Throwing back to the week of October 2, 1954, we have two repeats atop the Billboard chart in Rosemary Clooney’s ‘Hey There’ and the Crew Cuts’ ‘Sh-Boom.‘ Those two songs dominated the summer and fall of 1954, with one or the other sitting at #1 for 13 straight weeks.
Right behind them on this week was Eddie Fisher with ‘I Need You Now,’ a song that would eventually make it to #1 for three weeks that November. This was Fisher’s fourth #1 in two years and his second in 1954 (following ‘Oh! My Pa-Pa’).
This song was written for singer Joni James and released on her debut album a year earlier. It was intended as a single but Fisher stepped in and had a hit with his version, shelving those plans. I prefer James’ slower version to Fisher’s up-tempo one — an opinion Fisher himself reportedly shared.
I can’t remember when I’ve ever been so blue
If I ever needed love, I need it now
I feel so all alone I don’t know what to do
No day or night goes by
When I don’t have my cry
I feel like I could die
From wanting you
I can ease my achin’ heart, but you’d know how
If I ever needed you, I need you now
If I ever needed love, I need it now
I feel so all alone I don’t know what to do
No day or night goes by
When I don’t have my cry
I feel like I could die
From wanting you
I can ease my achin’ heart, honey you’d know how
If I ever needed you, I need you now
TBH Iām not a fan of this song in either version.
Eddie Fisher was a big deal in my house growing up. My mother loved him, and his records were played on our stereo all the time. He made history when he left Debbie Reynolds for Elizabeth Taylor which was highly unpopular at that time. Anyway he had a good voice š¤·š»āāļø