This will be the time period before the arrival of the Top 40 era in the Bay Area. The following songs are a sampling of what we were listening to during this time period. Some of the songs listed in this article will still be popular when KOBY will have it’s first survey.
January-May 1956
Kay Starr would enter the nation’s Top 40 on the week of January 7 with her recording of “Rock And Roll Waltz” (this song would peak at #1 for 6 weeks). “Mostly Martha” by The Crewcuts would also debut on the week January 7, peaking at #31. “See You Later, Alligator” by Bill Haley & The Comets would debut on the week of January 14, peaking at #6. “When You Dance” by The Turbans would also debut on the week of January 14, peaking at #33. “Wanting You” by Roger Williams would also debut on the week of January 14, peaking at #38. “Chain Gang” by Bobby Scott would debut on the week of January 21, peaking at 13 (this isn’t the same song that was done by Sam Cooke in 1960, it’s totally different). “Tutti Fruiti” by Little Richard would debut on the week of January 28, peaking at #17 (this was the version with soul). “No Not Much” by The Four Lads would also debut on the week of January 28, peaking at #2. “Tutti Fruiti” by Pat Boone would debut on the week of February 4, peaking at #12 (this was the version without soul). “I’ll Be Home” by Pat Boone would also debut on the week of February 4, peaking at #4. “I’ll Be Home” by The Flamingos would debut on the R & B charts on the week of February 8, peaking at #10. “Seven Days” by The Crewcuts would debut on the week of February 18, peaking at #18. “The Poor People Of Paris” by Les Baxter would also debut on the week of February 18, peaking at #1 for 6 weeks. “Why Do Fools Fall In Love” by Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers would also debut on the week of February 18, peaking at #6 (this would be the first of 3 versions of this song that would make the nation’s Top 12).
“Mack The Knife” by Louis Armstrong would debut on the week of February 25, peaking at #20. “A Tear Fell” by Teresa Brewer would debut on the week of March 3, peaking at #5. “Why Do Fools Fall In love” by Gale Storm would also debut on the week of March 3, peaking at #9. The week of March 10, 1956 would see the emergence of a teen idol. RCA Victor Records had just signed a young singer named Elvis Presley and he was about to make his mark on pop music history. Elvis would enter the national Top 40 on the week of March 10 with his double sided hit, “Heartbreak Hotel” (peaked at #1 for 8 weeks) and “I Was The One”(peaked at #19). “Eddie My Love” by The Teen Queens would also debut on the week of March 10, peaking at #14. Perry Como would also debut on the week of March 10 with his double sided hit, “Hot Diggity (peaked at #1 for 1 week) and “Juke Box Baby” (peaked at #10. “Blue Suede Shoes” by Carl Perkins would also debut on the week of March 10, peaking at #2. “Bo Weevil” by Teresa Brewer would also debut on the week of March 10, peaking at #17. “Why Do Fools Fall In Love” by The Diamonds would debut on the week of March 17, peaking at #12. “The Man With The Golden Arm” by Elmer Bernstein would debut on the week of March 24, peaking at #16. “The Magic Touch” by The Platters would debut on the week of March 31, peaking at #4.
“Bo Weevil” by Fats Domino would debut on the week of April 7, peaking at #35. “Long Tall Sally” by little Richard would also debut on the week of April 7, peaking at #6. Bill Haley & The Comets would also enter the charts on April 7 with their double sided hit, “R-O-C-K” (peaked at #16) and “Saints Rock And Roll” (peaked at #18). “Ivory Tower” by Cathy Carr would also debut on the week of April 7, peaking at #2. “Ivory Tower” by Otis Williams & The Charms would debut on the week of April 14, peaking at #11. “Church Bells May Ring” by The Willows would debut on the R & B charts on the week of April 18, peaking at #11. “Too Young To Go Steady” by Nat ‘King’ Cole would debut on the week of April 21, peaking at #21. “Moonglow” by Morris Stoloff would also debut on the week of April 21, peaking at #1 for 3 weeks. “Standing On The Corner” by The four Lads would debut on the week of April 28, peaking at #3. “Blue Suede Shoes” by Elvis Presley would also debut on the week of April 28, peaking at #20. Fats Domino would debut on the week of May 5 with his double sided hit, “My Blue Heaven” (peaked at #19) and “I’m In Love Again” (peaked at #3). “The Happy Whistler” by Don Robertson would also debut on the week of May 5, peaking at #6. “The Wayward Wind” by Gogi Grant would also debut on the week of May 5, peaking at #1 for 8 weeks. This record would become a monster hit in the summer of 1956.
“Little Girl Of Mine” by The Cleftones would debut on the R & B charts on the week of May 9, peaking at #8. “Ruby Baby” by The Drifters would also debut on the R & B charts on the week of May 9, peaking at #13. “I Want You To Be My Girl” by Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers would debut on the week of May 12, peaking at #13. “Church Bells May Ring” by The Diamonds would also debut on the week of May 12, peaking at #14. “Picnic” by The McGuire Sisters would debut on the week of May 19, peaking at #13. “Graduation Day” by The Rover Boys would also debut on the week of May 19, peaking at #16. “It Only Hurts For A Little While” by The Ames Brothers would also debut on the week of May 19, peaking at #11. “Walk Hand In Hand” by Tony Martin would debut on the week of May 26, peaking at #10.
June-September 1956
“Born To Be With You” by The Chordettes would debut on the week of June 2, peaking at #5. “On The Street Where You Live” by Vic Damone would also debut on the week of June 2, peaking at #4. “Delilah Jones” by The McGuire Sisters would also debut on the week of June 2, peaking at #37. “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You” by Elvis Presley would also debut on the week of June 2, peaking at #1 for 1 week. “I Almost Lost My Mind” by Pat Boone would debut on the week of June 9, peaking at #1 for 4 weeks. “The Treasure Of Love” by Clyde McPhatter would also debut on the week of June 9, peaking at #16. “My Baby Left Me” by Elvis Presley would also debut on the week of June 9, peaking at #31. “Transfusion” by Nervous Norvus (Jimmy Drake) would also debut on the week of June 9, peaking at #8. “Allegheny Moon” by Patti Page would debut on the week of June 16, peaking at #2.
“Portuguese Washerwoman” by Joe “Fingers” Carr (Lou Busch) would also debut on the week of June 16, peaking at #19. “Sweet Old Fashioned Girl” by Teresa Brewer would also debut on the week of June 16, peaking at #7. “More” by Perry Como would also debut on the week of June 16, peaking at #4. “Reddy Teddy” by Little Richard would debut on the R & B charts on the week of June 20, peaking at #1. “Glendora” by Perry Como would debut on the week of June 23, peaking at #8. “Be Bop A Lula” by Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps would also debut on the week of June 23, peaking at #7. “Slippin’ And Slidin'” by Little Richard would debut on the week of June 30, peaking at #33. “Roll Over Beethoven” by Chuck Berry would also debut on the week of June 30, peaking at #29. “Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera Sera)” by Doris Day would debut on the week of July 7, peaking at #2. “My Prayer” by The Platters would also debut on the week of July 7, peaking at #1 for 5 weeks. “Rip It Up” by Little Richard would debut on the week of July 14, peaking at #17. “Never Turn Back” by Al Hibbler would also debut on the week of July 14, peaking at #22. “In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town” by Somethin’ Smith & The Redheads would also debut on the week of July 14, peaking at #27. “Fever” by Little Willie John would also debut on the week of July 14, peaking at #24. “Stranded In The Jungle” by The Cadets would debut on the week of July 21, peaking at #15. “That’s All There Is To That” by Nat ‘King’ Cole would also debut on the week of July 21, peaking at #16. “Soft Summer Breeze” by Eddie Heywood would also debut on the week of July 21, peaking at #11. “Up On The Mountain” by The Magnificents would debut on the R & B charts on the week of July 25, peaking at #14. “Canadian Sunset” by Hugo Winterhalter would debut on the week of July 28, peaking at #2. “You Don’t Know Me” by Jerry Vale would also debut on the week of July 28, peaking at #14. Also on the week of July 28, “Love. Love, Love” had 2 versions to enter the nation’s Top 40. One was by The Clovers and the other was by The Diamonds (both peaked at #30). “I Promise To Remember” by Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers would debut on the R & B charts on the week of August 1, peaking at #10. “I Only Know I Love You” by The Four Aces would debut on the week of August 4, peaking at #22. Also on the week of August 4, Elvis Presley would debut on the charts with his double sided hit, “Don’t Be Cruel” and “Hound Dog” (#1 for 11 weeks).
“Give Us This Day” by Joni James would debut on the week of August 11, peaking at #30. “Heaven On Earth” by The Platters would also debut on the week of August 11, peaking at #39. “Flying Saucer #1 ” by Buchanan & Goodman would also debut on the week of August 11, peaking at #3. “Song For A Summer Night” by Mitch Miller would also debut on the week of August 11, peaking at #8. “The Fool” by Sanford Clark would also debut on the week of August 11, peaking at #7. “Canadian Sunset” by Andy Williams would debut on the week of August 18, peaking at #7. “Tonight You Belong To Me” by Patience & Prudence would debut on the week of August 25, peaking at #4. “Honky Tonk” by Bill Doggett would also debut on the week August 25, peaking at #2. “A Casual Look” by The Six Teens would debut on the week of September 1, peaking at #25. “The Old Philosopher” by Eddie Lawrence would also debut on the week of September 1, peaking at #34. “Let The Good Times Roll” by Shirley & Lee would debut on the week of September 8, peaking at #20. “The Miracle Of Love” by Eileen Rodgers would also debut on the week of September 8, peaking at #18. “Just Walking In The Rain” by Johnnie Ray would also debut on the week of September 8, peaking at #2. “Ka Ding Dong” by The G Clefs would debut on the week of September 15, peaking at #24. The Four Lads would also enter the national charts on September 15 with their double sided hit, “A House With Love In It” (peaked at #16) and “The Bus Stop Song” (peaked at #17). “The Middle Of The House” by Rusty Draper would debut on the week of September 22, peaking at #20. “Friendly Persuasion” by Pat Boone would also debut on the week of September 22, peaking at #5. “Green Door” by Jim Lowe would debut on the week of September 29, peaking at #1 for 3 weeks. “Chains Of Love” by Pat Boone would also debut on the week of September 29, peaking at #10. “In The Still Of The Nite” by The Five Satins would also debut on the week of September 29, peaking at #24. “The Italian Theme” by Cyril Stapleton would also debut on the week of September 29, peaking at #25. Now the stage is set for the arrival of Top 40 music in the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area. It would provide the soundtrack for our lives as we were growing up. 🙂 🙂 🙂
References: “The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Hits, 9th Edition” by Joel Whitburn and the R & B charts.
