Monday, November 14, 2022

K's UK No.1 SINGLES SPECIAL - VA - The Complete UK Number 1 Singles: 70 Years of the Official Singles Chart 1952-2022 [2022] PART 1 - 1950's

 

K's UK No.1 SINGLES SPECIAL    -   

VA - The Complete UK Number 1 Singles: 70 Years of the Official Singles Chart 1952-2022 [2022] PART 1 - 1950's

So here it is... EVERY single to hit the UK number 1 spot on the Official Singles Chart over the past 70 years in this blockbuster collection!

November 14th this year will mark 70 years since the first singles chart was published by the New Musical Express’s Percy Dickins in 1952, topped by Al Martino’s 'Here In My Heart'.

https://youtu.be/oNFT9xWvd_w

The UK Singles Chart is a weekly record chart which for most of its history was based on single sales from Sunday to Saturday in the United Kingdom. Since July 2014 it has also incorporated streaming data, and from 10 July 2015 has been based on a Friday to Thursday week. As of 14th November 2022, 1,404 singles have reached number one. The chart was founded in 1952 by Percy Dickins of New Musical Express (NME), who telephoned 20 record stores to ask what their top 10 highest-selling singles were. Dickins aggregated the results into a top 12 hit parade, which was topped by 'Here in My Heart' by Al Martino. NME's chart was published each week in its eponymous magazine.

Way back in 2004 I bought a single DVD-R on eBay which contained every UK number one single from 1952-2003. It was a great start to my ongoing collection which I've been adding to ever since.  Unfortunately, back in 2004 when the DVD-R was compiled most of the tracks were of poor quality at very low bitrates of 128 and below, plus many of the tracks were the incorrect versions: longer album tracks, live versions, later re-recorded versions, etc. Several were damaged or distorted mp3 files ripped from crackly, scratched old 45's, with quite a few with the beginning or the end clipped off.

Over the past 18 years I've slowly replaced a huge percentage of the tracks with much higher quality versions.  Since this year (2022) we're celebrating 70 years of the official UK singles chart, I decided to revisit my collection and pretty much recompile everything from scratch.  It's amazing just how many incorrect versions were initially included, so I made a concerted effort and through extensive research to include every UK number one hit in the correct original UK 7" single version as the songs appeared on the charts at the time. All double 'A' sides are included, along with a few EPs.  Now, most of the tracks feature the highest quality, and best sounding digital remasters released to date, far superior to the original collection.

Hope you enjoy this amazing compilation of over 1,400 number one singles from 14th November 1952 to 14th November 2022. The complete 70-year collection has been broken down year by year into folders. It would amount to an 80 CD set as it currently stands at 3.5 days, which is 84 hours' worth of music! 

Click on the links below for all the information on each track.

https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/all-the-number-1-singles__7931/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_UK_Singles_Chart_number_ones

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UK_Singles_Chart_number_ones_of_the_1950s#1953


I will be posting these in smaller sets generally by decade over the next few weeks. Dont miss any of these.

Here is PART 1 - 1950's

BB says - "Please thank 'K' for his contribution of this K Special presentation"


===========================================================

Pt.1    Pt.2 

===========================================================

Track lists

1952

01 Al Martino Here In My Heart 3:04


1953

01 Jo Stafford You Belong to Me 3:09

02 Kay Starr Comes A-Long A-Love 2:26

03 Eddie Fisher Outside of Heaven 2:38

04 Perry Como Don't Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes 2:42

05 Guy Mitchell She Wears Red Feathers 3:07

06 The Stargazers Broken Wings 2:54

07 Lita Roza (How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window? 2:15

08 Frankie Laine I Believe 2:08

09 Eddie Fisher & Sally Sweetland I'm Walking Behind You 3:05

10 Mantovani The Song from 'Moulin Rouge' 2:35

11 Guy Mitchell Look at That Girl 2:50

12 Frankie Laine Hey Joe 2:21

13 David Whitfield Answer Me 2:28

14 Frankie Laine Answer Me 2:39


1954

01 Eddie Calvert With Norrie Paramor And His Orchestra O Mein Papa 2:46

02 The Stargazers I See the Moon 2:39

03 Doris Day Secret Love 3:38

04 Johnnie Ray Such a Night 2:13

05 David Whitfield Cara Mia 3:09

06 Kitty Kallen Little Things Mean a Lot 3:00

07 Frank Sinatra Three Coins In The Fountain 3:04

08 Don Cornell Hold My Hand 2:49

09 Vera Lynn My Son, My Son 2:42

10 Rosemary Clooney This Ole House 2:24

11 Winifred Atwell Let's Have Another Party 2:47


1955

01 Dickie Valentine The Finger Of Suspicion 2:51

02 Rosemary Clooney Mambo Italiano 2:31

03 Ruby Murray Softly, Softly 2:27

04 Tennessee Ernie Ford Give Me Your Word 3:10

05 Perez Prado & His Orchestra Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) 3:03

06 Tony Bennett Stranger In Paradise 3:05

07 Eddie Calvert Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) 2:23

08 Jimmy Young Unchained Melody 2:36

09 Alma Cogan Dreamboat 1:46

10 Slim Whitman Rose Marie 2:19

11 Jimmy Young The Man From Laramie 2:22

12 The Johnston Brothers Hernando's Hideaway 2:29

13 Bill Haley & His Comets Rock Around The Clock 2:09

14 Dickie Valentine Christmas Alphabet 2:04


1956

01 Tennessee Ernie Ford Sixteen Tons 2:37

02 Dean Martin Memories Are Made of This 2:16

03 The Dream Weavers It's Almost Tomorrow 2:47

04 Kay Starr Rock And Roll Waltz 2:58

05 Winifred Atwell The Poor People of Paris 1:58

06 Ronnie Hilton No Other Love 3:07

07 Pat Boone I'll Be Home 3:00

08 Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers Why Do Fools Fall In Love 2:17

09 Doris Day Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) 2:05

10 Anne Shelton Lay Down Your Arms 2:54

11 Frankie Laine A Woman In Love 2:21

12 Johnnie Ray Just Walking in the Rain 2:38


1957

01 Guy Mitchell Singing the Blues 2:26

02 Tommy Steele Singing the Blues 2:23

03 Frankie Vaughan The Garden Of Eden 2:33

04 Tab Hunter Young Love 2:26

05 Lonnie Donegan Cumberland Gap 1:57

06 Guy Mitchell Rock-A-Billy 2:13

07 Andy Williams Butterfly 2:23

08 Johnnie Ray Yes Tonight, Josephine 2:29

09 Lonnie Donegan Puttin' On The Style 3:30

10 Lonnie Donegan Gamblin' Man 3:14

11 Elvis Presley All Shook Up 2:00

12 Paul Anka Diana 2:25

13 Buddy Holly & The Crickets That'll Be The Day 2:17

14 Harry Belafonte Mary's Boy Child (7" Single Version) 2:58


1958

01 Jerry Lee Lewis Great Balls of Fire 1:50

02 Elvis Presley Jailhouse Rock 2:37

03 Michael Holliday The Story of My Life 2:13

04 Perry Como Magic Moments 2:41

05 Marvin Rainwater Whole Lotta Woman 2:36

06 Connie Francis Who's Sorry Now 2:16

07 Vic Damone On The Street Where You Live 2:42

08 The Everly Brothers All I Have To Do Is Dream 2:19

09 The Kalin Twins When 2:25

10 Connie Francis Stupid Cupid 2:13

11 Connie Francis Carolina Moon 2:33

12 Tommy Edwards It's All In The Game 2:38

13 Lord Rockingham's Xi Hoots Mon 2:13

14 Conway Twitty It's Only Make Believe 2:12


1959

01 Jane Morgan The Day The Rains Came 2:58

02 Elvis Presley One Night 2:34

03 Elvis Presley I Got Stung 1:51

04 Shirley Bassey With Wally Stott & His Orchestra As I Love You 2:51

05 The Platters Smoke Gets In Your Eyes 2:38

06 Russ Conway Side Saddle (7" Single Version) 1:54

07 Buddy Holly It Doesn't Matter Anymore 2:05

08 Elvis Presley (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I 2:41

09 Elvis Presley I Need Your Love Tonight 2:06

10 Russ Conway Roulette (7" Single Version) 1:51

11 Bobby Darin Dream Lover 2:28

12 Cliff Richard And The Drifters Living Doll 2:37

13 Craig Douglas Only Sixteen 2:13

14 Jerry Keller Here Comes Summer 2:10

15 Bobby Darin Mack The Knife 3:04

16 Cliff Richard & The Shadows Travelin' Light 2:36

17 Adam Faith What Do You Want? 1:36

18 Emile Ford & The Checkmates What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For? 2:04

=============================================================

=============================================================

23 comments:

  1. Many thanks for all the work you've done here. Lots of good memories. Just a question: what software do you use to make your album covers?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi LawHill,
      Thanks for your kind words.
      K uses Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  2. hi thanks for all the hours of work you put in to make my listening pleasure great cheers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi barrie g.
      Great to see you here. Enjoy this and others to follow.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  3. Wow! Such dedication and attention to detail is awesome. Many thanks to K & BB for another stunning collection - looking forward to the rest.

    ReplyDelete
  4. nice upload B.B thank you so much

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Aussie,
      K will be happy to know that.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  5. Thanks for this great job and work. I am lookin' forward for the other decades.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks K. What a great journey you are taking us on.
    Hi BB

    ReplyDelete
  7. You're very welcome, copacetic47
    Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Many thanks K. I'm delighted that you've taken the effort to ensure correct versions. It is much appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you will enjoy this wonderful set, Tom.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  9. This is wonderful K & BB. Thanks as ever. Looking forward to future volumes. SPx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, SleepyPete.
      The other will also not disappoint.
      Cheers.

      Delete
    2. I also purchased the low vbr collection many years ago, and wished for a better quality set. Thanks for making my wish come true!
      Cheers,
      Mike M

      Delete
    3. Hi Mike,
      Dreams do come true. Enjoy these offerings all in great/best quality.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  10. Gracias Butterboy ,por canciones de los 50'

    ReplyDelete