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(vanity) TOURNAMENT OF CHART-TOPPERS ('50S) ROUND 1
me | 4/25/20 | me

Posted on 04/25/2020 1:15:11 PM PDT by the OlLine Rebel

OK, FREEPERS, LET'S START THIS CONTEST FOR THE GREATEST SONG OF THE '50S!

The baseline for the contest is the top 7 hits of each year of the '50s, as compiled by BILLBOARD. This is NOT based on personal preferences, biases, prejudices, or counter-culture fringe-element reactionaries.

Round 1 involves listing all 10 #7 candidate songs in order of preference.

(The remaining rounds are handled as play-off brackets, starting with 32 pairs of songs to compare.)

ROUND 1 We begin by using the #7 songs of each year, which we'll pare from 10 songs to 4 (to set up play-off brackets for the rest of the contest). NO equivocating, ties, or omissions.

year song act 1950 "Third Man Theme" Guy Lombardo 1951 "Cold, Cold Heart" Tony Bennett 1952 "Wish You Were Here" Eddie Fisher 1953 "April in Portugal" Les Baxter 1954 "(Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely" The Four Knights [also titled as “I Get So Lonely (When I Dream About You)”] 1955 "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" The Four Aces 1956 "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" Doris Day 1957 "Singing the Blues" Guy Mitchell 1958 "Catch a Falling Star" / "Magic Moments" Perry Como 1959 "The Three Bells" The Browns

For the 1st time ever, I’m going to make it a little easier on you all – please see my playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6Lnx_IGaigbPsHOh_ZtV2d1GBCwuYYGf

ROUND 1 DUE DATE: Sunday May 3 @6:00pm EST


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Miscellaneous; Music/Entertainment; Society
KEYWORDS: 1950s; 50s; 50smusic; americana; billboard; culture; entertainment; fifties; music; nineteenfifties; nostalgia; popculture; popmusic; popularmusic; rock; rockroll; top40; top40music; vanity
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To: the OlLine Rebel
"Good Golly, Miss Molly" was released on the Cat label, a short-lived subsidiary of Atlantic Records. As far as I know, only one song from that label, "Sh-Boom" by the Chords, charted nationally, but I like just about everything that came out on Cat.

In the lyrics of "Follow the Rock" by the Bay Bops, I have found references to 25 song titles--and there may even be a couple more. They are as follows:

  1. Long Tall Sally--Pat Boone (1956)
  2. Up on the Mountain--The Magnificents (1956)
  3. Suddenly, There’s a Valley--Gogi Grant (1955)
  4. Roll Over Beethoven--The Four Chaps (1956)
  5. Shake a Hand--Faye Adams (1953)
  6. Speedo--The Cadillacs (1956)
  7. Blue Suede Shoes--Carl Perkins (1956)
  8. The Flying Saucer--Buchanan & Goodman (1956)
  9. Maybelline--Chuck Berry (1956)
  10. Rock Around the Clock--Wally Mercer (1952)
  11. My Boy Flat Top--Dorothy Collins (1955)
  12. Band of Gold--Don Cherry (1956)
  13. Stranded in the Jungle--The Jayhawks (1956)
  14. Fools Fall in Love--The Drifters (1957)
  15. 1,000 Miles Away--The Heartbeats (1956)
  16. Blueberry Hill--Fats Domino (1956)
  17. Rock and Roll Waltz--Kay Starr (1956)
  18. Why, Baby, Why?--Pat Boone (1957),br>
  19. All Shook Up--Elvis Presley (1957)
  20. Pledging my Love--Johnny Ace (1955)
  21. Party Doll--Buddy Knox (1957)
  22. 99 Ways--Tab Hunter (1957),br>
  23. Teenage Crush--Tommy Sands (1957)
  24. Marianne--Terry Gilkyson & the Easy Riders (1957)
  25. Don’t Be Cruel--Elvis Presley (1956)

61 posted on 04/25/2020 5:00:47 PM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: knarf

https://youtu.be/ZX4LpzQ-NzQ

B side and Japanese hit by one of Lennon’s great loves : https://youtu.be/HuhlOlLHs58


62 posted on 04/25/2020 5:05:23 PM PDT by Phil DiBasquette
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To: Phil DiBasquette
And of course https://youtu.be/ilFcXsujItQ All outside the scope of the contest 1959 Phillies program ad: $24.95 then
63 posted on 04/25/2020 5:14:11 PM PDT by Phil DiBasquette
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To: Phil DiBasquette

This was a Texas Instruments joint venture-
“I did not know that!”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regency_TR-1


64 posted on 04/25/2020 5:18:32 PM PDT by Phil DiBasquette
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To: the OlLine Rebel

1)1959 “The Three Bells” The Browns

2)1955 “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing”

3)1958 “Catch a Falling Star” / “Magic Moments” Perry Como

4) 1951 “Cold, Cold Heart” Tony Bennett

5)1953 “April in Portugal” Les Baxter

6) 1956 “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” Doris Day

7)1950 “Third Man Theme” Guy Lombardo

8) 1957 “Singing the Blues” Guy Mitchell

9)1952 “Wish You Were Here” Eddie Fisher

10)1954 “(Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely” The Four Knights [also titled as “I Get So Lonely (When I Dream About You)”]


65 posted on 04/25/2020 5:54:17 PM PDT by SunshinesStormySummerSon
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To: the OlLine Rebel

No Elvis...no Dion ...no old blue eyes?

Strange list.


66 posted on 04/25/2020 6:05:48 PM PDT by free_life (If you ask Jesus to forgive you and to save you, He will. As)
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To: knarf

In 1958, we had a portable Zenith tube radio. We usually had it tuned to KFI. Thirty-one years before it first carried Rush Limbaugh’s voice across the Southland, KFI featured variety programming and music that consisted mainly of pop standards, but on occasion, a rocker would sneak onto the playlist.


67 posted on 04/25/2020 6:08:03 PM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: free_life
No Elvis...no Dion ...no old blue eyes?

Over the coming weeks, as we rise higher in the charts, you'll definitely see Elvis. Not sure we'll see Dion--if we do, it will probably be in 1959--but there's a good chance we'll meet Blue Eyes.

68 posted on 04/25/2020 6:17:25 PM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: Phil DiBasquette
As lugubrious as some of these seem they’re a pep-charged upgrade over stuff from just a few years before like “You Can’t Be True, Dear” (BTW a song I dont hate)

I don't hate it either. I like Vera's version (she never sang a song I didn't like).

You Can't Be True, Dear--Vera Lynn (1948)

69 posted on 04/25/2020 6:22:05 PM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: the OlLine Rebel

Ranked in order 1 through 10:
1957 “Singing the Blues” Guy Mitchell
1959 “The Three Bells” The Browns
1955 “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing” The Four Aces
1956 “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” Doris Day
1950 “Third Man Theme” Guy Lombardo
1954 “(Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely” The Four Knights [also titled as “I Get So Lonely (When I Dream About You)”]
1958 “Catch a Falling Star” / “Magic Moments” Perry Como
1951 “Cold, Cold Heart” Tony Bennett
1953 “April in Portugal” Les Baxter
1952 “Wish You Were Here” Eddie Fisher


70 posted on 04/25/2020 6:26:29 PM PDT by John Milner (Marching for Peace is like breathing for food.)
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To: the OlLine Rebel
#20 and #14 in 1958. Doesn’t quite make the cut!

Your list, wherever you got it is BS.

ML/NJ

71 posted on 04/25/2020 6:41:20 PM PDT by ml/nj
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To: the OlLine Rebel
FTR Wikipedia says:
"At the Hop" is a rock and roll/doo-wop song written by Artie Singer, John Medora, and David White and originally released by Danny & the Juniors.[1] The song was released in the fall of 1957 and reached number one on the US charts on January 6, 1958, becoming one of the top-selling singles of 1958.[2] "At the Hop" also hit number one on the R&B Best Sellers list.[3] Somewhat more surprisingly, the record reached #3 on the Music Vendor country charts. It was also a big hit elsewhere, which included a number 3 placing on the UK charts.
ML/NJ
72 posted on 04/25/2020 6:44:47 PM PDT by ml/nj
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To: the OlLine Rebel

1. 1959 “The Three Bells” The Browns

2. 1950 “Third Man Theme” Guy Lombardo

3. 1951 “Cold, Cold Heart” Tony Bennett

4. 1955 “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing” The Four Aces

5. 1956 “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” Doris Day

6. 1957 “Singing the Blues” Guy Mitchell

7. 1953 “April in Portugal” Les Baxter

8. 1958 “Catch a Falling Star” / “Magic Moments” Perry Como

9. 1954 “(Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely” The Four Knights [also titled as “I Get So Lonely (When I Dream About You)”]

10. 1952 “Wish You Were Here” Eddie Fisher


73 posted on 04/25/2020 7:15:08 PM PDT by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: be-baw

Agree! R&B was my music. The listed songs were usually on my parents’ radio, so I heard most of them. (I turned 17 in 1959)


74 posted on 04/25/2020 7:53:33 PM PDT by octex
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To: ml/nj

Look, anyone who reads the background and rules knows this is all Billboard. And knows there are only so many songs to handle. It takes 7 weeks as it is with 70 songs.

Billboard year-end stats rank them. Those were the rankings for those 2 songs in that year. It’s not BS.


75 posted on 04/25/2020 8:33:16 PM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs)
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To: ml/nj

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_year-end_top_50_singles_of_1958


76 posted on 04/25/2020 8:39:22 PM PDT by Phil DiBasquette
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To: ml/nj

Yes it was a big deal.

But on BB for the year it came in at 20.


77 posted on 04/25/2020 8:43:38 PM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs)
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To: Fiji Hill

Sorry to say, Sinatra only hit the yearly chart 2x - too low for my survey.

I think he did better in the ‘60s.

Dion won’t make it on here either.


78 posted on 04/25/2020 8:51:58 PM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs)
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To: Fiji Hill

Besides the original adaptation from a
German song by Ken Griffin for
the indie Rondo (run by future mogul Mo
Oberstein’s dad Eli) which sold millions in
a vocal and instrumental version,
it spun millions more via hit covers by
UK artists Dame Vera Lynn (still alive!) and
Dick James (yes that Beatles music publisher)as
well as Dick Haymes, The Sportsmen, etc.


79 posted on 04/25/2020 9:04:31 PM PDT by Phil DiBasquette
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To: the OlLine Rebel

1. 1957 “Singing the Blues” Guy Mitchell
2. 1956 “Que Sera, Sera
3. 1950 “Third Man Theme” Guy Lombardo
4. 1959 “The Three Bells” The Browns
5. 1955 “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing” The Four Aces
6. 1958 “Catch a Falling Star” / “Magic Moments” Perry Como
7. 1951 “Cold, Cold Heart” Tony Bennett
8. 1953 “April in Portugal” Les Baxter
9. 1952 “Wish You Were Here” Eddie Fisher
10. 1954 “(Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely”


80 posted on 04/25/2020 9:30:14 PM PDT by howlinhound (Live your life so that, when you get up in the morning, Satan says, "Oh Crap!..He's awake" - Unknown)
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