Here are the #1 Hot Country Singles for 1965. While I only owned one of the songs on this list – Roger Miller, naturally – I always had a great affection for Buck Owens. I liked to watch him on TV long before he was on Hee Haw. It’s partly a function of the fact that he was on Capitol Records, and I got to read the song list of his albums from the record sleeves of my Beatles albums. I loved that Bakersfield sound.
Before You Go (Don Rich-Buck Owens)- Buck Owens (Capitol), six weeks at #1
I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail (Harlan Howard-Buck Owens)- Buck Owens (Capitol), five weeks at #1
King Of The Road (Miller)- Roger Miller (Smash), five weeks at #1
You’re The Only World I Know (Bob Tubert-Sonny James) – Sonny James, “the Southern Gentleman” (Capitol) four weeks at #1
Is It Really Over (Reeves)- Jim Reeves (RCA Victor), three weeks at #1.
Hello Vietnam (Tom T. Hall)- Johnny Wright [with his his wife Kitty Wells] (Decca), three weeks at #1
Make The World Go Away (Hank Cochran) – Eddy Arnold (RCA Victor), three weeks at #1. Other than King Of The Road, the song I best remember from this list.
This Is It – Jim Reeves (RCA Victor), three weeks at #1
Behind The Tear (Ned Miller and Sue Miller) – Sonny James, three weeks at #1
Girl On The Billboard (H. Mills-W. Haynes) – Del Reeves (United Artists), two weeks at #1
What’s He Doing In My World (Carl Belew, Billy Joe Moore, Eddie Bush) -Eddy Arnold (RCA Victor), two weeks at #1
The guy hawking breakfast sausages
The First Thing Ev’ry Morning (And The Last Thing Ev’ry Night) (J. Dean-R. Roberts)- Jimmy Dean (Columbia), two weeks at #1
Yes, Mr. Peters – Roy Drusky and Priscilla Mitchell (Mercury), two weeks at #1
May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Yur Nose (N. Merritt)=”Little” Jimmy Dickens (Columbia), two weeks at #1
Buckeroo (Bob Morris)- Buck Owens and his Buckeroos (Capitol), two weeks at #1. Instrumental
Ribbon Of Darkness (Gordon Lightfoot)- Marty Robbins (Columbia). I got my first Marty Robbins album, The Essential Robbins, 1951-1982, from my late FIL’s CD collection
The Bridge Washed Out -Warner Mack (Decca)
Only You Can Break My Heart (Owens)- Buck Owens and his Buckeroos (Capitol)
The #1 Pop Hits of 1965, formally the #1 hits on the Top 100, were right up my sonic alley. In the present tense, I own at least 19 of these 25 songs.
Three different Billboard charts determined the Country Western #1 songs of 1955: most played in jukeboxes, best sellers in stores, and most played by jockeys. Interestingly, at that point, although changed in 1956, it didn’t specify most played country western, et cetera. I presume some discernment on Billboard’s part. This explains the 76 weeks of #1 songs.
Like all the Billboard charts that year, there are three different categories of charts that comprise the #1 R&B hits of 1955: most played jukeboxes, best sellers in stores, and, starting on January 22nd, most played by jockeys, meaning disc jockeys. Thus, 68 weeks of tracks are represented.
Here is Part 2 of the 1935 #1 hits.