January-June 1950
This is the year when I first noticed popular music. The following songs are a sampling of what was popular in 1950. On the week of January 14, The Ames Brothers would enter the national charts with “Rag Mop” (this song would peak at #1 for 2 weeks). “Chatanooga Shoe Shine Boy” by Red Foley would be a big country crossover hit this year. It would debut on the week of January 21, peaking at #1 for 8 weeks. “Sentimental Me” by The Ames Brothers would debut on the week of January 28, peaking at #1 for 1 week. “The Cry Of The Wild Goose” by Frankie Laine would debut on the week of February 4, peaking at #1 for 2 weeks. “Music, Music, Music” by Teresa Brewer would also debut on the week of February 4 (Teresa’s first big national hit would peak at #1 for 4 weeks). “It Isn’t Fair” by Sammy Kaye would also debut on the week of February 4 (this song would feature a vocal by Don Cornell and it would peak at #2). “Daddy’s Little Girl” by the Mills Brothers would debut on the week of February 25, peaking at #5. “Candy And Cake” by Mindy Carson would debut on the week of March 11, peaking at #12. “If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d’ve Baked A Cake” by Eileen Barton would also debut on the week of March 11, peaking at #1 for 10 weeks. “Dearie” by Jo Stafford & Gordon MacRae would also debut on the week of March 11 (this song about earlier times in America would peak at #10). “My Foolish Heart” by Gordon Jenkins would debut on the week of March 18, peaking at #3. “Hoop Dee Doo” by Perry Como would debut on the week of April 29, peaking at #1 for 2 weeks. “Bewitched” by Doris Day would debut on the week of May 13, peaking at #9. “I Wanna Be Loved” by the Andrews Sisters would debut on the week of May 13, peaking at #1 for 2 weeks. “Mona Lisa” by Nat ‘King’ Cole would debut on the week of June 10, peaking at #1 for 8 weeks. “The Old Piano Roll Blues” by Eddie Cantor would debut on the week of June 24, peaking at #27. Eddie’s real name was Eddie Israel Iskowitz. His first national hit came in the year 1917 with “That’s The Kind Of Baby For Me”
One of the big hits from this year
July-December 1950
“Goodnight Irene” was written by blues performer Huddie Ledbetter (better known as Lead Belly). Some of the lyrics were changed and it was recorded this year by The Weavers. This song would debut on the week of July 8 and it would peak at #1 for 13 weeks. “La Vie En Rose” by Tony Martin would debut on the week of July 15, peaking at #9. “Count Every Star” by Dick Haymes would debut on the week of July 22, peaking at #10. “Play A Simple Melody” by Gary Crosby would debut on the week of July 29, peaking at #2. Gary Crosby was the son of Bing Crosby, the legendary crooner. “Can Anyone Explain” by The Ames Brothers would debut on the week of August 2, peaking at #5. “No Other Love” by Jo Stafford would debut on the week of August 9, peaking at #8. “I’ll Never Be Free” by Kay Starr & Tennessee Ernie Ford would also debut on the week of August 9, peaking at #3. “All My love” by Patti Page (the artist billed as “the singing rage” would debut on the week of August 26, peaking at #1 for 5 weeks). “Harbor Lights” by Sammy Kaye would debut on the week of September 9, peaking at #1 for 4 weeks. “Nevertheless” by Paul Weston would debut on the week of October 7, peaking at #2. “Thinking Of You” by Eddie Fisher would debut on the week of October 14, peaking at #5. “A Bushel And A Peck” by Perry Como & Betty Hutton would debut on the week of October 21, peaking at #3. “A Bushel And A Peck” by Doris Day would debut on the week of November 4, peaking at #16.
“The Tennessee Waltz” by Patti Page would debut on the week of November 18, peaking at #1 for 13 weeks. This version of “The Tennessee Waltz” would sell in excess of 6 million copies and it would remain at #1 for much of the early part of 1951. “The Thing” by Phil Harris would debut on the week of November 25, peaking at #1 for 5 weeks.
“The Tennessee Waltz” by Jo Stafford would debut on the week of December 2, peaking at #7. “My Heart Cries For You” by Guy Mitchell would debut on the week of December 9, peaking at #2 (this was one of the first songs I remember hearing on the radio). “Be My Love” by Mario Lanza would debut on the week of December 16, peaking at #1 for 1 week. 🙂 🙂 🙂
References: “Pop Memories, 1890-1954” by Joel Whitburn and “Time Capsule 1950” by Time-Life Books.
