The May 16, 1956, St. Louis Park Echo proclaimed “Elvis Presley Hits Top.”  “With spring’s arrival, new record releases appeal to the ‘be-bop glasses and blue suede shoes’ set.”  “New records will please the lover of ballads or blues, vocal harmony or instrumentals.”   Favorite songs listed were:

• “Strange Love” by the Native Boys (with a South African influence) (an obscure but nice choice)
• “Mr. Wonderful” by Teddi King
• “Joey Joey Joey” by Billy Eckstine
• “Roving Gambler” by Tennessee Ernie Ford
• “Rock Island Line” by Lonnie Donnegan
• “Standing on the Corner” by the Four Lads – enthusiastically nominated for the theme of Steve Cannon’s Girl-Watchers’ Club.

Easy listening/instrumental favorites were “Midnight Blues” by Nelson Riddle and “Port au Prince.”

Another, slightly hipper list came out of Burk’s Music Shops, 6th and Wabasha and 7th and Robert in St. Paul:

• I Want You, I Need You, I Love You by Elvis
• The Wayward Wind by Gogi Grant
• Moonglow and Theme from “Picnic” by Morris Stoloff, George Cates, and the McGuire Sisters (it was common for several artists to record a popular song and fight it out on the charts)
• My Prayer by the Platters and the Ink Spots
• I Almost Lost My Mind by Pat Boone
• I’m In Love Again by Fats Domino and the Fontane Sisters
• Be-Bop-A-Lula by Gene Vincent
• Whatever Will Be, Will Be by Doris Day
• Standing on the Corner by the Four Lads, Dean Martin, the Mills Brothers
• Glendora by Perry Como
• On the Street Where you Live by Vic Damone, Eddie Fisher, Francis Wayne, and Lawrence Welk
• Allegheny Moon by Patti Page and Billy Regis
• More by Perry Como (flip of Glendora)
• Transfusion by Nervous Norvus