A few Happenings
in the Pop World.
1952
The New Musical Express,
introduced the first record charts
for the 'Top 12'
on Nov. 14th. of this year.
The first Number 1 chart topper was:-
'Here in My Heart' by Al Martino.
1953
Hits this year were:-
'Don't let the stars get in your eyes'
by Perry Como.
'She wears red feathers'
by Guy Mitchell.
'I Believe' by Frankie Lane.
'How much is that doggie in the window'
by Lita Roza.
1954 ELVIS PRESLEY recorded
'That's alright Mama'
at the age of 19 years.
On Oct. 1st. the 'Top 12'
became the 'Top 20'
'The Record Mirror'
was first published.
The first 45 rpm singles appeared
(following all 78's before.)
Hits during this year were:-
'Oh Mein Papa' by Eddie Calvert.
'I see the Moon' by the Stargazers.
'Secret Love' by Doris Day.
'3 Coins in a fountain'
by Frank Sinatra.
'This ole house'
by Rosemary Clooney.
'That's amore' by Dean Martin.
'Shake Rattle and Roll'
by Bill Hayley and the Comets.
'Let's have another party'
by (pianist) Winifred Atwell.
'Gilly, Gilly, Ossenfeffer, Katzenellen
Bogen by the sea'
by Max Bygraves.
(I can remember saying
'gilly gilly awks and pepper
cats and animals by the sea')
1955
CHUCK BERRY released 'Maybelline'.
Other hits were:-
'Rock around the clock'
by Bill Hayley and the Comets.
'Unchained Melody'
by Jimmy Young, and also by Al Hibbler.
'The Man from Laramie'
by Jimmy Young.
'Rose Marie' by Slim Whitman.
'Christmas Alphabet'
by Dickie Valentine.
1956
The 'Top 20'
became the 'Top 30'.
Some memorable hits were:-
'Memories are made of this'
by Dean Martin.
'Zambesi' by Lou Busch.
'See you later Alligator'
by Bill Hayley and the Comets.
'I'll be Home' by Pat Boone.
'Que Sera Sera' by Doris Day.
'The Great Pretender'
by the Platters.
'Ying Tong Song' by the Goons.
'Just Walkin in the Rain'
by Johnnie Ray.
'Heartbreak Hotel'; 'Hound Dog';
'Blue Moon'
by Elvis Presley.
1957
'That'll be the Day',
Buddy Holly's first big hit
was recorded in Feb.
Other hits this year were:-
'Singing the Blues'
by Tommy Steele.
'Truelove' by Bing Crosby.
'Any Old Iron' by Peter Sellers.
'When I fall in love'
by Nat King Cole.
'Diana' by Paul Anka.
'Don't you rock me Daddyo';
'Cumberland Gap';
'Puttin on the Style'
by Lonnie Donegan.
'All shook up'
by Elvis Presley.
'Love letters in the sand';
'White Christmas' by Pat Boone.
1958
Elvis Presley joined the army.
Hits during this year were:-
'Jailhouse Rock' by Elvis Presley.
'Move it' by Cliff Richard.
'Magic Moments' by Perry Como.
'Who's sorry now'; 'Stupid Cupid'
by Connie Francis.
'All I have to do is Dream'
by the Everly Brothers.
'Great Balls of Fire'
by Gerry Lee Lewis.
'The Story of my Life'
by Michael Holliday.
'Good Golly Miss Molly'
by Little Richard.
'You Need Hands';
'Tulips from Amsterdam'
by Max Bygraves.
'On the street where you live'
by Vic Damone.
'It's all in the Game'
by Tommy Edwards.
'It's only make belief'
by Conway Twitty.
1959
CLIFF RICHARD had his
first number one hit, 'Living Doll'.
It stayed in the charts for 23 weeks.
BUDDY HOLLY was killed in
a plane crash on 3rd. Feb.
He had been born on 7th. Sept.1936,
and his real name was
Charles, Hardi, Holley.
Hits for this year were:-
'Travellin Light' by Cliff Richard.
'What do you want' by Adam Faith.
'Lipstick on your collar'
by Connie Francis.
'Only Sixteen'
by Craig Douglas.
'Mack the Knife'
by Bobby Darren.
'A teenager in Love';
'Donna' by Marty Wilde.
'What do you want to make
those eyes at me for'
by Emile Ford & the Checkmates.
'Kiss me honey honey, kiss me';
'As I Love You'
by Shirley Bassey.
'Smoke gets into your eyes'
by the Platters.
'Side Saddle; 'Roulette'
by (pianist) Russ Conway.
1960
The first 'Top 40' charts
were intoduced.
THE SHADOWS had a number one
hit with 'Apache'.
This was their first record as a group,
without Cliff Richard.
All the following were hits in this year.
'Poor Me'; 'What Do You Want'
by Adam Faith.
'My old man's a Dustman'
by Lonnie Donegan.
'Cathie's Clown'
by the Everly Brothers.
'Please don't tease'
by Cliff Richard.
'He'll have to go' by Jim Reeves.
This only went to number 12,
but was in the charts for 30 weeks.
'Only the lonely'
by Roy Orbison.
(This song had been turned down
by Elvis and the Everlys)
'It's now or never' by Elvis Presley.
'Tell Laura I love her'
by Ricky Vallance.
'Tie me kangoroo down sport'
by Rolf Harris.
'Little White Bull'
by Tommy Steele.
'Standin on the corner'
by the King Brothers.
1961
In November of this year,
BRIAN EPSTEIN first saw
the BEATLES perform at the
CAVERN CLUB, in Liverpool.
Hits of this year were:-
'Are you lonesome tonight';
'Wooden Heart' by Elvis Presley.
'Sailor' by Petula Clark.
'Walk right back'
by the Everly Brothers.
'Runaway' by Del Shannon.
'Well I ask you' by Eden Kane.
'Halfway to Paradise' by Billy Fury.
'You don't know';
'Walkin back to happiness'
by Helen Shapiro.
'Johnny remember me'
by John Leyton.
'Are you sure'
by the Allisons.
(This was the UK Eurovision song entry,
and it came second.)
1962
Brian Epstein was managing the Beatles,
and got their first record deal
in May of this year, for 'Love Me Do'.
Hits of this year were:-
'The Young Ones' by Cliff Richard.
'Wonderful Land' by The Shadows.
'Good Luck Charm'; 'Return To Sender'
by Elvis Presley.
'Stranger on the shore'
by Acker Bilk.
(This only reached number 2,
but stayed in the top 40 for 47 weeks.)
'I Can't Stop Lovin You'
by Ray Charles.
'I Remember You'
by Frank Ifield.
'Let's Twist Again'
by Chubby Checker.
'Come Outside'
by Mike Sarne and Wendy Richard.
'Telstar' by the Tornadoes.
'Right said Fred'
by Bernard Cribbins.
'Venus in blue jeans'
by Mark Wynter.
1963
The Beatles record
'She Loves You' was released in August.
Other Beatles hits this year were:-
'Please Please Me'; 'From Me To You';
'I Wanna Hold Your Hand'.
Other artists hits were:-
'Bachelor Boy'; 'Summer Holiday'
by Cliff Richard.
'Wayward Wind' by Frank Ifield.
'Charmaine' by The Bachelors.
'How do you do it'; 'I like it';
'You'll never walk alone'
by Gerry and the Pacemakers.
'Do you love me'
by Brian Poole and the Tremeloes.
'Sweets for my sweet'
by the Searchers.
'Bad to me'
by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas.
'Take these chains from my heart'
by Ray Charles.
'Can't get used to loosing you'
by Andy Williams.
'Deck of Cards' by Wink Martindale.
'If I had a hammer' by Trini Lopez.
1964
The Beatles were in America,
and appeared on
The Ed Sullivan Show.'
I Wanna Hold Your Hand'
was their first record to be
released in America, and it went
to the top of the charts.
Four of their previous
British hits were then released,
and all five were occupying
the top 5 places of the American charts.
Other Beatles hits this year were:-
'Can't buy me love'; 'A hard days night';
'I feel fine'.
This was the year when
TOP OF THE POPS was first seen,
and was introduced by Jimmy Saville.
Other artists hits this year were:-
'Glad all over'; 'Bits and pieces'
by Dave Clark 5.
'Needles and Pins';
'Don't throw your love away'
by the Searchers.
'Little Children'
by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas.
'Someone'
by Brian Poole and the Tremeloes.
'It's Over'; 'Pretty Woman'
by Roy Orbison.
'Just One Look' by the Hollies.
'I'm into something good'
by Hermans Hermits'.
'You really got me' by the Kinks.
'Do wah diddy diddy' by Manfred Mann.
'House of the rising sun' by the Animals.
(This record was over 4 minutes long.)
'Juliet' by the 4 Pennies.
'Diane'; 'I believe'
by the Bachelors.
'Anyone who had a heart';
'You're my world' by Cilla Black.
'World without love'
by Peter and Gordon.
'I love you because' by Jim Reeves.
(This only went to number 5,
but was in the charts for 37 weeks.)
'It's all over now'; 'Little red rooster'
by the Rolling Stones.
'Downtown' by Petula Clark.
'Baby Love' by the Supremes.
1965
Hits for this year were:-
'I can' get no satisfaction'; 'The last time';
'Get off my cloud'
by the ROLLING STONES.
'Ticket to ride'; 'Help';
'Day tripper' by the Beatles.
'It's not unusual'; 'What's new pussycat'
by Tom Jones.
'The Minute you're gone' by Cliff Richard.
'Cryin in the chapel' by Elvis Presley.
'Tired of waitin for you' by the Kinks.
'I'm alive' by the Hollies.
'Make it easy on yourself'
by the Walker brothers.
'I got you babe' by Sonny and Cher.
'My Generation' by the Who.
'Concrete and clay' by Unit 4 plus 2.
'Mr. Tamborine Man' by the Byrds.
'Tears' by Ken Dodd.
'Yesterday man' by Chris Andrews.
1966
Hits during this year were:-
'Paperback writer'; 'Eleanor Rigby'
by the Beatles.
'Paint it Black' by the Rolling Stones.
'The sun ain't gonna shine any more'
by the Walker brothers.
'Substitute' by the Who.
'Pretty Flamingo' by Manfred Mann.
'Sunny afternoon' by the Kinks.
'Green green grass of home'
by Tom Jones.
'Distant Drums' by Jim Reeves.
'Keep on Runnin'; Somebody help me'
by the Spencer Davis Group.
'Hold Tight'; 'Bend it'
by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich.
'Sloop John B'; 'Good Vibrations'
by the Beach Boys.
'You don't have to say you love me'
by Dusty Springfield.
'A Groovy kind of love'
by Wayne Fontana and the Mind benders.
'Strangers in the night' by Frank Sinatra.
'When a man loves a woman'
by Percy Sledge.
'Out of time' by Chris Farlowe.
'With a girl like you'; 'Wild Thing';
'Love is all around' by the TROGGS.
'All or nothing' by the Small Faces.
'Homeward bound'
by Simon and Garfunkal.
'Black is black' by Los Bravos.
1967
Here are a few of the hits for this year:-
'Release Me'; 'There goes my everything';
'The Last Waltz',
by Engelbert Humperdink.
(Release Me was only at the number 1
spot for 6 weeks,
but was in the top 40 for 44 weeks.)
'All you need is Love'; 'Hello Goodbye',
by the Beatles.
'I'll never fall in love again'
by Tom Jones.
'Puppet on a string' by Sandie Shaw.
(This song won the Eurovision Song
contest this year,
sung by this bare footed girl.).
'I'm a Believer' by the Monkees.
'Somethin Stupid'
by Frank and Nancy Sinatra.
'Silence is Golden'
by the Tremeloes.
'Massachusetts'
by the Bee Gees.
'Let the heartaches Begin'
by Long John Baldry.
'Whiter Shade of Pale'
by Procul Harum.
'Hole in my Shoe' by Traffic.
1968
Hits of this year were:-
'Lady Madonna'; 'Hey Jude'
by the Beatles.
'Congratulations' by Cliff Richard.
(This song came second in the
Eurovision Song Contest this year.)
'Mighty Quinn'; 'My name is Jack'
by Manfred Mann.
'Delilah'; 'Help Yourself'
by Tom Jones.
'What a wonderful World'
by Louis Armstrong.
'I've gotta getta message to you'
by the Bee Gees.
'Jumpin Jack Flash'
by the Rolling Stones.
'Mrs. Robinson'
by Simon and Garfunkal.
'With a little help from my friends'
by Joe Cocker.
'Ballad of Bonnie & Clyde'
by Georgie Fame.
'Cinderella, Rockerfella'
by Esther and Abi Ofarim.
'Legend of Xanadu'
by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich.
'Baby Come Back' by The Equals.
'Those were the Days'
by Mary Hopkins.
'Lily the Pink' by the Scaffold.
(One of this group was the
brother of Paul MCartney.)
'Bend me, Shake me'
by Amen Corner.
1969
Hits for this year were:-
'Get Back'; 'Ballad of John & Yoko'
by the Beatles.
'Give Peace a Chance'
solo by John Lennon.
'In the Ghetto' by Elvis Presley.
'My Way' by Frank Sinatra.
(This only went to number 5,
but was in the charts for 125 weeks.)
'Saved by the Bell'
by Robin Gibb (a Bee Gee)
'Yester Me, yester you, yesterday'
by Stevie Wonder.
'Ob La Di, Ob La Da' by Marmalade.
'Gentle on my Mind' by Dean Martin.
'Where do you go to, my lovely'
by Peter Sarstedt.
'I heard it through the Grapevine'
by Marvin Gaye.
'Israelites' by Desmond Decker.
'Two Little Boys' by Rolf Harris.
'Dizzy' by Tommy Roe.
'Honky Tonk Woman'
by the Rolling Stones.
'Bad Moon Rising'
by Creedence Clearwater Revival.
'Sugar, Sugar' by the Archies
(who were all cartoon characters.)
'He ain't heavy, he's my brother'
by the Hollies.
'Je t'aime'
by Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg.
1980
December 8th...a very sad day when
JOHN LENNON was murdered.
1982
MICHAEL JACKSON released 'Thriller'.
1985
MADONNA released 'Material Girl'.
BOB GELDOF'S 'Live Aid'
charity record was released.
A much better version that the new release
by different artists in 2004.
1988
On Dec. 6th. Roy Orbison
died of a heart attack.
NOTE
A lot more can be added to this section,
so please email me with any info you may have,
which I can use
