Number Ones The 1950s (Sheet Music Sales)

 

Το πρώτο επίσημο χιτ παραιηντ στην Αγγλία δημοσιευτηκε το 1952 με  πρώτα Νο 1 τα Here in my my heart /You belong to me.Mε τον καταλογο που δημοσιευουμε σημερα αποκαλυπτουμε τις επιτυχιες απο το 1950 οταν υπηρχαν στοιχεια για τις δημοφιλεστερες παρτιτουρες. 

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The first British record sales chart ("The Hit Parade") did not appear until 14th November 1952.  Prior to that (and for many years afterwards), popular songs were measured by sales of sheet music, which was purchased both by professional musicians who performed live in pubs, clubs and theatres, and by keen amateurs who would play pianos, accordions etc at home. Throughout the 1950s, Radio Luxembourg broadcast a sheet music Top 20.  This was the first ever Top Twenty countdown show, and set the pattern of chart shows for the decades that followed. The listings below show the Number One songs and melodies, together with the artists who made the most memorable recordings of the songs.  It should be noted that in the 1950s, nearly every major song had several versions issued - maybe a couple from the US and often as many as 3 or 4 British covers.  Not all versions are shown in this list. Web links are included where they have been found.

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Week Ending	SONG TITLE	Notable Recording(s) + Artist Links	Weeks	COMMENT
7 Jan 1950	You're Breaking My Heart	Ink Spots	2	They were a top close-harmony singing act of black Americans.
21 Jan 1950	Hop Scotch Polka	Billy Whitlock	1	Whitlock wrote the piece with that title, but called it "Scotch Hot" on the recording!
28 Jan 1950	The Harry Lime Theme	Anton Karas	4 (Returned for 3 weeks from w/e 18/2/50)	Famed theme from the spy film "The Third Man", starring Orson Welles.  The theme was composed by the performer.
4 Feb 1950	Dear Hearts And Gentle People	1: Dinah Shore 2: Billy Cotton Band	2	Song was a radio favourite on the "Billy Cotton Band Show".
11 Mar 1950	Music! Music! Music!	Teresa Brewer	6	First major hit for the girl from Ohio.  She later did badly against UK cover versions.
22 Apr 1950	(If I Knew You Were Comin') I'd've Baked A Cake	Eve Young & The Homesteaders	1	Another happy-go-lucky radio favourite which Billy Cotton helped to popularise.
29 Apr 1950	My Foolish Heart	Billy Eckstine	11	He was a deep-voiced star from the 1930s, still very popular throughout the 50s.
8 Jul 1950	Bewitched (Bothered and Bewildered)	1: Doris Day 2: Mel Torme	8	Written by Rodgers & Hart. Recorded by Doris Day in 1949.
9 Sep 1950	Silver Dollar (Roll, Roll, Roll)	Eve Young & The Homesteaders	7	Similar style to Eve's previous hit, got the musicians buying again.
28 Oct 1950	Goodnight Irene	1: Frank Sinatra 2: Jo Stafford	4	A version by the Gordon Jenkins Orch was at no 1 in the US for 13 weeks.
25 Nov 1950	Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer	1: Gene Autry 2: Bing Crosby	6	Christmas song that has remained ever popular since.
6 Jan 1951	I Taut I Taw A Puddy Tat	Mel Blanc	3	Based on a line from the Tweetie Pie cartoons.  Mel was the cartoon voice.
27 Jan 1951	Beloved, Be Faithful	1: Teddy Johnson 2: Donald Peers	1	Both of these were top British balladeers of their time.
3 Feb 1951	The Petite Waltz	1: Anne Shelton 2: Billy Cotton Band	2	At this time, the most popular dance by far was the waltz.
17 Feb 1951	The Tennessee Waltz	1: Patti Page 2: Anita O'Day	9	The US country music star (Patti Page) battled it out in the UK with a jazz music star (Anita O'Day) a country music waltz.
21 Apr 1951	Mockin' Bird Hill	Les Paul & Mary Ford	10	They were pioneers of multi-track recording and amplified electric guitars.
30 Jun 1951	With These Hands	Nelson Eddy & Jo Stafford	3	Hits for Shirley Bassey in 1960 and Tom Jones in 1965.
21 Jul 1951	My Resistance Is Low	Hoagy Carmichael	4	Written by the singer.  Hit for Robin Sarstedt in 1976.
18 Aug 1951	Too Young	1: Nat 'King' Cole 2: Jimmy Young	12	Cole's version is now best known, but it was Young's first major success.
10 Nov 1951	Longing For You	Teresa Brewer	11	Melody based on the classical piece "Waltz Dream" by Oscar Straus.
12 Jan 1952	The Loveliest Night Of The Year	1: Mario Lanza 2: Anne Shelton	4	Was on the chart for a record 32 weeks before making No 1.
23 Feb 1952	There's Always Room At Our House	Guy Mitchell	4	First major recording for this US singing star.
22 Mar 1952	Unforgettable	Nat 'King' Cole	10	All-time Nat 'King' Cole classic.
24 May 1952	A-round The Corner	Jo Stafford	3	She was the most popular American female singer in the UK at this time.
14 Jun 1952	Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart	Vera Lynn	10	Immensely popular with people who remembered the war years.
23 Aug 1952	The Homing Waltz	1: Vera Lynn 2: Alma Cogan	9	Successive No 1s for Vera Lynn recordings.