The Intro
In a year in which US crooner Frankie Laine so completely dominated the fledgling UK charts, it seems fitting that he finished 1953 at the top.
Before
Even more so that it was with Answer Me, which as I mentioned here, is so typically of its time. Despite becoming banned by the BBC for its religious content (yes, really), both Laine’s version and David Whitfield’s continued to outsell the other top 10 as winter set in. After a week at number 1, Hull-born tenor David Whitfield’s single was overtaken by Laine’s version.
Review
Although nothing can disguise the cloying sentimentality of Answer Me, this recording, with the backing of Paul Weston & his Orchestra, is stronger. Laine’s singing is more natural, and softer, with an organ, guitar and choir accompanying him. Like I Believe, he saves the bellowing until the end, giving the song time to build.
After
Laine’s version reached number 1 on 13 November, and there it remained until 7 January 1954, for a very impressive eight weeks.
However, on 11 December, David Whitfield’s version sold equally well. Or at least, it did in the few shops whose sales counted towards the top 12. And so for a week, both versions were recognised as number 1 singles. It’s a shame it didn’t occur during Christmas week, it could have become pop music’s version of the Christmas truce in World War One.
As mentioned in my blog on Whitfield’s version, both he and Laine later recorded covers of Answer Me, My Love, in which the then-shocking references to God were removed. Neither of these outperformed their first versions though. Just goes to show the universal appeal and interest in ‘banned’ songs really.
The Outro
With a few slight exceptions, looking back at the number 1 singles of 1953 has proven that ‘pop’ music had a long way to go before it became exciting, memorable and most importantly, fun. However, some of the key ingredients were starting to fall into place.
The Info
Written by
Gerhard Winkler & Fred Rauch/Carl Sigman (English lyrics)
Producer
Mitch Miller
Weeks at number 1
8 (13 November 1953-7 January 1954)
Trivia
Births
16 November 1953: Comedian Griff Rhys Jones
26 November: Labour MP Hilary Benn
28 November: Labour MP Alistair Darling
6 December: Labour MP Geoff Hoon
13 December: Comedian Jim Davidson
6 January 1954: Director Anthony Minghella
Meanwhile…
20 November: Piltdown Man, discovered in 1912 and believed to be the remains of an early human, were proved to be a hoax.
25 November: England lost dramatically to Hungary in football’s ‘Match of the Century’ by 6-3, ending a 90-year unbeaten home run against sides from outside the British Isles.
26 November: The House of Lords voted to go ahead with the government’s plans for commercial television.
10 December: Winston Churchill won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
