Showing posts with label The Gypsy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Gypsy. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

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:

  1. Glenn Miller “In the Mood” (1939)
  2. Patti Page “Tennessee Waltz” (1950)
  3. Francis Craig with Bob Lamm “Near You” (1947)
  4. The Ink Spots “The Gypsy” (1946)
  5. Ted Weems with Elmo Tanner “Heartaches” (1947)
    12 weeks:

  6. The Weavers with Gordon Jenkins’ Orchestra “Goodnight Irene” (1950)
    11 weeks:

  7. Frankie Carle & Marjorie Hughes “Oh What It Seemed to Be” (1946)
  8. Guy Lombardo “The Third Man Theme” (1950)
    10 weeks:

  9. Vaughn Monroe “Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)” (1949)
  10. The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen’s Orchestra “Rum and Coca-Cola” (1945)
  11. Guy Mitchell “Singing the Blues” (1956)
  12. Tony Bennett with Percy Faith’s Orchestra “Because of You” (1951)
  13. Kay Starr “Wheel of Fortune” (1952)
  14. Patti Page “I Went to Your Wedding” (1952)
    9 weeks:

  15. Elvis Presley “Don’t Be Cruel” (1956) /
  16. Elvis Presley “Hound Dog” (1956)
  17. Elvis Presley “All Shook Up” (1957)
  18. Dinah Shore & Her Harper Valley Boys “Buttons and Bows” (1948)
  19. Les Paul & Mary Ford “How High the Moon” (1951)
  20. Glenn Miller “Tuxedo Junction” (1940)
  21. Perry Como “Till the End of Time” (1945)
  22. Johnnie Ray & the Four Lads “Cry” (1951)
  23. Les Paul with Mary Ford “Vaya Con Dios (May God Be with You)” (1953)
  24. Andrews Sisters with Vic Shoen’s Orchestra “Shoo-Shoo Baby” (1943)
    8 weeks:

  25. Elvis Presley “Heartbreak Hotel” (1956)
  26. Bing Crosby with John Scottt Trotter’s Orchestra “Swinging on a Star” (1944)
  27. The Harmonicats “Peg O’ My Heart” (1947)
  28. Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters “Don’t Fence Me In” (1944)
  29. Johnny Mercer with the Pied Pipers “On the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe” (1945)
  30. Perez “Prez” Prado “Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White” (1955)
  31. Perry Como with Hugo Winterhalter’s Orchestra “Wanted” (1954)
  32. Red Foley “Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy” (1950)
  33. The Crew-Cuts “Sh-Boom” (1954)
  34. Frankie Carle with Marjorie Hughes “Rumors Are Flying” (1946)
  35. Tony Bennett with Percy Faith’s Orchestra “Rags to Riches” (1953)
  36. Rosemary Clooney “Come on-a My House” (1951)
    7 weeks:

  37. Bill Haley & the Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock” (1954)
  38. Les Brown with Doris Day “Sentimental Journey” (1945)
  39. Tennessee Ernie Ford “Sixteen Tons” (1955)
  40. Vaughn Monroe’s Orchestra “Ballerina” (1947)
  41. The McGuire Sisters “Sincerely” (1954)
  42. Patti Page “The Doggie in the Window” (1953)
  43. Kitty Kallen with Jack Pleis’ Orchestra “Little Things Mean a Lot” (1954)
  44. Evelyn Knight & the Stardusters “A Little Bird Told Me” (1948)
  45. Teresa Brewer with Jack Pleis’ Orchestra “Till I Waltz Again with You” (1952)
  46. Les Brown with Doris Day “My Dreams Are Getting Bigger All the Time” (1945)
  47. Sammy Kaye with Billy Williams “The Old Lamplighter” (1946)
  48. Eddie Fisher with Sally Sweetland & Hugo Winterhalter’s Orchestra “I'm Walking Behind You” (1953)
  49. Jo Stafford “Make Love to Me!” (1954)
  50. Ken Griffin “You Can’t Be True, Dear” (1948)
    6 weeks:

  51. Pee Wee Hunt “Twelfth Street Rag” (1948)
  52. Mitch Miller “The Yellow Rose of Texas” (1955)
  53. Percy Faith with Felicia Sanders “Where Is Your Heart (Song from “Moulin Rouge”)” (1953)
  54. Harry James with Dick Haymes “I’ll Get by As Long As I Have You” (1941)
  55. Eddy Howard “To Each His Own” (1946)
  56. Frankie Laine & the Muleskinners “Mule Train” (1949)
  57. Frankie Masters “Scatter-Brain” (1939)
  58. Eddie Fisher with Hugo Winterhalter’s Orchestra “O Mein Papa (Oh My Papa)” (1953)
  59. Kay Kyser with Gloria Wood “Woody Woodpecker” (1948)
  60. Al Trace with Bob Vincent “You Call Everybody Darlin’” (1948)

  61. Kay Starr with Hugo Winterhalter’s Orchestra “Rock and Roll Waltz” (1955)
  62. Georgia Gibbs “Kiss of Fire” (1952)
  63. The Ames Brothers with Hugo Winterhalter’s Orchestra “You You You” (1953)
  64. Russ Morgan & the Skylarks “Cruising Down the River on a Sunday Afternoon” (1949)
  65. 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:

  66. Nat “King” Cole “Mona Lisa” (1950)
  67. Vaughn Monroe “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (1945)
  68. Perry Como “Some Enchanted Evening” (1949)
  69. Art Mooney “I’m Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover” (1948)
  70. Frankie Laine with Jud Conlon’s Rhythmaires “That Lucky Old Sun” (1949)

  71. Peggy Lee with Dave Barbour’s Orchestra “Manana Is Soon Enough for Me” (1948)
  72. Glenn Miller with Marion Hutton “The Woodpecker Song” (1940)
  73. Rosemary Clooney with Buddy Cole “Hey There” (1954)
  74. THe Merry Macs “Mairzy Doats” (1944)
  75. Perry Como with Mitchell Ayres Orchestra “If (They Made Me a King)” (1951)
  76. Tab Hunter “Young Love” (1956)
  77. Bing Crosby with Jon Scott Trotter’s Orchestra “San Fernando Valley” (1944)
    4 weeks:

  78. The Chordettes “Mr. Sandman” (1954)
  79. Nat “King” Cole “Too Young” (1951)
  80. Tex Williams “Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)” (1947)

  81. Vera Lynn with Ronald Shaw’s Orchestra “Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart” (1952)
  82. Gogi Grant “The Wayward Wind” (1956)
  83. Dean Martin “Memories Are Made of This” (1955)
  84. Perry Como & the Ramblers with Mitchell Ayres’ Orchestra “Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes” (1952)
  85. Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter’s Orchestra “Sierra Sue” (1940)
  86. Joan Weber “Let Me Go, Lover!” (1954)
  87. Pat Boone “I Almost Lost My Mind” (1956)
  88. Sammy Kaye with Troy Alamo “Harbor Lights” (1950)
    3 weeks:

  89. Blue Barron & His Orchestra “Crusing Down the River on a Sunday Afternoon” (1949)
  90. The Four Aces “Love is a Many Splendored Thing” (1955)
  91. Vic Damone “You’re Breaking My Heart” (1949)
  92. Bill Hayes “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” (1955)
  93. Bing Crosby “Now Is the Hour (Māori Farewell Song)” (1948)
  94. The Andrews Sisters with Gordon Jenkins’ Orchestra “I Can Dream, Can’t I?” (1949)
  95. Frank Sinatra “Five Minutes More” (1946)
  96. Margaret Whiting with Jimmy Wakely “Slipping Around” (1949)
  97. Russ Morgan & the Skylarks “Forever and Ever” (1949)
  98. Eileen Barton “If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d’ve Baked a Cake” (1950)
  99. Pee Wee King & His Golden West Cowboys “Slow Poke” (1951)
  100. Joni James with Lew Douglas’ Orchestra “Why Don’t You Believe Me” (1952)

  101. Rosemary Clooney with Percy Faith’s Orchestra “Half As Much” (1952)
  102. The Mills Brothers with Hal McIntyre “The Glow-Worm” (1952)
  103. The Three Suns “Peg O’ My Heart” (1947)
  104. Freddy Martin with Stuart Wade “Managua, Nicaragua” (1947)
  105. Jim Lowe “The Green Door” (1956)
  106. Rosemary Clooney “This Ole House” (1954)
  107. Tony Bennett with Percy Faith’s Orchestra “Cold Cold Heart” (1951)
  108. The Fontane Sisters with Billy Vaughn’s Orchestra “Hearts of Stone” (1954)
  109. Georgia Gibbs “Dance with Me Henry (Wallflower)” (1955)
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First posted 9/7/2021.

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Monday, July 22, 2019

Dave's Music Database Hall of Fame: Song Inductees (July 2019)

Originally posted 7/22/2019.

In honor of the 10th anniversary of the DMDB blog on January 22, 2019, Dave’s Music Database launched its own Hall of Fame. This is the third set of song inductees. These are the ten biggest #1 pop songs of the pre-rock era (before 1955). Each of these songs spent 13 weeks or more on top of the Billboard pop charts. Not listed here are previous inductees “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby and “My Blue Heaven” by Gene Austin.

Francis Craig with Bob Lamm “Near You” (1947)

Inducted July 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Pre-Rock Era.”

Craig was a nearly fifty-year-old has-been orchestra leader when he wrote the melody for “Near You” for his grandchildren. The song topped the Billboard pop charts in 1947 for 17 weeks. It set a record that wouldn’t be surpassed until Lil’ Nas X hit #1 for 19 weeks in 2019 with “Old Town Road.” Read more.

The Ink Spots “The Gypsy” (1946)

Inducted July 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Pre-Rock Era.”

Billy Reid was the first British songwriter to top the pop charts in the United States. He wrote “The Gypsy” for Welsh singer Dorothy Squires when she joined his group. It was a hit in the U.S. with five top-ten versions in 1946, but the biggest was by the African-American pop vocal group the Ink Spots, who spent 13 weeks at the pinnacle. Read more.

Harry James with Helen Forrest “I’ve Heard That Song Before” (1943)

Inducted July 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Pre-Rock Era.”

Composer Jule Styne and lyricist Sammy Cahn launched a successful musical writing partnership with this Academy Award-nominated song TY featured in the 1942 film Youth on Parade. Bob Crosby introduced the song in the film, but the big hit was by Harry James’ Orchestra with Helen Forrest on vocals. Read more.

Glenn Miller “In the Mood” (1939)

Inducted July 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Pre-Rock Era.”

“In the Mood” is “one of the best known musical themes of the World War II era” NRR and one of the big band era’s most recognizable songs. Tin Pan Alley composers Joe Garland and Andy Razaf arranged it based on “Tar Paper Stomp,” a 1930 song by Joseph “Wingy” Manone. After it passed through several others’ hands, Miller arranged it to include the famous tenor sax battle WK and it became the biggest hit of Miller’s career. Read more.

Patti Page “Tennessee Waltz” (1950)

Inducted July 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Pre-Rock Era.”

Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart wrote this in 1947 while riding in Stewart’s truck. King’s recording hit #3 on the country charts and versions by Cowboy Copas and Roy Acuff followed. 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 one of the ten best sellers of the first half of the century. PM Read more.

Ben Selvin “Dardanella” (1920)

Inducted July 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Pre-Rock Era.”

Over his career, Ben Selvin’s 2000+ recordings rank him above any other bandleader. PM His biggest hit, however, was an instrumental version of “Dardanella.” It was the first song to sell over 5 million copies, PM one of the ten best sellers of the first half of the 20th century, PM and the biggest-selling song in the first quarter-century of recorded music. SB Read more.

Artie Shaw “Frenesi” (1940)

Inducted July 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Pre-Rock Era.”

Alberto Dominguez originally wrote this for the marimba and then others adapted it as a jazz standard. WK When Artie Shaw, a bandleader and one of jazz’s finest clarinetists, recorded the song it became the biggest hit of his career, one of the biggest #1 songs in chart history, and the first million-selling song by a Mexican writer. TY The success helped “popularize Brazilian rhythms in jazz and pop music.” JA Read more.

The Weavers “Goodnight Irene” (1950)

Inducted July 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Pre-Rock Era.”

Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter’s best-known song can be traced to African-American composer Gussie L. Davis, SS who first published the sentimental waltz in Cincinnati in 1886. JA By the early 1940s, the song was a mainstay in the folk community. The Weavers’ recording, complete with “violins and other orchestra touches provided by Gordon Jenkins,” SS divided folk purists but made for a monstrously successful commercial recording, hitting #1 in 1950, just months after Leadbelly’s death. Read more.
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Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Songs Which Hit #1 More Than Once

In the history of the Billboard charts, 81 songs have reached number one in the hands of more than one artist. It was a common practice in the pre-rock era for multiple artists to record a song and for those versions to chart simultaneously. In the rock era, the occasional remake of a former #1 would find its way to the top. The most recent example is Christina Aguilera and company’s 2001 remake of LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade.”

Also worthy of note: a handful of songs have hit #1 more than twice. “In the Good Old Summertime,” “The Glow-Worm,” and “To Each His Own” each topped the chart with three versions. Four different acts took “Peg O’ My Heart,” “Over There,” and “Till We Meet Again” to the top.

What follows is a ranking of the 81 songs to top the chart by more than one act. The list is ordered by total weeks spent at #1. After a song title, each chart-topping version is listed with the act, year it first charted, and weeks each version topped the chart.

25 weeks:

  1. Peg O’ My Heart (Charles Harrison, 1913, 7 wks; The Harmonicats, 1947, 8 wks; Buddy Clark, 1947, 6 wks; The Three Suns, 1947, 4 wks)
    22 weeks:

  2. The Third Man Theme (Anton Karas, 1950, 11 wks; Guy Lombardo, 1950, 11 wks)
    21 weeks:

  3. The Gypsy (The Ink Spots, 1946, 13 wks; Dinah Shore, 1946, 8 wks)
  4. Oh What It Seemed to Be (Frankie Carle & Marjorie Hughes, 1946, 11 wks; Frank Sinatra, 1946, 8 wks)
    17 weeks:

  5. Over There (American Quarter, 1917, 9 wks; Nora Bayes, 1917, 3 wks; Peerless Quartet, 1917, 2 wks; Enrico Caruso, 1918, 3 wks)
  6. In the Good Old Summertime (J.W. Myers, 1902, 7 wks; Haydn Quartet, 1903, 6 wks; Sousa’s Band, 1903, 4 wks)
    15 weeks:

  7. It’s a Long, Long Way to Tipperary (American Quartet, 1914, 7 wks; John McCormack, 1915, 8 wks)
    14 weeks:

  8. Cruising Down the River on a Sunday Afternoon (Blue Barron & His Orchestra, 1949, 7 wks; Rus Morgan & the Skylarks, 1949, 7 wks)
  9. My Blue Heaven (Gene Austin, 1927, 13 wks; Paul Whiteman, 1927, 1 wk)
  10. On the Banks of the Wabash (George J. Gaskin, 1897, 10 wks; Steve Porter, 1898, 4 wks)
  11. Shine on, Harvest Moon (Harry MacDonough & Elise Stevenson, 1909, 9 wks; Ada Jones & Billy Murray, 1909, 5 wks)
    13 weeks:

  12. Till We Meet Again (Henry Burr & Albert Campbell, 1919, 9 wks; Nicholas Orlando’s Orcestra with Harry MacDonough, 1919; 2 wks; Charles Hart with Lewis James, 1919, 1 wk; Lewis James & Charles Hart, 1919, 1 wk)
  13. The Glow-Worm (Victor Orchestra, 1908, 5 wks; Lucy Isabelle Marsh, 1908, 5 wks; The Mills Brothers, 1952, 3 wks)
  14. The Sidewalks of New York (Dan Quinn, 1895, 9 wks; J.W. Myers, 1895, 4 wks)
  15. Sweet Adeline (You’re the Flower of My Heart) (Haydn Quartet, 1904, 10 wks; Columbia Male Quartet, 1904, 3 wks)
  16. When You Were Sweet Sixteen (George J. Gaskin, 1900, 8 wks; Jere Mahoney, 1900, 5 wks)
    12 weeks:

  17. Alexander’s Ragtime Band (Arthur Collins & Byron Harlan, 1911, 10 wks; Bing Crosby & Connee Boswell, 1938, 2 wks)
  18. The Last Round-Up (George Olsen, 1933, 9 wks; Guy Lombardo & Carmen Lombardo, 1933, 3 wks)
    11 weeks:

  19. To Each His Own (Eddy Howard, 1946, 8 wks; Freddy Martin & Stuart Wade, 1946, 2 wks; The Ink Spots, 1946, 1 wk)
  20. A Bird in a Gilded Cage (Steve Porter, 1900, 6 wks; Jere Mahoney, 1900, 5 wks)
  21. Ramona (Gene Austin, 1928, 8 wks; Paul Whiteman, 1928, 3 wks)
  22. The Stars and Stripes Forever (John Philip Sousa, 1897, 8 wks; Sousa’s Band, 1901, 3 wks)
  23. Stormy Weather (Keeps Raining All the Time) (Leo Reisman, 1933, 8 wks; Ethel Waters, 1933, 3 wks)
    10 weeks:

  24. Beautiful Ohio (Henry Burr, 1919, 9 wks; Waldorf-Astoria Dance Orchestra, 1919, 1 wk)
  25. Bedelia (Haydn Quartet, 1904, 7 wks; Billy Muray, 1904, 3 wks)
  26. Deep Purple (Larry Clinton & Bea Wain, 1939, 9 wks; Nino Tempo & April Stevens, 1963, 1 wk)
  27. Hello Ma Baby (Len Spencer, 1899, 6 wks; Arthur Collins, 1899, 4 wks)
  28. A Hot Time in the Old Town (Dan Quinn, 1896, 7 wks; Len Spencer, 1897, 3 wks)
  29. Love Me and the World Is Mine (Henry Burr, 1906, 7 wks; Albert Campbell, 1906, 3 wks)
  30. Tell Me Pretty Maiden (Harry MacDonough & Grace Spencer, 1901, 7 wks; Byron Harlan with Frank Stanley, Joe Belmont, & Florodora Girls, 1901, 3 wks)
  31. There! I’ve Said It Again (Vaughn Monroe, 1945, 6 wks; Bobby Vinton, 1963, 4 wks)
  32. Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie (Byron Harlan, 1906, 9 wks; Harry Tally, 1906, 1 wk)
    9 weeks:

  33. Come Down Ma Evening Star (Mina Hickman, 1903, 5 wks; Henry Burr, 1903, 4 wks)
  34. Goodnight Sweetheart (Wayne King, 1931, 7 wks; Guy Lombardo & Carmen Lombardo, 1931, 2 wks)
  35. My Wild Irish Rose (Albert Campbell, 1899, 6 wks; George J. Gaskin, 1899, 3 wks)
  36. Scatter-Brain (Frankie Masters, 1939, 8 wks; Freddy Martin & Glenn Hughes, 1939, 1 wk)
  37. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (Paul Whieman, 1933, 6 wks; The Platters, 1959, 3 wks)
  38. The Washington Post March (U.S. Marin Band, 1890, 6 wks; Sousa’s Band, 1895, 3 wks)
    8 weeks:

  39. By the Beautiful Sea (Heidelberg Quintet, 1914, 6 wks; Ada Jones & Billy Watkins, 1914, 2 wks)
  40. Down by the Old Mill Stream (Harry MacDonough, 1911, 7 wks; Arthur Clough & the Brunswick Quartet, 1911, 1 wk)
  41. Mr. Gallagher & Mr. Shean (Ed Gallagher & Al Shean, 1922, 6 wks; Ernest Hare & Billy Jones, 1922, 2 wks)
  42. The Music Goes ‘Round and ‘Round (Tommy Dorsey, 1935, 5 wks; Riley-Farley Orchestra, 1935, 3 wks)
    7 weeks:

  43. Blue Bell (Byron Harlan & Frank Stanley, 1904, 4 wks; Haydn Quartet & Harry MacDonough, 1904, 3 wks)
  44. I Didn’t Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier (Peerless Quartet, 1915, 4 wks; Morton Harvey, 1915, 3 wks)
  45. I’ll Be There (The Jackson 5, 1970, 5 wks; Mariah Carey, 1992, 2 wks)
  46. The Mansion of Aching Hearts (Harry MacDonough, 1902, 4 wks; Byron Harlan, 1902, 3 wks)
  47. Mother Machree (John McCormack, 1911, 5 wks; Will Oakland, 1911, 2 wks)
  48. This Year’s Kisses (Hal Kemp with Skinnay Ennis, 1937, 4 wks; Benny Goodman, 1937, 3 wks)
  49. Yes! We Have No Bananas (Billy Jones, 1923, 5 wks; Ben Selvin with Irving Kaufman, 1923, 2 wks)
  50. Young Love (Tab Hunter, 1956, 6 wks; Sonny James, 1956, 1 wk)
    6 weeks:

  51. Blue Moon (Glen Gray with Kenny Sargent, 1935, 3 wks; The Marcels, 1961, 3 wks)
  52. I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles (Ben Selvin, 1919, 4 wks; Henry Burr & Albert Campbell, 1919, 2 wks)
  53. I’ve Got a Pocketful of Dreams (Bing Crosby, 1938, 4 wks; Russ Morgan, 1938, 2 wks)
  54. I’ve Got Rings on My Fingers (Ada Jones, 1909, 4 wks; Blanche Ring, 1909, 2 wks)
  55. Lady Marmalade (LaBelle, 1974, 1 wk; Christina Aguilera with Lil’ Kim, Mya, & Pink, 2001, 5 wks)
  56. The Love Nest (John Steel, 1920, 4 wks; Art Hickman, 1920, 2 wks)
  57. Red Sails in the Sunset (Guy Lombardo & Carmen Lombardo, 1935, 4 wks; Bing Crosby, 1935, 2 wks)
  58. Tiger Rag (The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, 1918, 2 wks; The Mills Brothers, 1931, 4 wks)
    5 weeks:

  59. All Alone (Paul Whiteman, 1925, 3 wks; John McCormack, 1925, 2 wks)
  60. All of Me (Paul Whiteman, 1932, 3 wks; Louis Armstrong, 1932, 2 wks)
  61. Always (George Olsen, 1926, 3 wks; Vincent Lopez, 1926, 2 wks)
  62. Butterfly (Andy Williams, 1957, 3 wks; Charlie Gracie, 1957, 2 wks)
  63. Come Josephine in My Flying Machine (Ada Jones with Billy Murray & the American Quartet, 1911, 3 wks; Blanche Ring, 1911, 2 wks)
  64. Go Away Little Girl (Steve Lawrence, 1962, 2 wks; Donny Osmond, 1971, 3 wks)
  65. Happy Days Are Here Again (Benny Meroff with Dusty Rhodes, 1930, 3 wks; Ben Selvin, 1930, 2 wks)
  66. It’s Been a Long, Long Time (Harry James with Kitty Kallen, 1945, 3 wks; Bing Crosby with the Les Brown Trio, 1945, 2 wks)
  67. Lean on Me (Bill Withers, 1972, 3 wks; Club Nouveau, 1987, 2 wks)
  68. The Star-Spangled Banner (Prince’s Orchestra, 1916, 2 wks; John McCormack, 1917, 3 wks)
  69. When a Man Loves a Woman (Percy Sledge, 1966, 2 wks; Michael Bolton, 1991, 3 wks)
  70. When It’s Springtime in the Rockies (Ben Selvin, 1930, 3 wks; Hilo Hawaiian Orchestra, 1930, 2 wks)
    4 weeks:

  71. Change Partners (Fred Astair, 1938, 2 wks; Jimmy Dorsey, 1938, 2 wks)
  72. Managua, Nicaraga (Freddy Martin, 1947, 3 wks; Guy Lomardo, 1947, 1 wk)
  73. The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down (Russ Morgan, 1937, 2 wks; Shep Fields, 1937, 2 wks)
  74. Mr. Five by Five (Freddie Slack, 1942, 2 wks; Harry James, 1942, 2 wks)
  75. The Object of My Affection (Jimmy Grier, 1934, 2 wks: Boswell Sisters, 1935, 2 wks)
    3 weeks:

  76. The Loco-Motion (Grand Funk Railroad, 1974, 2 wks; Little Eva, 1962, 1 wk)
  77. Mam’selle (Art Lund, 1947, 2 wks; Frank Sinatra, 1947, 1 wk)
  78. You Keep Me Hangin’ On (The Supremes, 1966, 2 wks; Kim Wilde, 1986, 1 wk)
    2 weeks:

  79. Open the Door, Richard (Count Basie, 1947, 1 wk; The Three Flames, 1947, 1 wk)
  80. Please Mr. Postman (The Marvelettes, 1961, 1 wk; Carpenters, 1974, 1 wk)
  81. Venus (Shocking Blue, 1969, 1 wk; Bananarama, 1986, 1 wk)
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Saturday, May 25, 1996

50 years ago: The Ink Spots hit #1 with “The Gypsy”

The Gypsy

The Ink Spots

Writer(s): Billy Reid (see lyrics here)

First Charted: May 4, 1946

Peak: 113 US, 18 HP, 13 GA, 13 RB (Click for codes to charts.)

Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, -- UK, -- world (includes US + UK)

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 0.38 video, -- streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

Billy Reid was a famous bandleader in London in the 1930s who had the distinction of being the first British songwriter to top the pop charts in the United States. When Welsh singer Dorothy Squires joined his group, he often wrote songs specifically with her in mind – one of which was “The Gypsy.” The song, published in 1945, unfurls a story of someone seeking out the advice of a gypsy fortune teller. The narrator wants to believe his partner is faithful, which the gypsy confirms, although both know it isn’t true. WK

After Reid and his orchestra, fronted by Squires, introduced the song in the UK, WK it became a hit in the United States. Dinah Shore and the Ink Spots both topped the charts with the song, but the Ink Spots’ version was the monster hit, spending 13 weeks at #1 and becoming the biggest hit of 1946. WHC It “seemed tailor-made for the Ink Spots: a smooth melody that could be crooned in Bill Kenny’s high tenor, and a sugary sweet lyric.” TY2

This African-American pop vocal group found success with both white and black audiences. Their early version of doo-wop was fundamental in shaping rock and roll as well as R&B, leading to their induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They racked up more than forty hits from the 1930s to the 1950s. Twenty of those songs were top ten hits and six of those went all the way to the top of the American pop charts.

In addition to the versions by Shore and the Ink Spots, “The Gypsy” charted four more times that year – Sammy Kaye (#3), Hildegarde with Guy Lombardo (#7), Hal McIntyre (#8), and Jan Garber (#14). The song has also been recorded by Louis Armstrong, Quincy Jones, Charlie Parker, Oscar Peterson, and Frank Sinatra. WK It appeared in Revolutionary Road, a 2008 movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. WK

Resources:

First posted 5/25/2016; last updated 4/4/2023.

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