Category: Monthly

Ok this time it’s here to stay…maybe? It’s a lovely spring day here in Auckland in 2022, as we jump back to what looks like a warm summer of June, 1959 in the US of A to listen to the charts of the day.

Songs of the month

“A Boy Without A Girl” – Frankie Avalon*
“A Fool Such As I” – Elvis Presley
“A Teenager In Love” – Dion And The Belmonts
“Along Came Jones” – Coasters*
“Bobby Sox To Stockings” – Frankie Avalon*
“Bongo Rock” – Preston Epps*
“Crossfire” – Johnny And The Hurricanes*
“Dream Lover” – Bobby Darin
“Enchanted” – Platters
“Endlessly” – Brook Benton
“Frankie” – Connie Francis*
“Goodbye Jimmy Goodbye” – Kathy Linden
“Guitar Boogie Shuffle” – Virtues
“Hushabye” – Mystics*
“I Need Your Love Tonight” – Elvis Presley
“I Only Have Eyes For You” – Flamingos*
“I’m Ready” – Fats Domino
“I’ve Come Of Age” – Billy Storm*
“Just Keep It Up” – Dee Clark*
“Kansas City” – Wilbert Harrison
“Kookie Kookie” – Edward Byrnes And Connie Stevens
“Lipstick On Your Collar” – Connie Francis*
“Lonely Boy” – Paul Anka*
“Lonely For You” – Gary Stites
“M.T.A.” – Kingston Trio*
“My Heart Is An Open Book” – Carl Dobkins Jr.*
“My Melancholy Baby” – Tommy Edwards*
“Only You” – Frank Pourcel’S French Fiddles*
“Personality” – Lloyd Price
“Pink Shoelaces” – Dodie Stevens
“Quiet Village” – Martin Denny
“So Fine” – Fiestas*
“Sorry” – Impalas
“Take A Message To Mary” – Everly Brothers
“Tallahassee Lassie” – Freddy Cannon
“Tell Him No” – Travis And Bob
“That’s Why” – Jackie Wilson
“The Battle Of New Orleans” – Johnny Horton
“The Happy Organ” – Dave Baby Cortez
“The Wonder Of You” – Ray Peterson*
“This I Swear” – Skyliners*
“Three Stars” – Tommy Dee
“Tiger” – Fabian*
“Turn Me Loose” – Fabian
“Waterloo” – Stonewall Jackson*
“What A Diff’rence A Day Makes” – Dinah Washington*
“You’re So Fine” – Falcons*

* = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

On June 6, 1959 the first satellite communication was made when a radio message from U.S. President Eisenhower was bounced off of the Moon to Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, who was dedicating the new Prince Albert Radio Laboratory .

Then on June 8th an experiment with “missile mail” proved successful, if not practical. At 10:10 am. the USS Barbero launched a Regulus I rocket, containing 3,000 letters, from a point 100 miles offshore from Norfolk, Virginia. The “wheeled missile” was guided to the naval air station at Mayport, Florida, a parachute deployed, and it landed 22 minutes after firing.

On June 9, in Italy, the broadcast of a TV movie, “I figli di Medea” (The Sons of Medea), caused a mass hysteria, similar to the 1938 panic caused by Orson Welles’s The War of the Worlds. Vladimiro Cajoli’s script was in the form of a fictitious news program that started with a bulletin that a sick child of an actress was being held hostage by his father, portrayed by actor Enrico Maria Salerno. The mother, “Medea”, was portrayed by well-known actress Alida Valli, whose plea to viewers was so realistic that thousands of people thought that the celebrity was the victim of a real crime. To make matters worse, the fictional news program gave out a phone number that belonged to a major hospital, whose switchboard was jammed by callers offering tips for finding the “missing child”.

Then in, “it was still the ’50s clearly” news, on June 11 “Lady Chatterley’s Lover”, by D.H. Lawrence, was barred from distribution in the United States by order of the Postmaster General who barred it under section 1461 of Title 18 of the United States Code as “obscene and un-mailable”.

What’d Sadie think?

It’s number 1 all month for “The Battle Of New Orleans” by Johnny Horton, but plenty of variety to like across the rest of the chart.

Loved ’em

A lot to love this week. Special shout out to “Kookie Kookie” by Edward Byrnes And Connie Stevens, which has been on the charts for a couple of weeks already but has turned into a Sadie favourite as she sings “cookie cookie!” along to it.

• “Bobby Sox To Stockings” – Frankie Avalon
• “Frankie” – Connie Francis
• “I Only Have Eyes For You” – Flamingos
• “Just Keep It Up” – Dee Clark
• “Lipstick On Your Collar” – Connie Francis
• “My Heart Is An Open Book” – Carl Dobkins Jr.
• “Only You” – Frank Pourcel’S French Fiddles
• “Waterloo” – Stonewall Jackson
• “What A Diff’rence A Day Makes” – Dinah Washington

Liked ’em

• “A Boy Without A Girl” – Frankie Avalon
• “Along Came Jones” – Coasters
• “Crossfire” – Johnny And The Hurricanes
• “Hushabye” – Mystics
• “M.T.A.” – Kingston Trio
• “My Melancholy Baby” – Tommy Edwards
• “So Fine” – Fiestas
• “The Wonder Of You” – Ray Peterson
• “This I Swear” – Skyliners
• “Tiger” – Fabian
• “You’re So Fine” – Falcons

Leave ’em

A first! Sadie really hated a song. “Bongo Rock” by Preston Epps got the “too loud!”, “go away!” treatment.

• “Bongo Rock” – Preston Epps
• “I’ve Come Of Age” – Billy Storm
• “Lonely Boy” – Paul Anka

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

It must have been great back in May, 1959… Star Wars hadn’t come out so no one was saying “May the 4th be with you!”. But what did it sound like?

Songs of the month

“A Fool Such As I” – Elvis Presley
“A Teenager In Love” – Dion And The Belmonts*
“Come Softly To Me” – Fleetwoods
“Come To Me” – Marv Johnson*
“Dream Lover” – Bobby Darin*
“Enchanted” – Platters
“Endlessly” – Brook Benton*
“For A Penny” – Pat Boone

“Goodbye Jimmy Goodbye” – Kathy Linden*
“Guitar Boogie Shuffle” – Virtues
“I Need Your Love Tonight” – Elvis Presley
“I’m Ready” – Fats Domino*
“It’s Late” – Ricky Nelson
“Kansas City” – Wilbert Harrison
“Kookie Kookie” – Edward Byrnes And Connie Stevens
“Lonely For You” – Gary Stites*
“Only You” – Frank Pourcel’S French Fiddles
“Personality” – Lloyd Price*
“Pink Shoelaces” – Dodie Stevens
“Poor Jenny” – Everly Brothers
“Quiet Village” – Martin Denny*
“Sea Cruise” – Frankie Ford
“Since I Don’T Have You” – Skyliners
“Six Nights A Week” – Crests
“So Fine” – Fiestas*
“Sorry” – Impalas
“Take A Message To Mary” – Everly Brothers
“Tallahassee Lassie” – Freddy Cannon*
“Tell Him No” – Travis And Bob
“That’s Why” – Jackie Wilson
“The Battle Of New Orleans” – Johnny Horton*
“The Happy Organ” – Dave Baby Cortez
“The Tijuana Jail” – Kingston Trio
“There’ll Never Be Anyone Else But You” – Ricky Nelson
“This Should Go On Forever” – Rod Bernard
“Three Stars” – Tommy Dee
“Tragedy” – Thomas Wayne With The Delons
“Turn Me Loose” – Fabian
“Venus” – Frankie Avalon

* = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

On May the 4th the first Grammy Awards were bestowed by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, in a ceremony held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. The Music from Peter Gunn, by Henry Mancini, was album of the year, and Doenico Modugno’s Volare was song of the year. The Champs’ Tequila won the award for best rhythm & blues performance. You can see them performing it live below.

Sadie would have been pleased to hear that Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., better known by his stage persona of David Seville, won Best Comedy Performance and Best Recording for Children, both for “The Chipmunk Song”.

On May 30th the first trial of a hovercraft took place at Cowes in Britain. You can see a newsreel of this below – it’s interesting to see that they compared this to a flying saucer, a ’50s fascination.

Then in New Zealand news, on the same day, the Auckland Harbour Bridge, 1020 meters long, was opened.

What’d Sadie think?

“Venus” by Frankie Avalon was number 1 for a week before “Come Softly To Me” by the Fleetwoods took the title for the rest of the month.

Loved ’em

• “A Teenager In Love” – Dion And The Belmonts
• “Come To Me” – Marv Johnson
• “Dream Lover” – Bobby Darin
• “So Fine” – Fiestas
• “Tallahassee Lassie” – Freddy Cannon

Liked ’em

• “Endlessly” – Brook Benton
• “I’m Ready” – Fats Domino
• “Lonely For You” – Gary Stites
• “Personality” – Lloyd Price
• “Quiet Village” – Martin Denny
• “Goodbye Jimmy Goodbye” – Kathy Linden

Leave ’em

• “The Battle Of New Orleans” – Johnny Horton

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

Did brands do April fools in 1959? Were the newspapers full of fake products? Probably not. Answers on a postcard readers… In the meanwhile let’s listen to what the charts sounded like back then.

Songs of the month

“A Fool Such As I” – Elvis Presley
“Alvin’s Harmonica” – David Seville And The Chipmunks
“Charlie Brown” – Coasters
“Come Softly To Me” – Fleetwoods
“Enchanted” – Platters*
“For A Penny” – Pat Boone*
“Guitar Boogie Shuffle” – Virtues
“I Cried A Tear” – Lavern Baker
“I Need Your Love Tonight” – Elvis Presley*
“I’ve Had It” – Bell Notes
“If I Didn’t Care” – Connie Francis
“It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” – Buddy Holly
“It’s Just A Matter Of Time” – Brook Benton
“It’s Late” – Ricky Nelson
“Kansas City” – Wilbert Harrison*
“Kookie Kookie” – Edward Byrnes And Connie Stevens*
“No Other Arms No Other Lips” – Chordettes
“Only You” – Frank Pourcel’S French Fiddles*
“Peter Gunn” – Ray Anthony
“Petite Fleur” – Chris Barber’S Jazz Band
“Pink Shoelaces” – Dodie Stevens
“Please Mr. Sun” – Tommy Edwards
“Poor Jenny” – Everly Brothers*
“Sea Cruise” – Frankie Ford
“Since I Don’t Have You” – Skyliners
“Six Nights A Week” – Crests*
“Sorry” – Impalas*
“Stagger Lee” – Lloyd Price
“Take A Message To Mary” – Everly Brothers*
“Tell Him No” – Travis And Bob*
“That’S Why” – Jackie Wilson*
“The Happy Organ” – Dave Baby Cortez*
“The Hawaiian Wedding Song” – Andy Williams
“The Morning Side Of The Mountain” – Tommy Edwards
“The Tijuana Jail” – Kingston Trio*
“There’ll Never Be Anyone Else But You” – Ricky Nelson
“This Should Go On Forever” – Rod Bernard
“Three Stars” – Tommy Dee*
“Tragedy” – Thomas Wayne With The Delons
“Turn Me Loose” – Fabian*
“Venus” – Frankie Avalon
“Where Were You” – Lloyd Price
“Yep” – Duane Eddy*

* = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

On April 6th the Academy Awards ceremony took place at the RKO Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. Gigi won a record nine Oscars, including the award for Best Picture. Trailer below!

On the 9th the first seven Mercury astronauts were introduced at a press conference held by NASA in Washington. The space race continues…

On the 15th Fidel Castro arrived in Washington for an 11-day tour of the United States. As part of this, on the 19th he appeared on Meet the Press and denied that Cuba would turn to communism… That didn’t age well. A video of him from that tour below.

What’d Sadie think?

Frankie Avalon’s “Venus” has a week at number 1 before “Come Softly To Me” -by Fleetwoods takes it for the rest of the month.

Loved ’em

• “Enchanted” – Platters
• “Kansas City” – Wilbert Harrison
• “Kookie Kookie” – Edward Byrnes And Connie Stevens
• “Poor Jenny” – Everly Brothers
• “Take A Message To Mary” – Everly Brothers
• “That’s Why” – Jackie Wilson
• “Yep” – Duane Eddy

Liked ’em

• “For A Penny” – Pat Boone
• “I Need Your Love Tonight” – Elvis Presley
• “Only You” – Frank Pourcel’S French Fiddles
• “Six Nights A Week” – Crests
• “Tell Him No” – Travis And Bob
• “The Happy Organ” – Dave Baby Cortez
• “The Tijuana Jail” – Kingston Trio
• “Three Stars” – Tommy Dee
• “Turn Me Loose” – Fabian

Leave ’em

• “Sorry” – Impalas

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

It’s the 2nd or 3rd time around for the appearance of Spring here in 2022, let’s hope it sticks this time around. Meanwhile let’s hear what March, 1959 sounded like…

Songs of the month

“16 Candles” – Crests
“A Fool Such As I” – Elvis Presley*
“All American Boy” – Bill Parsons
“Alvin’s Harmonica” – David Seville And The Chipmunks
“Charlie Brown” – Coasters
“Children’S Marching Song” – Cyril Stapleton
“Come Softly To Me” – Fleetwoods*
“Donna” – Ritchie Valens
“Goodbye Baby” – Jack Scott
“Gotta Travel On” – Billy Grammer
“Guitar Boogie Shuffle” – Virtues*
“Hawaiian Wedding Song” – Andy Williams
“I Cried A Tear” – Lavern Baker
“I Got A Wife” – Mark Iv
“I’ve Had It” – Bell Notes
“If I Didn’t Care” – Connie Francis*
“It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” – Buddy Holly*
“It’s Just A Matter Of Time” – Brook Benton
“It’s Late” – Ricky Nelson*
“La Bamba” – Ritchie Valens
“Lonely Teardrops” – Jackie Wilson
“Manhattan Spiritual” – Reg Owen Orchestra
“May You Always” – Mcguire Sisters
“My Happiness” – Connie Francis
“My Heart Sings” – Paul Anka
“No Other Arms No Other Lips” – Chordettes*
“Peter Gunn” – Ray Anthony
“Petite Fleur” – Chris Barber’S Jazz Band
“Pink Shoelaces” – Dodie Stevens*
“Please Mr. Sun” – Tommy Edwards*
“Rawhide” – Link Wray And The Wraymen*
“Sea Cruise” – Frankie Ford*
“She Say” – Diamonds
“Since I Don’t Have You” – Skyliners*
“Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” – Platters
“Stagger Lee” – Lloyd Price
“Tall Paul” – Annette And The Afterbeats
“The Children’s Marching Song” – Mitch Miller
“The Lonely One” – Duane Eddy
“The Morning Side Of The Mountain” – Tommy Edwards*
“The Story Of My Life” – Conway Twitty
“There’ll Never Be Anyone Else But You” – Ricky Nelson*
“This Should Go On Forever” – Rod Bernard*
“Tomboy” – Perry Como*
“Tragedy” – Thomas Wayne With The Delons*
“Venus” – Frankie Avalon
“Where Were You” – Lloyd Price*
“With The Wind And Rain In Your Hair” – Pat Boone

* = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

Plenty of space history at the moment. On March 3 the United States launched the Pioneer 4 probe toward the moon. The object became the first American spacecraft to completely escape the Earth’s gravity, rather than going into orbit.

On March 9th the Barbie doll made its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York. Ruth Handler named the doll for her daughter. In 1961, her son Ken would have his name bestowed on another doll. Sadie is a big fan of the modern Barbie TV show, which is a tad more progressive than their original content…

On March 12th the U.S. House of Representatives voted to allow Hawaii to become the 50th state, contingent upon passage by Hawaiian voters. The bill was signed into law by President Eisenhower on March 18, 1959.

With the admission of Hawaii voted so soon after the admission of Alaska in January, flag manufacturers asked that the adoption of the 50-star flag be postponed until July 4, 1960. Digby Chandler, president of Annin & Co, said that the industry had already manufactured 300,000 flags with 49 stars, and added, “If we are forced to throw all these away and start making 50-star flags for next July 4 there will be no flag industry left.” Problems!

What’d Sadie think?

“Stagger Lee” by Lloyd Price holds onto number 1 for a week before “Venus” by Frankie Avalon has four at the top of the charts.

Loved ’em

• “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” – Buddy Holly
• “It’s Late” – Ricky Nelson
• “Pink Shoelaces” – Dodie Stevens
• “Rawhide” – Link Wray And The Wraymen
• “Since I Don’t Have You” – Skyliners
• “Where Were You” – Lloyd Price

Liked ’em

• “A Fool Such As I” – Elvis Presley
• “Come Softly To Me” – Fleetwoods
• “If I Didn’t Care” – Connie Francis
• “No Other Arms No Other Lips” – Chordettes
• “Please Mr. Sun” – Tommy Edwards
• “Sea Cruise” – Frankie Ford
• “The Morning Side Of The Mountain” – Tommy Edwards
• “There’ll Never Be Anyone Else But You” – Ricky Nelson
• “This Should Go On Forever” – Rod Bernard
• “Tomboy” – Perry Como
• “Tragedy” – Thomas Wayne With The Delons

Leave ’em

• “Guitar Boogie Shuffle” – Virtues

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

Welcome to February, 1959. Some weeks are more arduous than others on the 4xLife front. This week I was at the very end of making the playlist when I suddenly realised it looked familiar – somehow my data has given me a 1955 playlist. I did the past couple of years as a batch last Xmas and must have hit the wrong button. This necessitated me going back to the source data to recompile this month. Which I then had to do twice when I remembered with these last years I have had too much data and had been cutting down the top 40 to a top 30 every week. Anyway, here is what February 1959 sounded like…

Songs of the month

“16 Candles” – Crests
“A Lover’s Question” – Clyde Mcphatter
“All American Boy” – Bill Parsons
“Alvin’s Harmonica” – David Seville And The Chipmunks*
“Bimbombey” – Jimmie Rodgers
“Charlie Brown” – Coasters*
“Children’s Marching Song” – Cyril Stapleton
“Children’s Marching Song” – Mitch Miller*
“Donna” – Ritchie Valens
“Goodbye Baby” – Jack Scott
“Gotta Travel On” – Billy Grammer
“Hawaiian Wedding Song” – Andy Williams
“I Cried A Tear” – Lavern Baker
“I Got A Wife” – Mark Iv*
“I’ve Had It” – Bell Notes*
“It’s Just A Matter Of Time” – Brook Benton*
“La Bamba” – Ritchie Valens*
“Little Space Girl” – Jesse Lee Turner*
“Lonely One” – Duane Eddy*
“Lonely Teardrops” – Jackie Wilson
“Lonesome Town” – Ricky Nelson
“Lucky Ladybug” – Billy And Lillie*
“Manhattan Spiritual” – Reg Owen Orchestra
“May You Always” – Mcguire Sisters
“My Happiness” – Connie Francis
“My Heart Sings” – Paul Anka
“Nobody But You” – Dee Clark
“One Night” – Elvis Presley
“Peter Gunn” – Ray Anthony
“Petite Fleur” – Chris Barber’S Jazz Band*
“She Say” – Diamonds*
“Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” – Platters
“Stagger Lee” – Lloyd Price
“Tall Paul” – Annette And The Afterbeats*
“The Chipmunk Song” – Chipmunks & David Seville
“The Diary” – Neil Sedaka
“The Lonely One” – Duane Eddy
“The Story Of My Life” – Conway Twitty*
“To Know Him Is To Love Him” – Teddy Bears
“Venus” – Frankie Avalon*
“Whole Lotta Loving” – Fats Domino
“With The Wind And Rain In Your Hair” – Pat Boone*

* = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

Following on last week’s mention of the Space Race kicking off, on February 2nd Thirty-five test pilots from the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force attended a briefing at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, where NASA representatives invited them to become candidates for the first group of American astronauts.

A day later, American singers J.P. Richardson, 28, “The Big Bopper”, Buddy Holly, 22, and Ritchie Valens, 17, were killed in the crash of a private plane on their way to Fargo, North Dakota. They had boarded the plane at Mason City, Iowa, along with pilot Roger Peterson. Waylon Jennings had given his seat to Richardson, and Valens and Holly’s guitarist Tommy Allsup had flipped a coin to see who would get the other seat on the plane. The plane, a Beechcraft Bonanza, took off at 12:50 a.m. and crashed minutes later on the farm of Delbert Juhl, killing all four persons on board. This became popularly known as “The Day the Music Died”.

In “apparently it takes a while for news to sink in” news, on February 14th, 1959 the United States Weather Bureau released a report that concluded “that the world is in the midst of a long-term warming trend”, based on data gathered in Antarctica. Dr. H.E. Landsberg, director of the bureau’s office of climatology, said that the cause of the global warming was unknown, but added “One theory is that the change is man-made, that a blanket of carbon dioxide given off by the burning of coal and oil retards the radiation of heat by the earth.”

Then on February 21 “The Ben Hecht Show”, a live television program on New York’s WABC-TV, was cancelled permanently after Hecht’s guest, surrealist painter Salvador Dalí, used the word “orgasm” in an interview. Ben Hecht, a screenwriter whom Mike Wallace described as “a trifle profane” on the air, had already been in trouble with the station. Wallace would later describe the episode as “the ‘Orgasm and Out!’ show… No footage of that sorry but an audio clip of Beat writer Jack Kerouac being interviewed the year prior is below.

What’d Sadie think?

This month we have a week at number one for “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” by the Platters before “Stagger Lee” by Lloyd Price takes it for the last 3 weeks of the month.

Loved ’em

Another Chipmunks song this month and Sadie went crazy when she heard it so it has to make it to our Loved list. Interesting to hear “Little Space Girl” by Jesse Lee Turner (which doesn’t) also using the sped up vocal technique that the original must have made a fad.

• “Alvin’s Harmonica” – David Seville And The Chipmunks
• “La Bamba” – Ritchie Valens
• “Lonely One” – Duane Eddy
• “The Story Of My Life” – Conway Twitty
• “Venus” – Frankie Avalon

Liked ’em

• “I’ve Had It” – Bell Notes
• “It’s Just A Matter Of Time” – Brook Benton
• “Little Space Girl” – Jesse Lee Turner
• “Lucky Ladybug” – Billy And Lillie
• “Petite Fleur” – Chris Barber’S Jazz Band
• “She Say” – Diamonds
• “With The Wind And Rain In Your Hair” – Pat Boone

Leave ’em

• “Charlie Brown” – Coasters
• “I Got A Wife” – Mark Iv
• “Tall Paul” – Annette And The Afterbeats

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

The last year of the ’50s is upon us – the end of our first decade through musical history. Let’s see how it begins…

Songs of the month

“16 Candles” – Crests
“A Lover’s Question” – Clyde Mcphatter
“All American Boy” – Bill Parsons*
“Beep Beep” – Playmates
“Bimbombey” – Jimmie Rodgers
“Cannonball” – Duane Eddy
“Children’S Marching Song” – Cyril Stapleton*
“Donna” – Ritchie Valens
“Goodbye Baby” – Jack Scott
“Gotta Travel On” – Billy Grammer
“Hawaiian Wedding Song” – Andy Williams*
“I Cried A Tear” – Lavern Baker*
“I Got Stung” – Elvis Presley
“I’ll Wait For You” – Frankie Avalon
“It’s Only Make Believe” – Conway Twitty
“Lonely Teardrops” – Jackie Wilson
“Lonely Teenager” – Dion*
“Lonesome Town” – Ricky Nelson
“Love Is All We Need” – Tommy Edwards
“Love You Most Of All” – Sam Cooke
“Lucky Ladybug” – Billy And Lillie*
“Manhattan Spiritual” – Reg Owen Orchestra
“May You Always” – Mcguire Sisters*
“My Happiness” – Connie Francis
“My Heart Sings” – Paul Anka*
“Nobody But You” – Dee Clark*
“One Night” – Elvis Presley
“Peek-A-Boo” – Cadillacs*
“Peter Gunn” – Ray Anthony*
“Philadelphia Usa” – Nu Tornados
“Problems” – Everly Brothers
“Queen Of The Hop” – Bobby Darin
“Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” – Platters
“Stagger Lee” – Lloyd Price*
“That Old Black Magic” – Louis Prima And Keely Smith
“The Chipmunk Song” – Chipmunks & David Seville
“The Diary” – Neil Sedaka*
“The Little Drummer Boy” – Harry Simeon Chorale
“The Teen Commandments” – Paul Anka-George Hamilton Iv-Johnny Nash*
“To Know Him Is To Love Him” – Teddy Bears
“Tom Dooley” – Kingston Trio
“Whole Lotta Loving” – Fats Domino

* = New to the chart this week.

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

This month in history

On January 4, 1959 the Luna 1 satellite became the first man-made object to enter into an orbit around the Sun, making it our solar system’s first artificial “planet”. But not by plan! Because the second-stage engine shutdown command from the Soviet space center was received slightly late, Luna 1 did not land on the Moon as planned, but passed within 5,965 kilometres before passing into heliocentric orbit. U.S. President Eisenhower congratulated Soviet scientist on achieving “a great stride forward in man’s advance into the infinite reaches of outer space”, while House leader John W. McCormack commented that “it is time America awoke to its peril”… kicking the cold war “Space Race” up a notch.

And then to end the month, on January 29th, Buena Vista Pictures released Walt Disney’s classic animated film Sleeping Beauty. America would continue to win the pop-culture wars for the rest of the century…

What’d Sadie think?

The year starts with two weeks at the top for Sadie’s favourite, the Chipmunks, with “The Chipmunk Song” at number 1. Before the Platters take the spot with “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”.

Loved ’em

I hope everyone was feeling OK back in 1959, but if the popcharts were anything to go by… they were lonely. No less than “Lonely Teardrops” , “Lonesome Town” and then chart newcomer, “Lonely Teenager” by Dion.

“My Heart Sings” is classic sappy Paul Anka but that doesn’t make it bad. “The Teen Commandments” (featuring George Hamilton Iv & Johnny Nash) is the second Paul Anka song in the charts and is it ever weird. It has a spoken word throughout which has these ten commandments, such as “At the first moment, turn away from unclean thinking at the first moment.” Doesn’t get more ’50s than that. Perhaps they were trying to undo all the stirring up of teenage hormones Elvis was causing.

“Stagger Lee” by Lloyd Price is about the murder of Billy Lyons by pimp “Stag” Lee Shelton, in St. Louis, Missouri, at Christmas 1895. The song was first published in 1911 and first recorded in 1923, by Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians. This was the first charting version.

And in other storied songs we have “The Diary” by Neil Sedaka. Apparently he and his co-writer were inspired to write the song after asking for (and being refused) access to their client, singer, Connie Francis’s diary in hopes of mining it for lyrical material. Slightly creepy, but there we go.

How I’d like to look
Into that little book
The one that has the lock and key
And know the boy that you care for
The boy who’s in your diary

Liked ’em

• “All American Boy” – Bill Parsons
• “Hawaiian Wedding Song” – Andy Williams
• “I Cried A Tear” – Lavern Baker
• “May You Always” – Mcguire Sisters
• “Peek-A-Boo” – Cadillacs
• “Peter Gunn” – Ray Anthony
• “Nobody But You” – Dee Clark

Leave ’em

• “Children’s Marching Song” – Cyril Stapleton
• “Lucky Ladybug” – Billy And Lillie

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