I was a regular watcher of "Your Hit Parade" from 1953 until it began to falter in 1956-57 with the birth of rock 'n' roll. The show featured the top seven songs of the week, not in numerical order. The number one song was always last on the agenda accompanied by much fanfare. The years I saw it, the four featured vocalists who sang the hits were Russell Arms, Dorothy Collins, Snooky Lanson, and Gisele MacKenzie. The program was very entertaining because a different story-type setup was used for each song. The creators were hard-pressed to keep up with different ways to present the songs, especially when one song might stay on the top seven for weeks. I recall "Melody of Love" being particularly challenging because how many ways can you illustrate such a title?
The viewer was never quite clear how the top seven songs were chosen. They never corresponded with the Billboard list or other such listings. The sponsors had announcer André Baruch read a long, detailed script to explain to viewers how scientifically the records were rated, including juke box and radio plays plus record sales. How "Your Hit Parade" determined all this was never revealed. The viewer got the idea that often a song that was easy to sing and to illustrate was chosen over one that was difficult.
Whatever method was used, rock 'n' roll hit "Your Hit Parade" hard. How could a crooner such as Snooky Lanson do justice to Elvis' "Hound Dog?" Though an attempt at humor was often used in the presentation of the rock 'n' roll hits, the audience would usually laugh at the singers rather than with them. The show's futile attempts to have their regulars perform rock 'n' roll was self-defeating. Those in TV land who rejected the new music wanted to hear the old standards. Those who accepted it, particularly teens, wanted to hear the music performed by the recording artists who had the hits. Needless to say, "Your Hit Parade" eventually surrendered and left the air.
The viewer was never quite clear how the top seven songs were chosen. They never corresponded with the Billboard list or other such listings. The sponsors had announcer André Baruch read a long, detailed script to explain to viewers how scientifically the records were rated, including juke box and radio plays plus record sales. How "Your Hit Parade" determined all this was never revealed. The viewer got the idea that often a song that was easy to sing and to illustrate was chosen over one that was difficult.
Whatever method was used, rock 'n' roll hit "Your Hit Parade" hard. How could a crooner such as Snooky Lanson do justice to Elvis' "Hound Dog?" Though an attempt at humor was often used in the presentation of the rock 'n' roll hits, the audience would usually laugh at the singers rather than with them. The show's futile attempts to have their regulars perform rock 'n' roll was self-defeating. Those in TV land who rejected the new music wanted to hear the old standards. Those who accepted it, particularly teens, wanted to hear the music performed by the recording artists who had the hits. Needless to say, "Your Hit Parade" eventually surrendered and left the air.