One Hit Wonders of the UK

Chart lovers behold the oddity

Eve Boswell – Pickin’ A Chicken 01/1956

Bill Hayes – The Ballad Of Davy Crockett 01/1956

Edna Savage – Arriverderci Darling 01/1956

Eamonn Andrews – The Shifting Whispering Sands 01/1956

Lou Busch – Zambesi 02/1956

Dreamweavers – It’s Almost Tomorrow 02/1956

Don Cherry – Band Of Gold 02/1956

Dick Hyman Trio – Theme From ‘The Threepenny Opera’ 03/1956

Alfi And Harry – The Trouble With Harry 03/1956

Billy May – Main Title Theme From ‘Man With The Golden Arm’ 05/1956

Don Robertson – The Happy Whistler 05/1956

Carl Perkins – Blue Suede Shoes 05/1956

Three Kayes – Ivory Tower 05/1956

Morris Stoloff – Moonglow And The Theme From ‘Picnic’ 06/1956

Desmond Lane with Cyril Stapleton Orchestra – The Happy Whistler 06/1956

Tex Ritter – The Wayward Wind 06/1956

Gogi Grant – The Wayward Wind 07/1956

Joe ‘Fingers’ Carr – Portuguese Washerwoman 07/1956

Humphrey Lyttelton Band – Bad Penny Blues 07/1956

Clyde McPhatter – Treasure Of Love 08/1956

Frank Cordell – Sadie’s Shawl 08/1956

David Hughes – By The Fountains Of Rome 09/1956

Freddie Bell And The Bellboys – Giddy-Up-A-Ding-Dong 10/1956

George Melachrino Orchestra – Autumn Concerto 10/1956

Tony Crombie And His Rockets – Teach You To Rock 10/1956

Jim Lowe And The High Fives – The Green Door 11/1956

Grace Kelly with Bing Crosby – True Love 11/1956

Deep River Boys – That’s Right 12/1956

Vince Martin And The Tarriers – Cindy, Oh Cindy 12/1956

Listen to: Carl Perkins – Blue Suede Shoes

I started making this whole list to find songs I would like to add to my playlist (see About section), and here is the first song I would wholeheartedly recommend. Perkins wrote and recorded Blue Suede Shoes at the tail end of ’55 and it was released in the following January. Elvis released his version in August. It’s a great song regardless and I am kind of glad that ‘Boppin’ The Blues’ or ‘Dixie Fried’ seemed to have never made it over to us, if only to be able to deem it a truly great One Hit Wonder. The only other titbit I have about this year’s chart is the starting horn riff on ‘Theme from Man With The Golden Arm’ were later stolen repurposed sampled for the Etta James cover of ‘I Just Want To Make Love To You’.

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