Throwing back to the week of September 20, 1955, we find a trio of usual suspects atop the singles chart: Mitch Miller’s ‘The Yellow Rose of Texas,’ The Four Aces’ ‘Love is a Many Splendored Thing,’ and Pat Boone’s ‘Ain’t That a Shame.’

In the fourth spot that week was ‘Autumn Leaves,’ an instrumental track by pianist Roger Williams. The song was composed a decade earlier by Joseph Kosma, a Hungarian who immigrated to France, with lyrics penned by Jacques Prévert. Johnny Mercer adapted the song to English.

That version was recorded by many of the greats over the years (including Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra), but the most successful recording was this instrumental take. In late October of that year, Williams’ record made it to #1, becoming the first piano instrumental to top the chart.

Seventy years later, this remains the top-selling piano instrumental of all time.