The Big Hurt by Toni Fisher - it's interesting to hear a phasing effect on this record. I didn't think phasing went as far back as 1960 so I had a look at the youtube comments and I see that it was a bit of an accident. This is what it says:

 

Some info on the phasing effect from an interview with engineer Larry Levine:

Wayne Shanklin, wrote another hit song —Toni Fisher, singing “The Big Hurt”—which was the first use of phasing on a record... though it wasn’t intentional phasing. [laughs] Stan had made mono and stereo mixes—at that point, we only had two-track and mono anyway—and Wayne liked the mono mix, but he felt that Toni’s voice wasn’t out quite far enough, so the next day he asked me to make a tape copy and to run the two mixes together in order to double the sound of her voice. I explained to him that that wouldn’t work, because the two tape machines wouldn’t stay in sync, but he insisted that I try it anyway. So I did—I lined up the two tapes and started the two machines simultaneously... and it stayed together, pretty much, for the first eight bars, and then one went out of phase with the other. It just happened to be at a point where the strings went up in the air and disappeared and then came back after the null point.

My reaction was, “See, I told you it wouldn’t work,” but he was falling on the floor, saying, “Wow—can you make that happen in other places?” So I figured out which tape was moving a little bit ahead and I started it slightly later so it would catch up. In the end I made about six edits. It ended up being a big hit record when it was released back in 1959, and people were trying to guess where it was made—a lot of disk jockeys were talking about it on the air, wondering if it was made at an airport with a big jet passing by. So it wasn’t something intentional to start with, but, like many innovations, pure luck."

 

 

Time for another double edition...

 

The One Week Wonders - Episodes 50 and 51

 

This double episode moves forward one week from where we were last time, to w/e 17th March 1960, where the new chart source quickly reveals how different it is by throwing up 5 one week wonders in one week.

 

First up, at #33. we have the England Sisters, real names Betty, Hazel and Julie Dunderdale, who later changed the group name to the Dale Sisters. The song is a cover of Buddy Holly's Heartbeat, which may explain why his version was reissued in April 1960. Technically Heartbeat was the B-side of Little Child, but it was Heartbeat that was listed in the chart. Other versions of Heartbeat to have charted since included Showaddywaddy who reached #7 in 1975, and Nick Berry who peaked at #2.

 

Down to #42, and something a bit strange is going on. The previous week Freddy Cannon had a new entry at #33 with California Here I Come, the follow up to his #3 hit Way Down Yonder In New Orleans. This week that disappears, and its B-side, Indiana, charts instead, at #42. Next week California Here I Come returns at #45, for the disc's third and final week overall. Did the popularity of the sides genuinely flip-flip over those three weeks? Or was it a case of error by the chart compilers, or a lack of knowledge of which side was causing the sales? Whatever caused this the two sides are never shown together on any of the three charts, so no side is continuously present throughout the run (unlike a couple of previous instances where I excluded the 'other side' from being on this list since it was only listed on the chart in one week in conjunction with the main ever-present side). I have therefore chosen to include it on the list.

 

Episode 50 ends with the #44 single, Love Kisses And Heartaches by Maureen Evans. Maureen had previously charted with a version of The Big Hurt, which peaked at #26, marginally higher than Toni Fisher's version, which we saw in Episode 48. Maureen would then have to wait until late 1962 to have another hit, Like I Do, which would reached #3.

 

Episode 51 begins by dropping to #47, to find Dick Jordan's version of Hallelujah (I Love Her So), which was also available by Eddie Cochran, whose version peaked at #22. Dick would have one more minor hit with Little Christine, which peaked at #39.

 

Finally for this chart week we move down again to #49, where The Champs strike themselves off of the UK's one hit wonder list. They originally had a #5 hit in the UK, and #1 in the US, with Tequila in 1958. Other versions of Tequila that charted were by Ted Heath, who peaked at #21 in 1958, and No Way Jose who peaked at #47 in 1985. The Champs waited until 1960 to release the sequel, Too Much Tequila, which peaked at #30 in the US, but just the one week at #49 here.

 

And to round off this double edition we move to the w/e 24th March 1960. I should say at this point that there's different version of this particular week's chart, with the sub 40 positions having their new entries (mostly one week wonders) placed in different orders in different sources. I am going to go with the positions that my chart advisor for the 60's, KingOfSkiffle, has in his database, and therefore I start the week-ending 24th March 1960's one week wonders with Shaye Cogan at #40 with Mean To Me, which represents Shaye's only week on the UK chart.

 

Freddy Cannon's most notable chart achievement was preventing the original soundtrack of South Pacific from having 90 consecutive weeks at no.1 on the album chart. It had already been top of the chart for 70 weeks when it was replaced at no.1 for one week by his album 'The Explosive Freddy Cannon'. It then returned to no.1 for another 19 weeks.

Just when you thought I'd given up daily episodes...

 

The One Week Wonders - Episode 52

 

We're still on the w/e 24th March 1960 for all of today's singles, and have first dropped to #43 (as per KingOfSkiffle's research) to find Richard Allan's As Time Goes By. The song had originally been sung in 1942 in Casablanca by Dooley Wilson, the infamous Sam who 'played it'. Dooley's version eventually charted in December 1977, and peaked at #15. The song also reached #26 in 1992 by Jason Donovan. Richard's version was his only UK chart hit.

 

Next up is Joe 'Mr Piano' Henderson's fifth and final UK charting single, Ooh! La! La! at #44.

 

Our last single today is Answer Me, last seen/heard topping the charts in two different versions by Frankie Laine and David Whitfield at the end of 1953. This version, at #47, is a second charting single, and second one week wonder, for Ray Peterson, who would go on to have one more charting single, Corinna Corinna, in 1961, which was third time lucky as it wasn't a one week wonder, albeit that it only got as far as #41.

The One Week Wonders - Episode 53

 

Today's three are from w/e 31st March 1960, and we start at #41 with Paul Evans and Midnight Special, the chart followup to Seven Little Girls, although The Curls seem to have parted company with him. Paul would then wait just over 18 years for his third and final charting single, Hello This Is Joanie (The Telephone Answering Machine Song), which became his biggest hit, peaking at #6.

 

Next up, at #44, is the only week on the UK chart for Carl Dobkins Jr, with Lucky Devil. He had a #3 hit in the US in 1959 with My Heart Is An Open Book. Lucky Devil was also available in a version by Frank Ifield, which was his debut single, and peaked at #22.

 

Finally for today we drop to #49 for the one week return to the chart of the first charttopper, Al Martino. The single is Summertime, which is a very familiar song, having apparently been recorded 25,000 times! It is a George Gershwin song from the 1935 opera Porgy And Bess, and is his first appearance on the chart since his third week on chart with The Man From Laramie in October 1955. He has switched labels by this point too, as this is on Top Rank, whereas his previous single in 1952-1955 where on Capitol. Other versions of Summertime to reach the UK chart were by The Marcels (#46 in 1961), Billy Stewart (#39 in 1966) and Fun Boy Three (#18 in 1982).

Other versions of Summertime to reach the UK chart were by The Marcels (#46 in 1961), Billy Stewart (#39 in 1966) and Fun Boy Three (#18 in 1982).

 

...and more notably of late it also forms the basis of Lana Del Rey's 'Doin' Time' (a cover of the song by Sublime which was itself a rewrite of 'Summertime').

Totally not timing today's episode for when the board is busy with potential readers due to the Christmas chart thread.....

 

The One Week Wonders - Episode 54

 

Today's episode starts where we left off yesterday, on w/e 31st March 1960, but dropping to #50, where we find Santo And Johnny and Teardrop. Guitar duo Santo and Johnny Farino had already had a #22 hit with Sleep Walk, a US #1. Teardrop would be their only other hit.

 

Moving on to w/e 14th April 1960 we find Pat Suzuki at #49 with I Enjoy Being A Girl, her only UK charting single. The song is taken from Roger and Hammerstein's Drum Flower Song, in which Pat was the Broadway lead.

 

And finally for today we go forward one more week to w/e 21st April 1960, and to #45, to find Lloyd Price's fifth and final charting single in the UK, Lady Luck. His biggest hits were Stagger Lee (#7 and a US #1) and Personality (#9).

 

The One Week Wonders - Episode 55

 

We start today with the same week we ended on yesterday, w/e 21st April 1960, and drop to #47, where we find Russ Conway, with his version of the Max Bygraves #5 hit, Fings Ain't What They Used To Be.

 

Next we move on to w/e 12th May 1960, and to #40, which was comedian Stan Freburg's single Old Payola Blues. Stan had previously charted at #15 in 1954 with his version of Sh-Boom, and at #24 in 1956 with his versions of Rock Island Line and Heartbreak Hotel, but this third single would be his last time in the UK charts.

 

And we stick with the same week for our last one today, at #42, and it's a pretty well known song too, More Than I Can Say by The Crickets. The song would also be taken to #4 by Bobby Vee in 1961, and #2 by Leo Sayer in 1980.

The One Week Wonders - Episodes 56 and 57

 

We start where we left off last time, with w/e 12th May 1960, and drop to #48, where we find Alma Cogan's Dream Talk. Alma would have two more UK chart hits after this, with her final one in April 1961.

 

The other two in this episode are both men called Marty! The first being Marty Wilde, who charted at #47 on 19th May 1960 with The Fight. His biggest hit was Teenager In Love, which reached #2 in summer 1959.

 

And the other Marty is Marty Robbins. He previously had a #19 hit (and US #1) with El Paso, and was now charting at #48 on 26th May 1960 with Big Iron. He would nearly two and half years, until September 1962, for his next UK chart hit, Devil Woman, but it would be his biggest, peaking at #5.

 

On to episode 57, and we begin with George Chakiris, who was charting at #49 on 2nd June 1960 with his version of Heart Of A Teenage Girl, which was also a #10 hit for Craig Douglas at around this time. This was George's only week on the UK singles chart.

 

Next up at #47 on 9th June 1960 is Jerry Lee Lewis' Baby, Baby, Bye Bye.

 

And finally for this episode we drop to #50 in the same week to find Mr Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz Band performing Goodnight Sweet Prince.

 

That's it for today, but look out for a feature length Xmas special tomorrow evening in place of the normal scheduled episode.

On the list that you've added to the first post,six singles have a black triangle next to them. What does this denote?

On the list that you've added to the first post,six singles have a black triangle next to them. What does this denote?

 

Sorry meant to put a note about that somewhere. I've followed later editions of Guinness by using a black triangle to denote a US number one (though I may have missed one or more possibly).

The One Christmas Week Wonders – The 2019 Xmas Special

 

Christmas is coming, you've been preparing for it for a week, time for a xmas special from this amateur chart geek.

 

Hope you’ve finished the xmas shopping, wrapped all your gifts, and remembered to defrost the turkey. Now pour your choice of festive spirit, grab a mince pie and enjoy a look at, and listen, to singles that spent a solitary week in the charts on the week of the Xmas chart (or sometimes the week before or after). We’ve already reached early 1960 on the thread, so I’ll start with Xmas 1960 and Tommy Steele’s Must Be Santa, which charted at #40 on w/e 29th December 1960. There was also a version by Joan Regan which had a single week on chart the following week at #42.

 

Also from that week is Cleo Laine Let’s Slip Away which charted at #42.

 

On w/e 20th December 1962, one week before the xmas chart, we find Connie Francis’ Warm This Winter charting at #48. I’ve heard this one on the radio quite a bit this year, and it turns out to be the xmas classic I didn’t know that I knew.

 

Charting for one week at #50 on w/e 31st December 1964 was Mrs Mills Party Medley, but I can’t find that precise recording on youtube, so here she is performing a rendition of the first song featured in that medley, You Made Me Love You (I Didn’t Want To Do It).

 

Hitting the chart at #46 on w/e 29th December 1966 was Welsh singer Donald Peers, with Games That Lovers Play. Is it me or is this the same tune as Demis Roussos’ Ever And Ever?

 

At #47 on w/e 27th December 1967 was Gladys Knight and The Pips version of I Heard It Through The Grapevine.

 

1969 was the year of the first Official Christmas chart, compiled by BMRB, and on that w/e 27th December 1969 there was a one week hit for Moira Anderson with Holy City at #43. This week is typically repeated by chartologists to fill the gap caused by the following week’s chart not being compiled, so most chart books will say she had two weeks on chart.

 

We move forward now to w/e 1st January 1972, and to a somewhat forgotten Christmas classic, The Carpenters Merry Christmas Darling at #45. It went on to be included on a double a-side reissue with Close To You at Christmas 1990, reaching #25, but otherwise it would have remained a one week wonder as it has never returned to the chart in the download and streaming eras.

 

And on to w/e 23rd Deecember 1972. The following week was not compiled, and the w/e 6th January was a top 30 only, though the OCC has artificially filled in the 31-50 section on their website, so these two singles have ended up with three chart weeks for the price of one sales week, so to speak. The first will be something of a surprise I suspect, as #43 was The Jackson Five with Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town. It finally returned to the chart for a second genuine week on the w/e 4th January 2018, and then reached a new peak of #30 at xmas 2018, but prior to that it had only charted in one genuine sales week and only ever reached #43.

 

And down to #48 for Vicki Leandros’ The Love In Your Eyes.

 

Then we jump forward five years to w/e 24th December 1977. As with 1972 the following week was not compiled, and the week after that has an artificial 31-50, so again this single gets three weeks for the price of one. It’s Debbie Boone – You Light Up My Life at #48.

 

On 24th August 1980 Slade found themselves unexpectedly playing the 20th Reading Festival, after Gary Moore’s G-Force and Ozzy Osbourne’s Blizzard Of Oz had both pulled out of the line-up. It proved to be the stimulus for a revival of the band’s fortunes. The performance was recorded by the BBC, and Tommy Vance began to play the recordings on his show, creating a demand for them, so they were soon released on EPs. The first, Alive At Reading, entered the charts on w/e 18th October 1980, and peaked at #44. The second one was called The Xmas Ear Bender, which charted for one week on w/e 27th December 1980 at #70, and contained three more tracks, Merry Xmas Everybody, Okey Cokey and Get Down And Get On It. The third of those tracks was a genuine Reading performance, but Okey Cokey was their 1979 studio recording with an audience noise added to fit the other two tracks on the EP. Merry Xmas Everybody was a mere 40 seconds long, and was the result of the band challenging the crowd at Reading to sing the song. Yes they literally recorded their audience then sold the recording back to them! Anyway the chart books don’t bother to mention the EP, and merely list the entry as ‘Merry Xmas Everybody (re-recording)’, albeit credited to Slade and The Reading Choir (the latter being a jokey name for the crowd).

 

We move onto w/e 24th December 1983, and a whole slew of new entries in the sub 75 portion of the first ever Christmas top 100. The w/e 31st December 1983 was the last time the chart went uncompiled, and so chartologists repeat this chart, making the next few singles technically two week wonders. First up we have Joe Fagin’s Breaking Away at #77. He would go on to have a #3 hit in 1984 with That’s Livin’ Alright. Both singles were taken from the TV series Auf Wiedersehen Pet.

 

Next at #78 is Brendan Shine with Thank God For Kids.

 

Bing Crosby was at #95 with White Christmas 1983, but I’m assuming that it’s still the same familiar recording, and that the chart company have tacked on the year for this particular reissue for some reason. So onto #97 and The Damned with There Ain’t No Sanity Clause.

 

At #98 was Slade with Cum On Feel The Noize 1983, but again that’s just a reissue of an old hit, so on to #99 and Men Without Hats – I Got The Message.

 

And finally for the 1983 Christmas chart we have Hooray and The Henry’s All Stuck Up at #100, which is a comedy parody of Elvis’ All Shook Up, and many other songs, so see how many you can spot.

 

On w/e 29th December 1984 there was a one week wonder for Bouncing Czecks with I’m A Little Christmas Cracker at #72.

 

Another comedy record spent it’s one week on chart on w/e 28th December 1985. It’s the papier mache headed Frank Sidebottom with Oh Blimey It’s Christmas.

 

And the final one Christmas week wonder of the eighties is from Michael Crawford and the London Symphony Orchestra with their version of When You Wish Upon A Star at #97 on w/e 26th December 1987.

 

I’ve covered three decades worth of xmas one weekers now, and there’re three decades more to go, so I might do a second special just after xmas, or I might save it for next year’s special, assuming I’m still going with this project next year, as I should be somewhere in the 90s (I think?) by then if I am.

 

Thank you everyone who has interacted in this thread so far, and also all of those who are content to read the episode without interacting. Hopefully as we move through time the singles will start to become more familiar and more people will have more to say about them, but I’ll probably plod on through them anyway even if not.

 

May you all have a very cool Yule whatever you are doing, wherever you are, whoever you’re with, whatever you’re eating, and most importantly whatever music you are listening to. Merry Christmas!

Wow, that Debby Boone song is or at one point was in the top 10 most successful Billboard Hot 100 hits of all time (thanks Todd in the Shadows for that nugget of knowledge, and also me knowing the song at all), that's mad that it only barely charted here.

 

This whole video on the song is... rather interesting, has a pretty unexpected twist (no spoilers).

 

Yes,the Donald Peers song does sound very much like Forever And Ever. I'm surprised the writers didn't claim a writing credit after it got to no.1.

I assume 'I Got The Message' was Men Without Hats' follow up to their excellent one hit wonder 'The Safety Dance'. It wasn't very good,I can see why it wasn't a hit. I quite enjoyed the Hooray and the Henrys song.

Is this going to be continuing soon? ;o

Is this going to be continuing soon? ;o

 

Sorry, a couple of day's break from the thread for Xmas turned into a fortnight, but yes I do want to resume the thread soon. Perhaps later today. Part of me wants to catch up to where we would have been had I not taken an extended break, but that means either double episodes for a fortnight, or else one or two days in the next week or so where I churn out loads of episodes, and either way could be overkill I suppose. But at least one episode should appear this evening, I think, unless something unforseen gets in the way.

Let's have a triple episode to get things restarted as we return to the summer of 1960...

 

Episodes 58, 59 and 60

 

We start with the fifth and final appearance on the list of Sammy Davis Jr, this time in duet with Carmen McRae. Happy To Make Your acquaintance spent a week at #46 on w/e 16th June 1960.

 

Staying at #46, but moving forward a week to w/e 23rd June 1960, we have the only week of UK chart action for Jerry Wallace, with You're Singing Our Love Song To Somebody Else.

 

And forward another week to w/e 30th June 1960, Jess Conard is debuting on the chart with a week at #39 with Cherry Pie.

 

And at #44 the same week was Bobby Rydell with Swinging School.

 

Spending one week at #48 in w/e 7th July 1960 was Ricky Nelson with Young Emotions. The next time he would hit the UK charts would be in a years time, with the UK #2, and US #1, Hello Mary Lou.

 

And at #49 on w/e 14th July 1960 was the John Barry Orchestra with Never Let Go, the theme to the movie of the same name, in cinemas at the time, about a stolen Ford Anglia, and featuring Peter Sellers in a rare straight role as a villain.

 

Reaching #50 on w/e 21st July 1960 was Jimmy Clanton, who was experiencing his only week on the UK charts, with Another Sleepless Night.

 

What to you get if you fuse a French singer, arabic culture, and early 60s pop music? You get this tripfest of a song. Spending their only UK chart week, at #43 on w/e 28th July 1960 were Staiffi and his Mustafas with Mustafa Cha Cha Cha.

 

And to end this triple episode today we move 6 places down to #49 the same week, to find Johnny Preston singing I'm Starting To Go Steady. The song is actually the other side of Feel So Fine which entered the charts on w/e 11th August 1960 and peaked at #18, but the two sides weren't listed on the chart together so this side has but one week.

The One Week Wonders - Episodes 61, 62 and 63

 

We start with 'Uncle' Max Bygraves having a go at the Oliver! song Consider Yourself, which spent a week at #50 on w/e 28th July 1960

 

Next up is Steve Perry's on week of UK chart action, with Step By Step at #41 in w/e 4th August 1960

 

And on another week to w/e 11th August 1960 at #43 we have Craig Douglas with Oh! What A Day, the only one of his 11 singles to miss the top 40.

 

Then staying with the same week, and moving down to #50, we have some early Motown in the form of Marv Johnson's Ain't Gonna Be That Way. Marv wouldn't reach the UK charts again until January 1969, when he took I'll Pick A Rose For My Rose to #10.

 

We then take an instumental interlude with the theme from The Apartment, by Ferrante and Teicher, which was #44 on w/e 18th August 1960. The Apartment was a romantic film starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. Ferrante and Teicher would have a much bigger hit in spring 1961, reaching #6 with theme from The Exodus.

 

In the same week, at #47 was Keith Kelly, real name Michael Pailthorpe, with his second and final Uk charting single, Listen Little Girl.

 

And also in the same week, at #49, was Steve Lawrence, real name Sidney Leibowitz, with Girls Girls Girls. I notice their have been at least 6 different singles in the UK charts with that name, all completely different songs. Steve was following up the #4 hit Footsteps, from earlier in 1960, and would go on to have a #3 hit in 1963, as part of Steve and Eydie, with I Want To Stay Here.

 

Next up we have Hal Paige and The Whalers only week of UK chart action at #50 on w/e 25th August 1960.

 

And we end today's triple episode with the last of ten singles for Michael Holliday, with Little Boy Lost at #50 in w/e 1st September 1960.

The One Week Wonders - Episodes 64, 65 and 66

 

We start today with Bill Black's Combo with White Silver Sands, which was #50 in w/e 8th September 1960.

 

A week later at #44 was Paul Anka's Hello Young Lover, a song from the musical The King And I.

 

On w/e 29th September 1960 Frank Ifield charted his second single, Gotta Get A Date at #49. He next charted in 1962, when he began a run of 5 top 5 hits, four of which topped the charts.

 

Next up on 6th October 1960 at #44 was Ella Fitzgerald's How High The Moon. The song was also a #33 hit for Gloria Gaynor in 1976.

 

or watch this slightly longer live version:

 

Moving forward 3 weeks to w/e 27th October 1960 at #50 we find the lowest ranked of 5 versions of Never On Sunday to chart this year, by Chaquito, real name Johnny Gregory, which was at #50. There were also versions by Lynn Cornell (peaking at #30), Don Costa (#27), Makadopoulos and his Greek Serenaders(#36), and Manuel and his Music of the Mountains (#29). The song was the theme from the Greek rom-com film of the same name.

 

We follow that with a posthumous one week wonder for rock and roll icon Eddie Cochran, with a week at #41 on w/e 3rd November 1960 with Lonely. Eddie had been trying to limit the amount of travel he untook for his work, following the fatal plane crash in 1959 that had claim three of his rock and roll friends, Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens, but had nonetheless accepted a UK tour. On the night of Easter Saturday April 1960 he had performed at Bristol Hipperdrome and was travelling through Chippenham (just up the road from where I am actually) in a taxi with his fiancee, songwriter Sharon Shelley, as well as tour manager Pat Thompson and fellow rock and roll star Gene Vincent. Just before midnight the taxi driver, David Harman, lost control at excessive speed and the vehicle crashed. At the moment of impact Eddie threw himself in front of his fiancee to protect her, she survived as a result, but when the door of the car popped open in the impact the momentum threw him out the door and he sustained fatal brain injuries. He was just 21. A couple of months later he reached number one for the only time, with Three Steps To Heaven.

 

Next up the only week of UK action for Italian singer Umberto Bindi, with Il Nostro Concerto at #47 on w/e 10th October 1960. Although this was his only charting single in the UK, one of his biggest singles elsewhere was Il Mio Mondo, which was covered by Cilla Black, as You're My World, and reached #1 in that version.

 

A week later Jimmy Jones, who had topped the charts earlier in the year with Good Timin', had a single week at #46 with Ready For Love.

 

And finally today at #47 in w/e 24th October 1960 was Joan Regan with One Of The Lucky Ones, her 10th of 11 singles to chart in the UK.