(vanity) TOURNAMENT OF CHART-TOPPERS ('50S) - ROUND 5

me | 5/24/20 | me

[Tunehead54]

First I picked choices I thought my wife would like. I’d never even heard of Jo Stafford. Beautiful piece same as Vaya Con Dios is great, The Platters true greats but she’d always go with Elvis and “Dream” but here’s mine for the party or only songs if they were the only ones I could play.

Full disclosure: 2nd post but between the two if only one is allowed please go with this one. Sorry for the trouble. ;-)

2 1950 “Mona Lisa” Nat King Cole

2 1955 “Rock Around the Clock” Bill Haley & His Comets

1 1956 “Heartbreak Hotel” Elvis Presley

2 1958 “All I Have to Do Is Dream” / “Claudette” The Everly Brothers

[the OlLine Rebel]

Did you ask your wife her choices? I do that posting for my husband all the time (he bowed out of this...too old).

I like Jo Stafford. I actually first heard her listening to ‘40s CDs. Gorgeous voice and the recordings on this compilation CD were like stereo. Wonderful listening. I’ll Never Smile Again, and It Started All Over Again.

Did you know her mom was a 2nd cousin to Sergeant York? LOL

[Tunehead54]

She liked Stafford. She hates Janis Joplin, Susan Tedeschi, Etc. Not a fan of the Blues like me. After 40 years + I know her tastes and was really selecting for her the first time.

I love American Idol but I never vote because there are 4 or 5 ways to vote up to 10 times. I’m not doing that.

Still, I love seeing new talent being developed not that I always agree with the final results.

Do as you choose but take my second post as my vote and delete “hers” for an accurate FR poll.

Thanks.

[P.O.E.]

2 1950 “Mona Lisa” Nat King Cole

2 1953 “Vaya con Dios” Les Paul & Mary Ford

1 1956 “Heartbreak Hotel” Elvis Presley

2 1959 “Mack the Knife” Bobby Darin

[the OlLine Rebel]

Just some fun information along the way.

Here’s a list of the top acts of the whole ‘50s (not just the late RR part), based on year-end Billboard charts through rank #30:

ACT YEAR-END 30
Elvis Presley 12
Perry Como 11/12 (inc. other acts)
Patti Page 10
Eddie Fisher 8
Ames Brothers 5/6 (inc. other acts)
Frankie Laine 5/6 (inc. other acts)
Nat King Cole 5
Pat Boone 5
Rosemary Clooney 5
Everly Brothers 5
Four Aces 5
Platters 5
Tony Bennett 5

[octex]

2 1950 “Mona Lisa” Nat King Cole

2 1953 “Vaya con Dios” Les Paul & Mary Ford

4 1956 “My Prayer” The Platters

2 1958 “All I Have to Do Is Dream” / “Claudette” The Everly Brothers

[the OlLine Rebel]

TOURNAMENT OF CHART-TOPPERS 1950S PING LIST
(This is a temporary ping list…so don’t worry!)

ANOTHER CALL FOR VOTES ON ROUND 5!

For those who have not joined us before, please consider tuning into the Tournament of Chart-Toppers for the 1950s and casting your votes!

Please PM me if you would like to be ON or OFF the ping list (any voters will automatically be ON)!

[buckalfa]

2 1950 “Mona Lisa” Nat King Cole

2 1955 “Rock Around the Clock” Bill Haley & His Comets

4 1956 “My Prayer” The Platters

2 1958 “All I Have to Do Is Dream” / “Claudette” The Everly Brothers

[Fiji Hill]

This group sounds like it's from some hollow deep in the Appalachian Mountains, but it's actually one of the leading acts of its day. The song was composed by one of the nation's top composers, Cole Porter. A very young Jo Stafford, who sings solo, sounds vastly different from the way she would sound in the 1950's.

Friendship--The T. Dorsey Family (Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra) (1940)

[FatherofFive]

2 1950 “Mona Lisa” Nat King Cole

2 1955 “Rock Around the Clock” Bill Haley & His Comets

1 1956 “Heartbreak Hotel” Elvis Presley

2 1959 “Mack the Knife” Bobby Darin

[FatherofFive]

2 1950 “Mona Lisa” Nat King Cole

2 1955 “Rock Around the Clock” Bill Haley & His Comets

1 1956 “Heartbreak Hotel” Elvis Presley

2 1959 “Mack the Knife” Bobby Darin

[Tunehead54]

He’s voting twice (like me ;-)! He’ll probably claim it was an accidental double post but that never happens here on FR! /s

So OLRebel if by voting I’m on your list that’s just fine. If not please add me. Thanks.

TH54

[Tunehead54]

Thank the Lord for digital remasters but if its all you got you go with what you got.

Interesting and I can say with absolute certainty that I’d never heard that before nor would have guessed Cole Porter.

;-)

[gnickgnack2]

Nat, Les, Elvis and Bobby

[the OlLine Rebel]

That was a famous song frequently referenced down the decades. My most familiar is Judy Garland & Johnny Mercer singing it - talk about a guy who sounds “Appalachian”!

Of course the Dorsey brothers were each very famous, moreso Tommy.

[Grammy]

2 1950 “Mona Lisa” Nat King Cole

2 1955 “Rock Around the Clock” Bill Haley & His Comets

4 1956 “My Prayer” The Platters

2 1958 “All I Have to Do Is Dream” / “Claudette” The Everly Brothers

[Fiji Hill]

Even Vera Lynn, of all people, could sound like she came from the pine forests of East Texas or the hills of Oklahoma.

Hollywood Square Dance--Vera Lynn & Anne Shelton (1950)

[mschalock]

2 1950 “Mona Lisa” Nat King Cole
2 1955 “Rock Around the Clock” Bill Haley & His Comets
1 1956 “Heartbreak Hotel” Elvis Presley
2 1958 “All I Have to Do Is Dream” / “Claudette” The Everly Brothers

[jocon307]

Hi OlLine! Think I missed a round of voting, sorry about that. But here you go for this one:

2 1950 “Mona Lisa” Nat King Cole

2 1955 “Rock Around the Clock” Bill Haley & His Comets

1 1956 “Heartbreak Hotel” Elvis Presley

2 1959 “Mack the Knife” Bobby Darin

[Bethaneidh]

2 1950 “Mona Lisa” Nat King Cole

2 1953 “Vaya con Dios” Les Paul & Mary Ford

4 1956 “My Prayer” The Platters

2 1959 “Mack the Knife” Bobby Darin