Billboard: Jukebox Hits, 1940-1957

Billboard’s Jukebox Hits: 1940-1957

Billboard magazine launched its jukebox hits chart on January 6, 1940. It only ran until July 20, 1940, but then resumed on November 6, 1943 and ran until June 17, 1957. It tracked which songs were played most in jukeboxes across the country. The chart ran until 1957. These were the biggest #1 songs on that chart. All songs which spent three weeks or more at #1 are listed here. Ties are broken by songs’ overall Dave’s Music Database points. See other chart-based lists here and specific Billboard lists here. 13 weeks: Glenn Miller “In the Mood” (1939) Patti Page “Tennessee Waltz” (1950) Francis Craig with Bob Lamm “Near You” (1947) The Ink Spots “The Gypsy” (1946) Ted Weems with Elmo Tanner “Heartaches” (1947) 12 weeks: The Weavers with Gordon Jenkins’ Orchestra “Goodnight Irene” (1950) 11 weeks: Frankie Carle & Marjorie Hughes “Oh What It Seemed to Be” (1946) Guy Lombardo “The Third Man Theme” (1950) 10 weeks: Vaughn Monroe “Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)” (1949) The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen’s Orchestra “Rum and Coca-Cola” (1945) Guy Mitchell “Singing the Blues” (1956) Tony Bennett with Percy Faith’s Orchestra “Because of You” (1951) Kay Starr “Wheel of Fortune” (1952) Patti Page “I Went to Your Wedding” (1952) 9 weeks: Elvis Presley “Don’t Be Cruel” (1956) / Elvis Presley “Hound Dog” (1956) Elvis Presley “All Shook Up” (1957) Dinah Shore & Her Harper Valley Boys “Buttons and Bows” (1948) Les Paul & Mary Ford “How High the Moon” (1951) Glenn Miller “Tuxedo Junction” (1940) Perry Como “Till the End of Time” (1945) Johnnie Ray & the Four Lads “Cry” (1951) Les Paul with Mary Ford “Vaya Con Dios (May God Be with You)” (1953) Andrews Sisters with Vic Shoen’s Orchestra “Shoo-Shoo Baby” (1943) 8 weeks: Elvis Presley “Heartbreak Hotel” (1956) Bing Crosby with John Scottt Trotter’s Orchestra “Swinging on a Star” (1944) The Harmonicats “Peg O’ My Heart” (1947) Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters “Don’t Fence Me In” (1944) Johnny Mercer with the Pied Pipers “On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe” (1945) Perez “Prez” Prado “Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White” (1955) Perry Como with Hugo Winterhalter’s Orchestra “Wanted” (1954) Red Foley “Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy” (1950) The Crew-Cuts “Sh-Boom” (1954) Frankie Carle with Marjorie Hughes “Rumors Are Flying” (1946) Tony Bennett with Percy Faith’s Orchestra “Rags to Riches” (1953) Rosemary Clooney “Come on-a My House” (1951) 7 weeks: Bill Haley & the Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock” (1954) Les Brown with Doris Day “Sentimental Journey” (1945) Tennessee Ernie Ford “Sixteen Tons” (1955) Vaughn Monroe’s Orchestra “Ballerina” (1947) The McGuire Sisters “Sincerely” (1954) Patti Page “The Doggie in the Window” (1953) Kitty Kallen with Jack Pleis’ Orchestra “Little Things Mean a Lot” (1954) Evelyn Knight & the Stardusters “A Little Bird Told Me” (1948) Teresa Brewer with Jack Pleis’ Orchestra “Till I Waltz Again with You” (1952) Les Brown with Doris Day “My Dreams Are Getting Bigger All the Time” (1945) Sammy Kaye with Billy Williams “The Old Lamplighter” (1946) Eddie Fisher with Sally Sweetland & Hugo Winterhalter’s Orchestra “I'm Walking Behind You” (1953) Jo Stafford “Make Love to Me!” (1954) Ken Griffin “You Can’t Be True, Dear” (1948) 6 weeks: Pee Wee Hunt “Twelfth Street Rag” (1948) Mitch Miller “The Yellow Rose of Texas” (1955) Percy Faith with Felicia Sanders “Where Is Your Heart (Song from “Moulin Rouge”)” (1953) Harry James with Dick Haymes “I’ll Get by As Long As I Have You” (1941) Eddy Howard “To Each His Own” (1946) Frankie Laine & the Muleskinners “Mule Train” (1949) Frankie Masters “Scatter-Brain” (1939) Eddie Fisher with Hugo Winterhalter’s Orchestra “O Mein Papa (Oh My Papa)” (1953) Kay Kyser with Gloria Wood “Woody Woodpecker” (1948) Al Trace with Bob Vincent “You Call Everybody Darlin’” (1948) Kay Starr with Hugo Winterhalter’s Orchestra “Rock and Roll Waltz” (1955) Georgia Gibbs “Kiss of Fire” (1952) The Ames Brothers with Hugo Winterhalter’s Orchestra “You You You” (1953) Russ Morgan & the Skylarks “Cruising Down the River on a Sunday Afternoon” (1949) Bing Crosby with the Andrews Sisters & Vic Shoen’s Orchestra “There'll Be a Hot Time in the Town of Berlin When the Yanks Go Marching In” (1944) 5 weeks: Nat “King” Cole “Mona Lisa” (1950) Vaughn Monroe “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (1945) Perry Como “Some Enchanted Evening” (1949) Art Mooney “I’m Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover” (1948) Frankie Laine with Jud Conlon’s Rhythmaires “That Lucky Old Sun” (1949) Peggy Lee with Dave Barbour’s Orchestra “Manana Is Soon Enough for Me” (1948) Glenn Miller with Marion Hutton “The Woodpecker Song” (1940) Rosemary Clooney with Buddy Cole “Hey There” (1954) THe Merry Macs “Mairzy Doats” (1944) Perry Como with Mitchell Ayres Orchestra “If (They Made Me a King)” (1951) Tab Hunter “Young Love” (1956) Bing Crosby with Jon Scott Trotter’s Orchestra “San Fernando Valley” (1944) 4 weeks: The Chordettes “Mr. Sandman” (1954) Nat “King” Cole “Too Young” (1951) Tex Williams “Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)” (1947) Vera Lynn with Ronald Shaw’s Orchestra “Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart” (1952) Gogi Grant “The Wayward Wind” (1956) Dean Martin “Memories Are Made of This” (1955) Perry Como & the Ramblers with Mitchell Ayres’ Orchestra “Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes” (1952) Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter’s Orchestra “Sierra Sue” (1940) Joan Weber “Let Me Go, Lover!” (1954) Pat Boone “I Almost Lost My Mind” (1956) Sammy Kaye with Troy Alamo “Harbor Lights” (1950) 3 weeks: Blue Barron & His Orchestra “Crusing Down the River on a Sunday Afternoon” (1949) The Four Aces “Love is a Many Splendored Thing” (1955) Vic Damone “You’re Breaking My Heart” (1949) Bill Hayes “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” (1955) Bing Crosby “Now Is the Hour (Māori Farewell Song)” (1948) The Andrews Sisters with Gordon Jenkins’ Orchestra “I Can Dream, Can’t I?” (1949) Frank Sinatra “Five Minutes More” (1946) Margaret Whiting with Jimmy Wakely “Slipping Around” (1949) Russ Morgan & the Skylarks “Forever and Ever” (1949) Eileen Barton “If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d’ve Baked a Cake” (1950) Pee Wee King & His Golden West Cowboys “Slow Poke” (1951) Joni James with Lew Douglas’ Orchestra “Why Don’t You Believe Me” (1952) Rosemary Clooney with Percy Faith’s Orchestra “Half As Much” (1952) The Mills Brothers with Hal McIntyre “The Glow-Worm” (1952) The Three Suns “Peg O’ My Heart” (1947) Freddy Martin with Stuart Wade “Managua, Nicaragua” (1947) Jim Lowe “The Green Door” (1956) Rosemary Clooney “This Ole House” (1954) Tony Bennett with Percy Faith’s Orchestra “Cold Cold Heart” (1951) The Fontane Sisters with Billy Vaughn’s Orchestra “Hearts of Stone” (1954) Georgia Gibbs “Dance with Me Henry (Wallflower)” (1955) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database “Other Best-of Billboard lists” Dave’s Music Database: “Other Chart-Based Lists” Dave’s Music Database: “USA: #1 Pop Songs, 1890-present” First posted 9/7/2021.

Top 100 Songs from 1950-1959

First posted 5/3/2011; last updated 10/26/2020.

Top 100 Songs of the Decade: 1950-1959

These are the top 100 songs from the 1950s according to Dave’s Music Database. Rankings are figured by combining sales figures, chart data, radio airplay, video airplay, streaming figures, awards, and appearances on best-of lists. Check out other “songs of the decade” lists here. 1. “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock” Bill Haley & His Comets (1954) 2. “Mack the Knife” Bobby Darin (1959) 3. “Don’t Be Cruel” Elvis Presley (1956) 4. “Heartbreak Hotel” Elvis Presley (1956) 5. “Hound Dog” Elvis Presley (1956) 6. “Jailhouse Rock” Elvis Presley (1957) 7. “Johnny B. Goode” Chuck Berry (1958) 8. “Tennessee Waltz” Patti Page (1950) 9. “All Shook Up” Elvis Presley (1957) 10. “What’d I Say” Ray Charles (1959) 11. “All I Have to Do Is Dream” The Everly Brothers (1958) 12. “That’ll Be the Day” Buddy Holly & the Crickets (1957) 13. “How High the Moon” Les Paul & Mary Ford (1951) 14. “Goodnight Irene” The Weavers with Gordon Jenkins’ Orchestra (1950) 15. “I Only Have Eyes for You” The Flamingos (1959) 16. “Great Balls of Fire” Jerry Lee Lewis (1957) 17. “Blue Suede Shoes” Carl Perkins (1956) 18. “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” Jerry Lee Lewis (1957) 19. “You Belong to Me” Jo Stafford (1952) 20. “Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)” The Penguins (1954) 21. “Love Me Tender” Elvis Presley (1956) 22. “Mona Lisa” Nat “King” Cole (1950) 23. “Tutti Frutti” Little Richard (1955) 24. “Sixteen Tons” Tennessee Ernie Ford (1955) 25. “At the Hop” Danny & the Juniors (1957) 26. “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers (1956) 27. “Blueberry Hill” Fats Domino (1956) 28. “You Send Me” Sam Cooke (1957) 29. “La Bamba” Ritchie Valens (1958) 30. “Peggy Sue” Buddy Holly & the Crickets (1957) 31. “The Battle of New Orleans” Johnny Horton (1959) 32. “The Great Pretender” The Platters (1955) 33. “I Walk the Line” Johnny Cash (1956) 34. “Diana” Paul Anka (1957) 35. “Wake Up Little Susie” The Everly Brothers (1957) 36. “Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blue)” Domenico Modugno (1958) 37. “Maybellene” Chuck Berry (1955) 38. “Tom Dooley” The Kingston Trio (1958) 39. “In the Still of the Nite” The Five Satins (1956) 40. “The Little Drummer Boy” Harry Simeone Chorale (1958) 41. “Cry” Johnnie Ray & the Four Lads (1951) 42. “Only You (And You Alone)” The Platters (1955) 43. “Bye Bye Love” The Everly Brothers (1957) 44. “Tequila” The Champs (1958) 45. “Singing the Blues” Guy Mitchell (1956) 46. “Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear” Elvis Presley (1957) 47. “Vaya Con Dios (May God Be with You)” Les Paul & Mary Ford (1953) 48. “Summertime Blues” Eddie Cochran (1958) 49. “The Yellow Rose of Texas” Mitch Miller Chorus (1955) 50. “That’s All Right, Mama” Elvis Presley (1954) 51. “Secret Love” Doris Day (1954) 52. “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” The Platters (1958) 53. “It’s All in the Game” Tommy Edwards (1951) 54. “The Third Man Theme” Anton Karas (1950) 55. Sh-Boom” The Chords (1954) 56. “Shout (Parts 1 and 2)” The Isley Brothers (1959) 57. “Mr. Sandman” The Chordettes (1954) 58. “April in Paris” Count Basie (1955) 59. “Where Is Your Heart (Song from ‘Moulin Rouge’)” Percy Faith with Felicia Sanders (1953) 60. “Love Letters in the Sand” Pat Boone (1957) 61. “Shake, Rattle and Roll” Big Joe Turner (1954) 62. “Be-Bop-A-Lula” Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps (1958) 63. “Ain’t That a Shame” Fats Domino (1955) 64. “Your Cheatin’ Heart” Hank Williams (1953) 65. “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” Bill Snyder (1950) 66. “Long Tall Sally” Little Richard (1956) 67. “Sincerely” The McGuire Sisters (1954) 68. “Too Young” Nat “King” Cole (1951) 69. “Bo Diddley” Bo Diddley (1955) 70. “Little Things Mean a Lot” Kitty Kallen (1954) 71. “Because of You” Tony Bennett (1951) 72. “Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White” Perez “Prez” Prado (1955) 73. “Kansas City” Wibert Harrison (1959) 74. “El Paso” Marty Robbins (1959) 75. “Crying in the Chapel” The Orioles (1953) 76. “Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” Doris Day (1956) 77. “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing” The Four Aces (1955) 78. “Auf Wiederseh’n Sweetheart” Vera Lynn (1952) 79. “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” Jimmy Boyd (1952) 80. “He’ll Have to Go” Jim Reeves (1959) 81. “Wheel of Fortune” Kay Starr (1952) 82. “Take Five” Dave Brubeck (1959) 83. “Autumn Leaves” Roger Williams (1955) 84. “The Ballad of Davy Crocket” Bill Hayes (1955) 85. “Tenderly” Rosemary Clooney (1952) 86. “The Doggie in the Window” Patti Page (1953) 87. “Young Love” Sonny James (1956) 88. “Cold, Cold Heart” Hank Williams (1951) 89. “Donna” Ritchie Valens (1958) 90. “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” The Chipmunks (1958) 91. “Come Go with Me” The Dell-Vikings (1957) 92. “Hey There” Rosemary Clooney (1954) 93. “Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy” Red Foley (1950) 94. “Good Golly Miss Molly” Little Richard (1958) 95. “Roll Over Beethoven” Chuck Berry (1956) 96. “Wanted” Perry Como (1954) 97. “Rocket 88” Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats (1951) 98. “My Prayer (Avant de Mourir)” The Platters (1956) 99. “Venus” Frankie Avalon (1959) 100. “Who’s Sorry Now?” Connie Francis (1958)

50 years ago: Jo Stafford's “You Belong to Me” hit #1 for first of 12 weeks

You Belong to Me Jo Stafford

Writer(s): Pee Wee King, Chilton Price, Redd Stewart (see lyrics here) First Charted: August 9, 1952 Peak: 112 US, 19 HP, 14 CB, 11 UK, 16 AU (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): 2.0 US Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 6.3 video, 15.49 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Miss Chilton Price was a songwriting librarian at WAVE Radio in Louisville. She wrote a handful of songs and showed them to Pee Wee King, who had composed “Tennessee Waltz.” One of the songs, “Hurry Home to Me,” was as “an American woman’s plea to a sweetheart serving overseas in World War II.” WK After showing it to King and Redd Stewart, who provided vocals for King’s Golden West Cowboys, the setting of the song was retitled “You Belong to Me” and the setting was changed. WK The once-wartime-themed song became more universal. The lyrics shared a story of the singer saying to a loved one, you “may travel all around the world and see many of the most famous sights,” TY but you belong to me. Price has said they had no part in writing the song, although Stewart’s son claims otherwise. SF It seems likely that King and Stewart tweaked the composition slightly, but mostly received songwriting credits for their work in publicizing the song. WK They’d provided a similar role for “Slow Poke,” a #1 song from 1951. Sue Thompson recorded a version of the song, as did Patti Page as the B-side of her #1 hit “I Went to Your Wedding.” The song was also recorded by Jo Stafford, who’d had more than twenty top-ten hits in less than a decade, including the #1 song “Candy” in 1945. PM However, “You Belong to Me” became the biggest hit of 1952 WHC and of her career. PM It also topped the U.K. chart, the first for a female singer there. SF Gene Vincent had a rock version with it in 1958 and the Duprees brought a doo-wop version back into the top 10 in 1962. Versions also appeared in the TV series Ally McBeal and in the movies Shrek (2001), Mona Lisa Smile (2003), and Grindhouse (2007). WK Resources: JA David A. Jasen. (2002). A Century of American Popular Music: 2000 Best-Loved and Remembered Songs (1899-1999). Routledge: Taylor & Francis, Inc. Page 221. SB Songbook1.wordpress.com SF Songfacts.com TY Don Tyler (1985). Hit Parade 1920-1955. New York, NY: Quill. Page 152. PM Joel Whitburn (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Menomonee Falls, WI; Record Research, Inc. Pages 405-7. WHC Joel Whitburn (1999). A Century of Pop Music. Menomonee Falls, WI; Record Research, Inc. Page 73. WK Wikipedia.org Related Links: First posted 8/9/2012; last updated 11/12/2022.

50 years ago: Patti Page hit #1 for first of 13 weeks with “Tennessee Waltz”

Tennessee Waltz Pee Wee King

Writer(s):Pee Wee King, Redd Stewart (see lyrics here) First Charted: April 3, 1948 Peak: 30 US, 3 CW, 13 AU (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 3.0 radio, 0.13 video, 0.03 streaming

Tennessee Waltz Patti Page

First Charted: November 18, 1950 Peak: 113 US, 16 HP, 16 CB, 2 CW, 19 UK, 13 AU, 2 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): 6.0 US, -- UK, 10.0 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 3.0 radio, 12.43 video, 16.02 streaming

Awards (King): Click on award for more details. Awards (Page):

About the Song: Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart played in a band called the Golden West Cowboys. Stewart was a singer and fiddler while King, who was born Julius Frank Kuczynski, brought accordion and brass into his music, which helped shape the merger of country and jazz in what has been called Western swing. While riding in Stewart’s truck one day in 1947, the pair scribbled out “Tennessee Waltz”, LW modeling it after “Kentucky Waltz” by Bill Monroe. In 1948, King’s recording of the song hit #3 on the country charts. Cowboy Copas’ recording hit the same peak and a version by Roy Acuff went to #12. However, when Patti Page, the best-selling female singer of the ‘50s, JA put her stamp on the song, it marked the moment when country went mainstream. LW With 13 weeks at #1 on the pop charts and sales of six million, it was the biggest hit of 1950 and one of the ten best sellers of the first half of the century. PM At the end of World War II, the “Swing Era” of big-band-oriented music had given way to the “Sing Era”, which was more dominated by individual vocalists. However, record companies didn’t generally entrust the singers to find their own material. They enlisted A&R men for the task. It was Jerry Wexler, the man who later produced Aretha Franklin, who saw the song’s potential. Page was a dance band singer with a voice reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald. LW Page’s recording was significant for the use of multi-tracking. Even though audiotape wasn’t used yet in recording, Page sang four-part harmony with herselfSadowskiDavid. SA The song’s success encouraged other performers to turn to country for cover material as well. In addition, the song inspired more state waltzes. JA King and Stewart’s composition became the official Tennessee state song in 1965. LW Resources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Pee Wee King DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Patti Page JA David A. Jasen (2002). A Century of American Popular Music: 2000 Best-Loved and Remembered Songs (1899-1999). Routledge: Taylor & Francis, Inc. Page 190. LW Alan Lewens (2001). Popular Song – Soundtrack of the Century. Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 91. SA David Sadowski (1999). Haven’t Named It Yet: A Rock ‘N’ Roll Prehistory, 1926-55. TY Don Tyler (1985). Hit Parade 1920-1955. New York, NY: Quill. Pages 136 and 148-9. PM Joel Whitburn (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Menomonee Falls, WI; Record Research, Inc. Page 631. First posted 11/18/2011; last updated 11/23/2022.