♫Young Love♫

Many songs have been hits by different recording artists. For some, the original never charted, for others both the original and cover charted. Then, there are those that seemed to reach No.1 with multiple recordings. Perhaps it's the song...just the song that holds the heart within its clutches with words that strike deep down into the soul. Those about love... you know the kind, the young love!

Instead of one recording artist, this spotlight shines on the hit song...

"Young Love"

 "Young Love" is a popular song, written by Ric Cartey and Carole Joyner and published in 1956. While not necessarily a No.1 every time, the song charted several times over the years with well known cover versions even though the original version never charted. Listen to some of the different versions, then, decide who you like the best. Many reached the No.1 spot!

1957 American movie idol and singer Tab Hunter was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Young Love', the singers only UK No.1 hit. The recording by American actor and singer Tab Hunter was released by Dot Records. It first reached the Billboard charts on January 19, 1957. On the Disk Jockey chart, it peaked at No.1; on the Best Seller chart, at No.1; on the Juke Box chart, at No.1; on the composite chart of the top 100 songs, it reached No.1. This version stayed No.1 for a full six weeks and became a gold record. Billboard justly ranked this version as the No.4 song for 1957. The success of this record led Warner Bros., where Hunter was a contract player, to form Warner Bros. Records.

 

The original version was recorded by Ric Cartey With The Jiva-Tones on November 24, 1956. Cartey's version never charted.

The recording by American country singer Sonny James was released by Capitol Records. It first reached the Billboard chart on January 5, 1957. On the Disk Jockey chart, it peaked at No.1; on the Best Seller chart, at No.2; on the Juke Box chart, at No.4; on the composite chart of the top 100 songs, it reached No.2. On Billboard's country music charts, it was a No.1 hit for nine weeks, and remained the longest-reigning of James' 23 chart-topping songs on the chart. Billboard ranked it as the No.8 song of the year for 1957.

The recording by the Canadian vocal group The Crew-Cuts was released by Mercury Records. It first reached the Billboard chart on January 26, 1957. On the Disk Jockey chart, it peaked at No.17; on the Juke Box chart, at No.17; on the composite chart of the top 100 songs, it reached No.24.

In 1973, the song was revived by American teen idol Donny Osmond on MGM Records. The Mike Curb and Don Costa produced version became a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching No.23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No.1 on the UK Singles Chart, spending four weeks at the top in August 1973.

 

Click the icon at left for the songs that were No.1 on February 19 from 1940 to 2016. Then, select a year to see all songs that hit No.1 in that year. Here are but a few for your listening enjoyment to bring on the memories...

 

1966 Lou Christie went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Lightnin Strikes', a No.11 hit in the UK. Nancy Sinatra held the UK No.1 single position with 'These Boots Are Made For Walkin'.

1972 Harry Nilsson started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with his version of the Badfinger song 'Without You'. His vocal was recorded in a single take and his performance was rewarded with Nilsson's second Grammy Award.

1977 Manfred Mann's Earth Band scored a No.1 single in the US with their version of the Bruce Springsteen song 'Blinded By The Light.' The track was the first single from Bruce Springsteen's 1973 debut album Greetings from Asbury Park N.J. The Earth Band's version features several changed lyrics. The most prominent change is in the chorus, where Springsteen's "cut loose like a deuce" is replaced with "revved up like a deuce." Springsteen himself has said that it was not until Manfred Mann rewrote the song to be about a "feminine hygiene product" that it became popular. 

1983 Patti Austin and James Ingram started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Baby Come To Me', a No.11 hit in the UK. 

1964 A British company shipped ½ ton of Beatle wigs to the US. An American reporter later asked John Lennon, "How do you feel about teenagers imitating you with Beatle wigs?" John replied "They're not imitating us because we don't wear Beatle wigs."

2004 Johnny Cash's family blocked an attempt by advertisers to use his hit song 'Ring of Fire' to promote haemorrhoid-relief products. The idea is said to have been backed by Merle Kilgore, who co-wrote the song with Cash's wife, June Carter Cash. Cash's daughter Rosanne said the family "would never allow the song to be demeaned like that."

 
And the music goes on beating to the rhythm of the changing time...