M-R

Mabellene

Chuck Berry

1955

(#5) Chuck Berry, Russell Fratto (also by Johnny Rivers, #12 in 1964)

MacArthur Park

Richard Harris

1968

(#2) Jim Webb (also rec. by Donna Summer, 1978)

Macho Man

Village People. The

1978

(#25)

Mack the Knife (Moritat)  

Bobby Darin

1959

(#1 for 9 wks) Bertolt Brecht (E. Marc Blitzstein) & Kurt Weill; in The Three Penny Opera; Grammy, ‘59 (best record)

Madiera

Limelighters, The

Maggie May

Rod Stewart

1971

(#1 for 5 weeks) Martin Quittenton, Rod Stewart

Magic Carpet Ride

Steppenwolf

1968

(#3)

Magic Man

Heart

1976

Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson

Magic Moments

Perry Como

1958

Hal David, Bert Bacharach

Magic Touch, The

Platters, The

1956

(#4) Buck Ram (inst version by Hugo Winterhalter #22 in 1954)

Magical Mystery Tour  

Beatles, The

John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Main Event, The

Barbra Streisand

1979

(#3) Paul Jabara, Bob Esty, Bruce Roberts; from the movie of the same name

Mairzy Doats

Burl Ives

1964

Milton Drake, Al Hoffman & Jerry Livingston, 1943

Make Believe

Jimmy Lunceford

1936

Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern; from the musical "Showboat," 1927

Make Her Mine

Nat "King" Cole

1954

(#19) Sammy Gallop, Chester Conn

Make It Easy on Yourself

Walker Brothers, The

1965

(#16) Hal David, Bert Bacharach (also Jerry Butler, #20 in 1962)

Make Love to Me!

Jo Stafford

1954

(#1) Bill Norvas, Leon Roppolo, et al

Make Me Your Baby

Barbara Lewis

1965

(#11)

Make the World Go Away

Eddy Arnold

1965

(#6) Hank Cochran

Makin’ Whooppee

1928

Gus Cahn, Walter Donaldson

Making Love Out Of Nothing At All

Air Supply

1983

(#2) Graham Russell

Mama Don’t Allow

Rooftop Singers, The

1963

(#55) Charles Davenport, 1929 (also by The Limelighters)

Mama Said

Shirelles, The

1961

(#3)

Mama Told Me Not To Come

Three Dog Night

1970

(#1 for 2 weeeks) Randy Newman

Mama Tried

Merle Haggard

1965

Merle Haggard

Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies

Waylon Jennings

1978

(#42)

Mambo Italiano

Rosemary Clooney

1954

(#10) Bob Merrill

Mambo Rock

Bill Haley & His Comets

1955

(#18)

Man of La Mancha

1965

Joe Darien, Mitch Leigh

Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The

Gene Pitney

1962

(#4) Hal David, Bert Bacharach

Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me)

Peggy Lee

1948

Peggy Lee, Dave Barbour

Mandy

Barry Manilow

1974

(#1) Scott English, Richard Kerr

Maneater

Hall & Oates

1982

(#1)

Manhattan

Ella Fitzgerald

1956

Lorenz Hart & Richard Rodgers

Manhattan Serenade

Jo Stafford

1943

Harold Adamson & Louis Alter

Manhattan Spiritual

Reg Owen & His Orchestra

1958

(#10) (instrumental)

Margaritaville

Jimmy Buffettt

1977

(#8) Jimmy Buffett

Margie  

Benny Goodman

1938

Bennie Davis, Con Conrad & J.R. Robinson, 1920

Maria Elena  

Los Indios Trabajares

1963

(#6) Eng. S.K. Russell, Lorenzo Barcelata; recorded earlier by Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Helen O'Connell vocal, 1941

Maria

Johnny Mathis

1960

(#18) Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, from the Broadway play Westside Story

Maria Elena

Los Indios Trabajares

1963

(#22) Lorenzo Barcelata

Marianne  

Terry Gilkyson & The Easy Riders

1957

(#4) Terry Gilkeyson (on charts 19 weeks) Pos. adapted from "Mary Ann" by Jamie Yamin (E. Joe Davis), 1945

Marie  

Bachelors, The

1965

(#15) Irving Berlin, 1928 (also by The Four Tunes, #13 in 1953)

Marvelous Toy, The

Chad Mitchell Trio, The

1963

(#43) also by Peter, Paul & Mary

Mary In the Morning

Al Martino

1967

Johnny Cymbal, Mike Lendell

Mary’s A Grand Old Name

1906

George M. Cohan

Massachusetts

Bee Gees, The

1969

Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb

Matter of Trust, A

Billy Joel

1986

(#18)

May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose

Li’l Jimmy Dickens

1965

(#15) (named because he’s only 4’11")

May You Always  

McGuire Sisters, The

1959

(#11) Larry Markes & Dick Charles

Maybe Baby

Buddy Holly

1958

(#17)

Maybe It Was Memphis

Pam Tillis

Michael Anderson

Maybe You’ll Be There  

Jane Morgan

1958?

Sammy Gallop, Rube Bloom, 1947; rec. 1948 by Gordon Jenkins Orchestra, Charles Levere vocal

Maybe

Perry Como and Eddie Fisher

1952

(#3) Allan Flynn, Frank Maddem

McNamara’s Band

1917

John Stanford, m Shamus O’Connor

Me & Julio Down By the Schoolyard

Paul Simon

1972

(#22) Paul Simon

Me & You & A Dog Named Boo

1971

Kent LaVoie

Me and Bobby McGee

Janis Joplin

1971

(#1) Kris Kristopherson, Fred L. Foster, 1969

Me And My Shadow

Frank Sinatra

1961

Billy Rose, Dave Dreyer, 1925; initially plugged by Al Jolson; identified with Ted Lewis

Mean to Me

Linda Ronstadt

1984

Roy Turk, Fred Ahlert, 1929; previously recorded by Billie Holiday, 1937

Meet Me at Midnight Mary

Joey Powers

1963

(#10)

Melancholy Me

Eddy Howard

1954

(#16)

Melancholy Serenade

Jackie Gleason

1953

Jackie Gleason; vocal version rec. by Connie Francis, 1959

Mellow Yellow

Donovan

1966

(#2) Donovan; Paul McCartney sang backup

Memories Are Made of This  

Dean Martin

1955

(#1 for 6 weeks) Terry Gilkeyson, Richard Dehr & Frank Miller

Memories Of You

Four Coins, The

1955

(#22) Andy Razaf, Eubie Blake, 1930

Memory

Trevor Nunn (after T.S. Eliot), Andrew Lloyd Weber; from the musical "Cats"

Memphis

Johnny Rivers

1964

(#2) Chuck Berry; previously by Lonnie Mack, 1963

Mercy Mercy Mercy

Buckinghams, The

1967

(#5) Joe Zawinul

Mermaid, The

Limelighters, The

Merry Minuet, The

Kingston Trio, The

1959

Sheldon Harnick (lyricist for "Fiddler on the Roof") song is from musical theater, but where?

Message of Our Love

Association, The

Curt Boettcher, Tandyn Almer

Michael Row The Boat Ashore

Highwaymen, The

1961

(#1) adapted from a 19th century slave song by Tony Saletan & The Weavers; also Trini Lopez ‘64 (#42)

Michelle

Beatles, The

1966

John Lennon, Paul McCartney; Grammy winner 1966 (song)

Midnight at the Oasis

Maria Muldaur

1974

(#6)

Midnight Blue

Melissa Manchester

1975

(#6) Melissa Muldaur, Carole Bayer Sager

Midnight Confession

Grass Roots, The

1968

(#5)

Midnight In Moscow

Kenny Ball

1962

(#3) Vassili Soloview-Sedoi; adapted by Kenny Ball

Midnight Rider  

Allman Brothers, The

Midnight Special

Limelighters, The

adapted by Huddie Ledbetter (Leadbelly) from traditional

Midnight Train to Georgia

Gladys Knight & The Pips

1973

Jim Weatherly

Mighty Mississippi

Minute By Minute

Doobie Brothers, The

1978

(#1) Abrams & Michael McDonald

Mission Bell

Donnie Brooks

1960

(#7)

Mississippi Squirel Revival

Ray Stevens

Ray Stevens

Misty  

Johnny Mathis

1959

(#12) Erroll Garner (#30, 1954) & Johnny Burke

Mixed Emotions

Rosemary Clooney

1951

(#22)

Mockin’bird Hill

Les Paul & Mary Ford

1950

Vaughn Horton (also by Patti Page, #2 in 1951)

Mocking Bird, The

Four Lads, The

1958

(#32)

Mockingbird  

James Taylor/Carly Simon

1974

(#5) Carly Simon is daughter of publisher Simon & Schuster

Moments to Remember  

Four Lads, The

1955

(#1 for 6 wks, charted 25) Robert Allen & Al Stillman

Mona Lisa  

Nat "King" Cole

1950

(#1) Jay Livingston, Ray Evans; in Neptune’s Daughter; Oscar winner, 1950 (their 2nd)

Monday Monday

Mamas & Papas

1966

(#1 for 3 weeks) John Phillips

Money (That’s What I Want)

Barrett Strong

1960

(#23)

Money Burns a Hole in My Pocket

Dean Martin

1954

(#23)

Money

Kingsmen, The

1964

(#16)

Monster Mash

Bobby "Boris" Pickett

1962

(#1) Bobby Pickett, Leonard Capizzi

Montego Bay

Bobby Bloom

1970

(#8)

Mony Mony

Tommy James

1968

(#3)

Mood Indigo  

Duke Ellington

1931

Duke Ellington, Irving Mills (Mitchell Parish?) & Albany Bigard; possibly by Parrish - Bigard only

Moody River

Pat Boone

1961

(#1) Gary Bruce

Moon Over Miami

Ray Charles

1956

Edgar Leslie, Joe Burke, 1935

Moon River  

Henry Mancini

1961

(#11) Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini; in Breakfast at Tiffany’s; Oscar & 2 Grammies (song, record) 1961

Moon Shadow

Cat Stevens

1971

(#30)

Moonglow and Theme from "Picnic"

Morris Stoloff & His Orchestra

1956

(#1) "Moonglow" by Will Hudson, Eddie De Lange, & Irving Mills (‘34); DeLange dead 10 years before song hit

Moonlight and Roses (Bring Mem'ries of You)

Three Suns, The

1954

(#24) Ben Black, Neil Moret, 1925

Moonlight And Roses

Ray Coniff

1962

Charles Daniels, 1904? Or (Black/Leamre/Moret) as per Platters, et al?

Moonlight Bay

1912

Edward Madden, Percy Wenrich

Moonlight Becomes You  

Bing Crosby

1942

Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen; written especially for Crosby in "Road to Morocco"

Moonlight Feels Right

Starbuck

1976

(#3) Michael Blackman

Moonlight Gambler

Frankie Laine

1956

(#3) Bob Hilliard, Philip Springer; Laine's last big hit

Moonlight In Vermont  

Margaret Whiting

1944

John Blackburn, Karl Suessdorf (also by Willie Nelson, 1978)

Moonlight Serenade  

Glenn Miller

1939

Mitchell Parish (Later), Glenn Miller

Moonshiner, The

Traditional

More I See You, The  

Chris Montez

1966

Mack Gordon, Harry Warren; previously recorded by Harry James (with Dick Haymes), 1945

More Than A Feeling

Boston

1976

Tom Scholz

More Than I Can Say

Leo Sayer

1980

(#2) Sonny Curtiss (formerly of The Cricketts), Jerry Allison

More Than You Know  

Woody Herman

1948

Billy Rose, Edward Eliscu, Vincent Youmans

More  

Kai Winding

1963

(#8) Norman Newell, Riz Ortolani, from the movie Mondo Cane

More

Perry Como

1956

(#4) Tom Glazer, Alex Alstone

Morning Has Broken

Cat Stevens

1972

(#6) Eleanor Farjeon, to traditional melody; arr.Cat Stevens

Morning Side Of the Mountain, The

Tommy Edwards

1959

(#27) Dick Manning, Larry Stock

Morning Train

Sheena Easton

1981

(#21) (on charts 21 weeks)

Most of All

Don Cornell

1955

(#14)

Mostly Martha

Crew-Cuts, The

1955

(#31)

Mother and Child Reunion

Paul Simon

1972

(#4) Paul Simon

Mother-in-Law

Ernie K-Doe

1961

(#1) Allen Toussaint

Mountain Dew

Lulu Belle & Scoty Wiseman

1939

Orig. by Bascomb Lunsford, mid 1930s; Lulu Belle & Scoty Wiseman re-lyric, 1939

Mountain Music

Alabama

Randy Owen

Mountain of Love, A

Johnny Rivers

1964

(#9) Harold Dorman (also by Harold Dorman, #21 in 1960)

Mountain’s High, The

Dick & DeeDee

1961

(#2) Dick St. John

Mountains of Mourn, The

Kingston Trio, The

1960

Traditional Irish, ca 1910

Move It On Over

Hank Williams

1947

Hank Williams

Movin' On

Merle Haggard

1975

Merle Haggard

Movin’ Out

Billy Joel

1978

(#17)

Mr. Bass Man

Johnny Cymbal

1963

Written about Fred Johnson of the Marcels, alluding to their "Blue Moon"

Mr. Blue

Fleetwoods, The

1959

(#1) DeWayne Blackwell (on charts 20 weeks)

Mr. Bojangles

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The

1970

(#9) Jerry Jeff Walker, 1968 (his version #77 in 1968)

Mr. Grinch

Theodoe (Dr. Seuss) Geisel, Albert Hague; from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"

Mr. Lee

Bobbettes, The

1957

(#6) 1^st women's group to have a #1 R&B song and top 10 (#6) pop; they were 11-14 years old at the time

Mr. Lonely

Bobby Vinton

1964

(#1) Gene Allen, Bobby Vinton

Mr. Lucky

Henry Mancini

1960

(#21) Ray Evans, Jay Livingston, Henry Mancini

Mr. Sandman  

Chordettes, The

1954

(#1) Pat Ballard

Mr. Tambourine Man

Byrds, The

1965

(#1) Bob Dylan; hit number one on 5/15/65

Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter

Herman's Hermits

1965

(#1) Trevor Peacock

Mrs. Robinson

Simon & Garfunkel

1968

(#1 for 3 weeks) Paul Simon; from the movie The Graduate; Grammy winner 1968 (record)

M-T-A, The

Kingston Trio, The

1959

(#15) Jacquiline Steiner, Bess Hawes (A.Lomax’s sis, of Almanac Singers), to "Ship That Never Returned" by Harry C.Work

Mule Skinner Blues

Fendermen, The

1960

(#5) Jimmie Rodgers, George Vaughn, 1931

Music to Watch Girls By

Andy Williams

1966

Sid Kamin, Tony Velona

Music! Music! Music!

Teresa Brewer

1951

(#1) Stephen Weiss, Bernie Baum

Muskrat Ramble

McGuire Sisters, The

1954

(#10) Ray Bilbert, Eduard Ory, 1926

Must to Avoid, A

Herman's Hermits

1965

(#8)

Mutual Admiration Society

Teresa Brewer

1956

(#21) Matt Dubey, Harold Kerr

My Back Pages

Byrds, The

1967

(#30)

My Blue Heaven

Fats Domino

1956

(#19) Walter Donaldson & George Whiting, 1927; Gene Austin’s version was top seller all time til White Christmas

My Bonnie Lassie

Ames Brothers, The

1955

(#11)

My Boomerang Won’t Come Back

Charlie Drake

1962

(#21) Max Diamond, Charlie Drake

My Boy Lollipop

Millie Small

1964

(#2) Johnny Roberts, Robert Spenser, Morris Levy

My Boyfriend’s Back

Angels, The

1963

(#1) Robert Feldman, Gerald Goldstein

My Coloring Book  

Kitty Kallen

1962

(#18) John Kander, Fred Ebb

My Cup Runneth Over

Ed Ames

1967

(#8) Tom Jones, Harvey Schmidt; from the musical "I Do, I Do"

My Dad

Paul Petersen

1962

(#6)

My Ding-A-Ling

Chuck Berry

My Eyes Adored You

Frankie Valli

1974

(#1) Bob Crewe, Kenny Nolan

My Friend

Eddie Fisher

1954

(#15)

My Funny Valentine  

Frank Sinatra

1954

Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, 1937; the first track on Sinatra's first LP album

My Generation

Who, The

1965

Peter Townshend

My Girl

Temptations, The

1965

(#1)

My Guy

Mary Wells

1964

(#1) Smokie Robinson

My Happiness  

Connie Francis

1958

(#2 for 3 weeks, on charts 18) Betty Peterson, Barney Bergantine, 1933

My Heart Belongs to Me  

Barbra Streisand

1977

(#4) Alan Gordon, Charlie Calello

My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own

Connie Francis

1960

(#1) Howard Greenfield, Jack Keller

My Heart Is an Open Book

Carl Dobkins, Jr.

1959

(#3) Hal David, Lee Pockriss

My Heart Reminds Me

Kay Starr

1957

(#9) Al Stillman, Camillo Bartoni

My Heart Will Go On (Theme from "Titanic")  

Celine Dion

1998

My Ideal

Jimmy Dorsey

1944

(#5) Richard Whiting & Newell Chase; vocal by Bob Eberle

My Kind of Town

Frank Sinatra

1964

Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen

My Last Date With You

Floyd Cramer

1960

(#2) Boudleaux Bryant & Skeeter Davis, Floyd Cramer

My Life

Billy Joel

1978

(#3)

My Little Town

Simon & Garfunkel

1975

(#9) Paul Simon

My Love and Devotion

Perry Como

1952

(#22) Milton Carson

My Love, Forgive Me (Amore Scusami)

Robert Goulet

1964

(#16)

My Mama Don’t Know

Ray Stevens

My Maria

1973

Daniel Moore

My Old Flame

Linda Ronstadt

1984

Arthur Johnston, Sam Coslow, from the movie Belle of the Nineties, 1934

My Old Man’s A Dustman

Anthony "Lonnie" Donegan

1960

Lonnie Donegan; revived by The Smothers Brothers

My One and Only Heart

Perry Como

1953

(#11) Al Stillman, Robert Allen

My One And Only Love

Rick Nelson

1953

Guy Wood, Robert Mellin

My One Sin

Nat "King" Cole

1955

(#24)

My Prayer  

Platters, The

1956

(#1 for 5 weeks) Jimmy Kennedy, Georges Boulanger, 1939; based on Boulanger’s "Avant de Mourir", 1926

My Restless Lover

Patti Page

1954

(#21)

My Romance

Frank Sinatra

1943

Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers, in Jumbo

My Sharona

1979

Berton Averre, Douglas Fieger

My Shy Violet

Mills Brothers, The

1968

(#73)

My Special Angel

Bobby Helms

1957

(#7) Jimmy Duncan (also #7 for The Vogues in 1968)

My Sweet Gypsy Rose

Tony Orlando & Dawn

1973

Irwin Levine, L. Russell Brown

My Sweet Lady  

John Denver

1970

John Denver

My Sweet Lord

George Harrison

1971

George Harrison; found guilty of unintentional copyright infringement vs. Ronald Mack’s "He’s So Fine" (Chiffons)

My Tani

Brothers Four, The

1960

(#50)

My Treasure

Hilltoppers, The

1955

(#31)

My Way  

Elvis Presley

1977

(#22) Paul Anka & Jacques Revaux (Sinatra version 1969 #27) original title "Comme d'Habitude"

My Wild Irish Rose

Chauncey Olcott

1899

Chauncey Olcott

My Woman, My Woman, My Wife

Marty Robbins

1970

Marty Robbins; Grammy winner, 1970

My World Is Empty Without You

Supremes, The

1966

(#5)

Nadia’s Theme

1976

Perry Botkin, Jr. & Barry De Vorzon; from the TV show The Young And The Restless

Nadine (Is It You?)

Chuck Berry

1964

(#23) Chuck Berry

Name Game, The

Shirley Ellis

1964

(#3) Lincoln Chase, Shirley Elliston

Nancy (With the Laughing Face)  

Frank Sinatra

1944

Phil Silvers, Jimmy Van Heusen

Nature Boy

Nat "King" Cole

1948

Eden Ahbez

Naughty Lady of Shady Lane, The  

Ames Brothers, The

1954

(#3) Sid Tepper, Roy Bennett

Navy Blue

Diane Renay

1964

(#6)

Ne Me Quitte Pas  

Jacques Brel; see "If You Go Away"

Near You  

Roger Williams

1958

(#10) Kermit Goell, Francis Craig, 1947; Craig's recording was Nashville's 1^st major hit

Nearness of You, The  

Hoagy Carmichael

1938

Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington

Needles and Pins

Searchers, The

1964

(#13) Sony Bono, Jack Nitzsche; 1st by Jackie DeShannon; Searchers got name from John Wayne movie

Neither One of Us (Wants to be the First)

Roberta Flack

1973

Jim Weatherly

Nel Blu Never Can Say Goodbye

Jackson Five, The

1971

Clifton Davis

Never My Love

Association, The

1967

(#2) (on charts 14 weeks) Don & Dick Addrissi; also 5th Dimension (‘71) also Blue Swede (‘71)

Never on Sunday

Chordettes, The

1961

(#13) (also Don Costa, 1960 #19) Manos Hadjidakis, Bill Towne; in movie of same name, Oscar winner 1960

Never-Ending Song Of Love

Delaney & Bonnie

1971

(#13) Delaney Bramlett

Nevertheless (I’m In Love With You)  

Frank Sinatra

1950

Bert Kalmer, Harry Ruby

Night  

Jackie Wilson

1960

(#4) Johnny Lehman, Herb Miller; Wilson d 1975 of a stroke at age 34

Night And Day  

Frank Sinatra

1942

Cole Porter, in The Gay DivorceÈ

Night Before Christmas, The

Rosemary Clooney

1952

(#9)

Night Chicago Died, The

1974

Mitch Murray, Peter Callander

Night Has A Thousand Eyes, The

Bobby Vee

1962

(#3) Marilyn Garrett, Dottie Wayne, Ben Weisman

Night Life

Ray Price

1963

Willie Nelson

Night Moves

Bob Seger

1976

(#4) Bob Seger; inspired by American Graffitti

Night On Bald Mountain

Fantasia

1887

Modeste Mussorgsky

Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia

Vicki Lawrence

1973

(#1) Bobby Russell (her only hit -- she was on Carol Burnett Show)

Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie Down, The  

Joan Baez

1971

(#3) Jaime Robbie Robertson

Night Train

Jimmy Smith

1962

Jimmy Forrest, Oscar Washington & Lewis Simpkins, 1952

Nightengale Sang In Berkley Square, A

Nat "King" Cole

1943

Eric Maschwitz & Manning Sherwin; also rec. by Tony Bennett, 1992

Nights Are Forever Without You

England Dan & John Ford Coley

1976

(#10)

Nights In White Satin

Moody Blues, The

1972

(#2) Justin Hayward

Nine to Five

Dolly Parton

1980

(#1)

Nineteenth Nervous Breakdown

Rolling Stones, The

1966

Mick Jagger, Keith Richard

Ninety-Six Tears

Question Mark And the Mysterions

1966

Rudy Martins

No Arms Can Ever Hold You

Bachelors, The

1964

(#27) (also by Georgie Shaw, #23 in 1955)

No Chemise, Please

Gerry Granahan

1958

(#23)

No Matter What Shape Your Stomach Is In

T-Bones, The

1965

(#3) from an Alka Seltzer commercial

No More

McGuire Sisters, The

1955

(#17) Leo DeJohn, Julie DeJohn, Dux DeJohn

No No Song, The

Ringo Starr

1975

(#3) Hoyt Axton, David Jackson

No Not Much

Four Lads, The

1956

(#2 for 4 weeks, on charts 24) Al Stillman & Robert Allen

No Other Arms (No Arms Can Ever Hold You)

Pat Boone

1955

(#26)

No Other Love

Perry Como

1953

(#1) Bob Russell, Paul Weston (Jo Stafford version #8 1950)

No Other Name

Peter, Paul & Mary

1967

arr. Paul Stookey

No Particular Place To Go

Chuck Berry

1964

(#10)

No Time

Guess Who, The

1969

(#5)

Nobody Does It Better

Carly Simon

1977

Carole Bayer Sager, Marvin Hamlisch; Carly Simon is daughter of Simon & Schuster

Nobody Knows You (When You’re Down & Out)

Eric Clapton

1992

Jimmy Cox, 1923; on Unplugged; Bessie Smith’s last hit (1929); used in the movie "Me And Bessie"

Nola

1916

m. Felix Arndt; lyrics added later by Sunny Skylar, and another version by James Burns

Noodlin' Rag

Perry Como

1952

(#23) Allan Roberts, Robert Allen

Norman

Sue Thompson

1961

(#3)

North to Alaska

Johnny Horton

1960

(#4) Mike Phillips; Horton married Hank Williams’ widow, then died young himself in a plane crash

Norwegian Wood

Beatles, The

John Lennon & Paul McCartney

Nothing from Nothing

Billy Preston

1974

(#1) Billy Preston

Nothing’s Real Anymore

Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein

Now the Day Is Over

1869

Sabine Baring-Goiuld, Joseph Barnby

Nowhere Man

Beatles, The

1966

John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Nowhere to Run

Martha & The Vandellas

1965

(#8)

Nuttin' for Christmas

Barry Gordon & Art Mooney

1955

(#6)

O Come All Ye Faithful

Traditional

F. Oakeley, J. Reading, pub. 1751

O Holy Night

Traditional

J.S. Dwight, A.C. Adam, 19^th century

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Traditional

Phillip Brooks, Lewis H. Redner, pub. 1868

Ode to Billie Joe

Bobbie Gentry

1967

(1 for 4 weeks, on charts for 14) Bobbie Gentry (Gentry married Jim Stafford, 1978, and retired)

Oh Carol

Neal Sedaka

1959

(#9) Neil Sedaka; written for Carole King

Oh Donna

Ritchie Valens

1958

(#2) Ritchie Valens

Oh Girl

Paul Young

1990

(#8) Eugene Record

Oh Happy Day

Edwin Hawkins Singers

1969

(#4) Adapted from trad. Negro spiritual by Nancy Reed, Don Koplow

Oh Holy Night

John Sullivan Dwight, Adolph Adam, 1858

Oh Lord, Have Mercy On My Soul

Oh Lord, It’s Hard to be Humble

Mac Davis

1980

Mac Davis

Oh Susanna

Traditional

Stephen Foster, 1848

Oh Very Young

Cat Stevens

1974

(#10)

Oh You Crazy Moon

Mel Torme

1960

Johnny Burkey & Jimmy Van Heusen

Oh! My Papa (O Mein Papa)

Eddie Fisher

1953

(#4) Eng. John Turner, Geoffrey Parsons, Paul Burkhard

Oh, Boy!

Buddy Holly & The Crickets

1957

(#10)

Oh, Girl

Chi-Lites, The

1972

(#1)

Oh, Lonesome Me  

Don Gibson

1958

(#7) Don Gibson (on charts 21 weeks)

Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’

1943

Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II

Oh, What a Night

Dells

1956

(#4)

Ohio

Crosby, Stills & Nash

Oh-Oh, I’m Falling in Love Again

Jimmie Rodgers

1958

(#7)

Okie From Muskogie

Merle Haggard

1969

(#13) Merle Haggard, Roy Edward Burris

Oklahoma!

Gordon MacRae

1943

Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II

Old Age Song

Old Black Joe

Al Jolson

1860

Stephen Collins Foster

Old Black Magic

Sammy Davis, Jr.

1955

(#13)

Old Buttermilk Sky

Hoagy Carmichael

Old Cape Cod  

Patti Page

1957

(#3) Claire Rothrock, Milt Yakus, Allen Jeffrey

Old Chishold Trail

Traditional

Old Devil Moon

Frank Sinatra

1955

E.Y. Harburg & Burton Lane

Old Hippie  

Bellamy Brothers, The

Old Home Filler-Up Cafe

C.W. McCall

1974

(#54)

Old Lamplighter, The  

Three Browns, The

1960

(#5) Charles Tobias, Nat Simon

Old Man River

1927

Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II, in Showboat

Old Man

Neil Young

1973

Neil Young

Old Piano Roll Blues, The

1950

Cy Coben

Old Time Religion (Parody)

Pete Seeger

Pete Seeger, based on traditional song dating from ca 1865

Old Time Rock ‘n’ Roll

Bob Seger

Old Buttermilk Sky

Omaha

1919

Horatio Nicholls, Worton David

On A Carousel

Hollies, The

A. Clarke, T. Hicks, G. Nash

On A Clear Day  

Robert Goulet

1965

Alan Jay Lerner & Burton Lane; from the movie of the same name

On A Country Road

James Taylor

1970

James Taylor

On A Slow Boat To China

Kay Kyser Orchestra

1948

Frank Loesser

On And On

Stephen Bishop

1977

(#11) Stephen Bishop

On Broadway

Drifters, The

1963

(#9) Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller (also George Benson #7 in 1978)

On the Alamo

The Norman Petty Trio

1954

(#29) (instrumental)

On the Atcheson, Topeka, And the Santa Fe

Johnny Mercer?

On the Rebound

Floyd Cramer

1961

(#4) (instrumental)

On the Road Again

Willie Nelson

On the Street Where You Live

Vic Damone

1956

(#4) Alan Jay Lerner & Frederick Loewe, in My Fair Lady

On the Sunny Side of the Street

Jo Stafford

1945

(#17) Dorothy Fields & Jimmy McHugh, 1929

On the Wings of a Dove

Ferlin Husky

1957

(#47)

On Top of Old Smokie

Weavers, The

1951

Traditional, adapted by The Weavers, based on "Little Mohee" ca 1916

On Top of Spaghetti

Tom Glaser

1963

(#14) Tom Glazer

Once In A While  

Chimes, The

1960

(#11) Bud Green, Michael Edwards (Tommy Dorsey #1 in 1937) Bud Green, Michael Edwards, 1937; from "I’ll Get By"

Once Upon A Time  

Tony Bennett

1962

Lee Adams, Charles Strouse; from the musical "All American"

One Dyin' and a Buryin'

Roger Miller

1965

(#34)

One Fine Day

Chiffons, The

1963

(#5)

One for My Baby (& One for the Road)

Frank Sinatra

1943

Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen

One Hand, One Heart

1957

Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein; from West Side Story

One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)

Barry Young

1965

(#13)

One in a Million

Platters, The

1956

(#20)

One Kind Favor

Peter, Paul & Mary

1964

based on "Blind Lemon" Jefferson’s "See That My Grave is Kept Clean, " ca 1927 & Bob Dylan's 1962 version

One Less Bell to Answer

Marilyn McCoo

1970

Hal David, Burt Bacharach

One Less Set of Footsteps

Jim Croce

1972

Jim Croce

One Little Candle

Perry Como

1952

(#18) Joseph Roach, George Mysels

One More Minute  

"Weird Al" Yankovic

"Weird Al" Yankovic

One More Town

Kingston Trio, The

1962

(#97) Scott Weisman

One of These Nights

Eagles, The

1975

(#1) Glenn Frey, Don Henley

One Step At A Time

Brenda Lee

1957

(#43)

One Tin Solder

Coven

1969

Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter; theme from the movie Billy Jack

One Toke Over the Line

Brewer & Shipley

1971

(#10)

One Track Mind

Bobby Lewis

1961

(#9)

One

Three Dog Night

1969

(#5)

One-Two-Three

Len Barry

1965

(#2)

Only In America

Jay & The Americans

1963

(#25)

Only Love Can Break A Heart

Gene Pitney

1962

(#2) Hal David, Burt Bacharach

Only the Lonely

Roy Orbison

1960

(#2) Roy Orbison, Joe Melson

Only the Strong Survive

Jerry Butler

1960

(#8) Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, Jerry Butler

Only Yesterday

Carpenters, The

1975

John Bettis, Richard Carpenter; Karen died 2/4/83

Only You  

Platters, The

1955

(#5) Buck Ram, Ande Rand

Ooh Baby Baby

Miracles, The

1965

(#16)

Oop-Shoop

Crew-Cuts, The

1954

(#13)

Open Up Your Heart (and Let the Sunshine In)

Cowboy Church Sunday School, The

1955

(#8) Stuart Hamblen

Operator

Jim Croce

1971

Jim Croce

Opus One  

Mills Brothers, The

1944

Sy Oliver

Orange Blossum Special

Johnny Cash

1965

(#80)

Our Day Will Come  

Ruby & The Romantics

1963

(#1) Mort Garson, Bob Hilliard

Our Heartbreaking Waltz

Teresa Brewer

1954

(#23)

Our House

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

1970

Graham Nash (about a house he & Joni Mitchell had owned in Laurel Canyon on Lookout Mountain Road)

Our Love Is Here to Stay  

Nat "King" Cole

1950

George Gershwin (and Vernon Duke), & Ira Gershwin; George’s last song; intro’d in Goldwin Follies, 1938)

Our Way

Penny Marshall & ?

Theme from LaVerne & Shirley

Our Winter Love

Bill Pursell

1963

(#9) taught music at Vanderbilt

Out And About

Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart

1967

(#39) Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart

Out of Nowhere

Lena Horne

1941

Edward Heyman, Johnny Green

Out Of Sight

James Brown & His Orchestra

1964

(#24)

Over and Over

Dave Clark Five, The

1965

(#1) Robert Byrd

Over The Rainbow  

Judy Garland

1939

E.Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen; in The Wizard of Oz; Oscar winner, 1939 (nearly dropped from film)

Over There

Nora Bayes

1918

George M. Cohan, William Jerome

Over Under Sideways Down

Yardbirds, The

1966

(#13) Jeff Beck, Chris Dreja

Overs  

Simon & Garfunkel

1968

Paul Simon; on Bookends

Oyé Como Va

Santana

1971

(#13) Tito Puente

P.S. I Love You

Beatles, The

1964

(#10) John Lennon, Paul McCartney

P.S. I Love You

Hilltoppers, The

1953

Johnny Mercer, Gordon Jenkins

P.T. 109

Jimmy Dean

1962

(#8) Marijohn Wilkin, Fred Burch

Paint It Black

Rolling Stones, The

1966

Mick Jagger, Keith Richard

Painted Tainted Rose

Al Martino

1963

Peter DeAngelis, Jean Sawyer

Palisades Park

Freddy Cannon

1962

(#3) Words & Music by George Barris (The Gong Show)

Papa Loves Mambo

Perry Como

1954

(#4) Al Hoffman, Dick Manning, Bix Reichner

Papa Was A Rolling Stone

Temptations, The

1972

(#1) Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield; Grammy winner 1972 (R&B)

Papa's Got a Brand New Bag (Part 1)

James Brown

1965

(#8) Grammy winner 1965 (R&B)

Pa-Paya Mama

Perry Como

1953

(#11) Larry Coleman, Norman Gimbel & George Sandler

Paper Doll  

Mills Brothers, The

1942

Johnny Black, 1930; not published until 1942

Paper Roses  

Anita Bryant

1960

(#5) Janice Torre, Fred Spielman, 1955 (also Marie Osmond, #5 in 1973)

Paperback Writer

Beatles, The

1966

John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Party Doll

Buddy Knox

1957

(#1) James Bowen, Buddy Knox

Party Lights

Claudine Clark

1962

(#5) Claudine Clark

Party’s Over, The

Willie Nelson

1967

Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Jule Styne

Patches (I’m Depending on You)

1970

General Johnson, Ronald Dunbar; Grammy winner 1970 (R&B)

Patches

Dickey Lee

1962

(#6) Larry Kolber, Barry Mann

Patricia

Perez Prado

1958

(#1) Perez Prado; in the movie La Dolce Vita

Pay Me My Money Down

Weavers, The

Lydia A. Parish (adapted from a Georgia Sea Islands slave song)

Peace in the Valley

Red Foley

1951

Rev. Thomas A Dorsey; also recorded by Elvis Presley, 1957 (#25)

Peace Train

Cat Stevens

1971

(#7) Cat Stevens

Peaceful Easy Feeling

Eagles, The

1973

(#22) Jack Tempchin? Don Henley & Glenn Frey?

Peg 'o My Heart

Jerry Murad & the Harmonicats

Alfred Bryan & Fischer

Peggy Sue

Buddy Holly

1957

(#3) Jerry Allison, Norman Petty, Buddy Holly

Pennies From Heaven  

Bing Crosby

1936

John Burke, Arthur Johnston; from the movie of the same name

Pennsylvania 6-5000

Glenn Miller Orchestra

1940

Jerry Gray

Penny Lane  

Beatles, The

1967

John Lennon, Paul McCartney

People Got to be Free

Rascals, The

1968

(#1 for 5 weeks) Edward Briganti, Jr. & Felix Cavaliere (3/4’s of Joey Dee’s "starlighters")

People Will Say We’re In Love

Gordon MacRae

1943

Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers; from the musical "Oklahome"

People

Barbra Streisand

1964

(#5) Bob Merrill & Jule Styne; from the movie "Funny Girl"

Peppermint Twist

Joey Dee & The Starlighters

1961

(#1) Joey Dee, Harry Glover

Perfidia

Ventures, The

1960

(#15) Alberto dominguez & Milton Leeds, 1941; originally in the movie "Stardust on the Stage"

Personality

Lloyd Price

1959

(#2) Harold Logan, Lloyd Price

Peter And the Wolf

1937

Serge Prokofieff

Peter Cottontail

Gene Autry

1949

Steven Nelson, Walter E. Rollins

Peter Gunn

Ray Anthony & His Orchestra

1959

(#8) Henry Mancini (his first big hit); Grammy winner 1959

Petite Fleur

Chris Barber’s Jazz Band

1959

(#5) (instrumental) Sidney Bechet, 1952; clarinet solo by Monty Sunshine

Photograph

Ringo Starr

1973

(#1) George Harrison, Ringo Starr

Piano Man, The

Billy Joel

1974

(#25) Billy Joel; song was actually true & autobiographical as "Bill Martin" in L.A.

Picnic

McGuire Sisters, The

1956

(#13) Steve Allen, George Dunning

Piece of My Heart

Janis Joplin

1968

Previously rec. by Erma Franklin, 1967

Pied Piper, The

Crispain St. Peter

1965

A. Kernfeld, Steve Duboff

Pinball Wizard, The

Who, The

1975

Peter Townshend; from the rock opera "Tommy"

Pink Shoe Laces

Dodie Stevens

1959

(#3) Mickie Grant

Pipeline

Chantay’s, The

1963

(#4)

Pirate Looks At 40, A  

Jimmy Buffettt

1974

Jimmy Buffett

Pittsburg, Pennsylvania

Guy Mitchell

1959

Bob Merrill

Plastic Jesus

1967

George Cromarty, Ed Rush; from the movie Cool Hand Luke

Play A Simple Melody

Bing Crosby

1931

Irving Berlin, 1914; from the Broadway show "Watch Your Step"

Play Me Hearts and Flowers

Johnny Desmond

1955

(#6) Mann Curtis, Sanford Green

Play Me

Neil Diamond

Neil Diamond

Play That Funky Music, White Boy

Wild Cherry

1976

(#1 for 3 weeks) Robert Parissi

Pleasant Valley Sunday

Monkees, The

Please Come to Boston

David Allan Coe

David Loggins

Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone  

Arlo Guthrie

1982

Clare & Palmer

Please Help Me, I’m Falling

Hank Locklin

1960

(#8) Hal Blair, Don Robertson

Please Mister Please

Olivia Newton-John

1975

(#3) John Rostill, Bruce Welch

Please Mr. Custer

Larry Verne

1960

(#1) Fred Darien, Al DeLory, Joseph Van Winkle

Please Mr. Postman

Marvelettes, The

1961

(#1) Brian Holland, Robert Bateman, Fred Garman

Please Please Me

Beatles, The

1964

(#3) John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Please Release Me

Engelbert Humperdink

1967

(#4) Eddie Miller, W.S. Stevenson

Please Stay

Drifters, The

1961

(#14) Maurice Williams

Poems, Prayers & Promises

John Denver

1971

John Denver

Poetry In Motion

Johnny Tillotson

1960

(#2) Mike Anthony, Paul Kaufman

Poetry Man

Phoebe Snow

1975

(#5) Phoebe Snow

Poison Ivy

Coasters, The

1959

(#7) Jerry Lieber, Mike Stoller

Polk Salad Annie

Tony Joe White

1969

(#8) Tony Joe White

Pony Time

Chubby Checker

1961

(#1) Don Covey, John Barry; artist real name Ernest Evans

Poor Butterfly

Hilltoppers, The

1954

(#12) Johnny Golden, Raymond Hubbell, 1916

Poor Little Fool

Ricky Nelson

1958

(#1) Sharon Sheeley (Eddie Cochran’s girlfriend)

Poor People of Paris, The

Les Baxter with His Chorus & Orchestra

1956

(#1) Eng. Jack Lawrence, Marguerite Monnot

Poor Side of Town

Johnny Rivers

1966

Johnny Rivers, Lou Adler

Popcicles, Icicles

Mermaids, The

1963

(#3) David Gates (later of Bread)

Portrait of My Love  

Steve Lawrence

1961

(#9) Cyril Ornadel, Norman Newell

Positively 4th Street

Bob Dylan

1965

(#7) Bob Dylan

Preacher And The Bear, The

Phil Harris

1947

George Fairman; arr Arthur Longbrake for Arthur Collins(1904)

Pretend  

Nat "King" Cole

1953

Lew Douglas, Cliff Parman, Frank Levere

Pretty Ballerina

Left Banke, The

1967

(#15) Mike Brown

Pretty Blue Eyes

Steve Lawrence

1959

(#9) Teddy Randazzo

Pretty Boy Floyd

Byrds, The

1968

Woody Guthrie

Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody, A

1919

Irving Berlin

Pretty Little Angel Eyes

Curtis Lee

1961

(#7)

Pretty Woman

Roy Orbison

1964

(#1 for 3 weeks) Roy Orbison, William Dees

Primrose Lane

Jerry Wallace with The Jewels

1959

(#8)

Prisoner of Love

Billy Eckstine

1945

Russ Columboa (first recorded), Leo Robin, Clarence Gaskill

Private Dancer

Tina Turner

1985

(#7)

Private Eyes

Hall & Oates

1981

(#1)

Problems

Everly Brothers, The

1958

(#2)

Promise Her Anything

Dean Martin

1957

Roy Alfred

Promises

Eric Clapton

Promises, Promises

Dionne Warwick

1968

Hal David, Burt Bacharach; from the musical of the same name

Proud Mary

Credence Clearwater Revival

1969

(#2 for 3 weeks) John Fogarty (Ike & Tina Turner 1971 #4)

Puff the Magic Dragon

Peter, Paul & Mary

1963

(#2) Leonard Lipton, Peter Yarrow; Yarrow credited lyricist Lipton, who’d forgotten he wrote the 3-minute poem!

Puppy Love

Paul Anka

1960

(#2) Paul Anka

Purple People Eater, The

Sheb Wooley

1958

(#1 for 6 weeks) Sheb Wooley

Pusher, The

Steppenwolf

1969

Hoyt Axton; used in the movie "Easy Rider"

Pussycat

Tom Jones

1965

(#3)

Put A Little Love In Your Heart

Jackie DeShannon

1969

Randy James Myers, Jackie DeShannon, Jimmy Holiday

Put Another Log On The Fire

Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet

1910

Percy Wenrich, Stanley Murphy

Put Your Arms Around Me

1910

Junie McCree, Albert Von Tilzer

Put Your Hand in the Hand

1971

Gene MacLellan

Put Your Head on My Shoulder

Paul Anka

1959

(#2) Paul Anka

Puttin’ On the Ritz

Taco

1983

(#4) Irving Berlin (#1 for Harry Richman, 1930)

Quarter To Three

Gary "U.S." Bonds

1961

(#1)

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)

Doris Day

1956

(#2) Jay Livingston, Ray Evans; in The Man Who Knew Too Much; Oscar winner, 1956

Queen of the House

Jody Miller

1965

(#12)

Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars  

Tony Bennett

1962

Antonio Carlos Jobim (Eng. Gene Lees)

Quiet Village

Martin Denny & His Orchestra

1959

(#4) Les Baxter

Race Is On, The

Jack Jones

1965

(#15) Don Rollins

Racing With the Moon

Vaughn Monroe

1941

Vaughn Monroe, Pauline Pope, Johnny Watson

Rag Doll

Four Seasons, The

1964

(#1) Robert Crewe, Robert Gaudio

Rag Mop

Ames Brothers, The

1951

(#1) Johnny Lee Wills, Deacon Anderson

Rags to Riches

Tony Bennett

1953

(#1) Richard Adler, Jerry Ross; backed by Percy Faith's orchestra

Ragtime Cowboy Joe

1911

Lewis Muir, Grant Clarke, Maurice Abrahams

Rain, Rain, Rain

Frankie Laine & Four Lads

1954

(#21)

Rain, The Park & Other Things, The  

Cowsills, The

1967

(#2) Artie Kornfield, Steve Duboff

Rainbow Connection, The

Kermit (aka Don Henson)

1979

Paul Williams, Kenneth Ascher

Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head

B.J. Thomas

1969

(#1 for 4 wks) Bert Bacharach & Hal David, in Burtch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, Oscar winner 1969

Raindrops

Dee Clark

1961

(#2) Dee Clark