I'll bet you thought I was done with these "Popular Songs Of..." posts for the year, didn't you? Well, I am...after this two-parter. But I couldn't neglect one of the biggest years in the early days of rock 'n' roll (as well as a solid year for traditional pop), could I? You don't have to answer that. You just have to listen (if you want to)...and enjoy! ~ JH
1) Elvis Presley ~ “Heartbreak Hotel”
2) The Platters ~ “The Great Pretender”
3) Doris Day ~ “Que Sera Sera”
4) Dean Martin ~ “Memories Are Made Of This”
5) Morris Stoloff ~ “Moonglow and Theme From Picnic”
6) Pat Boone ~ “I Almost Lost My Mind”
7) Kay Starr ~ “Rock And Roll Waltz”
8) Carl Perkins ~ “Blue Suede Shoes” (Why would I not include Elvis’ version of this song? For one, I already have 5 Elvis songs lined up for these posts. And for another, Perkins released his version eight months earlier and became one of the biggest hits of Perkins’ long and distinguished career. So there!)
9) Johnnie Ray ~ “Just Walkin’ In The Rain / If I Had You”
10) Elvis Presley ~ “Don’t Be Cruel”
11) Perry Como ~ “Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)”
12) Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps ~ “Be-Bop-A-Lula”
13) Fats Domino ~ “Blueberry Hill”
14) Guy Mitchell ~ “Singing The Blues”
15) Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly ~ “True Love”
16) Patti Page ~ “Allegheny Moon”
17) Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers ~ “Why Do Fools Fall In Love?”
18) Elvis Presley ~ “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You”
