jroauthor

1950s Fashion

Clothes rationing had ended by 1949 and by the early 1950s women in particular wanted dresses and skirts made with a huge amount of fabric to make up for the meagre amounts they had endured during the war. Men’s suits became narrower, straighter and less fussy. Most men opted for conservative grey suits and didContinue reading “1950s Fashion”

1959 Top Thirteen

1. Bobby Darin – Mack The Knife – 09-59 – Atco2. Neil Sedaka – Oh! Carol – 11-59 – RCA3. The Everly Brothers – (Till) I Kissed You – 09-59 – Cadence4. Dion & The Belmonts – A Teenager In Love – 05-59 – Laurie5. Paul Anka – Put Your Head On My Shoulder – 09-59 – ABC Paramount 6. Frankie Avalon – Why – 12-59 –Continue reading “1959 Top Thirteen”

Britain in the 1950s

A typical 1950s household saw mothers not working outside the home, instead concentrating on providing a safe and cosy environment for the family. Fathers were sole earners, with the average weekly wage in 1957 being £10 (compare to £420 in 2007 or £629 in 2022). Work time to pay for a weekly basket of basicContinue reading “Britain in the 1950s”

1958 Top Thirteen

This is the first of the 50s years where I actually knew enough songs for it to warrent a top 13 on its own merit. A lot of these classics have stood the test and time and are still played on the radio six decades later. Others featured in movies like “That’ll Be the Day”Continue reading “1958 Top Thirteen”

Pop Music Quick Quizzes

While we wait for Ken (just over a week to go), here’s some teasers in the syle of Popmaster questions. Not long now my lovelies.And if you’d like to challenge me, I’d love to hear your questions.

1950s Food & Drink

Rationing continued after the end of World War II: sugar, butter, cheese, margarine, cooking fat, bacon, meat and tea were all still rationed when the Queen came to the throne in 1952. Sugar rationing ending in 1953 and meat rationing in 1954. The meagre choice of ingredients and flavourings, whilst concentrating the cook’s mind onContinue reading “1950s Food & Drink”

1950s Top Thirteen – 56, 57

A definite move away from crooners as Rock ‘n’ Roll dominates the charts. A couple of these have made it into my top 13 because of their association with favourite movies: True Love from High Society (1956, with Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly), Jailhouse Rock (1957) and On The Street Where You LiveContinue reading “1950s Top Thirteen – 56, 57”

End of an Era – Tribute to Ken Bruce

Quick quiz: Who released the theme tune to Friends TV show – I’ll be there for you? Friday 3rd March was a sad day for people all over the UK who have stopped what they’re doing at 10:30 each weekday morning to challenge their knowledge of pop music with the kindest, most generous of hosts,Continue reading “End of an Era – Tribute to Ken Bruce”

1950s Timeline of Inventions/Events

You’d be surprised by the number of inventions stemming from the nineteen fifties, I certainly was. This is by no means a full list, but it gives you an idea of how ahead of their time some people were. 1950 – Credit card – Frank X McNamara 1951 – Power steering, Super glue – FrancisContinue reading “1950s Timeline of Inventions/Events”

1950s Top Thirteen – 53, 54, 55

So we’re still firmly in the years of Mum’s choices, not mine, and because she and Dad met while ballroom dancing, everything is heavily dance influenced. These were the songs I heard mostly in my early years – possibly even from the womb in 1959! Mambo was king, and I challenge anyone not to strikeContinue reading “1950s Top Thirteen – 53, 54, 55”