#10 - Eddie Fisher feat. Sally Sweetland - I'm Walking Behind You

When? 23rd June - 28th June 1953
Number of Weeks? 1
What else was going on? Egypt declares itself a republic

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Fisher returns to number 1 with a song which is very much in the same "unrequited love" territory as his last one. This effort is actually a little more listenable, for my money. Sally Sweetland's soprano voice complements Fisher's fairly overdramatic delivery quite nicely, and lyrically, the song is a little bit more bearable than "Outside of Heaven". The story of the song is that Eddie is following his beloved down the aisle as she marries another man. The image is actually quite effective, but for some reason I just can't warm to Eddie Fisher's voice. It has traces of the Sinatra style of low, almost lethargic bass delivery building into a rich crescendo and perhaps that's the problem I'm having. When I've listened to Fisher, I can't help comparing him to Sinatra and when you compare the back catalogue of the two Old Blue Eyes wins hands down. All in all, "I'm Walking Behind You" is a pleasant song, but I'm pleased that Frankie Laine's mega-hit quickly regained its spot atop the chart after a week.

What happened next? Given the stellar relationship I've had with Fisher so far in this blog, perhaps its for the best that this marks his final trip to the top. That said, Fisher's accolade of being the very first act to rack up two UK number ones has assured his place in chart history. His career didn't end with this number one, however, as he would have five more top twenty hits up until the end of 1956.

#9 - Frankie Laine - I Believe

When? 21st April - 22nd June 1953; 29th June - 10th August 1953; 18th August - 7th September 1953
Number of Weeks? In total, 18, but the three seperate reigns lasted for 9 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 weeks respectively
What else was going on? Cambodia receives independence, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay climb everest, Queen Elizabeth II is crowned, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are executed, The Korean War ends

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Download I Believe from amazon.com

This is, without a doubt the, biggest hit in the history of the UK number 1 in terms of sheer longevity. If, the next time you're at a pub quiz, you get asked which song had the most weeks at the UK number 1, here is your answer (Bryan Adams, of course, has the highest number of consecutive weeks at the top). It really isn't difficult to see why this song refused to let go of the top spot. Laine's record-breaking/setting performance is indebted to a certain Jane Froman, a singer and actress who, in the early 50s had her own TV show across the Atlantic. Froman commissioned "I Believe" to be written amidst the tumult of the Korean war in order to try and still a note of optimism in her audience. "I Believe" therefore is the very first song to have been introduced via television. What happened from that point on, is, as they say history. "I Believe" never reached the top spot in the USA, stalling at number 2, but in the UK, it absolutely dominated the charts in 1953 and is our chart's first true megahit.

And, I have to say, deservedly so. The later version by Robson and Jerome (number 1 #730) should not be allowed to taint the memory of this fantastic performance. Yes, the lyrics are perhaps a little twee, but they're not without their power. Something so simple as "I believe that every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows" has a real gravitas when Laine delivers it. And I know that it's becoming a real cliche in this blog to praise the singer's voice, but Laine's vocal is absolutely captivating. His voice has a really rick texture to it and its technical flaws add to, rather than detract from, the emotional resonance of his delivery. Add that to the fact that this is very much a paradigmatic power ballad which absolutely nails the art of building a crescendo, you've got the recipe for an incredible song. One thing which also struck me about Laine's performance: the very end of the song, when he delivers the powerful final note, he seems to cut it short, almost like his voice "cuts out" and it gives the impression that he's actually choked up by the words he's singing. It's a small point, but it really helps hammer home the song. 

I'd urge anyone to try and listen to this song without prejudice as far as they can. For a modern listener, we've grown up with the power ballad; there's very little which we haven't heard before. For my money, this is at the pinacle of that genre, and it's an absolutely phenomenal record. I'd definitely urge people to give this a listen. After all, the entire British record-buying public can't be wrong for eighteen weeks, can they?

What happened next? Frankie is another early chart-superstar, as he would amass 26 top twenty hits which span the decade. As for this blog, we'll encounter Frankie another three times, and twice more this year!

#8 - Lita Roza - (How Much Is) That Doggie In The Window

When? 14th April - 20th April 1953
Number of Weeks? 1
What else was going on? Eisenhower delivers his "chance for peace" speech

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Buy How Much Is That Doggie In the Window? from amazon.com

Well... I'd put a tenner on the fact that most readers would be able to sing a couple of verses from this one. Little more than a children's nursery rhyme nowadays, "How Much" tells the story of a woman who seeks to buy a dog for her lover in California. Prior to Lita Roza's version, the song was made famous by US vocalist Patti Page but it was Lita's version which rose to the top spot and granted her the privilege of being the first UK woman to top the chart. 

There probably isn't much of a need for a review of this song. Again, Roza's voice is nice enough, and has a very sweet tone to it. Sadly, just in case the song wasn't *quite* subtle enough, there's a dog yapping at the appropriate junctures which after about one verse begins to get interminable on the nerves. But it just shows that from the very beginning of the chart, the power of the novelty record simply could not be denied. Just as the Teletubbies (#778), St Winifred's School Choir (#472) and Mr Blobby (#698) would all claim the prestigious number 1 slot, so from the chart's very foundations, novelty demonstrated their power to leapfrog more "musical" efforts and reach number 1.

What happened next? You're surprised that Lita was a one hit wonder?! Actually, that's not strictly fair, Lita did manage a couple of top twenty hits in 1955 and 1956, but this was her only real commercial success, and it's the only time we'll be seeing her on these pages.

#7 - The Stargazers - Broken Wings

When? 7th April 1953 - 13th April 1953
Number of Weeks? 1
What else was going on? The first James Bond novel is published

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It's taken almost half a year but finally, a group ascends to the number 1 spot (if only for a week). Perhaps most significantly, this is the first instance of a UK act reaching the top, which demonstrates the influence and dominance that the USA had over popular music in the 1950s. For all its significance for British music, however, it has to be admitted that this isn't perhaps the best song. The Stargazers were a fairly middle of the road vocal harmony group and certainly on this song they do that job perfectly competently. Indeed, the vocals are once again top notch. Sadly, however, the song is a fairly pedestrian ballad lamenting lost love and really fails to go anywhere or really hold the attention. The exception being the orchestration of the opening which for some reason puts me in mind of the opening to Garth Marenghi's "Darkplace". It's somewhat bizarre to consider just how much the instrumentation has changed so that instruments and sounds which appear to be quite commonplace in the 50s (blaring, seemingly slightly off key pianos, for example) seem really alien to a modern listener.

But I'm rambling. On the one hand, it's great that this song finally catapulted a British act to the top of our very own charts. On the other, I just wish it could have been with a punchier offering. Yet, given what knocked it off the top spot, perhaps The Stargazers were the lesser of two evils...

What happened next? We'll see The Stargazers again at the beginning of next year, but their chart career continues well into the mid-fifties.

#6 - Guy Williams - She Wears Red Feathers

When? 10th March 1953 - 6th April 1953
Number of Weeks? 4
What else was going on? Nikita Khrushchev becomes first secretary of the Communist Party after Stalin's death, 1953 Western Turkey Earthquake, Jonas Salk announces Polio vaccine

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Download She Wears Red Feathers from amazon.com

Well... this is a strange one. A song which tells the story of an English banker falling in love and marrying a hula girl. It certainly qualifies as one of the more unique number ones (and not only of these first 6!). To this extent, we probably have here the first "novelty" hit to get to the top spot. Mitchell was no stranger to the chart before his first number 1, as he had already scored a number 2 hit in these fledgling chart days with Feet Up (at the end of the Youtube video).

The song is... well... I found it pretty awful sadly. For a start, the lyrics are at best anachronistic but at worst uncomfortable in these modern times. The song itself is fairly bouncy and trundles along quite well, and once again, Guy's voice is very strong and has a nice tone to it. Sadly, the whole package fails to come together, and when compared to what it knocked off the number one spot, it falls fairly flat for these ears. But having said that, if it's one thing that a lot of these songwriters were able to do is create a catchy hook. The chorus is surprisingly addictive, even if it's perhaps not up to much musically.

What happened next? We'll see Guy a few more times on this journey, as he would go on to top the charts three more times (once with a song which simply hung on and clawed its way to the top spot with alarming fervour). In contrast to Perry Como, however, Guy's charting career will be contained entirely within the 1950s.

#5 - Perry Como - Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes

When? 3rd February 1953 - 9th March 1953
Weeks? 5
What else was going on? Watson and Crick discover the structure of DNA, Eisenhower refuses a clemency appeal for Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, Joseph Stalin dies

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Download Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes from amazon.com

After a run of "one week wonders" we finally reach a track which makes it to the top spot with a little bit of longevity. And what a track! Como's upbeat "Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes" was atop the UK charts at a time when the news agenda was taken over with the discovery of the structure of DNA, and the death of Joseph Stalin. In contrast to such momentous events, Como's number 1 is an infectiously catchy, brass-led pop track with an irresistable "bah-bah-bah-bayah" hook. Lyrically, the song is an appeal for a parted lover to his partner not to stray while they are apart. You might not pick that up from Como's relentlessly upbeat tone. Como's voice is absolutely beautiful and suits the song perfectly, particularly when he delivers the "Too many nights, too many stars" line. It's not hard to see why this song captured the public's imagination and reigned atop the charts for over a month. It's an excellent piece of pop music and, of the five number ones we've had so far, this is undoubtedly my favorite. Highly recommended.

What happened next? It will be almost precisely 5 years before we meet Perry again, but his chart career is certainly the most prolific of the stars we have met so far. He will have 6 top twenty hits between now and then, and will have 26 charting songs in his twenty-one year long chart career. Also, if you've ever picked up a CD of Christmas songs, I will guarantee you'll have heard Perry crooning some festive classics.

#4 - Eddie Fisher - Outside of Heaven

When? 27th January 1953 - 2nd February 1953
Number of Weeks? 1
What else was going on? The North Sea Flood kills over 2000 people

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Download Outside Of Heaven from amazon.com

Fisher's first UK number 1 is the first one on the countdown so far which I've really disliked. It's another slow ballad dedicated to unrequited love. Lyrically it's actually pretty strong (apart from the opening lines - "I pass your house with misty eyes/ there stands the gate to paradise") but Fisher's vocal performance oscillates between a reedy tenor before eventually culminating in a melodramatic crescendo at the finale: neither are particularly well-equipped to convey the power of the lyric. There's also some fairly wierd orchestration going on about two thirds of the way in (1:16-1:50). There's a constant refrain of backing vocalists singing "Outside of Heaven" and a piano and violin playing atonally with one another. I'm sure an accomplished musicologist could explain why this technique is interesting but to these untrained ears it just appears... well... somewhat creepy. Perhaps that's the point. It's meant to be the pained lament of one with an unrequited love, perhaps we have a foreshadowing of something like Sting's obsessive love in Every Breath You Take. I know which one I'd prefer to listen to, however.

What happened next? It won't be long before we'll be meeting Fisher again, as he would go on to have another number 1 later in the year, and become the first artist to score two official chart-toppers. Between 1953 and 1956 he would score 9 chart hits, with several songs re-entering the charts at various points. In his personal life, he married Debbie Reynolds and he would also go on to become Elizabeth Taylor's second husband.