Dickie Valentine - Finger Of Suspicion

Dickie Valentine - 'Finger Of Suspicion'

7th January, 1955 (1 week)

21st January, 1955 (2 weeks)

Dickie Valentine was one of the most successful of the British 'big band' singers - he was even voted the top British male vocalist in 1954 after he went solo and here he is, topping the UK charts for the first time at the start of 1955 with the first of his two Number 1s.

It's easy to see why he was so popular with his wining smile, trademark look & sound and captivating performance style; and despite only having two Number 1s, he did also have a run of other memorable songs to chart, such as 'Mr Sandman' and 'Teenager in Love'.

But ultimately Dickie Valentine's place here at the top of the charts in 1955 - the year that rock n' roll really took off - is quite fitting. Representing the vanguard of a sound that had become old, that was already of the past - that was soon to be replaced by Bill Haley & The Comets as the wave of rock n' roll swept over the nation.

In the meantime, however, there were no good videos of this song available. So here's Dickie Valentine performing 'King Of Dixieland' in 1958 and you'll soon see why he was so popular.

And Then There Were Two

Dear Was That Really At Number 1? readers, it's time for a small side-note.

Ok, so, bare with me on this one. As the UK charts entered 1955, a new chart sprang up. Now, original and the one we've been following, was the New Musical Express chart. But the contender to the throne, launched on 22nd January 1955, was the Record Mirror chart.

By and large the results are fairly similar with a few exceptions, which, if worthy, will be noted.

However, in the interests of continuity we will be sticking with the New Musical Express chart for this period, because the Record Mirror chart would stop making their own independent charts in 1962 and the New Musical Express chart was the chart that became part of the Official Charts Company's records.

This arrangement will only stand until 1960, when the Record Retailer chart will take over, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Phew, that's that out of the way. I hope you've enjoyed what you've seen so far, and I hope you enjoy what you will get to see in the future.

Winifred Atwell - Let's Have Another Party

Winifred Atwell - 'Let's Have Another Party'

3rd December, 1954 (5 weeks)

Winifred Atwell, the first black person to reach the top of the UK charts, became the 3rd UK Christmas Number 1 in 1954 with the follow up to her previous hit 'Let's Have A Party'.

On stage, Atwell was charming, warm and dazzled with her skills at the piano. No wonder she became a star in an austere, post-War Britain - she once performed a private show for Queen Elizabeth and was personally called back for an encore by the monarch herself.

Rosemary Clooney - This Ole House

Rosemary Clooney - 'This Ole House'

26th November, 1954 (1 week)

American singer Rosemary Clooney - aunt of some chap named George - scored her first UK Number 1 towards the end of 1954 with her version of This Ole House. Her popularity had been boosted earlier in the year by starring in the classic film alongside Bing Crosby (who would recall her as 'the best in the business').

Much as this song makes you smile when you listen to it, it was a 'bit' misunderstood by Clooney - a mistake that Was That Really At Number One? readers will see repeated by Shakin' Stevens in the 1980s. The song, written by Stuart Hamblen, is actually intended as an epitaph for a dead man he found in a dilapidated old house, miles from civilization whilst out hunting with his friend John Wayne...

But sod all that misery. Feel free to bop away to this one:

Vera Lynn - My Son, My Son

Vera Lynn - 'My Son, My Son'

5th November, 1954 (2 weeks)

Vera Lynn, aka, The Troops' sweetheart - As British as Doctor Who and a bowler hat - scored her only UK number 1 towards the end of her height as a recording artist.

Fondly remembered by many as a symbol of plucky British morale during The War, Vera Lynn is greatly remembered for songs such as 'We'll Meet Again', 'The White Cliffs Of Dover' and 'Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart' often used as morale boosters on her tours for British troops during WWII. Of course, it's this that gives Dame Vera Lynn that special place in the British psyche.

Placing aside my usual flippant and slightly condescending attitude, Vera Lynn is truly a special force in the history of UK music. The direct impact of her legacy may not be as obvious as The Beatles or The Smiths. But as an icon, as a concept - to this day - she manages to sum up an attitude that the British hold about themselves (rightly or wrongly). She is the embodiment of the British blitz spirit: the musical version of a cup of tea and the personification of our 'keep calm and carry on' attitude.

And that makes it a shame that this was her only UK Number 1. It's not a bad song, but it's not one of her greats. Had there been a British music charts in the 1940s, it's pretty much a given she would have achieved a lot more than this sole entry at Number 1: Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart made her the first British act to top the charts in America, for no less than 9 weeks.

But her impact on Britain as a country was remembered once again when she returned to the top in 2009 with her number 1 album 'We'll Meet Again: The Very Best of Vera Lynn', making her career in music one of the longest in British history. And bloody good for her, I say.