Tag: R&B

#1 R&B Hits of 1955

The late, great Johnny Ace

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.

Interestingly, four songs and five tracks are the same as on the pop charts, but they’re all done by different artists than what appears on the pop charts. This is at least one explanation for why there were separate pop and R&B/soul charts.

Ain’t That A Shame (Domino-Bartholomew)- Fats Domino (Imperial), 11 weeks at #1. It did get to #10 on the pop charts, but Pat Boone’s (inferior) version topped the pop charts. BTW, Chubby Checker’s pseudonym was modeled after Domino’s.

Maybelline (Berry) – Chuck Berry (Chess),  11 weeks at #1

Pledging My Love (Washington-Robey) Johnny Ace, orchestra conducted by Johnny Otis (Duke), 10 weeks at #1. Young Johnny Ace had died from an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound on Christmas day 1954.

Only You and You Alone (Buck Ram) – The Platters(Mercury), seven weeks at #1

My Babe (Willie Dixon)  – Little Walter and his Jukes (Checker), five weeks at #1

The Wallflower (James-Otis-Ballard) – Etta James with Richard Berry and The Peaches (Modern Records), four weeks at #1. The Wallflower” is pretty much “Roll with Me, Henry” and the less risqué “Dance with Me, Henry” that  Georgia Gibbs sang to top the pop charts.

Hands Off (Bowman-McShann) – Jay McShann’s orchestra with Priscilla Bowman (Vee-Jay), three weeks at #1

One of two

Unchained Melody (North-Zaret) – Roy Hamilton (Epic), three weeks at #1, and got to #6 on the pop charts; Lex Baxter had the pop #1

All By Myself (Domino-Bartholemew) -Fats Domino (Imperial), three weeks at #1

Sincerely (Fuqua-Freed) – The Moonglows, two weeks at #1, and got to #20 on the pop charts; the McGuire Sisters hit #1 pop.

Bo Diddley (Ellas Bates McDaniel) –  Bo Diddley (Checker), two weeks at #1. Diddly was Bates McDaniel. 

All of these hit #1 for a single week:

I’ve Got A Woman (Ray Charles) – Ray Charles and his band (Atlantic)

Unchained Melody (North-Zaret) Al Hibbler, orchestra conducted by Jack Pleis(Decca)- got to #3 on the pop charts

Adorable (Buck Ram)-  The Drifters (Atlantic). Ram was also the manager and guiding force of The Platters.

A Fool For You (Ray Charles) -Ray Charles and his band (Atlantic)

Poor Me (A. Domino-P. King) – Fats Domino (Imperial)

Juke Box Race Records #1s for 1945

I Wonder

The designation of black/soul/R&B music has changed over time—the Juke Box Race Records #1s for 1945 cover most of that year.

The Honeydripper, parts 1 and 2 – Joe Liggins and His Honeydrippers: “Little” Willie Jackson – Alto and Baritone, James Jackson – Tenor, Joe Liggins -Piano, Eddie Davis (Exclusive), written by Liggins – Bass (Exclusive records), 18 weeks at #1, starting on 9/18 through the end of the year. The tune was based around the traditional song “Shortnin’ Bread.” Hit cover versions were also made by Jimmie Lunceford (#2 R&B, 1945), Roosevelt Sykes (#3 R&B, 1945), and Cab Calloway (#3 R&B, 1946).

Who Through The Whiskey In The Well (DeLange-Brooks) Lucky Millinder & his Orchestra, vocal by Wynonie “Mr. Blues” Harris and Congregation (Decca), eight weeks at #1. I LOVE this song!

I Wonder – Roosevelt Sykes and his piano with electric guitar and traps (Bluebird/Victor), seven weeks at #1

Caldonia (F. Moore) Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five (Decca), seven weeks at #1

Tippin’ In (Bobby Smith) – Erskine Hawkins & his Orchestra (RCA Victor), six weeks at #1. Instrumental.

I Wonder–  Pvt. Cecil Gant (Gilt-Edge Records), written by Gilt, two weeks at #1. “This was the influential 1940s blues singer/pianist’s second recorded version of what became his signature ballad (the first was done for the Bronze label earlier in ’44). Label-billed as “The G.I. Sing-Sation,” he was serving in the army at the time.” This version charted first, followed immediately by the Sykes take.

Mop! Mop! – Louis Jordan And His Tympany Five (Claude DeMetruis-J. Mayo Williams)  (Decca) -one week at #1

Somebody’s Got To Go – (Haggart) – Cootie Williams & his Orchestra, vocal by Eddie Vinson, one week at #1. This was Billboard’s final Harlem Hit Parade title on February 10, 1945.

No 1964 Billboard Soul charts

Sam Cooke, the Impressions, Dionne Warwick

There were no 1964 Billboard Soul charts. Why is that? Per Joel Whitburn’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles, the magazine didn’t publish a chart from November 30, 1963, through January 23, 1965, because the magazine thought there was so much crossover between the pop and RB charts to create.

For the book, Top 50 In R&B Locations published by Cash Box, a national music trade magazine was used,

Three titles crossed over, hitting #1 on both charts. Unsurprisingly, all were from Motown. My Guy by Mary Wells  (seven weeks RB, two weeks pop), Baby Love by the Supremes (four weeks pop, three weeks RB), and the group’s previous hit, Where Did Our Love Go (two weeks each).

Funny – Joe Hinton, four weeks at #1 RB. I always knew this Willie Nelson song as Funny How Time Slips Away. #13 pop. 

What Kind Of Fool (Do You Think I Am) – The Tams, three weeks at #1 RB. #9 pop. From Atlanta.

The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss) – Betty Everett, three weeks at #1. #6 pop.

Walk On By – Dionne Warwick, three weeks at #1 RB. #6 pop. I watched Finding Your Roots. They misspelled her name on an earlier record. It should have been Warrick. She was initially furious, but her grandfather suggested that Warwick could be her stage name, and it was so.

Let It Be Me – Betty Everett and Jerry Butler, three weeks at #1 RB. #5 pop.

Let the people say…

Amen – The Impressions, three weeks at #1 RB, #7 pop. Featuring Curtis Mayfield

Hi-Heel Sneakers – Tommy Tucker, three weeks at #1 RB, #11 pop

Under The Boardwalk – The Drifters, three weeks at #1 RB, #4 pop

Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um – Major Lance, two weeks at #1 RB, #5 pop

Good Times – Sam Cooke, two weeks at #1 RB, #11 pop

Keep On Pushing – The Impressions, two weeks at #1 RB, #10 pop

Mercy, Mercy – Don Covay & The Goodtimers, two weeks at #1 RB, #35 pop. Co-written by Covay. 

Reach Out For Me – Dionne Warwick – two weeks at #1 RB, #20 pop

Good News – Sam Cooke, one week at #1 RB, #11 pop. Composed by Cooke.

The Way You Do The Things You Do – The Temptations, one week at #1 RB, #11 pop

Ramblin' with Roger
Social media & sharing icons powered by UltimatelySocial