Tag Archives: tb50s

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Song of the Day #6,104: ‘The Ballad of Davy Crockett’ – Bill Hayes

Throwing back to the week of March 22, 1955, we find Bill Hayes atop the Billboard chart with ‘The Ballad of Davy Crockett.’ This novelty folk song was written by George Bruns (not Burns) and Thomas W. Blackburn for the show Disneyland (which was later retitled The Wonderful World of Disney).

Three versions of the song hit the charts around the same time, including one by Fess Parker that was #6 this week and one by Tennessee Ernie Ford that reached the top ten the following week. But it was this version by actor/singer Hayes that did the best, reaching #1 and holding the top spot for a month.

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Song of the Day #6,090: ‘The Crazy Otto Medley’ – Johnny Maddox

Throwing back to the week of March 8, 1955, we find The McGuire Sisters atop the Billboard singles chart with ‘Sincerely,’ its sixth straight (and last) week at #1.

In the #2 spot was an instrumental ragtime recording called ‘The Crazy Otto Medley,’ performed by pianist Johnny Maddox. What a different world it was 70 years ago, when a song like this could be a major hit, spending seven weeks at #2.

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Song of the Day #6,076: ‘Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So)’ – Perry Como

Throwing back to the week of February 22, 1955, we find the usual repeats in the top three spots before a newcomer at #4: Perry Como with ‘Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So).’

This was RCA Victor’s first rock record, and matching it with a white crooner like Como was, as one historian put it, an “industry effort to whitewash the racy, raunchy music of rhythm and blues before anyone’s daughter heard it.”

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Song of the Day #6,062: ‘Melody of Love’ – Billy Vaughn

Throwing back to the week of February 8, 1955, we find the usual host of repeats atop the singles chart.

At #1 was ‘Sincerely‘ by the McGuire Sisters, followed by ‘Hearts of Stone‘ by the Fontane Sister. Then came ‘Let Me Go, Lover‘ by Joan Weber, and ‘Mister Sandman‘ by The Chordettes. The ladies were absolutely crushing it!

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Song of the Day #6,048: ‘Sincerely’ – The McGuire Sisters

Throwing back to the week of January 25, 1955, we find a slew of repeats atop the singles chart, as usual for this decade: ‘Let Me Go Lover‘ by Joan Weber, ‘Mister Sandman‘ by The Chordettes, ‘Hearts Of Stone‘ by The Fontane Sisters, and ‘The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane‘ by The Ames Brothers.

Keeping the sibling theme going at #5 that week were The McGuire Sisters with ‘Sincerely,’ a cover of a song written by Harvey Fuqua and Alan Freed for The Moonglows the previous year.

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