The 1950s Hitmakers, The Four Aces

With over a million selling records behind them, The Four Aces were then signed to Decca Records. The group went on to dominate the charts from 1951 to 1955. Such high-charting hits include “Tell Me Why” (#2 pop in 1951, and #2 in 1952), “A Garden In The Rain” (#14 pop), “Perfidia” (#7 pop), “Two Little Kisses” (#29 pop), “I’m Yours” (#17 pop) “Should I” (#9 pop) “Heart and Soul” (#11 pop) “Just Squeeze Me (But Don’t Tease Me)” (#20 pop), “Organ Grinder’s Swing” (#17 pop), “Stranger In Paradise” (#3 pop 1953, #6 UK 1955), “The Gang That Sang Heart Of My Heart” (#7 pop), “Wedding Bells (Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine” (#26 pop), “Dream” (#17 pop) “It’s A Woman’s World” (#11 pop), “Mister Sandman” (#3 pop, #9 UK), “Melody Of Love” (#3 pop) “Heart” (#13 pop), “I Only Know I Love You” (#22 pop), and their two chart-toppers “Three Coins in the Fountain” (#1 pop, #5 UK), and “Love Is A Many Splendored Thing” (#1 pop, #2 UK).

After their amazing chart performance that lasted up to the mid-1950s, the Four Aces would chart only minor hits. Probably the emergence and growing popularity of rock and roll engulfed most of the traditional pop acts like The Four Aces.

Rock and Roll Music Interesting Facts

• Did you know rock and roll combines multifaceted music styles such as country, folk, blues, jazz, and gospel? Eventually, rock and roll evolved in the early 1950s from a musical genre called rhythm and blues, performed by black singers and musicians. Initially, the music was popular only among African-Americans. Rock and roll became popular in America and Europe in the late 1950s and 1960s. 
• Did you know Allan Freed, from a radio show in Cleveland, Ohia, first used the term “rock and roll,” referring to rhythm and blues music? Alan Freed was one of the first to play rock and roll music on a radio show, and in 1952 he organized the first rock and roll concert in Cleveland. During this time, people listened to this music genre on late-night radio stations nationwide. Some teenagers began buying rhythm and blues records as a form of rebellion, making them more popular with younger listeners. 

By Comunità Queeniana – https://www.flickr.com/photos/comunitaqueeniana/32219223763/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=107018180

• Did you know Queen has the longest-running fan club in rock history? Guinness World Records named The Official International Queen Fan Club the longest-running rock group fan club. Classic rock fans are loyal, as evidenced by Queen’s ardent supporters. They were no ordinary club members formed in February 1974 after Queen released their first studio album. The organizers took everything seriously, from publishing the quarterly magazine to selling merchandise to hosting the annual convention. 

By P.B. Rage from USA – More Kurt — too rad, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1314918

• Did you know Nirvana made headlines for being kicked out of their release party? Nirvana, an American rock band that revolutionized popular rock music with songs integrating punk music, became one of the most controversial bands of their time. One event that became a headline was the listening party held at the Rebar in downtown Seattle. Kurt Cobain and the other boys were known for their little pranks, so it had to be a disaster from the start. The evening started great, with the group signing autographs and acting like friendly hosts. But with the constant stream of alcohol, things went from bad to worse very quickly. They started throwing watermelons stuffed with ranch dressing, and one thing led to another, which inevitably ended in a food fight, with people throwing tamales and guacamole at each other. The group was then escorted by security to the door.

The two Four Aces