The Ultimate Averaged Chart - The BBC Chart Re-Imagined

[MrTibbs]

Greetings Pop Pickers

Here is the next Ultimate Averaged Chart for Week Ending July 14th 1956

Here are all '' the uppers, the downers, the just hanging 'arounders '

The Ultimate Averaged Chart - Week Ending July 14th 1956							NME	MM	RM	Total
Last	This		The Sound Survey			Stores	65	20	60	Points
Week	Week		The Top 30 Singles Chart					TOP	30	Scored
1	1	I'll Be Home - Pat Boone					1	1	1	4350
4	2	All Star Hit Parade - Various Artists					2	3	2	4185
10	3	Bluebottle Blues / I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas - The Goons *					4		3	3985
13	4	Why Do Fools Fall In Love - The Teenagers					5	2	4	3890
3	5	Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley					3	4	6	3860
8	6	Experiments With Mice - Johnny Dankworth					7	6	5	3620
6	7	Hot Diggity - Perry Como					6	5	9	3465
2	8	Lost John - Lonnie Donegan					7	9	7	3440
11	9	The Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant					9	7	10	3170
5	10	The Saints Rock'n'Roll - Bill Haley and His Comets					13	8	8	3010
12	11	The Wayward Wind - Tex Ritter					11	12	13	2760
9	12	My September Love - David Whitfield					10	20	15	2545
29	13	Who Are We - Ronnie Hilton					12	15	17	2395
14	14	Moonglow And Theme From Picnic - Morris Stoloff					18	14	12	2325
7	15	No Other Love - Ronnie Hilton					14	18	16	2265
15	16	Blue Suede Shoes - Elvis Presley					19	11	14	2200
NEW	17	Bad Penny Blues - Humphrey Lyttelton					21		19	1370
16	18	A Tear Fell - Teresa Brewer					15	16		1340
19	19	Too Young To Go Steady - Nat King Cole					17	17		1190
23	20	Portuguese Washerwoman - Joe 'Fingers' Carr					26		20	985
24	21	Whatever Will Be Will Be - Doris Day					28		18	975
NEW	22	A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl - Teresa Brewer					20			715
NEW	23	Walk Hand In Hand - Tony Martin					21			650
27	24	The Faithful Hussar - Ted Heath					23			520
21	25	Hot Diggity - Michael Holliday					24			455
NEW	26	Kiss Me Another - Georgia Gibbs					25			390
18	27	Skiffle Session (EP) - Lonnie Donegan					27			260
25	28	Serenade - Slim Whitman						19		240
NEW	29	The Faithful Hussar - Louis Armstrong					29			130
NEW	30	The Birds And The Bees - Alma Cogan					30			65
		Bluebottle Blues - The Goons (A)						13
		I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas - The Goons (B)						9
		Songs For Swingin' Lovers (LP) - Frank Sinatra					16		11	2175
17		Bluebottle Blues - The Goons
20		The Happy Whistler - Don Robertson
22		Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins
26		Mountain Greenery - Mel Torme
28		Out Of Town - Max Bygraves
		* An explanation. Strangely this week NME combine the sides of this single against normal practise of splitting sides. To compound this RM appear to have done the same with Bluebottle Blues taking a top three placing and I'm Walking Backwards vanishing from their chart. Only MM appears to have split the sides. So MM split sides have been ignored and an average of 3.5 awarded to MM from an average taken from NME and RM to validate a more likely overall chart position, as both NME and RM have gone with combined sides. This will be the formula I will use going forward for all similar situations like this where there is division between splitting and non split sides on the various charts.

[MrTibbs]

RR started compiling the first EP chart on 12th March 1960 with the first #1 EP being Cliff with the Expresso Bongo EP. Yeah RM started printing this EP chart also in 1962 alongside the RR chart.

[kingofskiffle]

NEW 18 Skiffle Session (EP) - Lonnie Donegan - 20 in RM.

Did RM not have a separate EP chart at this time?

I don't think RM ever had an EP chart of their own? They listed the RR one in 1962-67 but that was when they took the RR charts after they stopped compiling their own.

[kingofskiffle]

Yes, as the plan was to create. singles chart - RM remove LP's in a few weeks, so points build only go for one (NME).

[brian05]

NEW 18 Skiffle Session (EP) - Lonnie Donegan - 20 in RM.

Did RM not have a separate EP chart at this time?

[Graham76man]

I take it that the policy is to leave LP's out of the top 30?

[Robbie]

The Goons single has effectively been flipped with the B side storming ahead of the A side.

[MrTibbs]

Greetings Pop Pickers

Here is the next Ultimate Averaged Chart for Week Ending July 7th 1956

Here are all '' the uppers, the downers, the just hanging 'arounders '

The Ultimate Averaged Chart - Week Ending July7th 1956							NME	MM	RM	Total
Last	This		The Sound Survey			Stores	65	20	60	Points
Week	Week		The Top 29 Singles Chart					TOP	30	Scored
1	1	I'll Be Home - Pat Boone					1	1	1	4350
3	2	Lost John - Lonnie Donegan					2	3	2	4185
2	3	Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley					3	2	4	4020
12	4	All Star Hit Parade - Various Artists					4	6	3	3935
6	5	The Saints Rock'n'Roll - Bill Haley and His Comets					5	4	6	3730
4	6	Hot Diggity - Perry Como					7	5	5	3640
5	7	No Other Love - Ronnie Hilton					8	8	10	3215
18	8	Experiments With Mice - Johnny Dankworth					10	14	8	3085
8	9	My September Love - David Whitfield					9	15	11	2950
30	10	I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas - The Goons (B)					6	9	18	2845
17	11	The Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant					16	7	9	2775
14	12	The Wayward Wind - Tex Ritter					15	11	12	2580
19	13	Why Do Fools Fall In Love - The Teenagers					13	18	13	2510
11	14	Moonglow And Theme From Picnic - Morris Stoloff					11	13	17	2500
10	15	Blue Suede Shoes - Elvis Presley					17	12	14	2310
7	16	A Tear Fell - Teresa Brewer					17	10	15	2290
NEW	17	Bluebottle Blues - The Goons (A)						17	7	1720
NEW	18	Skiffle Session (EP) - Lonnie Donegan					20		20	1375
9	19	Too Young To Go Steady - Nat King Cole					14			1105
21	20	The Happy Whistler - Don Robertson					22	19		825
13	21	Hot Diggity - Michael Holliday (A)					19			780
16	22	Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins					24	15		775
20	23	Portuguese Washerwoman - Joe 'Fingers' Carr					20			715
23	24	Whatever Will Be Will Be - Doris Day					23			520
26	25	Serenade - Slim Whitman					27	19		500
24	26	Mountain Greenery - Mel Torme					25			390
NEW	27	The Faithful Hussar - Ted Heath					28			195
27	28	Out Of Town - Max Bygraves					29			130
29	29	Who Are We - Ronnie Hilton					30			65
		Songs For Swingin' Lovers (LP) - Frank Sinatra					12		16	2135
		Carousel Soundtrack (LP)					26		20	985
15		Gal With The Yaller Shoes - Michael Holliday (B)
22		Rock And Roll Waltz - Kay Starr
25		Theme From 'Man With The Golden Arm' - Billy May
28		Poor People Of Paris - Winifred Atwell
		* RM omitted a #19 this week but two records at #20. As this was what the chart said I have gone with this option.

[Graham76man]

The Goons record has 25 most owns as a 45 and 25 as a 78 on the 45Cat & Worlds site. Which is very good for a 50's record there.

[MrTibbs]

Agree here too. There were parts of each record that were really funny but other sections make me go, what was that all about.

[Splodj]

Yes the way that 'publicity stunt' line is delivered infers the original lyric was something ruder rhyming with 'front'!

Spike justified the release date by saying it was for his mum who lived in Australia where it was the middle of winter, which is itself absurd on many levels.

[kingofskiffle]

I think some is changing acceptability. SOme of their characters are absolutely not correct today (Same with Little Britain and others) but we all know an Eccles. I’ve worked with some…. And we all know a Ned Seagoon…. And I think that is what makes it work. The war was still fresh and Spike was dealing with that and being ex service men writing for ex servicemen the jokes where ones they knew. And also horribly rude if you know the story behind it…

[Splodj]

Agree with that assessment of The Goons. You can hear though that the audience at the time thought all of it was funny! In fact the show often starts with the audience laughing, presumably at something visual. Most of my knowledge of the songs in this era comes from the two musical items in each of their shows.

Must be the only Christmas record to have been released in summer.

[kingofskiffle]

Ooh and the Goons appear as if by magic maybe not magic but they still appear. Some of that was sheer brilliance. Some (to me listening in the 1990’s for the first time) was odd and strange and not funny at all…

[MrTibbs]

Greetings Pop Pickers

Here is the next Ultimate Averaged Chart for Week Ending June 30th 1956

Here are all '' the uppers, the downers, the just hanging 'arounders '

The Ultimate Averaged Chart - Week Ending June 30th 1956							NME	MM	RM	Total
Last	This		The Sound Survey			Stores	65	20	60	Points
Week	Week		The Top 30 Singles Chart					TOP	30	Scored
1	1	I'll Be Home - Pat Boone					1	1	1	4350
2	2	Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley					2	2	3	4145
3	3	Lost John - Lonnie Donegan					3	6	2	4060
6	4	Hot Diggity - Perry Como					5	3	4	3870
5	5	No Other Love - Ronnie Hilton					4	5	6	3775
4	6	The Saints Rock'n'Roll - Bill Haley and His Comets					6	4	5	3725
7	7	A Tear Fell - Teresa Brewer					9	7	7	3350
8	8	My September Love - David Whitfield					7	13	9	3240
14	9	Too Young To Go Steady - Nat King Cole					8	10	13	2995
10	10	Blue Suede Shoes - Elvis Presley					10	8	12	2965
9	11	Moonglow And Theme From Picnic - Morris Stoloff					12	12	11	2815
NEW	12	All Star Hit Parade - Various Artists					16	15	8	2675
12	13	Hot Diggity - Michael Holliday (A)					14	16	15	2365
NEW	14	The Wayward Wind - Tex Ritter					18	9	18	2065
15	15	Gal With The Yaller Shoes - Michael Holliday (B)					19		10	2040
11	16	Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins					17	14	19	1970
NEW	17	The Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant					20	20	17	1775
19	18	Experiments With Mice - Johnny Dankworth					10	11		1765
NEW	19	Why Do Fools Fall In Love - The Teenagers					22		15	1545
NEW	20	Portuguese Washerwoman - Joe 'Fingers' Carr					25		19	1110
13	21	The Happy Whistler - Don Robertson					15			1040
20	22	Rock And Roll Waltz - Kay Starr					24	17		735
NEW	23	Whatever Will Be Will Be - Doris Day					20			715
16	24	Mountain Greenery - Mel Torme					23			520
17	25	Theme From 'Man With The Golden Arm' - Billy May					28	19		435
27	26	Serenade - Slim Whitman					25			390
18	27	Out Of Town - Max Bygraves					30	18		325
21	28	Poor People Of Paris - Winifred Atwell					27			260
NEW	29	Who Are We - Ronnie Hilton					29			130
NEW	30	I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas - The Goons					30			65
		Songs For Swingin' Lovers (LP) - Frank Sinatra					13		13	2250
22		Port-Au-Prince - Winifred Atwell
23		Only You - The Hilltoppers
24		Theme From 'The Threepenny Opera' - Louis Armstrong
25		The Happy Whistler - Cyril Stapleton
26		Hot Diggity - The Stargazers
28		Rich Man Poor Man - Jimmy Young
29		Ivory Tower - The Three Kayes
30		You Can't Be True To Two - Dave King

[Splodj]

After EMI refused to release 'Unchained Melody' The Goons moved to Decca in protest, although subsequently Martin did produce again with Milligan and Sellers.

The issue was further complicated by Secombe having a contract with Philips which meant he could only contribute speaking parts on Goons records. A pity because he would have been perfect for the Ying Tong Song tenor.

[MrTibbs]

Yeah Splodj was right there Robbie, apparently George Martin did produce The Goons Unchained Melody according to Discogs.

[Robbie]

So The Goons version of 'Unchained Melody' must have been one of his first jobs in this role. Although it is usually omitted from his production credits, presumably because EMI refused to release it at the time. Apparently it was his 'working with the Goons' stories that most impressed The Beatles about him at their first meeting!

George Martin produced singles by Peter Sellers, who had a solo record deal with Parlophone but as The Goons were on Decca I wouldn't have thought he would be their producer?

[Splodj]

The producer was none other than George Martin who had taken over as head of Parlophone the previous year.

So The Goons version of 'Unchained Melody' must have been one of his first jobs in this role. Although it is usually omitted from his production credits, presumably because EMI refused to release it at the time. Apparently it was his 'working with the Goons' stories that most impressed The Beatles about him at their first meeting!

[kingofskiffle]

And thats one reason why I think record companies started to limit recordings. It wasn’t like the dance band era it’s different versions having an uplift to sales. As chart placing became more important they wanted and needed to maximise this.

[MrTibbs]

Yeah it would have been good to see Lonnie nudge Pat Boone aside but this was to be Pat's biggest UK hit much loved apparently on Two Way Family Favourites on the radio every Sunday. If it hadn't been for MM's lower chart placing Lonnie would have held on to #2.
Yeah it wasn't George Martin's finest hour but then I suspect he will go on to greater things

Blue Suede Shoes was a cracking toon by any standards and would no doubt been a bigger hit had both Elvis and Carl not cancelled each other out both peaking a couple of places apart.

[Robbie]

Quite an interesting entry at number 19 by Johnny Dankworth. The producer was none other than George Martin who had taken over as head of Parlophone the previous year.

[kingofskiffle]

Ah, and he falls. Shame. So close to a number 1 in a way. It isn’t the best of songs….

[MrTibbs]

Greetings Pop Pickers

Here is the next Ultimate Averaged Chart for Week Ending June 23rd 1956

Here are all '' the uppers, the downers, the just hanging 'arounders '

The Ultimate Averaged Chart - Week Ending June 23rd 1956							NME	MM	RM	Total
Last	This		The Sound Survey			Stores	65	20	60	Points
Week	Week		The Top 30 Singles Chart					TOP	30	Scored
1	1	I'll Be Home - Pat Boone					1	1	1	4350
4	2	Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley					2	3	4	4065
2	3	Lost John - Lonnie Donegan					3	6	2	4060
6	4	The Saints Rock'n'Roll - Bill Haley and His Comets					6	4	3	3845
3	5	No Other Love - Ronnie Hilton					5	2	5	3830
7	6	Hot Diggity - Perry Como					4	5	6	3775
5	7	A Tear Fell - Teresa Brewer					8	7	7	3415
8	8	My September Love - David Whitfield					8	9	8	3315
13	9	Moonglow And Theme From Picnic - Morris Stoloff					7	15	9	3200
9	10	Blue Suede Shoes - Elvis Presley					10	8	10	3085
11	11	Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins					12	10	15	2615
21	12	Hot Diggity - Michael Holliday (A)					15	13	11	2600
10	13	The Happy Whistler - Don Robertson					14	11	13	2585
15	14	Too Young To Go Steady - Nat King Cole					11		12	2440
18	15	Gal With The Yaller Shoes - Michael Holliday (B)					13	19	17	2250
17	16	Mountain Greenery - Mel Torme					17		19	1630
16	17	Theme From 'Man With The Golden Arm' - Billy May					27		16	1160
20	18	Out Of Town - Max Bygraves					18	17		1125
NEW	19	Experiments With Mice - Johnny Dankworth					29		17	970
12	20	Rock And Roll Waltz - Kay Starr					22	14		925
14	21	Poor People Of Paris - Winifred Atwell					18			845
22	22	Port-Au-Prince - Winifred Atwell					20			715
19	23	Only You - The Hilltoppers					26	12		705
24	24	Theme From 'The Threepenny Opera' - Louis Armstrong					21			650
23	25	The Happy Whistler - Cyril Stapleton					23			520
28	26	Hot Diggity - The Stargazers					28	17		475
NEW	27	Serenade - Slim Whitman					24			455
NEW	28	Rich Man Poor Man - Jimmy Young					25			390
25	29	Ivory Tower - The Three Kayes					30	16		365
27	30	You Can't Be True To Two - Dave King						20		220
		The Wayward Wind - Tex Ritter					30			65
		Songs For Swingin' Lovers (LP) - Frank Sinatra					16		13	2055
		Carousel Soundtrack (LP)							19	720
26		Rock Island Line - Lonnie Donegan
29		Carousel Waltz - Ray Martin
30		Take It Satch (EP) - Louis Armstrong

[MrTibbs]

Sorted, probably because both were listed in close proximity to each other.