Category: Country Music Greats
One great song two very different versions, both big hits. Nat King Cole charted his classic version of…MONA LISA in 1950. His version became a #1 hit on both the Billboard R&B and Pop charts. The single record on Capitol Records (F1010) became a #1 R&B hit for 4 weeks and a #1 Pop hit for 8 weeks. Nat’s version sold over 1 million copies and was awarded a “Gold Record”. He also won a “Grammy: Hall of Fame” award. The song was featured in the movie…”Captain Carey, U.S.A. starring Alan Ladd.
Carl Mann charted a rock-a-billy version in 1959. His recording on Phillips Records (3539) became a #24 Billboard R&B hit and a #25 Billboard Hot 100 hit. Carl’s version of MONA LISA remained on the Hot 100 for 16 weeks.
Conway Twitty charted his version of MONA LISA also in 1959. Conway’s version on MGM Records (12804) charted at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained on th
e chart for 12 weeks.
Three versions of one classic song…pick your favorite…all three are here for you enjoyment.
Nat King Cole – Mona Lisa-1950 #1 R&B and Pop (Capitol Records)
Conway Twitty – Mona Lisa – 1959
Till the next time—Joe
THE SONGS IN THIS POST BECAME THE FIRST #1 HIT RECORDS OF THE YEAR…1956-1960. CLASSIC #1′S FROM THE “GOLDEN ERA OF ROCK AND ROLL”.
1956–MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS–DEAN MARTIN CAPITOL RECORDS…THIS SONG WAS #1 FOR 6 WEEKS…CHARTED AT #1 ON 1/7/56.
1957–SINGING THE BLUES–GUY MITCHELL COLUMBIA RECORDS. THIS SONG WAS #1 FOR 10 WEEKS…CHARTING AT #1 ON 12/8/56.
1958–AT THE HOP–DANNY & THE JUNIORS ABC-PARAMOUNT RECORDS. THIS SONG WAS #1 FOR 7 WEEKS…CHARTING AT #1 ON 1/6/58.
1959–SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES–THE PLATTERS MERCURY RECORDS. THIS SONG WAS #1 FOR 3 WEEKS…CHARTING AT #1 ON 1/19/59.
1960–EL PASO–MARTY ROBBINS COLUMBIA RECORDS. THIS SONG WAS #1 FOR 2 WEEKS (POP)…CHARTING AT #1 ON 1/4/60
1961-1965 AND 1966-1970…WILL BE FEATURED IN NEW POSTS TO FOLLOW…THE GREAT HITS AND THE WONDERFUL ARTISTS WHO RECORDED THESE TUNES ARE A SPECIAL PART OF THE “GOLDEN ERA OF ROCK AND ROLL”.
TILL THE NEXT TIME—JOE
I can still remember the day my father brought a 45 RPM record home from work and hande
d it to me. He said that he heard the song and liked it and thought that I would too. I must say that my dad did not bring records home. He did not like rock and roll and was always telling me to turn that “crap” down. The record he brought home was a shinny “Sun Records” single in a picture sleeve…that record was…Johnny Cash singing his current single…”GUESS THINGS HAPPEN THAT WAY / “COME IN STRANGER”.
It was June of 1958 and that single began its climb on the Billboard Top 100 and Billboard C&W charts. The top side of the single…”GUESS THINGS HAPPEN THAT WAY” (Sun 295) climbed the Top 100 all the way to #11 and remained on the pop chart for 16 weeks. The single was even bigger on the C&W chart, peaking at #1 and staying at the top of the chart for 8 weeks. Johnny Cash enjoyed 24 weeks on the C&W chart.
I really enjoyed that record and discovered that my dad liked the “rockabilly” sound of Johnny Cash. He was one of his favorites. Like any record buyer of the day, of course I flipped the record over and discovered another great hit…”COME IN STRANGER”. The single 
charted on the Top 100 at #66 and on the C&W chart it became a Top 10 hit…charting at #6. The picture sleeve was a dark cover, with Johnny Cash sitting on a stool…that record remains one of my favorite Johnny Cash singles…”Thanks Dad”…Johnny’s probably singing it for you in “Heaven”.
CLICK THE TITLE BELOW…JOHNNY CASH…IS WAITING TO SING HIS CLASSIC HITS FROM 1958…”GUESS THINGS HAPPEN THAT WAY” AND “COME IN STRANGER”
Till the next time—Joe
The Everly Brothers were at the top of the charts when Cadence Records released their ne
west single…BIRD DOG / DEVOTED TO YOU in early August of 1958. Don and Phil Everly charted a #2 pop hit and a #1 C&W hit with…BYE BYE LOVE in 1957 and followed it up with a #1 pop hit, a #1 R&B hit and a #1 C&W hit in September of 1957 with…WAKE UP LITTLE SUSIE. They were just coming off the Billboard Top 100 with their biggest hit single record…ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM, a #1 pop, R&B and C&W hit.
On August 4, 1958 their latest single charted…BIRD DOG (Cadence 1350). The single was a huge hit and was in heavy play rotation on AM pop radio. The Everly Brothers latest hit went to the top of both the pop and C&W charts, making it their third #1 pop hit and fourth C&W #1. A week later on August 11, 1958 the flip-side of the single…DEVOTED TO YOU made its chart debut. The beautiful ballad featured a perfect blend of Don and Phil’s wonderful voices and became a smash hit of its own, charting at #10 on the Billboard Top
100. The single became The Everly Brothers first hit that featured both sides of the record, becoming Top 10 hits.
CLICK THE TITLE BELOW…THE EVERLY BROTHERS…ARE SINGING THEIR 1958 MILLION-SELLER…”BIRD DOG” AND “DEVOTED TO YOU”…SMASH HITS FROM THE “GOLDEN ERA OF ROCK AND ROLL”.
Till the next time—Joe
