Category: Monthly

The end of 1956 is fast approaching us as Autumn makes itself known back in 2022. Let’s hear how its sounding back there:

The songs of October, 1956

“A House With Love In It” – Four Lads
“After The Lights Go Down Low” – Al Hibbler
“Allegheny Moon” – Patti Page
“Be-Bop-A-Lula” – Gene Vincent
“Blueberry Hill” – Fats Domino*
“Bus Stop Song” – Four Lads
“Canadian Sunset” – Andy Williams
“Canadian Sunset” – Hugo Winterhalter
“Chains Of Love” – Pat Boone
“Cindy Oh Cindy” – Vince Martin And The Tarriers*
“Don’t Be Cruel” – Elvis Presley
“Friendly Persuasion” – Pat Boone
“Green Door” – Jim Lowe*
“Happiness Street” – Georgia Gibbs
“Honky Tonk” – Bill Doggett
“Hound Dog” – Elvis Presley
“I Almost Lost My Mind” – Pat Boone
“I Walk The Line” – Johnny Cash*
“In The Middle Of The House” – Rusty Draper
“In The Middle Of The House” – Vaughn Monroe
“In The Still Of The Nite” – Five Satins*
“It Isn’t Right” – Platters*
“Just Walkin’ In The Rain” – Johnnie Ray
“Lay Down Your Arms” – Chordettes*
“Let The Good Times Roll” – Shirley And Lee*
“Love Me Tender” – Elvis Presley*
“Miracle Of Love” – Eileen Rodgers
“My Prayer” – Platters
“Out Of Sight Out Of Mind” – Five Keys*
“See Saw” – Moonglows*
“Soft Summer Breeze” – Eddie Heywood
“St. Therese Of The Roses” – Billy Ward
“That’s All There Is To That” – Nat King Cole And The Four Knights
“The Flying Saucer” – Buchannan And Goodman
“The Fool” – Sanford Clark
“The Italian Theme” – Cyril Stapleton*
“Theme From Song For A Summer Night” – Mitch Miller
“Tonight You Belong To Me” – Lawrence Welk*
“Tonight You Belong To Me” – Patience And Prudence
“True Love” – Bing Crosby And Grace Kelly*
“True Love” – Jane Powell
“Whatever Will Be Will Be (Que Sera Sera)” – Doris Day
“When The White Lilacs Bloom Again” – Billy Vaughn
“When The White Lilacs Bloom Again” – Helmut Zacharias
“You Don’T Know Me” – Jerry Vale
“You’ll Never Never Know” – Platters*

* = 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 5th of October “The Ten Commandments”, starring Charlton Heston as Moses and directed by Cecil B. DeMille, is released in the United States becoming one of the highest-grossing films of all time. Watch the trailer below:

Over the other side of the Atlantic the English footballer Bobby Charlton makes his first appearance for Manchester United F.C., aged 18, in a match against Charlton Athletic. Not a match starring Charlton but a newsreel of a match from that year gives a real vibe of the time below:

And finally, on the 17th Shostakovich debuts a new work in Moscow. His string Quartet No. 6 in G major, Op. 101, was composed in 1956 – you can hear it below.

What’d Sadie think?

Elvis’ “Don’t Be Cruel” is number 1 throughout the month. Not surprising, but it is a big month for classic songs to debut as well…

Like the great “Blueberry Hill” by Fats Domino. Except this is far from the debut of this song which is actually from 1940 and had versions from the likes of Louis Armstrong (1949) along the way. But the Fats Domino version is the Rock ‘n’ Roll version that would make it truly a classic.

And another classic, that is actually from 1956 is “I Walk The Line” by Johnny Cash. Apparently the unique chord progression for “I Walk the Line” was inspired by the backwards playback of guitar runs on Cash’s tape recorder.

Then, while he’s still at number 1 with “Don’t be Cruel” Elvis debuts “Love Me Tender”. The song apparently puts new words to a new musical adaptation of the Civil War song “Aura Lee,” published in 1861. Here’s Elvis debuting the song on the Ed Sullivan show this month:

And then the trailer for the eponymous film and his acting debut:

And then there is the classic “In The Still Of The Nite” by the Five Satins. The song was apparently spelled as “In the Still of the Nite” to avoid confusion with Cole Porter’s “In the Still of the Night”.

“Cindy Oh Cindy” by Vince Martin And The Tarriers had us singing along half-way through, even though we weren’t familiar with it. Sweet.

“Green Door” by Jim Lowe I’m familiar with and is a fun number. Though much googling has not given a definitive answer to what is meant to be behind the green door. Probably drugs right? Catchy anyway.

“It Isn’t Right” and “You’ll Never Never Know” are both new tunes by the Platters this month. Neither great, but the former is the best because of the Sax part.

“Let The Good Times Roll” by Shirley And Lee lives up to its name. Let’s get the party started! (And another great sax part.)

“Out Of Sight Out Of Mind” by the Five Keys takes the tempo right down and is a bit of a snore fest.

“Lay Down Your Arms” by the Chordettes is either literal or metaphorical? One of the two definitely. Not a great song either way.

“See Saw” by the Moonglows continues the energetic tunes with great sax parts theme for this week. Lovin’ it.

“The Italian Theme” by Cyril Stapleton is surely from a movie and sounds exactly like you’d expect it to by the name. So it’s Ok.

“Tonight You Belong To Me” by Lawrence Welk is the second charting version of this song and it isn’t a necessary addition.

“True Love” by Bing Crosby And Grace Kelly is from one of my favourite musical films “High Society” (the film it is based on is my absolute favourite, “The Philadelphia Story”). But it’s not my favourite song from the film by a long shot.

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

Here we are in March, 2022… about to hear what September, 1956 sounded like – let’s go!

The songs of September, 1956

“A House With Love In It” – Four Lads*
“A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl” – Teresa Brewer
“After The Lights Go Down Low” – Al Hibbler
“Allegheny Moon” – Patti Page
“Be-Bop-A-Lula” – Gene Vincent
“Born To Be With You” – Chordettes
“Canadian Sunset” – Andy Williams
“Canadian Sunset” – Hugo Winterhalter
“Chains Of Love” – Pat Boone
“Don’t Be Cruel” – Elvis Presley
“Fabulous Character” – Sarah Vaughan
“Friendly Persuasion” – Pat Boone*
“Glendora” – Perry Como
“Happiness Street” – Georgia Gibbs*
“Honky Tonk” – Bill Doggett
“Hound Dog” – Elvis Presley
“I Almost Lost My Mind” – Pat Boone
“I Want You I Need You I Love You” – Elvis Presley
“In The Middle Of The House” – Rusty Draper*
“In The Middle Of The House” – Vaughn Monroe*
“It Only Hurts For A Little While” – Ames Brothers
“Just Walkin’ In The Rain” – Johnnie Ray*
“Miracle Of Love” – Eileen Rodgers*
“Moonglow And Theme From Picnic” – Morris Stoloff
“More” – Perry Como
“My Prayer” – Platters
“On The Street Where You Live” – Vic Damone
“Rip It Up” – Little Richard*
“Soft Summer Breeze” – Eddie Heywood
“Someone Up There Likes Me” – Perry Como
“St. Theresa Of The Roses” – Billy Ward*
“That’s All There Is To That” – Nat King Cole And The Four Knights
“The Bus Stop Song” – Four Lads*
“The Flying Saucer” – Buchannan And Goodman
“The Fool” – Sanford Clark
“The Wayward Wind” – Gogi Grant
“The Wayward Wind” – Tex Ritter*
“Theme From Song For A Summer Night” – Mitch Miller
“Tonight I Belong To You” – Patience And Prudence
“Whatever Will Be Will Be (Que Sera Sera)” – Doris Day
“When My Dreamboat Comes Home” – Fats Domino
“When The White Lilacs Bloom Again” – Billy Vaughn Orchestra*
“When The White Lilacs Bloom Again” – Helmut Zacharias*
“You Don’t Know Me” – Jerry Vale

* = 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

A month chocker full of history. (What this actually means is things that particularly interested me – things )

On September 6, US poet Richard Eberhart, reporting for The New York Times from San Francisco, publishes an article in the New York Times Book Review identifying Allen Ginsberg’s Howl as “the most remarkable poem of the young group” of poets becoming known as the leaders of the Beat Generation. A favourite, as I’ve mentioned before, so here’s a 1959 reading of the poem by Ginsberg:

The next day Iven C. Kincheloe flies the Bell X-2 test jet to a peak altitude of 126,200 ft (38,466 m), the first time a pilot has exceeded 100,000 ft (30,500 m). Here’s a news reel from that year about the plane:

And on September 9 Elvis Presley appears for the first time The Ed Sullivan Show, watched by a record audience of approximately 60 million viewers. Knowing what is coming, after previous TV performances, he is filmed only from the waist up.

On September 2, the first hard disk drive, IBM 350, part of IBM 305 RAMAC, is shipped. A video showing the gargantuan contraption is below:

And lastly, on the 25th the submarine transatlantic telephone cable between the United States and the United Kingdom is put into operation. Interesting to think how much further apart, practiclly, the world was before things like this were rolled out.

What’d Sadie think?

A week more at number 1 for The Platter’s, “My Prayer” before Elvis is back at number 1 again, this time with “Don’t Be Cruel”.

“A House With Love In It” by Four Lads kicks off our new songs. These are four cheesy lads…and this week we aren’t feeling it.

“Friendly Persuasion” by Pat Boone is from a Gary Cooper film, you can see the trailer below. A good month for Boone as his daughter, Debby, is also born. And not a bad song at that.

“Happiness Street” by Georgia Gibbs is a finger clickin’ affair. Maybe even a whistle-along one.

“In The Middle Of The House” by Vaughn Monroe is the second cover of the song in the charts. Apparently it was even more popular in the UK with a further 3 covers. It’s actually got us hooked after a few listens. Which should have been difficult for a song that’s about a train track running through a house…

“Just Walkin’ In The Rain” by Johnnie Ray is a decent cover of a 1953 release. It was written in 1952 by Johnny Bragg and Robert Riley, two prisoners at Tennessee State Prison in Nashville, after a comment made by Bragg as the pair crossed the courtyard while it was raining. Bragg allegedly said, “Here we are just walking in the rain, and wondering what the girls are doing.” Riley suggested that this would make a good basis for a song, and within a few minutes, Bragg had composed two verses. However, because Bragg was unable to read and write, he asked Riley to write the lyrics down in exchange for being credited as one of the song’s writers.

“Miracle Of Love” by Eileen Rodgers ain’t bad, but it also ain’t great.

“Rip It Up” is another great tune from Little Richard. Loving that sax part.

“St. Theresa Of The Roses” by Billy Ward isn’t much to write home about but apparently a cover by Malcolm Vaughan did particularly well in the UK. Its success was helped following a controversy involving the BBC when, in October 1956 Vaughan had been scheduled to appear on BBC TV’s Off The Record to promote the release of the song, but had the invitation withdrawn after a BBC committee decided that it was unsuitable for broadcast. The reason given was that “the lyric is contrary both to Roman Catholic doctrine and to Protestant sentiment.”

“The Bus Stop Song” by Four Lads is from a Marilyn Monroe song of the same name. And it’s better than the other song by the lads on the charts but that’s about it.

“The Wayward Wind” by Tex Ritter is a second cover of the song on the charts. And it just gets catchier the more we listen.

“When The White Lilacs Bloom Again” by Helmut Zacharias is a nice instrumental to close the new tunes on the charts.

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

Still feels like summer down under in March 2022, which it probably did in the northern hemisphere of August 1956 where we find ourselves listening to the hits of the day…

The songs of August, 1956

“A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl” – Teresa Brewer
“After The Lights Go Down Low” – Al Hibbler*
“Allegheny Moon” – Patti Page
“Ape Call” – Nervous Norvous*
“Be-Bop-A-Lula” – Gene Vincent
“Born To Be With You” – Chordettes
“Canadian Sunset” – Andy Williams*
“Canadian Sunset” – Hugo Winterhalter*
“Don’t Be Cruel” – Elvis Presley*
“Fabulous Character” – Sarah Vaughan*
“Fever” – Little Willie John
“Ghost Town” – Don Cherry*
“Give Us This Day” – Joni James*
“Glendora” – Perry Como
“Honky Tonk” – Bill Doggett*
“Hound Dog” – Elvis Presley*
“I Almost Lost My Mind” – Pat Boone
“I Want You I Need You I Love You” – Elvis Presley
“I’m In Love Again” – Fats Domino
“In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town” – Somethin’ Smith And The Redheads*
“It Only Hurts For A Little While” – Ames Brothers
“Ivory Tower” – Cathy Carr
“Ivory Tower” – Gale Storm
“Moonglow And Theme From Picnic” – George Cates Orchestra
“Moonglow And Theme From Picnic” – Morris Stoloff
“More” – Perry Como
“My Prayer” – Platters*
“On The Street Where You Live” – Vic Damone
“Picnic” – Mcguire Sisters
“Portuguese Washerwoman” – Joe Fingers Carr
“Soft Summer Breeze” – Eddie Heywood*
“Somebody Up There Likes Me” – Perry Como*
“Standing On The Corner” – Four Lads
“Stranded In The Jungle” – Cadets*
“Stranded In The Jungle” – Jayhawks*
“That’s All There Is To That” – Nat King Cole*
“The Flying Saucer” – Buchannan And Goodman*
“The Fool” – Sanford Clark*
“The Wayward Wind” – Gogi Grant
“Theme From Song For A Summer Night” – Mitch Miller*
“Tonight You Belong To Me” – Patience And Prudence*
“Transfusion” – Nervous Norvus
“Treasure Of Love” – Clyde Mcphatter
“Whatever Will Be Will Be (Que Sera Sera)” – Doris Day
“When My Dreamboat Comes Home” – Fats Domino*
“You Don’t Know Me” – Jerry Vale*

* = New to the chart this week.

Plenty of new songs in the main charts this month but let’s throw in some tunes from the R&B charts too. Though as they cross-over more frequently there’s more double up.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link or embedded below:

This month in history

A couple of notable deaths this month (apologies to anyone who died this month who I don’t mention as notable… ain’t life weird.) On August 2 – Albert Woolson died age 106. A very decent innings but particularly interesting as he was the last surviving Union veteran of the American Civil War. Show’s just how long ago 1956 was I guess.

And then on August 11, Jackson Pollock, 44, US artist, was killed in a car crash, along with a passenger, while driving under the influence of alcohol.

Meanwhile, after his appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival in the United States, musician Duke Ellington appears on the cover of Time magazine:

What’d Sadie think?

Pat Boone’s “I Almost Lost My Mind” is at number 1 for two weeks before chart newcomer, “Mr Prayer” by the Platters tops them for 3 weeks.

Two bangers from Mr Presley this week – he sure came out of the gates at pace! Just a few months into his charting career and delivering some of his classics.

Oddity of note this month is “The Flying Saucer” by Buchannan And Goodman – which would be in “leave it” except you really do need to listen to it, even if you may not like it either.

The song is considered to be an early (perhaps the earliest) example of a mashup, featuring segments of popular songs intertwined with spoken “news” commentary to tell the story of a visit from a flying saucer.

Très très post modern.

Loved it

“Don’t Be Cruel” – Elvis Presley

“Hound Dog” – Elvis Presley

“My Prayer” – Platters

“Rip it Up” – Little Richard

Liked it

“After The Lights Go Down Low” – Al Hibbler

“Canadian Sunset” – Andy Williams

“Fabulous Character” – Sarah Vaughan

“Ghost Town” – Don Cherry

“Honky Tonk” – Bill Doggett

“Soft Summer Breeze” – Eddie Heywood

“Somebody Up There Likes Me” – Perry Como

“That’s All There Is To That” – Nat King Cole

“The Fool” – Sanford Clark

“Theme From Song For A Summer Night” – Mitch Miller

“When My Dreamboat Comes Home” – Fats Domino

It’s too Late – Chuck Willis

Let the Good Times Roll – Shirley and Lee

So Long – Fats Domino

Casual Look -Six Teens

“Stranded In The Jungle” – Jayhawks

“The Flying Saucer” – Buchannan And Goodman

Leave it

“Ape Call” – Nervous Norvous

“Give Us This Day” – Joni James

“In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town” – Somethin’ Smith And The Redheads

“Tonight You Belong To Me” – Patience And Prudence

“You Don’t Know Me” – Jerry Vale

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

Anyone feel like escaping 2022? Thought so… come join us back in July, 1956 and hear what it sounded like via the charts of the month:

The songs of July, 1956

“A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl” – Teresa Brewer
“Allegheny Moon” – Patti Page
“Be-Bop-A-Lula” – Gene Vincent
“Born To Be With You” – Chordettes
“Fever” – Little Willie John*
“Glendora” – Perry Como
“Graduation Day” – Four Freshmen*
“Graduation Day” – Rover Boys
“Heartbreak Hotel” – Elvis Presley
“Hot Diggity” – Perry Como
“How Little We Know” – Frank Sinatra*
“I Almost Lost My Mind” – Pat Boone
“I Want You I Need You I Love You” – Elvis Presley
“I Want You To Be My Girl” – Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
“I’m In Love Again” – Fats Domino
“It Only Hurts For A Little While” – Ames Brothers
“Ivory Tower” – Cathy Carr
“Ivory Tower” – Gale Storm
“Love Love Love” – Clovers*
“Moonglow And Theme From Picnic” – George Cates Orchestra
“Moonglow And Theme From Picnic” – Morris Stoloff
“More” – Perry Como
“My Blue Heaven” – Fats Domino
“My Prayer” – Platters*
“On The Street Where You Live” – Eddie Fisher*
“On The Street Where You Live” – Vic Damone
“Picnic” – Mcguire Sisters
“Portuguese Washerwoman” – Joe Fingers Carr*
“Standing On The Corner” – Dean Martin
“Standing On The Corner” – Four Lads
“Stranded In The Jungle” – Cadets*
“That’s All There Is To That” – Nat King Cole*
“The Church Bells May Ring” – Diamonds
“The Happy Whistler” – Don Robertson
“The Magic Touch” – Platters
“The Wayward Wind” – Gogi Grant
“Transfusion” – Nervous Norvus
“Treasure Of Love” – Clyde Mcphatter
“Walk Hand In Hand” – Tony Martin
“Whatever Will Be Will Be (Que Sera Sera)” – Doris Day*

* = 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 July 4th the first flight of the U-2 spy plane over the Soviet Union are made by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from Wiesbaden in West Germany.

Then on July 7th, originally a radio show, the first episode of the televised version of Hancock’s Half Hour is broadcast by the BBC.

I find celebrity births are good at giving me perspective for how long ago we’re exploring. For example on July 9 Tom Hanks was born in Concord, California. And on July 15th Ian Curtis, singer in one of my favourite bands – Joy Division, was born in Manchester.

After ten years as partners, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis perform their last comedy show together at the Copacabana nightclub in New York, United States. A video of the duo a few months earlier at the Sands in Las Vegas is below:

In further parallels to the Ukraine-Russia conflict going on back in 2022, on July 28 the UK government, under prime minister Anthony Eden, froze Egypt’s financial assets in British banks as a result of the Suez Crisis.

What’d Sadie think?

“The Wayward Wind” by Gogi Grant dominates the number 1 spot for the whole month – we’re not massive fans but apparently the USA of 1956 was.

“Fever” by Little Willie John topped the Billboard R&B charts as well as crossing over to the pop charts. “Little” Willie was 19. I’m not sure if he dropped the moniker as “lil’ bow wow” would do decades later, when he grew older. Either way it’s one heck of a song and easily tune of the month. One of those classics I definitely didn’t realise were this early and hadn’t knowingly heard the original of.

“Graduation Day” by the Four Freshmen is a song about nostalgia hat presumedly some people are now nostalgic about. Meta! It’s an OK song.

“How Little We Know” is another chart hit for Frank Sinatra and then “Love Love Love” is another hit for chart regulars the Clovers. Both alright but nothing to write home about.

“My Prayer” by the Platters is a doo-wop version, and the most successful version, of a song originally from 1939. And it was this week’s “oops” when creating the playlist – sometimes I click “add to playlist” an album that is the same name as a song, and then have to spend time deleting the extra songs one by one. Such a glamorous job! Anyway, Another good ‘un by the Platters.

“On The Street Where You Live” by Eddie Fisher is another charting version of the song from ‘My Fair Lady’. If you liked the original, you’ll like this version.

I can find nothing online about “Portuguese Washerwoman” by Joe Fingers Carr. But then it has very little to recommend it, so it’s lost in time for a reason.

“Stranded In The Jungle” by the Cadets was also a hit for “Jay Hawks” and “the Gadabouts”. But maybe it is jinxed as it was the one and only hit for all three. With the style of rhythm and the “spoken word” poetry, its basically a rap song so I’m surprised not to have encountered it before as historically notable in the genre. Maybe talking about cannibals made it a little problematic…

The title of “That’s All There Is To That” by Nat King Cole apparently reference’s Ethel Barrymore’s phrase to rebuff curtain calls, “That’s all there is, there isn’t any more”. Which appears to be a storied phrase but the song itself isn’t one of NKC’s best.

“Whatever Will Be Will Be (Que Sera Sera)” by Doris Day is from “The Man Who Knew Too Much” and is a classic for a reason!

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

We’re nearly half way through 1956 as The Scovells find themselves able to enjoy a weekend out in the “real world” in 2021 for the first time in a couple of weeks, so it’ll be a short but sweet journey through June, 1956…

The songs of June, 1956

“A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl” – Teresa Brewer*
“A Tear Fell” – Teresa Brewer
“Allegheny Moon” – Patti Page*
“Be-Bop-A-Lula” – Gene Vincent*
“Blue Suede Shoes” – Carl Perkins
“Born To Be With You” – Chordettes*
“Can You Find It In Your Heart” – Tony Bennett
“Church Bells May Ring” – Diamonds*
“Glendora” – Perry Como*
“Graduation Day” – Rover Boys*
“Heartbreak Hotel” – Elvis Presley
“Hot Diggity” – Perry Como
“I Almost Lost My Mind” – Pat Boone*
“I Want You I Need You I Love You” – Elvis Presley*
“I Want You To Be My Girl” – Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
“I’ll Be Home” – Pat Boone
“I’m In Love Again” – Fats Domino
“It Only Hurts For A Little While” – Ames Brothers*
“Ivory Tower” – Cathy Carr
“Ivory Tower” – Gale Storm
“Ivory Tower” – Otis Williams
“Kiss Me Another” – Georgia Gibbs*
“Lisbon Antigua” – Nelson Riddle
“Long Tall Sally” – Little Richard
“Long Tall Sally” – Pat Boone
“Moonglow And Theme From Picnic” – George Cates Orchestra
“Moonglow And Theme From Picnic” – Morris Stoloff
“More” – Perry Como*
“My Blue Heaven” – Fats Domino*
“My Little Angel” – Four Lads*
“On The Street Where You Live” – Vic Damone*
“Picnic” – Mcguire Sisters
“Poor People Of Paris” – Les Baxter
“Rock Island Line” – Lonnie Donegan
“Roll Over Beethoven” – Chuck Berry*
“Standing On The Corner” – Dean Martin*
“Standing On The Corner” – Four Lads
“The Church Bells May Ring” – Diamonds
“The Happy Whistler” – Don Robertson
“The Magic Touch” – Platters
“The Wayward Wind” – Gogi Grant
“Transfusion” – Nervous Norvus*
“Treasure Of Love” – Clyde Mcphatter*
“Walk Hand In Hand” – Tony Martin
“Why Do Fools Fall In Love” – Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers

* = 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

It won’t be Elvis news all of the time for the next few years, but expect more of it.. This month he appears on The Milton Berle Show, singing “Hound Dog”. It notably the first time Presley has appeared on screen without a guitar, and the resulting performance attracts widespread criticism because of his “suggestive” movements… oo-eer!

Born on June 5th this year is Kenny G, US saxophonist, in Seattle, Washington. A definite hero of mine as a young saxophone player in the ’90s…

As Russia tries to push its way west in 2022 we look back to 1956 when US dramatist Arthur Miller is called before the House Un-American Activities Committee of the United States House of Representatives, but declines to name suspected Communists, resulting in his conviction for contempt of court

And to round out the month, 20th Century Fox’s film version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein 1951 stage musical The King and I, starring Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner, is released in the US, becoming the most successful film version of any of their musicals up to that date. See the trailer below…

What’d Sadie think?

Elvis manages to stay atop the chart with another 3 weeks with “Heart Break Hotel” before “The Wayward Wind” by Gogi Grant takes it for the last 2.

Loved it

“Roll Over Beethoven” – Chuck Berry

“My Blue Heaven” – Fats Domino

“Be-Bop-A-Lula” – Gene Vincent

Liked it

“A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl” – Teresa Brewer

“It Only Hurts For A Little While” – Ames Brothers

“Allegheny Moon” – Patti Page

“I Almost Lost My Mind” – Pat Boone

“Standing On The Corner” – Dean Martin

“On The Street Where You Live” – Vic Damone

“My Little Angel” – Four Lads

“More” – Perry Como

“I Want You I Need You I Love You” – Elvis Presley

“Church Bells May Ring” – Diamonds

“Kiss Me Another” – Georgia Gibbs

“Glendora” – Perry Como

Leave it

“Transfusion” – Nervous Norvus

“Treasure Of Love” – Clyde Mcphatter

“Born To Be With You” – Chordettes

“Graduation Day” – Rover Boys

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

A weekend in February, 2022 in which we find ourselves stuck indoors again so a perfect time to escape back to May, 1956 to hear what it sounded like…

The songs of May, 1956

“A Tear Fell” – Teresa Brewer
“Blue Suede Shoes” – Carl Perkins
“Blue Suede Shoes” – Elvis Presley
“Can You Find It In Your Heart” – Tony Bennett*
“Eddie My Love” – Chordettes
“Eddie My Love” – Fontane Sisters
“Heartbreak Hotel” – Elvis Presley
“Hot Diggity” – Perry Como
“I Want You To Be My Girl” – Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers*
“I’ll Be Home” – Pat Boone
“I’m In Love Again” – Fats Domino*
“Ivory Tower” – Cathy Carr
“Ivory Tower” – Gale Storm
“Ivory Tower” – Otis Williams*
“Juke Box Baby” – Perry Como
“Lisbon Antigua” – Nelson Riddle
“Long Tall Sally” – Little Richard
“Long Tall Sally” – Pat Boone*
“Molly-O” – Dick Jacobs Orchestra
“Moonglow And Theme From Picnic” – George Cates Orchestra
“Moonglow And Theme From Picnic” – Morris Stoloff
“Mr. Wonderful” – Peggy Lee
“No Not Much” – Four Lads
“Picnic” – Mcguire Sisters*
“Poor People Of Paris” – Les Baxter
“Rock & Roll Waltz” – Kay Starr
“Rock Island Line” – Lonnie Donegan
“Standing On The Corner” – Four Lads*
“The Church Bells May Ring” – Diamonds*
“The Happy Whistler” – Don Robertson*
“The Magic Touch” – Platters*
“The Wayward Wind” – Gogi Grant*
“Theme From Man With The Golden Arm” – Richard Maltby Orchestra
“Walk Hand In Hand” – Tony Martin*
“Why Do Fools Fall In Love” – Diamonds
“Why Do Fools Fall In Love” – Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
“Why Do Fools Fall In Love” – Gale Storm

* = 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

May, 1956 was apparently the first time in the history of Billboard magazine when five singles have appeared in both the pop and R&B Top Ten charts. “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley, “Blue Suede Shoes” by Carl Perkins, “Long Tall Sally” by Little Richard, “Magic Touch” by The Platters, and “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. All on our playlist this week of course!

Also this month, John Osborne’s play Look Back in Anger receives its première at the Royal Court Theatre in London. A press release describes the dramatist as an “angry young man”, a phrase that would come to describe a British working-class literary movement. See the trailer for the 1959 film based on the play below:

In notable, and timely, births we have Bob Saget, American comedian and actor, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania born on 17 May, 1956 – who died recently.

In the United States, NBC’s peacock logo is used for the first time, to indicate the quality of its colour television broadcasting. Which I had vaguely assumed was the reason for its design but its interesting to hear that confirmed and see the evolution of it below:

What’d Sadie think?

It was inevitable as soon as it hit the charts… “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley is number one for the whole month. But what else was there to delight our ears?

Loved ’em

“Can You Find It In Your Heart” – Tony Bennett

“I’m In Love Again” – Fats Domino

Liked ’em

“I Want You To Be My Girl” – Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers

“Long Tall Sally” – Pat Boone

“Ivory Tower” – Otis Williams

“The Magic Touch” – Platters

“The Wayward Wind” – Gogi Grant

“Walk Hand In Hand” – Tony Martin

“Standing On The Corner” – Four Lads

Lose ’em

“Picnic” – Mcguire Sisters

“The Church Bells May Ring” – Diamonds

“The Happy Whistler” – Don Robertson

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