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, Im 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
"The Three Bells" The Browns
"(Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely" The Four Knights
"April in Portugal" Les Baxter
"Third Man Theme" Guy Lombardo
"Cold, Cold Heart" Tony Bennett
"Wish You Were Here" Eddie Fisher
"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" The Four Aces
"Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" Doris Day
"Magic Moments" Perry Como 1959
1951 Cold, Cold Heart Tony Bennett
1958 Catch a Falling Star / Magic Moments Perry Como
1952 Wish You Were Here Eddie Fisher
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
1957 Singing the Blues Guy Mitchell
1956 Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) Doris Day
1950 Third Man Theme Guy Lombardo
1953 April in Portugal Les Baxter
1959 The Three Bells The Browns
1955 Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing The Four Aces (1)
1956 Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) Doris Day(2)
1958 Catch a Falling Star / Magic Moments Perry Como (3)
1957 Singing the Blues Guy Mitchell (4)
1951 Cold, Cold Heart Tony Bennett (5)
1954 (Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely The Four Knights [also titled as I Get So Lonely (When I Dream About You)] (6)
1959 The Three Bells The Browns (7)
1952 Wish You Were Here Eddie Fisher(8)
1950 Third Man Theme Guy Lombardo (9)
1953 April in Portugal Les Baxter (10)
1959 The Three Bells The Browns (This song is head and shoulders above any other song on this week’s list.)
1951 Cold, Cold Heart Tony Bennett
1956 Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) Doris Day
1957 Singing the Blues Guy Mitchell
1953 April in Portugal Les Baxter
1952 Wish You Were Here Eddie Fisher
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
1950 Third Man Theme Guy Lombardo
1955 Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing The Four Aces
1955 Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing The Four Aces ***1/2
1952 Wish You Were Here Eddie Fisher ***1/2
1958 Catch a Falling Star / Magic Moments Perry Como ***1/2
1953 April in Portugal Les Baxter ***
1956 Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) Doris Day ***
1950 Third Man Theme Guy Lombardo ***
1951 Cold, Cold Heart Tony Bennett *** (But the Hank Williams version is utterly iconic)
1957 Singing the Blues Guy Mitchell ***
1959 The Three Bells The Browns ***
1954 (Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely The Four Knights **1/2
That sounded really great. Better than the live version when they were younger.
I wish I had seen them perform it live.
I guess the 1953 song is last on your list, then?
1. 1956 Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) Doris Day
2. 1957 Singing the Blues Guy Mitchell
3. 1951 Cold, Cold Heart Tony Bennett
4. 1950 Third Man Theme Guy Lombardo
5. 1953 April in Portugal Les Baxter
6. 1959 The Three Bells The Browns
7. 1954 (Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely The Four Knights
8. 1955 Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing The Four Aces
9. 1958 Catch a Falling Star / Magic Moments Perry Como
11. 1952 Wish You Were Here Eddie Fisher
2. 1959 The Three Bells The Browns
3. 1957 Singing the Blues Guy Mitchell
4. 1950 Third Man Theme Guy Lombardo
5. 1953 April in Portugal Les Baxter
6. 1954 (Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely The Four Knights [also titled as I Get So Lonely (When I Dream About You)]
7. 1955 Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing The Four Aces
8. 1951 Cold, Cold Heart Tony Bennett
9. 1952 Wish You Were Here Eddie Fisher
10. 1958 Catch a Falling Star / Magic Moments Perry Como
Wasn't familiar with some of the songs so I had to go and listen to them. If Cold, Cold Heart were the Hank version, it would have topped the list.
This is tough to choose! I like most of these songs, even though they’re before my time. I was an “oldies” disc jockey and played lots of ‘50s songs on the radio. Here’s my ballot:
1955 Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing The Four Aces
1958 Catch a Falling Star / Magic Moments Perry Como
1952 Wish You Were Here Eddie Fisher
1953 April in Portugal Les Baxter
1957 Singing the Blues Guy Mitchell
1951 Cold, Cold Heart Tony Bennett
1950 Third Man Theme Guy Lombardo
1956 Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) Doris Day
1954 (Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely The Four Knights
1959 The Three Bells The Browns
My picks:
“Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing”
“Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)”
“The Three Bells”
“Catch a Falling Star” / “Magic Moments” (this is down because of the forced combo, probably B-side hit; I like both but prefer Magic Moments so Star brought it down)
“Singing the Blues”
“April in Portugal”
“Cold, Cold Heart”
“Third Man Theme”
“Wish You Were Here”
“(Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely”
My standards: 1) engaging, 2) polished, 3) catchy, 4) ew that again. But really catchy beats moderately polished. So, best to worst:
1953 April in Portugal Les Baxter
1950 Third Man Theme Guy Lombardo
1958 Catch a Falling Star / Magic Moments Perry Como
1954 (Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely The Four Knights [also titled as I Get So Lonely (When I Dream About You)]
1957 Singing the Blues Guy Mitchell
1955 Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing The Four Aces
1952 Wish You Were Here Eddie Fisher
1951 Cold, Cold Heart Tony Bennett
1956 Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) Doris Day
1959 The Three Bells The Browns
Note on “cold cold heart”. This is seriously substandard male angst. I mean, I have to admit “96 tears” was well crafted, for dreck. Jes sayin. ;-)
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
1959 The Three Bells The Browns
While my sound is acting up, I agree “good golly” is a great song. Bad message but that happens.
Wow, all faves !!!!!
I think the huge number of versions of “volare” sparked protection for original artists.
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