1 June 2017

Hit

Of course today is a special day of celebration over in Welsh Wales. It's John Gray's birthday. The bunting will be out in  the village of Trelawnyd.

Yesterday I wondered what was "top of the pops" on the day that John and his twin sister Janet first appeared in this world. It was Elvis Presley's "Good Luck Charm".

The British hit parade was first established in 1952, the year before I was born. Having looked up John's birthday hit, I wondered what was number one on the day that I was born. It was "Look At That Girl" by another American artist - Guy Mitchell.

Then I went seeking out this song on "You Tube" and having listened to it a couple of times I must say that in my humble opinion it is bloody awful. Did people really like this kind of stuff back then?
Look at that girl, you see what I see?
Oh look at that girl, she's walking straight to me
That's right, last night I held her tight
Ho ho it happens all the time
I look at that girl, and I can't believe she's mine...

It's like a piece of ancient history. Popular music has come a long way since then. Do you know what was "number one" on the day that you were born? Apologies if you were born before 1952. By the way the American billboard chart was established earlier - in July 1940. Please report back.

40 comments:

  1. A lot of those 1950s songs were just plain silly, but then they were never meant to be taken seriously - they were just entertainment, mostly meant for dancing.
    But of course there were some more serious-minded singers and songwriters around, too.
    What was the song of the day on March 22nd, 1968?

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    Replies
    1. Here in England the number one on the day you were born was "The Legend of Xanadu" by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich... now off to work young lady!

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    2. https://tsort.info/music/n1c968.htm

      Have a look at this site, Meike. :)

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  2. Dinah Shore's "I'll Walk Alone" was the hit the day I was born...11th November, 1944...as per the US Billboard charts, anyway. Very appropriate...in my opinion.

    In the Australian chart for the month of November, 1944 ...Joe Loss/Vera Lynn's "No Other Love was top of the charts for that month.

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    Replies
    1. You were born on Remembrance Day! That's nice.

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    2. Yes, I was, Yorkie...shortly after the 11th hour, too. Around five minutes past 11 am, according to my mother when I asked her about the time of my birth









      .

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    3. Did you have eleven toes?

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    4. Probably....I can't count past 10.

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  3. Dean Martin 'Memories are made of this.'

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  4. I'm 1950 vintage so I'm clearly prehistoric. I've just googled and discovered "The Third Man theme" and "If I knew you were coming I'd've baked a cake" were popular then. I remember as a small child listening to "I'm a pink toothbrush, you're a blue toothbrush"on Two-Way Family Favourites. They were innocent times, weren't they? Nuff said.

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    Replies
    1. Sorry to say this ADDY but I don't believe the hit parade was in existence when you were born. Don't cry...

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  5. All Shook Up by Elvis. I'm quite pleased by that! Not that I had anything to do with my own birth, so I can't take credit!

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    Replies
    1. Perhaps your mother was "all shook up" after you emerged from your watery nest.

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  6. According to Billboard, "96 Tears" by ? and the Mysterians was No. 1 in the states when I was born. (Hopefully that says nothing about everyone's feelings about my birth.) In the UK, "Reach Out I'll Be There" by the Four Tops was top of the charts.

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    Replies
    1. The Four Tops were imagining the midwives in your birth room, singing to assure you you wouldn't be dropped on the floor!

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  7. Well I was born on the 4th July 1947, apart from America celebrating that day, perhaps you could tell me what was No.1 in this country that day.

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    Replies
    1. No Derek. We didn't have hit parades in England till 1952 but in the USA ( and you were born on US Independence Day!) the Number One on your emergence was "Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go to Sleep)" by Perry Como.

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    2. Good old Perry Como, I always liked him, now I know why.

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  8. March 23, 1975

    Labelle - Lady Marmalade

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    Replies
    1. Oh, you mean Patti LaBelle? Yeah, I remember that song on "Top of the Pops" - a good song to be born to!
      See & listen:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4LWIP7SAjY

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  9. Being the compliant type and easily manipulated, I did what you asked. I kid you not, the number 1 hit during the eeek I was born was "Song of the Volga Boatmen" by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra, although both before and after that week the number 1 hit was "Frenesi" by Artie Shaw and his Orchestra. Apparently hit songs did not have words in those days.

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    Replies
    1. A thousand pardons. There were lyrics too.

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    2. Volga, Volga our pride,
      Mighty stream so deep and wide.
      Ay-da, da, ay-da!
      Ay-da, da, ay-da!
      Mighty stream so deep and wide.
      Volga, Volga you're our pride.

      Yo, heave ho! Yo, heave ho!
      Once more, once again, still once more.

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  10. Hey, I really liked Guy Mitchell. Now there's no hope for me as I was born in the 1930's. However , there was awesome music in the 30's ...big band stuff!

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    Replies
    1. Is it true that the world was in colour when you were born Red?

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  11. Looked mine up.
    Personality by Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers.
    Who?
    Never heard of them, that tells you how ancient I am. lol
    Briony
    x

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    Replies
    1. I like yours better than mine Briony!
      See & listen:-
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMTPsumjfTA

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  12. Thank you for the big up yp xx

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  13. Does anyone have any idea what was the hit song in June, l930?

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    Replies
    1. "A Cottage for Sale" by Ruth Etting from the musical film "Mammy" was very popular in June 1930 but of course there were no official charts back then. Nobody was counting.

      Our little dream castle
      With every dream gone
      Is lonely and silent
      The shades are all drawn
      And my heart is heavy
      As I gaze upon
      A cottage for sale
      The lawn we were proud of
      Is waving in hay
      Our beautiful garden has
      Withered away.
      Where we planted roses
      The weeds seem to say...
      A cottage for sale

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    2. Thanks...I'll try and locate it on Youtube.

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  14. This is a sneaky way of getting everybody to admit their age!

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    Replies
    1. Yes Margaret and your song was "It's A long Way to Tipperary"

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    2. That was my Granny's favourite song!

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  15. In Australia, Burl Ives singing Lavender Blue (dilly dilly) was the top of the hit parade on the day of my birth. In 1950.

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    Replies
    1. That song dates back to the seventeenth century Rozzie!

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  16. Heartaches by Ted Weems and his Orchestra. Apropos? Nah!

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