Friday, August 30, 2013

Song #22 - "Heartaches By The Number" - Guy Mitchell

#1 for weeks of December 14, and 21, 1959. 

     I should start this review off by saying that if you intend to read my lists by simultaneously listening along to the song, via something like youtube, I implore you to make sure you are looking up the ORIGINAL version of the song in question. With, "Heartaches By The Number", I probably ran into 2 different versions with a distinct 1980's production, plus many covers, before stumbling across the original. 

     With that out of the way, this song and artist were totally new to me. I purposely didn't look up what genre this tune was, in order to be truly surprised. Well, the song is a late 1950's country shuffle, despite Guy Mitchell not originally being a Country singer. Again, not my favorite genre of music, and this song wouldn't be considered something I would regularly listen to. 

     Lyric-wise, the song deals with the singers's many heartbreaks, (Three to be exact), with one lover of his. So in other words, due to the genre's near endless supply of heartbreak songs, its lyrics can come across to some as a bit cliche'd.   

     Musically, there are country sounding guitars prominent, and what appears to be banjo playing. However, the banjo playing is strummed as opposed to plucked, and the vocals do not contain any Country accent. In other words, it is a very mainstream, (For the time period at least), Country song, which explains how it ended up on the pop chart. 

     For me personally, this song doesn't hold my interest. Even its melody, while not necessarily uninteresting  just doesn't wow me like some of the other more neutral songs from this year have. Still, it's not the weakest song I have heard so far.  

Final Verdict - If you are a Country music fan, you will most likely appreciate this song. Otherwise, it's not an essential listen. 

                       Last Up For 1959 - "Why" by Frankie Avalon. 

                                 Until Next Time - Dr. Rock - 

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