1 spot for another week in June before new entrant, “The Purple People Eater” by Sheb Wooley, takes it for 4 weeks.

It very rarely happens, actually perhaps just one before, but I wasn’t able to find a version of one of the songs in the chart. “Do You Want To Dance” by Laurie London. It looks like this might be the b-side of “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands”. Clearly didn’t last as long as the latter!

Loved ’em

“Book Of Love” by the Monotones is a great piece of doo-wop. Written by three members of the group it was apparently inspired by a toothpaste commercial…

Lead singer Charles Patrick heard a Pepsodent toothpaste commercial with the line “you’ll wonder where the yellow went”/ “when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent”, which inspired him to come up with, “I wonder, wonder, wonder who, who wrote the book of love”.

“Endless Sleep” by Jody Reynolds is apparently a “teenage tragedy” pop song. Which is a genre I was not aware of,

that peaked in popularity in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Examples of the style are also known as “tear jerkers”, “death discs” or “splatter platters”,[1] among other colorful sobriquets coined by DJs that then passed into vernacular as the songs became popular. Often lamenting teenage death scenarios in melodramatic fashion, these songs were usually sung from the viewpoint of the dead person’s sweetheart

Apparently Reynolds wrote the song in 1956, after listening to Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel”, it was initially rejected by record companies as “too depressing”.

Speaking of depressing, but great, “Guess Things Happen That Way” by Johnny Cash is also about a dead lover.

In a 1958 interview Elvis Presley said that “Padre” by Toni Arden was his favorite song. It’s not bad.

On the lighter side of life we have “Splish Splash” which was Bobby Darin’s first hit. if you’re wondering where it came from well,

It was written with DJ Murray the K (Murray Kaufman), who bet that Darin could not write a song that began with the words, “Splish splash, I was takin’ a bath”, as suggested by Murray’s mother, Jean Kaufman.

Then on the even lighter side we have the classic “The Purple People Eater” by Sheb Wooley which tells how a strange creature (described as a “one-eyed, one-horned, flying, purple people eater”) descends to Earth because it wants to be in a rock ‘n’ roll band. And until now I did not realise the alien itself was not purple, but that it ate “purple people”. Go figure.

And then, because apparently it was a novelty song kind of month, we have “Yakety Yak” by the Coasters. Which I’ve heard a million times but didn’t realise it was about a parent telling their kid what chores to do. Great tune either way!

Now onto the rest of them…

Liked ’em

“El Rancho Rock” – Champs

“Hard Headed Woman” – Elvis Presley

“I Wonder Why” – Dion And The Belmonts

“Leroy” – Jack Scott

“Patricia” – Prez Prado

“When” – Kalin Twins

“Zorro” – Chordettes

“High School Confidential” – Jerry Lee Lewis

Leave ’em

“Let The Bells Keep Ringing” – Paul Anka

“No Chemise Please” – Gerry Granahan

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This week we find ourselves in May, 1958 where 16 new tunes make their way onto the Billboard charts for us to listen to…

Songs of the month

“A Wonderful Time Up There” – Pat Boone
“All I Have To Do Is Dream” – Everly Brothers
“Are You Sincere” – Andy Williams
“Believe What You Say” – Ricky Nelson
“Big Man” – Four Preps*
“Billy” – Kathy Linden
“Book Of Love” – Monotones
“Breathless” – Jerry Lee Lewis
“Catch A Falling Star” – Perry Como
“Chanson D’Amour” – Art And Dotty Todd
“Crazy Love” – Paul Anka*
“Do You Want To Dance” – Bobby Freeman*
“Don’t You Just Know It” – Huey Piano Smith And The Clowns
“Don’tcha Think It’S Time” – Elvis Presley*
“For Your Love” – Ed Townsend
“Hang Up My Rock & Roll Shoes” – Chuck Willis*
“He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands” – Laurie London
“Jeannie Lee” – Jan And Arnie*
“Johnny B. Goode” – Chuck Berry*
“Kewpie Doll” – Perry Como
“Lazy Mary” – Lou Monte
“Lollipop” – Chordettes
“Looking Back” – Nat King Cole
“My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It” – Ricky Nelson
“Oh Lonesome Me” – Don Gibson
“Return To Me” – Dean Martin
“Rumble” – Link Wray*
“Sail Along Silvery Moon” – Billy Vaughn Orchestra
“Secretly” – Jimmie Rodgers*
“Skinny Minnie” – Bill Haley And His Comets*
“Sugar Moon” – Pat Boone*
“Sugartime” – Mcguire Sisters
“Talk To Me Talk To Me” – Little Willie John*
“Tequila” – Champs
“To Be Loved” – Jackie Wilson*
“Torero” – Renato Carosone*
“Twilight Time” – Platters
“Wear My Ring Around Your Neck” – Elvis Presley
“What Am I Living For” – Chuck Willis*
“Who’s Sorry Now” – Connie Francis
“Witch Doctor” – David Seville
“You” – Aquatones*

* = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

A month for movies it seems, or at least that’s what I took away from the pages of history in my very arbitrary and selective way. There’s always some fascinating geopolitical stuff going on – and for the past year or so of history, lots of nuclear bomb tests on either sides of the cold war walls – but the pop-cultural stuff is easier to share… so here we are with 3 movies that came out this month.

On May 8th the classic horror “Dracula” film starring Christopher Lee as the eponymous vampire alongside Peter Cushing is released.

Then, a personal favourite, on May 9th “Vertigo”, the American film noir psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak, is released.

Lastly, on May 15th “Gigi” based on the story by Colette, directed by Vincent Minnelli and starring Leslie Caron and Maurice Chevalier premiered in New York.

What’d Sadie think?

Two more weeks at the top for household fave, “Witch Doctor” by the Chipmunk’s David Seville before the Everly Brothers awesome “All I Have To Do Is Dream” takes it.

Loved ’em

First off we have the classic “Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry. Or as wikipedia notes “the first rock & roll hit about rock & roll stardom”. I would have been aware of it first from the cover version in the film Back to the Future, which the lead character Marty McFly plays it at a high school dance.

The actual story behind it is particularly interesting though,

The song is about a semi-literate “country boy” from the New Orleans area, who plays a guitar “just like ringing a bell”, and who might one day have his “name in lights”. Berry acknowledged that the song is partly autobiographical and that the original lyrics referred to Johnny as a “colored boy”, but he changed it to “country boy” to ensure radio play

It’s always great to be able to see a performance of a song from the time, and in this case we can watch “Crazy Love” by Paul Anka.

The “rock and roll is just a fad” meme must have been quite strong in the late ’50s as, “Hang Up My Rock & Roll Shoes” by Chuck Willis isn’t the first song we’ve had to deny this,

They say that rock and roll will soon fade away
No matter what they say, rock and roll is here to stay
I don’t want(shoop-bop, shoop-bop) hang up my rock and roll shoes

Then we have the song that Bob Dylan once referred to as “the best instrumental ever” “Rumble” by Link Wray. It was apparently banned in several US radio markets, because the term ‘rumble’ was a slang term for a gang fight, and it was feared that the piece’s harsh sound glorified juvenile delinquency. Making it the only instrumental single ever banned from radio in the United States

Not a lot of information on the excellent “To Be Loved” by a chart favourite, Jackie Wilson online.

Finally in our favourite song for the month we have “You” by the Aquatones. The group’s lead singer was 17-year-old Lynne Nixon, a soprano with formal operatic training. The group had actually began in 1956 as three males and was called the Rhythm Kings till adding Lynne to the roster.

Liked ’em

Then there’s the best of the rest…

• “Don’tcha Think It’s Time” – Elvis Presley
• “Big Man” – Four Preps
• “Do You Want To Dance” – Bobby Freeman
• “Talk To Me Talk To Me” – Little Willie John
• “Secretly” – Jimmie Rodgers
• “What Am I Living For” – Chuck Willis
• “Sugar Moon” – Pat Boone

Leave ’em

• “Jeannie Lee” – Jan And Arnie
• “Skinny Minnie” – Bill Haley And His Comets
• “Torero” – Renato Carosone

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

We totally jinxed it last week…as soon as I said it as feeling Spring like it started to rain and it hasn’t stopped since! So let’s escape 2022 and go back to April, 1958 to hear what it sounded like…

Songs of the month

“26 Miles” – Four Preps
“A Wonderful Time Up There” – Pat Boone
“All I Have To Do Is Dream” – Everly Brothers*
“Are You Sincere” – Andy Williams
“Ballad Of A Teenage Queen” – Johnny Cash
“Believe What You Say” – Ricky Nelson*
“Billy” – Kathy Linden*
“Book Of Love” – Monotones*
“Breathless” – Jerry Lee Lewis
“Catch A Falling Star” – Perry Como
“Chanson D’Amour” – Art And Dotty Todd*
“Dede Dinah” – Frankie Avalon
“Dinner With Drac” – John Zacherle
“Don’t You Just Know It” – Huey Piano Smith And The Clowns*
“Don’t” – Elvis Presley
“For Your Love” – Ed Townsend*
“Get A Job” – Silhouettes
“Good Golly Miss Molly” – Little Richard
“He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands” – Laurie London*
“It’s Too Soon To Know” – Pat Boone
“Kewpie Doll” – Perry Como*
“Lazy Mary” – Lou Monte
“Little Blue Man” – Betty Johnson*
“Lollipop” – Chordettes
“Looking Back” – Nat King Cole*
“March From The River Kwai And Colonel Bogey” – Mitch Miller
“Maybe Baby” – Crickets
“Maybe” – Chantels
“My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It” – Ricky Nelson*
“Oh Julie” – Crescendos
“Oh Lonesome Me” – Don Gibson*
“Oh Oh I’m Falling In Love Again” – Jimmie Rodgers
“Return To Me” – Dean Martin*
“Rock & Roll Is Here To Stay” – Danny And The Juniors
“Sail Along Silvery Moon” – Billy Vaughn Orchestra
“Short Shorts” – Royal Teens
“Sugartime” – Mcguire Sisters
“Sweet Little Sixteen” – Chuck Berry
“Tequila” – Champs
“The Stroll” – Diamonds
“The Walk” – Jimmie Mccracklin
“Too Soon To Know” – Pat Boone*
“Twilight Time” – Platters*
“Wear My Ring Around Your Neck” – Elvis Presley*
“Who’s Sorry Now” – Connie Francis
“Witch Doctor” – David Seville*

* = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

On April 2 the word “beatnik” used to describe what Jack Kerouac called “The Beat Generation”, was introduced by San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen in his daily newspaper column. Caen’s coined word was a portmanteau of “Beat” and of “Sputnik”, the satellite which had been launched almost six months earlier by the Soviet Union. Caen’s column, under the heading “Words, Words, Words”, referred to a recent party hosted by Look magazine for a photo essay on the Beat Generation in a “beach house for 50 Beatniks”,

Look magazine, preparing a picture spread on S.F.’s Beat Generation (oh, no, not AGAIN!), hosted a party in a No. Beach house for 50 Beatniks, and by the time word got around the sour grapevine, over 250 bearded cats and kits were on hand, slopping up Mike Cowles’ free booze. They’re only Beat, y’know, when it comes to work . . .

Then on April 4th Cheryl Crane (14), daughter of actress Lana Turner, stabbed to death organised crime figure Johnny Stompanato, her mother’s boyfriend, in self-defense. The crime is later ruled a “justifiable homicide”.

It’s a fascinating story that involved even more stars of the day. Earlier in the year 27-year-old former Sean Connery, was making Another Time, Another Place in London with Lana Turner, ten years his senior.

There was a strong rumor that Sean and Lana were having an affair on the set. Word got back to Turner’s mobster boyfriend Johnny Stompanato who confronted her. ‘Its not true and don’t come to the studio while we are shooting.’ Stompanato ignored her plea and witnessed the filming of a scene where Connery and Turner were embracing on a couch. After several retakes the enraged thug walked into the frame with a handgun and pointed it at Connery, telling him to take his hands off her. But the Scotsman, who grew up getting into fights with gang members in Edinburgh, simply grabbed the gun out of Stompanato’s hand, twisted his wrist and sent him running off, yelping in pain. All the while the cameraman kept filming. ‘Should I cut yet?’ he asked the stunned director.

Apparently Connery’s performance was a little “wooden” in the next film he made as he was watching over his shoulder for LA mob boss Mickey Cohen who had threatened revenge for Stompanato’s murder…

On April 12th Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2 was launched with space dog Laika aboard on.

What’d Sadie think?

It’s three weeks at number one for the Champs fun number, “Tequila” – Champs. Before a week at the top for the Platters with new chart entrant “Twilight Time”. But it’s our favourite new tunes of the month, David Seville’s “Witch Doctor” that ends the month on the top.

Love ’em

Sadie is a big big fan of the latest incarnation of Alvin and the Chipmunks. So it was no surprise that “Witch Doctor” by David Seville had her up, dancing and crying “again! again!”. This 1958 original has the sped-up vocals of the chipmunks but wasn’t officially a chipmunks song, that comes later in the year apparently – though they did later cover this tune. David Seville was the stage name of Ross S. Bagdasarian and did also become the name of the character of the “father” in Alvin and the Chipmunks.

There’s no denying the greatness that is “All I Have To Do Is Dream” by the Everly Brothers. Apparently it was the only single ever to be at No. 1 on all of the Billboard singles charts simultaneously, on June 2, 1958.

Huey “Piano” Smith And The Clowns is quite a name, and not one I knew. But we do like their charting tune, “Don’t You Just Know It” this month. And by the looks of his bio Huey had a significant contribution to rock ‘n’ roll history, though this was his most successful song.

“He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands” by Laurie London is a great and well known song. Apparently it is a traditional African-American spiritual, which was first published in 1927, but this was the first time a recorded version charted.

Like ’em

A lot else to like this month…

• “Believe What You Say” – Ricky Nelson
• “Chanson D’Amour” – Art And Dotty Todd
• “For Your Love” – Ed Townsend
• “Kewpie Doll” – Perry Como
• “Looking Back” – Nat King Cole
• “My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It” – Ricky Nelson
• “Return To Me” – Dean Martin
• “Too Soon To Know” – Pat Boone
• “Twilight Time” – Platters
• “Wear My Ring Around Your Neck” – Elvis Presley

Leave ’em

• “Billy” – Kathy Linden
• “Book Of Love” – Monotones
• “Little Blue Man” – Betty Johnson
• “Oh Lonesome Me” – Don Gibson

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

Did we say it was feeling wintery just a week ago? Well a month has passed in our 1958 timeline, so maybe that’s why its suddenly feeling quite Spring like here in 2022? Either way, let’s listen to the sounds of March, 1958…

Songs of the month

“26 Miles” – Four Preps
“A Wonderful Time Up There” – Pat Boone*
“April Love” – Pat Boone
“Are You Sincere” – Andy Williams
“At The Hop” – Danny And The Juniors
“Ballad Of A Teenage Queen” – Johnny Cash*
“Been So Long” – Pastels*
“Breathless” – Jerry Lee Lewis*
“Catch A Falling Star” – Perry Como
“Click Clack” – Dicky Doo And The Don’Ts
“Dede Dinah” – Frankie Avalon
“Dinner With Drac” – John Zacherle*
“Don’t Let Go” – Roy Hamilton
“Don’t” – Elvis Presley
“Get A Job” – Silhouettes
“Good Golly Miss Molly” – Little Richard*
“I Beg Of You” – Elvis Presley
“It’s Too Soon To Know” – Pat Boone
“Jo-Ann” – Playmates
“La Dee Dah” – Billy And Lillie
“Lazy Mary” – Lou Monte*
“Lollipop” – Chordettes*
“March From The River Kwai And Colonel Bogey” – Mitch Miller
“Maybe Baby” – Crickets*
“Maybe” – Chantels
“Oh Julie” – Crescendos
“Oh Oh I’m Falling In Love Again” – Jimmie Rodgers
“Rock & Roll Is Here To Stay” – Danny And The Juniors*
“Sail Along Silver Moon” – Billy Vaughn Orchestra
“Short Shorts” – Royal Teens
“Stood Up” – Ricky Nelson
“Sugartime” – Mcguire Sisters
“Sweet Little Sixteen” – Chuck Berry
“Tequila” – Champs*
“The Stroll” – Diamonds
“The Walk” – Jimmie Mccracklin*
“Who’s Sorry Now” – Connie Francis*
“Witchcraft” – Frank Sinatra
“You Are My Destiny” – Paul Anka

* = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

This month the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) introduced the concept of the “gold record” as recognition for any U.S. music recording that had achieved at least $1,000,000 in retail sales and certified the 45 rpm recording by Perry Como of “Catch a Falling Star” as the first RIAA-measured gold record. While record labels had previously presented gold or silver record awards to their own artists as far back as 1937, the RIAA applied the award to all U.S.-based recording companies independently. You can see Como being presented the first gold record in this clip (sorry Youtube won’t let me embed it.).

I weightier news, on the 14th of March the United States imposed an embargo on sales of weapons to the government of Cuba’s dictator Fulgencio Batista, contributing significantly to the deterioration of the Cuban resistance to the rebellion being led by Fidel Castro.

Meanwhile on the 19th Cuba became the second nation (after the U.S.) to make color television widely available. Both stories make the video below of life in Havana in 1958 particularly timely and interesting.

Then towards the end of the month, on the 30th, Ukrainian-born French ballet master Serge Lifar fought a duel with swords against Chilean-born French ballet producer George de Cuevas over changes made in by Cuevas to Lifar’s ballet, Suite en blanc. 50 members of the press were told of the time and place for the duel, which ended with Lifar receiving a cut to his forearm in what W. Granger Blair of The New York Times described as “what may well have been the most delicate encounter in the history of French dueling”. It is astounding to hear duels were still going on in ’58, and even more to know they were being filmed for posterity. Watch below!

What’d Sadie think?

It’s a week at number one for “Get A Job” by the Silhouettes before just a week for Elvis Presley with “Don’t”. Surely his shortest run with a hit? New-to-the-charts “Tequila”, by the Champs, took the top spot for the second half of the month.

Love

Tequila was apparently just a jam made up in the studio when the Champs were there to record another song, but it’s a quality tune thats lasted throughout the decades. A video of them performing it in May, 1958 below.

Next up is a relatively youthful (26) Johnny Cash singing the excellent “Ballad Of A Teenage Queen”.

Then we have “Dinner With Drac” by John Zacherle. I normally don’t go for the comedy songs but this tale of dinner with Drac(ula) got me this time.

Unlike that tune, “Good Golly Miss Molly” by Little Richard has definitely lasted the test of time. Although it was first recorded by Little Richard, the producer released another version by the Valiants, who imitated the fast first version recorded by Little Richard, not released at that time. Although the Valiants’ version was released first (in 1957), Little Richard had the hit with it this month.

“Lollipop” by the Chordettes is likewise a fun classic. One with a nice story behind it that i’ll just quote,

The song originated when Julius Dixson was late for a songwriting session with Beverly Ross. He explained that his daughter had gotten a lollipop stuck in her hair, and that had caused him to be late. Ross was so inspired by the word “lollipop” that she sat down at the piano and produced a version of the song on the spot. Beverly Ross recorded a demo with Ronald Gumm (or Gumps), a 13-year-old neighbor of Dixson, under the name Ronald & Ruby. Ross’s mother insisted that she use a pseudonym for safety reasons, because they were an interracial duo.

To round out the best of the new songs this month we have “Who’s Sorry Now” by Connie Francis. Her version may be the most well known, and it was her biggest hit, but the original is actually from 1923 and it had a number of versions, often featured in films, between then and ’58.

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It’s only an OK song but “Rock & Roll Is Here To Stay” by Danny And The Juniors is definitely singing the right sentiment this month. Then we have the best of the rest…

“A Wonderful Time Up There” – Pat Boone

“Been So Long” – Pastels

“Breathless” – Jerry Lee Lewis

“Maybe Baby” – Crickets

“The Walk” – Jimmie Mccracklin

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Only one song didn’t tickle our fancy at all this month, “Lazy Mary” by Lou Monte.

So plenty of great stuff for you to listen to on the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

It’s a mild midwinter here in July, 2022 and we’re feeling reflective. It might be the weather or it might be that Sadie has just decided she’s ready for a big girl bed and is out of her cot.

It was just under 2 years ago we started on this journey through musical history. In that time we’ve moved from London to Auckland in the midst of a global pandemic, bought a house, started new jobs and managed to grow a nearly 2-year-old the size of a 3-year-old.

And along the way we’ve listened to 96 monthly charts, all the way from January 1950 to February, 1958 this week. We’re currently listening to music from 62 years before Sadie was born. But in another 2 years time, we’ll be listening to music from the late ’60s as we catch up at 4 times speed. She’ll be listening to music from when I was born (the late ’70s) when she’s 6. And then enjoying the sounds of my teenage years when she’s 10.

At which point we will have been doing this for a decade. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves… 2 years in! There’s not an easy way of working out how many unique songs we’ve listened to – I’m kicking myself for not cutting the data that way – but it’ll be over a thousand at this point! Let’s hear the 19 new ones we have this week…

Songs of the month

“26 Miles” – Four Preps*
“April Love” – Pat Boone
“Are You Sincere” – Andy Williams*
“At The Hop” – Danny & The Juniors
“Bony Maronie” – Larry Williams
“Buzz Buzz Buzz” – Hollywood Flames
“Catch A Falling Star” – Perry Como*
“Click-Clack” – Dicky Doo And The Don’ts*
“Dede Dinah” – Frankie Avalon*
“Don’t Let Go” – Roy Hamilton
“Don’t” – Elvis Presley*
“Get A Job” – Silhouettes
“Great Balls Of Fire” – Jerry Lee Lewis
“I Beg Of You” – Elvis Presley*
“I’ll Come Running Back To You” – Sam Cooke*
“It’s Too Soon To Know” – Pat Boone*
“Jailhouse Rock” – Elvis Presley
“Jo-Ann” – Playmates*
“Kisses Sweeter Than Wine” – Jimmie Rodgers
“La Dee Dah” – Billy And Lillie
“Liechensteiner Polka” – Will Glahe Orchestra
“Magic Moments” – Perry Como*
“March From The River Kwai And Colonel Bogey” – Mitch Miller Orchestra*
“Maybe” – Chantels*
“Oh Boy” – Crickets
“Oh Julie” – Crescendos
“Oh-Oh I’M Falling In Love Again” – Jimmie Rodgers*
“Peggy Sue” – Buddy Holly
“Raunchy” – Bill Justis
“Raunchy” – Ernie Freeman
“Sail Along Silvery Moon” – Billy Vaughn Orchestra
“Short Shorts” – Royal Teens*
“Silhouettes” – Rays
“Stood Up” – Ricky Nelson
“Sugartime” – Mcguire Sisters
“Sweet Little Sixteen” – Chuck Berry*
“The Stroll” – Diamonds
“This Little Girl Of Mine” – Everly Brothers*
“Waitin’ In School” – Ricky Nelson
“Wake Up Little Susie” – Everly Brothers
“Why Don’t They Understand” – George Hamilton Iv
“Witchcraft” – Frank Sinatra*
“You Are My Destiny” – Paul Anka*
“You Send Me” – Sam Cooke

* = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

On February the 4th, 1957, an antitrust lawsuit against United Fruit Company (UFC) by the U.S. Department of Justice ended after four years, as the company, which controlled the majority of “the world’s marketable supply of bananas” agreed that it would create a competing company.

Which makes for the end of a, very interesting, story I was totally unaware of it seems. For instance, the term “banana republic” was coined in 1901 by American author O. Henry in his book “Cabbages and Kings” to describe Honduras while its economy, people, and government were being exploited by the UFC. They were so dominant at one point they essentially blackmailed the government of Guatemala for $19 Million to buy their own country back… Enjoy that rabbit hole if you go down it!

Then on the 25th of the month philosopher Bertrand Russell (a personal hero, being a philosophy student myself) launched the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament at their first public meeting. Only 3 days later, quite the turnaround for a design brief, Gerald Holtom unveiled the, now ubiquitous, “peace symbol” to be used by the organisation at a march from Trafalgar Square in London to the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment facility at Aldermaston, Berkshire.

The vertical line in the center represents the flag semaphore signal for the letter D, and the downward lines on either side represent the semaphore signal for the letter N. “N” and “D”, for nuclear disarmament, enclosed in a circle. Holtom also described the symbol as representing despair, with the central lines forming a human with its hands questioning at its sides against the backdrop of a white Earth

And then in movie news we see that the classic, “The Bridge on the River Kwai” won best film at the 15th Golden Globe Awards. Trailer below and the “Colonel Bogey March” from the film is in our charts this week.

What’d Sadie think?

“At The Hop” by Danny & The Juniors stays number one for another three week this month before the Silhouettes, “Get A Job” takes it over. It’s not as great as the song it replaces in our view but it does have a brilliant sax solo which always pleases these ears as a some-time saxophonist.

Love ’em

A lot to love this month…

Perry Como’s classic “Catch A Falling Star” was apparently his last number 1 hit in the USA which feels like beginning of an end of a musical era right here. Apparently the song’s melody is based on a theme from Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture. So a classic in two ways.

The great “Magic Moments”, written by Burt Bacharach, was the b-side of this one and also charting this month.

Crooning definitely isn’t over though with Sinatra’s “Witchcraft” also new to the charts. The next year, at the inaugural Grammy Awards, Frank Sinatra was nominated for six Grammy awards, four of which were for this song. And we also have Paul Anka’s “You Are My Destiny” in a similar vibe charting.

“I’ll Come Running Back To You” is another great tune by Sam Cooke after his debut single “You Send Me” which we featured last month. His record label boss instructed arranger René Hall to duplicate the sound of “You Send Me”, which included overdubbing similar instrumentation and background singers and rushed this song out to capitalise on the debut’s success. The rush doesn’t show but the similarities do.

As mentioned in this week’s history we have movie theme, “March From The River Kwai And Colonel Bogey” by the Mitch Miller Orchestra in the charts and you have to love it for the classic whistling alone.

“Maybe” by the Chantels is a much covered song in more recent decades and it’s clear why, quite the tune!

“Short Shorts” by the Royal Teens is at once so ’50s but also exactly the kind of slightly risqué, but largely inoffensive, pop that teen idols have made for decades. According to the group, they coined the term in 1957, and hit on using it as a song theme and title that summer when they saw two girls in cutoffs leaving a local teen spot.

Speaking of teens, “Sweet Little Sixteen” is classic Chuck Berry and the first instance of a song about the phenomenon of fandom I have come across.

“This Little Girl Of Mine” by the Everly Brothers was originally released in ’55 by Ray Charles but didn’t appear to make it into our charts at the time – it’s a great version.

Like ’em

“26 Miles” – Four Preps

“Are You Sincere” – Andy Williams

“Don’t” – Elvis Presley

“I Beg Of You” – Elvis Presley

“It’s Too Soon To Know” – Pat Boone

“Jo-Ann” – Playmates

“Oh-Oh I’M Falling In Love Again” – Jimmie Rodgers

Leave ’em

“Click-Clack” – Dicky Doo And The Don’ts
“Dede Dinah” – Frankie Avalon

And thats it for another week, now go enjoy the full playlist on Youtube via this link.