ΤΗΕ MOST POPULAR SONG HITS AND PERFORMERS OF 1951

The 5 Keys The Glory Of Love Billy Hill wrote this song and Benny Goodman recorded it in 1936. But in 1951 it was recorded as an R&B number by the Five Keys and spent four no consecutive weeks at the number one spot on Billboard's charts. Though over a million copies were sold the original 1951 pressing of the record are very rare.Rosemary Clooney Come On A My House This song was written by Two Armenian Americans Ross Bagdasarian and his cousin William Saroyan in 1939. The song did not have  immediate success. When it was recorded by Rosemary Clooney in 1951 the song made it as a hit. The song, is inreality is a nod to the Armenian custom of having guests in the home and offering them various foods. Cloooney's rendering of the song makes the listener feel as if she is offering more than the candy she sings about Tony Bennett Blue Velvet A Pop song from, 1951, Blue Velvet was written by Bernie Wayne and and Lee Morris. Song would be a hit for Tony Bennett, but would be a mega hit for Booby Vinton in the 1960s. Perry Como Hello Young Lovers Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein were approached to write a musical form the book Anna and the King of Siam. The book is based on the memoirs of Anna Leonowens who was an English governess and school teacher In the Court of Siam in the 1860s. The book had already been made into a straight film in 1946 starring Rex Harrison as the king. The attorney for Gertrude Lawrence, one of the queens of Broadway, approached Rodgers and Hammerstein to write a musical from the novel for her client. The team wasn't very comfortable at first. Their musicals, so far, were all based in America in country and rural settings. This show would have to be different and would need to reflect a whole new musical element. It would somehow have to sound oriental and feel American. Rodger's and Hammerstein succeeded in the challenge. The King and I ran for 3 years on Broadway for 1246 performances. Gertrude Lawrence would die during the run, and the main surprise about the musical is, though it starred and was created for Gertrude Lawrence, the show was completely taken over by Yul Brynner, who played the king. This would become his signature role and would be associated with him more than any other actor. The song Hello Young Lovers, is song by Anna when she first meets the wives of the king. In the song she explains how she thinks of her husband who has died and how young people make her feel when she sees them. Nat King Cole  Unforgettable Inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2000, was written in 1951 by Irving Gordo. The publishing company wasn't happy with the original title which was Incomparable, and asked the composer lyricist to make the change to Unforgettable and a music legend is made. The song was originally recorded by Nat King Cole and remained one his mostpopular songs. Nat King Cole would record the song more than once most notably in 1961. In 1991 Elvis Presley's music director came up with the idea of splicing the 1961 recording with a recording made by Nat's Daughter Natalie Cole and the song had another surge of popularity winning three Grammy awards: Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance. Mario Lanza Be My Love Written in 1950 by Sammy Cahn (Lyrics) and Nicholas Brodzsky (music), this song would go to number one on the Billboard chart, and sell one million copies. The song was introduced by Kathryn Grayson and Mario Lanza in the 1950 movie The Toast of New Orleans. Mario Lanza was a native of Philadelphia. He was born in 1921 and named Alfred Arnold Cocozza, the son of Italian Immigrants. Before his star began to blaze he and his child hood friends would go into restaurants in Philadelphia, Lanza would sing and the gang would get dinner for free. Lanza was discovered by Luis B Mayer, the head of MGM studios, he was signed to seven year contract and changed his name. His mother's maiden name was Lanza. Unfortunately Lanza would become difficult to work with. He would get into arguments with the studio, his directors and his co-stars. Hedda Hopper said of him that "his smile, which was as big as his voice, was matched with the habits of a tiger cub, impossible to housebreak". Mario Lanza would die in 1959 at the age of 38. He passed from a pulmonary ambulism. Author Eleonora Kimmel concludes that Lanza "blazed like a meteor whose light lasts a brief moment in time". Louis Armstrong A Kiss To Build A Dream On This song was composed by Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby and Oscar Hammerstein II in 1935. In 1951 it was used in the film The Strip, in the film it was sung by practically the entire cast including Armstrong as well as by Mickey Rooney with William Demarest, by Sally Forrest, and by Kay Brown. But it would be recorded by Armstrong and the hit would go to Mr Armstrong. Debbie Reynolds and Carleton Carpenters Aba Dabba Honeymoon Written and published by Arthur Fields and Walter Donovan in 1914, the first recording of the song was made by Collins and Harlin also in 1914. The song would come back in the 1950 movie "Two Weeks With Love". "Aba Dabba Honeymoon" would go to #3 on the Billboard chart in 1951. The song was again brought back on 1959 the film soundtrack that brought the Three Stooges back called "Have Rocket Will Travel". In the 1970s the Television Show Laverne and Shirley would use the song in the episode titled "The Shotz Talent Show."   Top Artists and Songs of 1951 Anita O'Day Tennessee Waltz Arthur Smith Mandolin Boogie Billy Eckstine I Apologize Billy Ward and his Dominoes Sixty Minute Man Bing Crosby Domino Bud Powell Un Poco Loco Champ Butler Down Yonder Charles Brown Black Night Debbie Reynolds and Carleton Carpenter Aba daba Honeymoon Don Cherry Vanity Doris Day Shanghai Eddie Howard Sin (Its No Sin) Ella Fitzgerald Smooth Sailing Elmore James Dust My Broom Four Aces Tell Me Why Frankie Laine and Jo Stafford In The Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening Frankie Laine Girl In The Wood Jealousy (Jalousie) Jezebel Rose, Rose I Love You Gordon Jenkins So Long (It's Been Good To Know Ya) Guy Mitchell My Truly Truly Fair There's Always Room At Our House Hank Williams Cold, Cold Heart Hey Good Lookin' Hoagy Carmichael My Resistance Is low Jackie Brentson and his Delta Cats Rocket 88 Jimmy Wakely My Heart Cries For You Jo Stafford If (They Made Me a king) Joe 'Fingers' Carr Down Yonder John Lee Hooker I'm In The Mood Johnny Ray Cry The Little White Cloud That Cried Kay Starr Come On-a My House Leroy Anderson Blue Tango The Syncopated Clock Les Baxter and his Orchestra Because of You Les Brown and The Ames Brothers Sentimental Journey Les Paul and Mary Ford How High The Moon Mockin' Bird Hill The World Is Waiting For The Surprise Walkin' & Whistlin' Blues Les Paul Whispering Louis Armstrong A Kiss To Build A Dream On (When We Are Dancing) I Get Ideas Mantovani Charmaine Mario Lanza Be My Love The Loveliest Night of the Year Nat 'King' Cole Jet Too Young Unforgettable Patti Page And So To Sleep Again Detour Mister & Mississippi Mockingbird Hill Perry Como If (they Made Me a King) Hello Young Lovers Rosemary Clooney Beautiful Brown Eyes Come On-a My House Stan Freberg That's My Boy Tennessee Ernie Ford The Shotgun Boogie Teresa Brewer Longing For You The Ames Brothers Undecided The Clovers Fool, Fool, Fool The Five Keys The Glory of Love Tommy Edwards The Morning Side of the Mountain Tony Bennett Because of You Blue Velvet Cold, Cold Heart I Won't Cry Anymore Tony Martin I Get Ideas Vaughn Monroe Sound Off (The Duckworth Chant) Vic Damone My Truly Truly Fair Weavers Kisses Sweeter Than Wine On Top of Old Smokey Winifred Atwell Black and White Rag