1959: When a Lovely Flame Dies

 9 — The Platters: "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"

 6 — Ritchie Valens: "Donna" / "La Bamba"

 1 — David Seville & The Chipmunks: "Alvin's Harmonica"

 5 — The Coasters: "Charlie Brown"

 4 — Frankie Avalon: "Venus"

 5 — Buddy Holly: "It Doesn't Matter Anymore"

 7 — The Fleetwoods: "Come Softy to Me"

 5 — Elvis Presley: "(Now and Then) There's a Fool Such as I" / "I Need Your Love Tonight"
 4 — Travis & Bob: "Tell Him No"

 4 — Wilbert Harrison: "Kansas City"

 3 — Johnny Horton: "The Battle of New Orleans"

 6 — Elvis Presley: "A Big Hunk o' Love" / "My Wish Came True"

 2 — The Browns: "The Three Bells"

 7 — Phil Phillips with The Twilights: "Sea of Love"

 4 — Ivo Robić: "Morgen"

10 — Bobby Darin: "Mack the Knife"

 7 — The Fleetwoods: "Mr. Blue"

 6 — Guy Mitchell: "Heartaches by the Number"

 8 — Marty Robbins: "El Paso"

Things picked up towards the end but on the whole 1959 proved to be a grim year for CHUM number ones. Beyond "Alvin's Harmonica", "The Battle of New Orleans" and "The Three Bells", nothing was truly awful but mediocrity reigned for much of the year.

It is in this context that I confess I had doubts about this year's finest number one, Bobby Darin's "Mack the Knife". Is it only so great because the likes of Johnny Horton, The Browns and Ivo Robić set such a piss poor standard? Would it hold up against some half-decent competition? I wrestled with these questions for a little while before concluding that it's an absolutely astonishing recording no matter how you slice it. A well deserved 10 to rank right alongside the many that will eventually come from the sixties, seventies and eighties — hell, maybe I'll be in a good enough mood to hand out a few top marks to some nineties singles as well.

Looking ahead, 1960 doesn't look to be a whole lot better that the year preceding it — and, in fact, it may prove to be even worse when you consider that those who saved the day in '59 — The Platters, The Fleetwoods, Bobby "you magnificent bastard" Darin, Marty Robbins — aren't around a year later while a pair who clearly let the side down — The Browns, Johnny Horton — will be back for yet more number one action. Plus, there are a few others I'm not looking forward to reviewing. Here's hoping that someone like Jeanne Black, Hank Locklin or Lolita manages to give me a pleasant surprise. Otherwise it's looking like a pretty fun Johnny and the Hurricanes instrumental, Elvis making the most of his post-army balladeering and little else. 1964 cannot come fast enough.

Then again, hopefully this means we'll have a case of 'bad songs, awesome blog'. Fingers crossed, my friends...