Subject: Biggest songs of 1950-1954

Written By: Nostalgic on 02/10/06 at 4:44 am

In case anyone's interested, here are the top 30 songs in the USA each year from 1950-1954:

1950

1. GOODNIGHT IRENE - Gordon Jenkins & The Weavers
2. MONA LISA - Nat King Cole
3. THIRD MAN THEME - Anton Karas
4. SAM'S SONG - Gary & Bing Crosby
5. SIMPLE MELODY - Gary & Bing Crosby
6. MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC - Teresa Brewer
7. THIRD MAN THEME - Guy Lombardo
8. CHATTANOOGIE SHOW SHINE BOY - Red Foley
9. HARBOR LIGHTS - Sammy Kaye
10. IT ISN'T FAIR - Sammy Kaye & Don Cornell

11. IF I KNEW YOU WERE COMING I'D'VE BAKED A CAKE - Eileen Barton
12. BONAPARTE'S RETREAT - Kay Starr
13. TZENA, TZENA, TZENA - Gordon Jenkins & The Weavers
14. THERE'S NO TOMORROW - Tony Martin
15. THE THING - Phil Harris
16. SENTIMENTAL ME - Ames Brothers
17. I WANNA BE LOVED - Andrews Sisters & Gordon Jenkins
18. TENNESSEE WALTZ - Patti Page
19. I CAN DREAM, CAN'T I? - Andrew Sisters & Gordon Jenkins
20. I'LL NEVER BE FREE - Tennessee Ernie Ford & Kay Starr

21. ALL MY LOVE - Patti Page
22. MY FOOLISH HEART - Gordon Jenkins
23. RAG MOP - Ames Brothers
24. BEWITCHED - Bill Snyder
25. HOOP DEE DOO - Perry Como
26. BEWITCHED - Gordon Jenkins
27. CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN? - Ames Brothers
28. MY FOOLISH HEART - Billy Eckstine
29. DEAR HEARTS AND GENTLE PEOPLE - Bing Crosby
30. CRY OF THE WILD GOOSE - Frankie Laine

1951

1. TOO YOUNG - Nat King Cole
2. BECAUSE OF YOU - Tony Bennett
3. HOW HIGH THE MOON? - Les Paul & Mary Ford
4. COME ON-A MY HOUSE - Rosemary Clooney
5. BE MY LOVE - Mario Lanza
6. ON TOP OF OLD SMOKY - The Weavers
7. COLD, COLD HEART - Tony Bennett
8. IF - Perry Como
9. LOVELIEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR - Mario Lanza
10. TENNESSEE WALTZ - Patti Page

11. JEZEBEL - Frankie Laine
12. I GET IDEAS - Tony Martin
13. MOCKIN' BIRD HILL - Les Paul & Mary Ford
14. MOCKIN' BIRD HILL - Patti Page
15. MY HEART CRIES FOR YOU - Guy Mitchell & Mitch Miller
16. (IT'S NO) SIN - Eddy Howard
17. SOUND OFF - Vaughn Monroe
18. SWEET VIOLETS - Dinah Shore
19. THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR THE SUNRISE - Les Paul & Mary Ford
20. MY TRULY, TRULY FAIR - Guy Mitchell & Mitch Miller

21. (IT'S NO) SIN - Fours Aces & Al Alberta
22. ABA DABA HONEYMOON - Debbie Reynolds & Carlton Carpenter
23. ROSE, ROSE I LOVE YOU - Frankie Laine
24. DOWN YONDER - Del Wood
25. I APOLOGIZE - Billy Eckstine
26. WOULD I LOVE YOU? - Patti Page
27. YOU'RE JUST IN LOVE - Perry Como (with the Fontane Sisters)
28. UNDECIDED - Ames Brothers & Les Brown
29. THE THING - Phil Harris
30. BECAUSE OF YOU - Les Baxter

1952

1. BLUE TANGO - Leroy Anderson
2. WHEEL OF FORTUNE - Kay Starr
3. CRY - Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads
4. YOU BELONG TO ME - Jo Stafford
5. AUF WIEDERSEH'N SWEETHEART - Vera Lynn & Chorus
6. HALF AS MUCH - Rosemary Clooney
7. WISH YOU WERE HERE - Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra with Eddie Fisher
8. I WENT TO YOUR WEDDING - Patti Page
9. HERE IN MY HEART - Al Martino
10. DELICADO - Percy Faith & His Orchestra

11. KISS OF FIRE - Georgia Gibbs
12. ANY TIME - Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra with Eddie Fisher
13. TELL ME WHY - Four Aces
14. BLACKSMITH BLUES - Ella Mae Morse
15. JAMBALAYA - Jo Stafford
16. BOTCH-A-ME - Rosemary Clooney
17. A GUY IS A GUY - Doris Day
18. THE LITTLE WHITE CLOUD THAT CRIED - Johnnie Ray
19. HIGH NOON - Frankie Laine
20. I'M YOURS - Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra with Eddie Fisher

21. GLOW WORM - Mills Brothers
22. IT'S IN THE BOOK - Johnny Standley
23. SLOW POKE - Pee Wee King
24. WALKIN' MY BABY BACK HOME - Johnnie Ray
25. MEET MR. CALLAGHAN - Les Paul
26. I'M YOURS - Don Cornell
27. I'LL WALK ALONE - Don Cornell
28. TELL ME WHY - Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra with Eddie Fisher
29. TRYING - Hilltoppers
30. PLEASE, MR SUN - Johnnie Ray

1953

1. THE SONG FROM MOULIN ROUGE (WHERE IS YOUR HEART?) - Percy Faith with Felicia Sanders
2. VAYA CON DIOS (MAY GOD BE WITH YOU) - Les Paul & Mary Ford
3. (HOW MUCH IS THAT) DOGGIE IN THE WINDOW? - Patti Page
4. I'M WALKING BEHIND YOU - Eddie Fisher
5. YOU YOU YOU - Ames Brothers
6. TILL I WALTZ AGAIN WITH YOU - Teresa Brewer
7. APRIL IN PORTUGAL - Les Baxter
8. NO OTHER LOVE - Perry Como
9. DON'T LET THE STARS GET IN YOUR EYES - Perry Como
10. I BELIEVE - Frankie Laine

11. OH - Pee Wee Hunt
12. EBB TIDE - Frank Chacksfield & His Orchestra
13. PRETEND - Nat "King" Cole
14. RUBY - Richard Hayman
15. ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGONET - Stan Freberg
16. P.S. I LOVE YOU - Hilltoppers
17. TELL ME YOU'RE MINE - Gaylords
18. EH CUMPARI - Julius La Rosa
19. RAG TO RICHES - Tony Bennett
20. ANNA - Silvano Mangano

21. SAY YOU'RE MINE AGAIN - Perry Como
22. DRAGNET - Ray Anthony
23. TELL ME A STORY - Frankie Laine & Jimmy Boyd
24. CRYING IN THE CHAPEL - June Valli
25. WHY DON'T YOU BELIEVE ME? - Joni James
26. YOUR CHEATING HEART - Joni James
27. LIMELIGHT (TERRY'S THEME) - Frank Chacksfield & His Orchestra
28. WITH THESE HANDS - Eddie Fisher
29. C'EST SI BON - Eartha Kitt
30. HAVE YOU HEARD? - Joni James

1954

1. LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT - Kitty Kallen
2. WANTED - Perry Como
3. HEY THERE - Rosemary Clooney
4. SH-BOOM - Crew-Cuts
5. MAKE LOVE TO ME - Jo Stafford
6. OH, MY PAPA (O MEIN PAPA) - Eddie Fisher
7. I GET SO LONELY - Four Knights
8. THREE COINS IN A FOUNTAIN - Four Aces
9. SECRET LOVE - Doris Day
10. HERNANDO'S HIDEAWAY - Archie Bleyer

11. YOUNG AT HEART - Frank Sinatra
12. THIS OLE HOUSE - Rosemary Clooney
13. I NEED YOU NOW - Eddie Fisher
14. CROSS OVER THE BRIDGE - Patti Page
15. THE LITTLE SHOEMAKER - Gaylords
16. THAT'S AMORE - Dean Martin
17. THE HAPPY WANDERER - Frank Weir
18. ANSWER ME MY LOVE - Nat "King" Cole
19. STRANGER IN PARADISE - Tony Bennett
20. IF I GIVE MY HEART TO YOU - Doris Day

21. IF YOU LOVE ME (REALLY LOVE ME) - Kay Starr
22. SKOKIAAN - Ralph Marterie
23. HOLD MY HAND - Don Cornell
24. CHANGING PARTNERS - Patti Page
25. PAPA LOVES MAMBO - Perry Como
26. SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL - Bill Haley & His Comets
27. RAGS TO RICHES - Tony Bennett
28. IN THE CHAPEL IN THE MOONLIGHT - Kitty Kallen
29. STRANGER IN PARADISE - Four Aces
30. HERE - Tony Martin

Source.

Subject: Re: Biggest songs of 1950-1954

Written By: Paul on 02/10/06 at 7:18 am

Nice...

Some are dated, some more than others...but there's a whole wealth of fine, fine stuff before the dreaded 'Rock 'n' Roll' hit the scene...

A lot of it gets ignored, which is a great shame...

There's also several lists here which delve back a little further...

They're listed alphabetically, not by sale...

I must make mention of one that isn't listed in 1953 (but it couldn't have been far outside the 30)...

'Oh Happy Day' - Don Howard

A record so infinitely bad, that it's indescribably brilliant!
Even David Miller, the boss of the record company that issued it (Essex) said at the time, 'If this is a hit, then the industry's finished!'

Subject: Re: Biggest songs of 1950-1954

Written By: Nostalgic on 02/10/06 at 10:27 am

When I first saw these, I was surprised Frank Sinatra didn't have more hits make the year-end top 30s. He is easily the most well known of all the singers in these lists. Also there's no Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holliday. They get mentioned so much in recent history but I had never heard of Jo Stafford, Kay Starr, Teresa Brewer, etc. before I saw these lists!

Subject: Re: Biggest songs of 1950-1954

Written By: Paul on 02/10/06 at 1:51 pm

There's a good reason for Frank not making much headway...his career by the start of the 50s was in the doldrums. Heavy arguments with his producer, Mitch Miller, led to him being given some terrible songs to record, if he recorded them at all...

It was only after he moved to Capitol in 1953 that he eventually re-appeared 'on radar'...making some definitive work throughout the rest of the decade...

Billie Holiday was wrapped up too much in her much-publicised drug addiction to have made too many forays into the best-seller lists, but Ella did stage a fantastic comeback when she moved to Verve, also recording some definitive work, but she tended to concentrate on the newfangled LP market...

Subject: Re: Biggest songs of 1950-1954

Written By: Nostalgic on 02/16/06 at 9:58 pm

I wonder if people know the songs that are on these charts. I'm sure a few people would have heard of Mona Lisa, Tennessee Waltz, Secret Love, Young At Heart and That's Amore.

Subject: Re: Biggest songs of 1950-1954

Written By: Jewel on 02/19/06 at 5:46 pm

Wow, I haven't heard most of these. "Sh-Boom" by the Crew Cuts is a cool tune. "If I Knew You Were Coming I'd Bake a Cake", that's a funny title for a song.

Subject: Re: Biggest songs of 1950-1954

Written By: hot_wax on 03/13/06 at 12:59 am

There were a few popular songs from the show "The Hit Parade", that I remember and I've have mentioned in past posts, I don't who sang them, but "The Shrimp Boats are Coming" stayed #1 for on their charts for about 16 weeks, I'm not even sure if this is the correct title,but "I Found April Dream in Portugal Last Night" was just as popular, and the title song from the movie "The High and the Mighty" and there was Gogi Grants "The Wayward Wind" held the top spot for many weeks, I think Patty Page sang "This Old House", a song that was concidered a Rock and Roll song in the early R&R days held on to #1 for a few weeks.

And there's early Rock and Roll 53/54 songs and Artists that started the change and a new era in music...they're for another topic posting.

HW

Subject: Re: Biggest songs of 1950-1954

Written By: hot_wax on 03/13/06 at 1:19 am

In case anyone's interested, here are the top 30 songs in the USA each year from 1950-1954:

1950

1. GOODNIGHT IRENE - Gordon Jenkins & The Weavers
2. MONA LISA - Nat King Cole
3. THIRD MAN THEME - Anton Karas
4. SAM'S SONG - Gary & Bing Crosby
5. SIMPLE MELODY - Gary & Bing Crosby
6. MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC - Teresa Brewer
7. THIRD MAN THEME - Guy Lombardo
8. CHATTANOOGIE SHOW SHINE BOY - Red Foley
9. HARBOR LIGHTS - Sammy Kaye
10. IT ISN'T FAIR - Sammy Kaye & Don Cornell

11. IF I KNEW YOU WERE COMING I'D'VE BAKED A CAKE - Eileen Barton
12. BONAPARTE'S RETREAT - Kay Starr
13. TZENA, TZENA, TZENA - Gordon Jenkins & The Weavers
14. THERE'S NO TOMORROW - Tony Martin
15. THE THING - Phil Harris
16. SENTIMENTAL ME - Ames Brothers
17. I WANNA BE LOVED - Andrews Sisters & Gordon Jenkins
18. TENNESSEE WALTZ - Patti Page
19. I CAN DREAM, CAN'T I? - Andrew Sisters & Gordon Jenkins
20. I'LL NEVER BE FREE - Tennessee Ernie Ford & Kay Starr

21. ALL MY LOVE - Patti Page
22. MY FOOLISH HEART - Gordon Jenkins
23. RAG MOP - Ames Brothers
24. BEWITCHED - Bill Snyder
25. HOOP DEE DOO - Perry Como
26. BEWITCHED - Gordon Jenkins
27. CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN? - Ames Brothers
28. MY FOOLISH HEART - Billy Eckstine
29. DEAR HEARTS AND GENTLE PEOPLE - Bing Crosby
30. CRY OF THE WILD GOOSE - Frankie Laine

1951

1. TOO YOUNG - Nat King Cole
2. BECAUSE OF YOU - Tony Bennett
3. HOW HIGH THE MOON? - Les Paul & Mary Ford
4. COME ON-A MY HOUSE - Rosemary Clooney
5. BE MY LOVE - Mario Lanza
6. ON TOP OF OLD SMOKY - The Weavers
7. COLD, COLD HEART - Tony Bennett
8. IF - Perry Como
9. LOVELIEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR - Mario Lanza
10. TENNESSEE WALTZ - Patti Page

11. JEZEBEL - Frankie Laine
12. I GET IDEAS - Tony Martin
13. MOCKIN' BIRD HILL - Les Paul & Mary Ford
14. MOCKIN' BIRD HILL - Patti Page
15. MY HEART CRIES FOR YOU - Guy Mitchell & Mitch Miller
16. (IT'S NO) SIN - Eddy Howard
17. SOUND OFF - Vaughn Monroe
18. SWEET VIOLETS - Dinah Shore
19. THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR THE SUNRISE - Les Paul & Mary Ford
20. MY TRULY, TRULY FAIR - Guy Mitchell & Mitch Miller

21. (IT'S NO) SIN - Fours Aces & Al Alberta
22. ABA DABA HONEYMOON - Debbie Reynolds & Carlton Carpenter
23. ROSE, ROSE I LOVE YOU - Frankie Laine
24. DOWN YONDER - Del Wood
25. I APOLOGIZE - Billy Eckstine
26. WOULD I LOVE YOU? - Patti Page
27. YOU'RE JUST IN LOVE - Perry Como (with the Fontane Sisters)
28. UNDECIDED - Ames Brothers & Les Brown
29. THE THING - Phil Harris
30. BECAUSE OF YOU - Les Baxter

1952

1. BLUE TANGO - Leroy Anderson
2. WHEEL OF FORTUNE - Kay Starr
3. CRY - Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads
4. YOU BELONG TO ME - Jo Stafford
5. AUF WIEDERSEH'N SWEETHEART - Vera Lynn & Chorus
6. HALF AS MUCH - Rosemary Clooney
7. WISH YOU WERE HERE - Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra with Eddie Fisher
8. I WENT TO YOUR WEDDING - Patti Page
9. HERE IN MY HEART - Al Martino
10. DELICADO - Percy Faith & His Orchestra

11. KISS OF FIRE - Georgia Gibbs
12. ANY TIME - Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra with Eddie Fisher
13. TELL ME WHY - Four Aces
14. BLACKSMITH BLUES - Ella Mae Morse
15. JAMBALAYA - Jo Stafford
16. BOTCH-A-ME - Rosemary Clooney
17. A GUY IS A GUY - Doris Day
18. THE LITTLE WHITE CLOUD THAT CRIED - Johnnie Ray
19. HIGH NOON - Frankie Laine
20. I'M YOURS - Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra with Eddie Fisher

21. GLOW WORM - Mills Brothers
22. IT'S IN THE BOOK - Johnny Standley
23. SLOW POKE - Pee Wee King
24. WALKIN' MY BABY BACK HOME - Johnnie Ray
25. MEET MR. CALLAGHAN - Les Paul
26. I'M YOURS - Don Cornell
27. I'LL WALK ALONE - Don Cornell
28. TELL ME WHY - Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra with Eddie Fisher
29. TRYING - Hilltoppers
30. PLEASE, MR SUN - Johnnie Ray

1953

1. THE SONG FROM MOULIN ROUGE (WHERE IS YOUR HEART?) - Percy Faith with Felicia Sanders
2. VAYA CON DIOS (MAY GOD BE WITH YOU) - Les Paul & Mary Ford
3. (HOW MUCH IS THAT) DOGGIE IN THE WINDOW? - Patti Page
4. I'M WALKING BEHIND YOU - Eddie Fisher
5. YOU YOU YOU - Ames Brothers
6. TILL I WALTZ AGAIN WITH YOU - Teresa Brewer
7. APRIL IN PORTUGAL - Les Baxter
8. NO OTHER LOVE - Perry Como
9. DON'T LET THE STARS GET IN YOUR EYES - Perry Como
10. I BELIEVE - Frankie Laine

11. OH - Pee Wee Hunt
12. EBB TIDE - Frank Chacksfield & His Orchestra
13. PRETEND - Nat "King" Cole
14. RUBY - Richard Hayman
15. ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGONET - Stan Freberg
16. P.S. I LOVE YOU - Hilltoppers
17. TELL ME YOU'RE MINE - Gaylords
18. EH CUMPARI - Julius La Rosa
19. RAG TO RICHES - Tony Bennett
20. ANNA - Silvano Mangano

21. SAY YOU'RE MINE AGAIN - Perry Como
22. DRAGNET - Ray Anthony
23. TELL ME A STORY - Frankie Laine & Jimmy Boyd
24. CRYING IN THE CHAPEL - June Valli
25. WHY DON'T YOU BELIEVE ME? - Joni James
26. YOUR CHEATING HEART - Joni James
27. LIMELIGHT (TERRY'S THEME) - Frank Chacksfield & His Orchestra
28. WITH THESE HANDS - Eddie Fisher
29. C'EST SI BON - Eartha Kitt
30. HAVE YOU HEARD? - Joni James

1954

1. LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT - Kitty Kallen
2. WANTED - Perry Como
3. HEY THERE - Rosemary Clooney
4. SH-BOOM - Crew-Cuts
5. MAKE LOVE TO ME - Jo Stafford
6. OH, MY PAPA (O MEIN PAPA) - Eddie Fisher
7. I GET SO LONELY - Four Knights
8. THREE COINS IN A FOUNTAIN - Four Aces
9. SECRET LOVE - Doris Day
10. HERNANDO'S HIDEAWAY - Archie Bleyer

11. YOUNG AT HEART - Frank Sinatra
12. THIS OLE HOUSE - Rosemary Clooney
13. I NEED YOU NOW - Eddie Fisher
14. CROSS OVER THE BRIDGE - Patti Page
15. THE LITTLE SHOEMAKER - Gaylords
16. THAT'S AMORE - Dean Martin
17. THE HAPPY WANDERER - Frank Weir
18. ANSWER ME MY LOVE - Nat "King" Cole
19. STRANGER IN PARADISE - Tony Bennett
20. IF I GIVE MY HEART TO YOU - Doris Day

21. IF YOU LOVE ME (REALLY LOVE ME) - Kay Starr
22. SKOKIAAN - Ralph Marterie
23. HOLD MY HAND - Don Cornell
24. CHANGING PARTNERS - Patti Page
25. PAPA LOVES MAMBO - Perry Como
26. SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL - Bill Haley & His Comets
27. RAGS TO RICHES - Tony Bennett
28. IN THE CHAPEL IN THE MOONLIGHT - Kitty Kallen
29. STRANGER IN PARADISE - Four Aces
30. HERE - Tony Martin

Source.

Good job! I'm sorry but I jumped into the post and replied before I read your lists, I mentioned the same songs on your lists that I remember listening to from 51 to 54 when they played on the radio back then.

Good job again! HW