Throwing back to the week of December 27, 1955, we find Tennessee Ernie Ford’s ‘Sixteen Tons’ in its fifth week at #1, where it would remain for another three weeks.
At #2 that week was Dean Martin’s ‘Memories Are Made of This,’ which would enjoy its own five-week stint at #1 in early 1956. The song was written by Terry Gilkyson, Richard Dehr, and Frank Miller, a trio of singer-songwriters who performed as The Easy Riders. The Easy Riders sang backup for Martin on this recording.
The week of August 22, 1964, saw The Supremes atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Where Did Our Love Go,’ a song I featured 15 years ago during Motown Weekends.
At #2 that week was Dean Martin’s ‘Everybody Loves Somebody,’ down a spot after a one-week stint at #1. This was a nearly 20-year-old song that had already been recorded by Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra in the 40s, but Martin had the most success with it and it became his signature tune.
Throwing back to the week of January 16, 1954, we find Eddie Fisher’s ‘Oh My Papa’ with a stranglehold on Billboard’s Weekly Singles chart. The song, which I featured a few weeks back, clung to #1 from the beginning of the year through mid-February.
For a few of those weeks, including this one, it prevented a much better song from reaching #1. Dean Martin’s classic charmer ‘That’s Amore’ peaked at #2.
Meet Me In Montauk 