1953 Music – Pop Standards and Artists

1953 Pop Standards and Artists

Dean Martin
That’s Amore
This song would always be associated with Dean Martin and is his signature song. The song was written in 1952 by Harry Warren and Jack Brooks and became Dean Martins Hit in 1953. The first public performance of the song was part of the soundtrack tor the Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin comedy film, The Caddy. It was nominated for an Academy Award for 1953 bur lost to Doris Days Secret Love. The song would have a resurgence in popularity when used in film Moonstruck, starring Cher and Nicholas Care.

Eddie Fischer
Oh My Papa
The song was originally written for a German musical called Der Schwarze and was called Oh Mein Papa. The song would become popular in the UK when recorded as an instrumental. When the song came to America and the lyrics translated, the song would shoot up to # 1 on the charts

Frank Sinatra
I’ve Got The World On A String
The song was written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler in 1932 for The Cotton Club Parade. Introduced by Bing Crosby and Cab Calloway the song would make it to the Billboard charts in 1953 when recorded by Sinatra. The song would top at # 14 on the charts.

Joni James
Your Cheatin Heart
The song was written by Hank Williams and recorded by him in 1952. The song, however, would not be released until after Hanks Death in 1953. The song is thought to be one of the great country music songs and would become a major hit when recorded by Joni James.

Kay Starr
Side by Side
This song was originally written by Gus Kahn and Harry Woods in 1927. It is now considered an American Standard but it did not begin to attain that status until the 1953 Kay Starr recording.

Patti Page
(How Much is That) Doggie in the Window
Bob Merrill and Ingrid Reuterskiold wrote this song in 1952, but it was the next year when Patti Page recorded the song that it would become a hit. The song would reach #1 and is noted as the first #1 song that had a question in the title.

Tony Bennett
Stranger in Paradise
Originally the song was part of the musical Kismet. Written by Robert Wright and George Forrest, but is based on music composed by Alexander Borodin, titled “Gliding Dance of the Maidens,” from the Polovtsian Dances.
Vic Damone and Anne Blythe sang the song in the film version of the show, but the hit would be sung by Tony Bennett even though the song was recorded by several other artists.

Tony Bennett
Rags To Riches
Rags to Riches was written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross and reached #1 on the Billboard Charts. The song stayed popular and in 1976 Elvis Presley sang the song unrehearsed at his concert in Pittsburgh. The song became a regular piece of comedy when the first line of the song was sung by Shirley Finney’s boyfriend Carmine Ragusa on Laverne and Shirley.

Frankie Laine
I Believe
Written by Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, and Al Saltzman In 1953 the song was actually commissioned by Jane Froman for her television show. Froman was concerned about the goings-on in the US and asked for a song that could renew faith in troubled times. Frankie Lane would make a big hit with the song and his version of the song holds the record for staying on the charts longest, 18 weeks, in the UK.
I believe would go on to be recorded over and over again by many artists. The song became a signature song for the Lettermen and would go on to achieve almost the status of a hymn.

Top Artists and Songs of 1953