Members alphanguy74 Posted August 25, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 "Unchained Melody" did get to number one a bunch of times... As far as just top 40, I think "Everlasting Love" would probably hold that record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphanguy74 Posted August 25, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 Next we have the SAME SONG by two different singers. "Answer Me" by Frankie Laine and by David Whitfield. Whitfields' version was #1 for one week, then Laine's for a masive 8 weeks, then Whitfield's AGAIN for one last week. So Frankie Laine had a massive run, bookended by Whitfield's version. Some weeks in there they shared the top spot, but not sure which ones they were. From November 6, all the way through the end of the year, so this was a VERY popular song in 1953. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0vmSR4iv3A http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFl1Vs-MJoY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members I Am A Swede Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 Fascinating to hear two different versions of the same song like that. I must say that I definitely prefer David Whitfield's version myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphanguy74 Posted August 30, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 Next is "Oh, Mein Papa" by Eddie Calvert, which stood at the number one spot for nine weeks, from January 8 - March 11, 1954. Born, 15 March 1922, Preston, Lancashire, England, died 7 August 1978, Johannesburg, South Africa. Calvert’s father taught him to play the trumpet, and at the age of 11, he joined the Preston Town Silver Band. In the 40s he played with Billy Ternent and Geraldo before forming his own group for nightclub engagements. By the early 50s he was touring the British variety circuit, and became known as ‘The Man With The Golden Trumpet’. In 1953 he recorded a Swiss tune ‘O Mein Papa’ which went to number 1 in the UK and made the Top 10 in the USA. Two years later he topped the UK charts again with a cover version of the Perez Prado hit ‘Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White’, and in the late 50s had more success with ‘Zambesi’, ‘Mandy’ and the theme from the Peter Sellers film John And Julie. Calvert had enormous success in theatres and clubs in the UK, including the London Palladium and major regional venues, until he moved to South Africa in 1968, where he was appointed liaison officer between the government and the Bantu tribe. He died there from a heart attack in 1978. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6tlYlIeWOc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 That's a short song. I would enjoy this far more without those singers, who sound like they are waiting for Dorothy to enter Oz. The UK certainly had a ton of very long-running #1 songs in these years. Were there just not a lot of records being sold? Calvert sounds like he had a fulfilled life, doing what he wanted. Good for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphanguy74 Posted August 30, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 I could have done without the singers, too. I don't know why the UK had these long running #1's like this. I think there were plenty of records being sold...maybe it's because the UK didn't have the variety of networks and radio stations we have over here, so something that got exposure got HUGE exposure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphanguy74 Posted September 1, 2012 Author Members Share Posted September 1, 2012 Next is "I See The Moon" by The Stargazers. It was number one for 5 weeks, from March 12 - April 15, 1954. This is the second number one by this group on the UK charts. . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwgq1WISItk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphanguy74 Posted September 1, 2012 Author Members Share Posted September 1, 2012 Honestly, I think the song is GHASTLY. It sounds like a bunch of drunks standing around a saloon piano. Sometimes a song becomes a hit, and you wonder WTF? I suppose it's intended to be a novelty song, but it doesn't succeed in that arena, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted September 1, 2012 Members Share Posted September 1, 2012 Oof. I guess there was a precedence for these type of pub songs, but I can't say I like it. Sounds like Hilda Ogden. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=818woBC0Yb8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FP48ezEZG8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphanguy74 Posted September 11, 2012 Author Members Share Posted September 11, 2012 Next we have a song by someone we all know... and a song that was also #1 in the United States as well, "Secret Love" by Doris Day. It was number one for an astounding 9 non consecutive weeks, April 16-22, and again May 7 - July 1, 1954. One of the prettiest and most beloved songs of the 50's, it is by far Doris Day's biggest and most memorable hit. It also won the Oscar for best original song in 1954, being from the film "Calamity Jane". Please register in order to view this content Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted September 11, 2012 Members Share Posted September 11, 2012 Very pretty song, although it always reminds me of Celluloid Closet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members quartermainefan Posted September 11, 2012 Members Share Posted September 11, 2012 The song I always associate with Doris Day is "Que Sera Sera", especially since that became her theme song when she went to TV. That is the song I think that will be the one every newscast will lead with when she passes on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Max Posted September 12, 2012 Members Share Posted September 12, 2012 Though I prefer "Que Sera, Sera," "Secret Love" is a beautiful song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphanguy74 Posted September 17, 2012 Author Members Share Posted September 17, 2012 Next we have Johnnie Ray with "Such A Night", which was number one from April 30 - May 6, 1954. Johnnie Ray was born on January 10, 1927 in Dallas, Oregon. He was partially deaf since childhood and began wearing a hearing aid at age 14. In 1951 singer LaVern Baker and her manager Al Green helped him with his music. He signed a contract with Okeh that year. His first effort was a song he had written himself titled Whiskey and Gin, which became a minor hit. Later in 1951 he recorded two songs that were produced by Mitch Miller and on which he was backed by the Four Lads: Cry and The Little White Cloud That Cried. Cry was a smash hit, reaching number one and staying there for eleven weeks. The two songs served to indicate that the big band era had run its course, and possibly for that reason a lot of people didn't care for them at all. Cry was written by Churchill Kohlman and it was later revived by Ray Charles, Ronnie Dove, and Lynn Anderson in the 60's and early 70's; The Little White Cloud That Cried was written by Johnnie Ray. Ray had a very emotional delivery when he sang a song, and it became fodder for comedians and mimics. He was moved to Okeh's parent label, Columbia, where he recorded some good old songs [still backed by the Four Lads] that he turned into hits: Please, Mr. Sun was on the reverse side of Here I Am - Broken-hearted and both songs made the top ten in 1952, as did Walkin' My Baby Back Home. The latter song had been a hit for Fred E. Ahlert and Roy Turk in 1930; it was sung by Donald O'Connor in the 1952 movie Singin' In The Rain, and was later recorded by Nat King Cole. A song that had been done by Leo Wood in 1918 and by Fats Waller in 1935, Somebody Stole My Gal, was turned into a top ten entry by Ray in 1953. The following year he reached the top twenty in a duet with Doris Day called Candy Lips, and with a song that had been written by Lincoln Chase, Such A Night. The latter had previously been recorded by the Drifters in 1953 and was later covered by Elvis Presley. Johnnie Ray had become a very popular singer, and it wasn't long before he was signed to a movie contract. His first film was an Irving Berlin musical, There's No Business Like Show Business, in 1954. The film included a very long, drawn-out, and somewhat strange production number of Alexander's Ragtime Band, on which he handled the vocals very well. His acting however was overshadowed by others in the film. Johnnie Ray put 25 hits in the top thirty from 1951 to 1957. On many he was backed by Ray Conniff's Orchestra and Chorus. His final two to reach the top ten were Just Walking In The Rain and a song that had been written by Marty Robbins, You Don't Owe Me A Thing. The only LP that he put in the top twenty was The Big Beat in 1957. He had many hits in the UK, including a duet that he did with Frankie Lane of Good Evening Friends and Up Above My Head. His last hit there was I'll Never Fall In Love Again in 1958. Although he faded from popularity in the United States in the late 50's, he continued to be popular in the UK. The power and clarity in his voice insured him a legion of fans. He toured Australia many times, and had more performances there than any other American performer. In later years Johnnie Ray had liver problems and died of liver failure in February of 1990. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C5fIDdOQ14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Max Posted September 18, 2012 Members Share Posted September 18, 2012 It is interesting how Johnnie Ray was more popular in Britain than in America. I remember him being mentioned in "Come on Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners. "Such a Night" was one of the better white cover versions of an R&B song. Here is the original version, by the first set of Drifters: <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PDmlUHSClzY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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