Throwing back to the week of August 8, 1956, we find the doo-wop group The Platters atop the Billboard singles chart with ‘My Prayer.’
The song was written in 1939 by Romanian violinist Georges Boulanger as an instrumental titled Avant de Mourir, with lyrics later added by Carlos Gomez Barrera and Jimmy Kennedy. It found some success in the U.S. that year as ‘My Prayer,’ including in a recording by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra.
Throwing back to the week of January 10, 1956, we find Dean Martin and Tennessee Ernie Ford holding on to the top two spots with, respectively, ‘Memories Are Made of This‘ and ‘Sixteen Tons.’
At #3, The Platters’ ‘The Great Pretender’ was steadily moving up the chart on its way to a #1 berth a few weeks later. This was the first chart-topping hit for the doo-wop band, which ultimately had four songs reach #1.
Throwing back to the week of November 29, 1955, we find a quintet of repeat offenders atop the Billboard chart. But none of those songs is as enduring a classic as the song at #6 that week, ‘Only You (And You Alone)’ by The Platters.
Amazingly, this doo-wop gem never made it higher than #5, but I’m confident it’s recognizable today to people from all generations thanks to its use in movies, TV shows, and commercials.
Meet Me In Montauk 