In February we shall return to looking at Instruments of the Orchestra and their repertoire. For the four Fridays in December last year we looked at Christmas Number 2s. (You can still scroll down and have a look at them.) This year we’ll be going one better and looking at a selection of Christmas Number 1s from the British Hit Singles Chart. The British Hit Singles Chart was first announced on 14th November 1952. It was a Top 12 complied by New Musical Express. “Here in my Heart” (Al Martino) was the first No.1. He was at the top for nine weeks and so of course was the first Christmas No.1 too! We shall look at my favourite Christmas No.1s from the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s this month. Next year we will at least try to find some good Christmas No.1s from after this period (if they exist). “It’s only make believe” is a rather sad song about a one-sided relationship. It was No.1 for five weeks in 1958. Conway Twitty (1933-1993) wrote it with Jack Nance. Conway’s real name was Harold Jenkins, but even sixty years ago this wasn’t perceived as a marketable name and so he changed it.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 09:37:53 +0000