The Music Of !954

January-June 1954

The following songs are a sampling of some of the hits from this year.
“Make Love To Me” by Jo Stafford would debut on the week of January 23, peaking at #1 for 7 weeks. “You’ll Never Walk Alone” by Roy Hamilton would debut on the week of January 30, peaking at #21. “Young At Heart” by Frank Sinatra would debut on the week of February 13, peaking at #2. “Cross Over The Bridge” by Patti Page would debut on the week of February 27, peaking at #2. “Gee” by The Crows (acknowledged by many to be one of the first rock and roll records) would debut on the week of March 6, peaking at #14. “Wanted” by Perry Como would also debut on the national charts on the week of March 6, peaking at #1 for 8 weeks. “The Man With The Banjo” by The Ames Brothers would debut on the week of March 20, peaking at #6. “Here” by Tony Martin would debut on the week of March 27, peaking at #5. “Little Things Mean A Lot” by Kitty Kallen would debut on the week of April 17, peaking at #1 for 9 weeks. “The Happy Wanderer” by Frank Weir would debut on the week of May 1, peaking at #4. “The Isle Of Capri” by The Gaylords would debut on the week of May 15, peaking at #14. “Hernando’s Hideaway” by Archie Bleyer would debut on the week of May 22, peaking at #2. “Three Coins In The Fountain” by the Four Aces would also debut on the week of May 22, peaking at #1 for 1 week. “Goodnight Sweetheart” by The Spaniels would debut on the week of June 19, peaking at #24.

Frank Weir would hit the national charts this year with “The Happy Wanderer”

July-December 1954

“Make Her Mine” by Nat ‘King’ Cole would debut on the week of July 3, peaking at #19. “The Little Shoemaker” by The Gaylords would also debut on the week of July 3, peaking at #2. “Sh-Boom” by The Chords, sometimes known as The Chordcats, would also debut on the week of July 3, peaking at #5. “Sh-Boom” by The Crewcuts would debut on the week of July 10, peaking at #1 for 9 weeks. “Hey There” by Rosemary Clooney would debut on the week of July 17, peaking at #1 for 6 weeks. “Chapel In The Moonlight” by Kitty Kallen would debut on the week of July 17, peaking at #4. “The High And The Mighty” by Les Baxter would debut on the week of July 31, peaking at #4. “This Ole House” by Rosemary Clooney would debut on the week of August 7, peaking at #1 for 3 weeks. “They Were Doin’ The Mambo” by Vaughn Monroe would also debut on the week of August 7, peaking at #7. “Shake, Rattle And Roll” by Bill Haley & The Comets would debut on the week of August 21, peaking at #3. “Skokiann” by Ralph Marterie would debut on the week of August 28, peaking at #3. “Hold My Hand” by Don Cornell would debut on the week of September 11, peaking at #2. “If I Give My Heart To You” by Doris Day would also debut on the week of September 11, peaking at #3. “Papa Loves Mambo” by Perry Como would debut on the week of October 2, peaking at #4. “Teach Me Tonight” by The De Castro Sisters would debut on the week of October 9, peaking at #2. “I Need Your Lovin” by The Cheers wold debut on the week of October 16, peaking at #15. “Sh-Boom” by Stan Freberg would debut on the week of October 23, peaking at #14. “It’s A Woman’s World” by The Four Aces would debut on the week of October 23, peaking at #11. “Count Your Blessings” by Eddie Fisher would debut on the week of October 30, peaking at #5. “The Mama Doll Song” by Patti Page would debut also on the week of October 30, peaking at #24. “Mr. Sandman” by The Chordettes would debut on the week of October 30, peaking at #1 for 7 weeks. “Unbelievable” by Nat ‘King’ Cole would debut on the week of November 6, peaking at #26. “Mambo Italiano” by Rosemary Clooney would debut on the week of November 13, peaking at #10. “Hajji Baba” by Nat ‘King’ Cole would also debut on the week of November 13, peaking at #14. “This Ole House” by Stuart Hamblen would also debut on the week of November 13, peaking at #28. “Fanny” by Eddie Fisher would debut on the week of November 20, peaking at #29. “The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane” by The Ames Brothers would also debut on the week of November 20, peaking at #3. “That’s All I Want From You” by Jaye P.Morgan would debut on the week of November 27, peaking at #3. “Make Yourself Comfortable” by Sarah Vaughan would also debut on the week of November 27, peaking at #6.

“Teach Me Tonight” by Jo Stafford would debut on the week of December 4, peaking at #15. “Let Me Go Lover” by Joan Weber would also debut on the week of December 4, peaking at #1 for 4 weeks. “Let Me Go Lover” by Teresa Brewer would debut on the week of December 18, peaking at #6. “No More”by The De John Sisters would debut on the week of December 25, peaking at #26. “Earth Angel” by The Penguins would also debut on the week December 25, peaking at #8. 1954 would also be the year that a young man named Elvis Presley walked into the recording studio of Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee for the first time. 🙂 🙂 🙂

References: “Pop Memories, 1890-1954” and “The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Hits, 9th Edition”, both by Joel Whitburn.