Previous Feature 45s — Page 1

This instrumental hit from Viking Records in New Zealand made No.15 (for 3 weeks) on the 2UE Top40 chart and appeared for a total of 10 weeks.

This hit from a Sydney-based group made No.6 (for 2 weeks) on the 2UE Top40 chart and appeared for a total of 18 weeks. Syd McDonagh and Johnny Rebb co-wrote the song and bandmember John Charter arranged the music.



--See-- Think Me a Kiss.

This recording by a Spanish group made #6 (for 3 weeks) on the 2UE Top40 chart and appeared for a total of 11 weeks. Michelle Grainger, Tony Hayes and Steve Wadey co-wrote the song and it was recorded in their studio in Kent, England.

This hit record from a New York based group made #14 (for 1 week) on the 2UE Top40 chart and appeared for a total of 12 weeks. Husband and wife song-writing team Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil co-wrote the song and Johnny Moore was the lead singer. For more 'Drifters' see:
I'll Take You Where the Music's Playing and Kissin' in the Back Row of the Movies.

English actor and comedian, Bernard Cribbins took this hit record to No.30 (for 1 week) on the 2UE Top 40 chart and it appeared for a total of 6 weeks. Myles Rudge wrote the lyrics of the song, Ted Dicks composed the music and George Martin was the producer.

One of many versions of the 1934 Christmas song. Fred Coots composed the music, Haven Gillespie wrote the lyrics and Eddie Cantor introduced it on radio.
For more '4 Seasons' see:
Big Man in Town.

This recording by a popular female television star made No.20 (for 1 week) on the 2UE Top 40 chart and remained for 11 weeks. Bill Post wrote the lyrics, his wife Doree wrote the music and an orchestra led by Don Ralke provided the accompaniment.
--See--Mr. Songwriter.

This "instrumental fox trot" made No.1 (for 4 weeks) on the 2UE Top 40 chart and remained for 20 weeks. Joe Reisman wrote the music and it has been the theme for Mark Gould's radio show since the premier on 31st December 1983.
This recording ceased to be Mark's theme after 1 July 2017 but was re-instated by popular demand on 29th August 2017.

This hit by an English vocalist made No.8 (for 1 week) on the 2UE Top 40 chart and remained for 12 weeks.Phil Springer wrote the music to Buddy Kaye's lyrics and Harry Robinson and orchestra provided the backing.

This novelty hit made No.15 (for 3 weeks) on the 2UE Top 40 chart and remained for 13 weeks. The mystery singer was actor and choreographer Tony Mordente who also recorded as Larry Ellis. He toured Australia as part of Lee Gordon's "All American Rock Spectacular" in January 1961.

This revival by a Melbourne group of Bobby Day's 1958 hit made No.22 (for 2 weeks) on the 2UE Top 40 chart and remained for 10 weeks. The Henchmen won a recording contract with the independent record label Go!! after winning a radio talent quest.

Written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach for the film of the same name but not used, this was Gene Pitney's first No.1 hit on the 2UE Top 40 chart remaining in the chart for 12 weeks. Chuck Sagle arranged and Aaron Schroeder produced the recording.
--See also--
If I Didn't Have a Dime
--and--Blue Angel.

With lyrics by Lee Adams and music by Charles Strouse for the musical "Bye Bye Birdie", this recording was Crash Craddock's second No.1 hit on the 2UE Top 40 chart remaining for 15 weeks including 6 weeks in the Top 10.

This recording by (Mickey Mouse Club's) Mouseketeer Annette Funicello, made No.16 on the 2UE Top 40 chart remaining for 14 weeks. The song, timed at 1m 34s and one of the shortest, was written by Bob Roberts and the Sherman Brothers, Richard and Bob.
See Pineapple Princess.

This novelty song described how to make a hit record but only made the 80 predictions list for the 2UE Top 40 chart. The song was written by Sibelius Williams, arranged and conducted by Malcolm Dodds and produced by Shelby Singleton.

Written by Bob Brass, Irwin Levine and Alan Kooper, this song was inspired by Tennyson's poem about love in the springtime. It stayed only 3 weeks on the 2UE Top 40 chart, #36 was its highest position. Don Costa's orchestra provided the accompaniment.

Inspired by previous hits about aliens, Jesse Lee Turner's cousin Floyd Robinson wrote this song and it was recorded by Turner for Carlton Records. It made the prediction list for the 2UE Top 40 chart in 1959.

Brewer's first Philips release, this civil war song written by Dick Manning and Kay Twomey in 1962, was arranged by Bill Justis. Highest position on the 2UE Top 40 was #4 for one week (23rd Feb 1963) and appeared for 16 weeks, including 6 weeks in the Top 10.
See The Hula Hoop Song.

A country gospel song written by Bob Ferguson and recorded by Ferlin Husky in 1960. Highest position on the 2UE Top 40 was No.2 for one week (4th March 1961) and it appeared for 14 weeks, including 9 weeks in the Top 10.

A return to the 2UE Top 40 chart by Chuck Berry after an absence of almost 6 years, with a rock song about a car seat belt that wouldn't release. Highest position No.33 for the first four weeks of its six weeks' run.

A 2UE Top 40 chart debut for Jan & Dean, this surf song written by Jan Berry and Brian Wilson, topped the chart for two weeks and was in the Top 10 for ten of its seventeen weeks' run.


--see also-- Sidewalk Surfin'.

With orchestra directed by Lincoln Mayorga, this recording made No.35 and appeared for 6 weeks on the local 2UE Top 40 chart. The song was written by two of the Four Preps, lead tenor Bruce Belland and baritone Glen Larson.

--see-- The Girl Without a Top
A Letter to The Beatles
--and-- Calcutta.

This song written by Billy Strange and Jon Sheldon, made No.4 for one week on Sydney's Top 40 and was in the Top 10 for three of its total eleven weeks. Chubby Checker's version shared chart honours with two instrumental versions.
--See also--
Hey, Bobba Needle;
Black Cloud;
Reggae My Way;
The Hucklebuck.

The music was written for the 1960 film "Never On Sunday" by Manos Hadjidakis. Arthur Altman later set English words and Brenda Lee's version of the song made No.8 on the local Top 40 and remained on the chart for thirteen weeks.
--See--
I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus;
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
--and--
My Whole World Is Falling Down.

A novelty hit from Bernie Wayne and Marvin Moore arranged by Bill Justis, appeared for 9 weeks on the 2UE Top 40 and reached No.16. The vocalist was Joe Dowell accompanied by the Stephen Scott Singers and Jerry Kennedy's Orchestra.

A novelty hit from Writer and vocalist, Jack Clement dealing with every adolescent boy's nightmare, appeared for 5 weeks on the 2UE Top 40 and reached No.33 (two weeks). The vocalist performed the different voices.

Written by Joe Meek of the British instrumental group The Tornados, this American cover version just made the predictions list for the local Top 40. Danish born Kai Winding played the trombone and Garry Sherman played the organ on the recording.

The Sapphires formed in 1957, primarily as a vocal backing trio. They recorded this hit in Sydney in 1961. It appeared 11 times on the weekly 2UE Top 40 chart, the highest position being No.10 (26th August).

Originally a French song with music by Alain Romans, Paul Francis Webster wrote English words in 1957. Toni Arden's successful version, with chorus and orchestra conducted by Jack Pleis appeared 11 times on the weekly 2UE Top 40 chart and made No.5 for 3 weeks in August 1958.

The 1934 Austrian composition by Hans May, Ernst Neubach and Ruth Feiner was a local best seller for Romanian tenor Joseph Schmidt in 1937. This revival by Sydney pop singer Warren Williams made No.26 on the 2UE Top 40 chart and remained for seven weeks.

This hilarious Gunga Din parody is an uncharted, ultra-rare single which received airplay locally in 1962. It was originally released on an LP in America. The LP had the same title.

Earl-Jean, an original member of the U.S. girl group, The Cookies took this song to No.27 on the local 2UE Top 40 chart; it remained for five weeks. The recording was arranged and produced by the writers Carole King and Gerry Goffin.

One of two singles recorded by the late Ral Donner on Frank Sinatra's Reprise label. It was written by Dan Welch, produced by Jimmy Bowen and the backing was arranged by Jack Nitzsche. Although it had airplay, the record failed to chart locally.

A popular American version of a West Indies folk song adapted by Lee Hays of the Weavers, made No.11 on the local 2UE Top 40 and remained for 11 weeks. Joe Reisman conducted the orchestra.
See:
Oh-Oh, I'm Falling in Love;
Just a Closer Walk With Thee;
Child of Clay.
English Country Garden.

This vocal group from Virginia USA named themselves after a street in Harlem. Had a big hit the same year in America with "A Little Bit Of Soap" but this follow-up did not chart here despite good airplay.

Chicago born George McCurn revived this song for Herb Alpert's A&M label. It became an instant hit locally, reaching No.22 and remaining 8 weeks in the 2UE Top 40 chart.

This former member of the Pastels had a low-key solo career, with one major hit "Swinging On A Star", which also featured the voice of Little Eva. Big Dee Irwin died in 1995, and this record was one of two follow-ups released in Australia. It failed to chart and is extremely rare.

Tony Sheveton was a one-hit wonder from the U.K. He was backed on this locally-charting hit by Johnny Keating's Orchestra. The record reached no. 9 on our local Top Forty and stayed on the charts for 11 weeks.

Sheb Wooley, famous for the 1958 hit Purple People Eater wrote and recorded this song with accompaniment by Billy Strange. It briefly made the predictions list for the local Top 40 but failed to chart.
--See--Little Bitty Bilbo....

With the accompaniment of The Athenians, the English language version of Nana's 1960 hit was intended for local release on a Philips label single but was later rejected. It had airplay on Sydney radio in June and July 1963 but failed to chart.

This song, from the movie of the same name starring Kim Novak, was sung in the film by Patti Page who played the part of Joanne McIlleny. The recording made No.20 for two weeks in October 1962 on the local Top 40 and was listed for nine weeks.

A pre World War I song, arranged by Perry Botkin Jr. for Donnie Brooks, followed three big hits, Mission Bell, Doll House and Memphis but this fourth release failed to make our local Top 40 charts.

The song written by Vincent Youmans, Billy Rose and Ed Eliscu in 1929 was given a fifties doo-wop treatment by this soul group from Cincinatti, Ohio. The recording followed local RCA single releases I'm Gonna Knock on Your Door and Shout (Parts 1 and 2), also failing to establish the Isley Brothers debut on our local charts.

Austrian born Lolita (Ditta Einzinger) recorded the song in 1959 with the Werner Scharfenberger Orchestra. The release, sung in German with a spoken part in English, made No.6 for three weeks on our local Top 40 and appeared for 15 weeks.

Paul Anka's composition, originally a posthumous hit for Buddy Holly and the Crickets, was revived by two school buddies from Dallas, Texas. Robert Wimberly and Jerry (Roy) Dodson were working in a grocery store when asked to record this session with Columbia Records in 1960. The song spent five weeks on our local Top 40 chart.

Moral: Don't do homework while listening to radio. The John D. Loudermilk composition made No.12 on our local Top 40 and appeared for 10 weeks. There are references to hit songs and current affairs, except for Lumumba who was assassinated before the local issue, EMI Australia respectfully editing the small reference to him.

The John D. Loudermilk composition about a famous make of rocking chair (JFK had one in the White House) was recorded by Texan singer, Bob Luman, who scored with the hits Let's Think About Livin'; Why, Why, Bye, Bye and Private Eye, but this one failed to chart locally.
See The Great Snow Man.

From the play The World of Suzie Wong in which Tsai Chin played the part of Suzie Wong on the London stage in 1959, comes this song written by Yao Ming with English lyrics by Lionel Bart. Tsai Chin's recording with Harry Robinson's accompaniment was on the Sydney Top 40 for 11 weeks with highest position No. 11.

Also known as the Cuban Andrews Sisters, this trio had local hits Teach Me Tonight and It's Yours. The song written by Bob Schell was arranged and conducted by Don Costa and recorded for ABC Paramount in 1958 but failed to reach our local Top 40 list.

With words and music by George David Weiss, Adam Levy, Hugo & Luigi and production by Henry Glover, this follow-up to Easier Said Than Done was the second and last hit for U.S. pop group, The Essex. It made No. 20 on our local charts (1st November) and remained for 7 weeks.

Inspired by the British movie H.M.S. Defiant and composed with his brother Dorsey, Johnny Burnette's ninth local single followed Top 20 hits Dreamin', You're Sixteen, Little Boy Sad, and God, Country and My Baby but failed to make our Top 40, despite the accompaniment of The Johnny Mann Singers and the production of Snuff Garrett. See I Wanna Thank Your Folks and Fool of the Year

Winfield Scott and Dorothy Goodman wrote this catchy hit for Johnnie Ray. With the backing of Ray Conniff and His Orchestra, it came close to the top of the local hit parades, peaking at No. 2 for five weeks and remained in the Top 8 for ten weeks.

--See--I'll Bring Along My Banjo