1959 - At The Top of The Pop Charts As St. Johns 1966 Goes From First To Secord Grade

I'm hoping to put together some sort of slide show for our reunion that includes period songs in the background.  Here are the songs from 1959 that strike me as good candidates.


The number one song for 1959, and one of my all time favorites is Johnny Horton's Battle of New Orleans.  I can remember us singing it as kids.

On reflection, given what is going on with the $20 bill maybe they should redo the 1959 list and substitute this one.






Number 2 and also a favorite of mine and also of Julia Scotti was Mack the Knife.

If you ever get a chance to see The Threepenny Opera, take it.

Further down the list is Ritchie Valens Donna

Then we have the Coasters with Charlie Brown. I will shamelessly cross promote here by sharing something about my 45th high school reunion, which is somewhat behind my inspiration to make this one work.  The Cadet Colonel of the Xavier High School Regiment in 1970 was named Charlie Brown.  Our classmate Patrick O'Brien will appreciate that Charlie and a couple of others painted the Fordham goal posts maroon and blue before the big game in 1969.  By the way that Thanksgiving game is the oldest high school rivalry in New York City.

Dion and The Belmonts with A Teenager in Love is certainly memorable

And who could forget the Chipmunks

Toward the end of the list there is Take A Message to Mary by the Everly Brothers.

And somewhat odd  for the pop charts is The Battle Hymn of the Republic by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Clearly the video is not from 1959.

In terms of pop music there is one day in 1959 that was immortalized 12 years later in the song American Pie

On February 3, 1959, rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson were killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, together with the pilot, Roger Peterson.

I don't remember that making much of an impression of us first graders, but maybe some of you do.

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Peter J. Reilly CPA hopes the St John's 1966 reunion is shaping up, but he would love to hear from more of you.