13th November, 1953 (8 weeks)
I said 'Answer Me' would be back before you knew it! Making its second appearance at number 1, this time recorded by Frankie Laine, making his 3rd appearance in this position for 1953:
Not content with having the biggest selling single of 1953, Mr Rawhide claimed the 1953 Christmas Number 1 as well with his version of the previous number 1 single. The first (but not only) time a number 1 would be removed by another version of the same song.
Which ties in nicely with the common theme of number 1 singles being a snap shot of popularity, not necessarily cultural trends. Multiple versions of the same version of a song appearing in the charts is still going to this day - the best example probably being the battle for Christmas number 1 2008 between Alexandra Burke and Jeff Buckley, which was of course well and truly won by X-Factor's Alexandra Burke. But more on that 'a bit later on'.
As a song though, I much prefer this version to David Whitfield's. Frankie Laine's voice is much rawer and charged with emotion, lending a greater poignancy to the song over the irritating operatic style of Whitfield.
No comments:
Post a Comment