Happy Birthday, Chicago! (The Friday Five)

The Friday Five 1 Minute

The City of Chicago was incorporated on this date in 1837, the same day Martin Van Buren was inaugurated as President of the United States. So today, let’s set the clock back and enjoy the Top Five from this date in 1961, according to WLS in Chicago.


 

  1. Jimmy’s Girl – Johnny Tillotson: Nationally, this song peaked at #25, but Chicago listeners obviously liked the crooners like Johnny a lot better.
  2. Baby Sittin’ Boogie – Buzz Clifford: From beautiful Berwyn, Illinois, this was Buzz’s biggest hit, reaching #6 nationally.
  3. Calcutta – Lawrence Welk: This was just sliding down the charts by March 1961, but it had been Lawrence’s only #1 in late 1960. A little champagne music for your Friday! An’-a one an’-a two…
  4. Apache – Jørgen Ingmann: Danish guitarist Ingmann covered this song by The Shadows, which had reached #1 in the UK in 1960, and had a #1 with it in the US. Evidently, Ingmann also played with The Champs on their big hit, “Tequila.”
  5. The Touchables – Dickie Goodman: Yes, a novelty record topped the chart… Dickie Goodman had had several hits with his “break-in” technique, where snippets of songs (guess they would call them “samples” now) would provide the answers to questions. My favorite Dickie Goodman recording was 1966’s “Batman and his Grandmother”.

Thanks, as always, go to Oldiesloon for maintaining an incredible collection of surveys from all over the country. Be sure to visit them and check out their collection.

That’s your Friday Five for March 4, 2016.

Published by John Holton

Internet disc jockey, lover of old TV (especially the commercials), inveterate wise guy.

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5 thoughts on “Happy Birthday, Chicago! (The Friday Five)”

  1. “Calcutta” and “Apache” I remember well. Not so the other 3. I used to love those novelty “sample” songs when I was a kid. Not something I’d want to listen to repeatedly now.

    Arlee Bird
    A to Z Challenge Co-host
    Tossing It Out

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    1. Those were the only two I had heard until today.

      Novelty records like “The Touchables” are funny the first time you hear them, and get old in a real hurry. Even the baby sitter song gets tiresome after you hear it a couple of times. The others I could listen to all day.

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  2. Those songs are from the year before I was born. Interesting mix.
    hey, I just wanted to let you know that I’m passing on the Music & Words Award nomination onto you. Mary from Jingle Jangle Jungle nominated me and I just finished my post. Was fun to do. Of course you are under no obligation to participate. And you may be participating through someone else anyway. If interested, check out my post with the details:

    https://angelsbark.wordpress.com/2016/03/04/music-and-words-award-mwa/

    Michele at Angels Bark

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