Another dive into chart history, this time going all the way back to the Top 20 UK singles on 8th February 1955.
These selections have typically also prompted reflections on my childhood, which I can't do this time as I was more than a decade and a half away from gatecrashing this crazy world. However, my parents were both pre-teens in 1955 and I was intrigued to see what would have been grabbing their attention back then.
Previous selections have cherry picked from the countdown, but today's 15 were rather more clear cut, in that the five songs that I haven't included were all 'rival' versions of the same song. In this week alone there were three competing takes on Mr. Sandman alone!
I've gone for The Chordettes, which although not the first recording of Mr. Sandman (that was Vaughan Monroe & Orchestra in 1954), is considered the definitive version and landed them with their first hit single. Ironically, it was the lowest placing of the three in this chart, peaking at #11 in January 1955. The Four Aces were at #20 by 8th February, having previously hit #9. Dickie Valentine was at #5 with his version on this date, and that was as high as he got. The Chordettes is my favourite of the three.
Not content with a #5 hit, Dickie Valentine was also at #2 with The Finger Of Suspicion, this time with The Stargazers. The song had spent three of the last 5 weeks at #1, this week spending a second time at #2, before a seven-week slow slink out of the Top 20.
Serial offender Dean Martin is in the Top 20 with not one but two songs that try to steal the thunder of other artists, including this week's #1. He failed in February 1955 although he arguably won the long game as the songs are commonly associated with him these days. For this reason, I've disqualified him from this selection. Shame on you, Dino!
The other Dino 'steal' is The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane, first recorded and released by The Ames Brothers in the USA in October 1954. Dean Martin was swift to act, releasing his own version in December 1954. In the UK, his version has charted the previous week at #20, leaping up to #10. The Ames Brothers' original debuted this week one place higher, at #9, then up to #6 in the chart of 11th February. Martin was hot on their heels at #7, but ultimately went one higher (#5 in March) and spent longer in the Top 20. The Rat!
Alma Cogan confessed that "I Can't Tell A Waltz From A Tango", though the UK record buying public were clearly a forgiving bunch as she got #6 with the song and spent a total of 11 weeks in the chart. Poor Alma subsequently learned the difference, but at great personal cost as by Christmas 1955, she was warning us to "Never Do A Tango With An Eskimo". There must have been more appropriate and suitably qualified dance teachers closer to home, I would have thought...
Ruby Murray is probably - and sadly - more famous in the 21st Century for being Cockney rhyming slang for heading out to an Indian restaurant. Ruby appears here twice. Heartbeat was at #7, down from last week's #3, and enjoyed 16 weeks in the Top 20. Softly, Softly at #3 was a fortnight away from a three-week stint at #1 and a whopping 23 weeks in the Top 20. Until I compiled this selection, Softly, Softly was also the only Ruby Murray song in my music collection.
With all of this (mostly) easy listening, it's easier to appreciate the impact that Bill Haley & His Comets had on the charts. Shake, Rattle And Roll spent a second and final week at #4, but it was clear that there was an appetite for this music and things would never be the same.
Though rebellious youth - or Dean Martin - wasn't quite enough to topple the current dance craze from pole position on 8th February 1955. Rosemary Clooney, like Dean, Dickie and Alma, also had two songs in the Top 20.
At #18 was This Ole House, which became the bane of my 10-year old life when Shakin' Stevens cover version plagued the charts for 17 weeks, including three at #1. My primary school pals all loved it, knew that I didn't and would tirelessly try to change my mind. I resisted the urge to like the song, although I later succumbed to wearing double denim, though I stress not as a tribute to Shaky. Rosemary's version also got to #1 for one week, and she also managed 18 weeks in the chart. Take that, Mike Barratt!
Rosemary's biggest achievement this week was gettng to #1 for a second time in a fortnight with Mambo Italiano. In fact, the song spent a total of 10 weeks bouncing around the Top 3. The King Of Cool's version may be the one that seems to pop up here, there and everywhere these days. Rosemary's recording was the first and the best.
In keeping with the 'cover art' theme of my previous chart history posts, this one features the comic Eagle, cover dated 11th February 1955. Sadly, not from my personal collection, but just take a moment to admire the gorgeous art on the Dan Dare story by Frank Hampson and team. Dan himself doesn't feature on this page, but you do get The Mekon, one of the greatest sci-fi villains of all time, in any medium.
1) Mr. Sandman: The Chordettes (#19)
2) This Ole House: Rosemary Clooney (#18)
3) Rain, Rain Rain: Frankie Laine & The Four Lads (#17)
4) I Can't Tell A Waltz From A Tango: Alma Cogan (#15)
5) Drink Drink Drink aka The Drinking Song: Mario Lanza (#13)
6) Happy Days And Lonely Nights: Frankie Vaughan (#12)
7) I Still Believe: Ronnie Hilton (#11)
8) The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane: The Ames Brothers (#9)
9) No One But You: Billy Eckstine (#8)
10) Heartbeat: Ruby Murray (#7)
11) Give Me Your Word: Tennessee Ernie Ford (#6)
12) Shake, Rattle And Roll: Bill Haley & His Comets (#4)
13) Softly, Softly: Ruby Murray (#3)
14) The Finger Of Suspicion: Dickie Valentine & The Stargazers (#2)
15) Mambo Italiano: Rosemary Clooney & The Mellomen (#1)
