"Two" good ! - The songs prevented from reaching No. 1

By now, we're all well aware of Elvis' unparalleled chart statistics and domination; but what were the songs that actually prevented him from adding to his number one singles tally?

Well, to get the ball rolling, I've thrown a few into the mix, and the results are interesting and at times somewhat surprising.

Feel free to chime in with any other songs that stopped Elvis in his tracks. And it doesn't just have to be the major U.S. and U.K. markets - any charts from around the world are welcome.
For instance, it would be cool to find out what prevented I'm Yours from reaching number one on the Canadian charts!

Please make sure to include BOTH the number one recording that halted him [first], plus whatever the song was Elvis missed out on reaching the top spot with.

(Interesting Footnote: Elvis and Madonna are tied with the most number 2 hits on the prominent Billboard Singles Charts, with 6 apiece).

No Other Love (Ronnie Hilton) [N.B., Hilton went on to score a 1959 U.K. hit with The Wonder Of You]

Heartbreak Hotel (U.K.)

Last edited by elvisalisellers on Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:35 am, edited 1 time in total.

Big Girls Don't Cry (The Four Seasons)

Return To Sender (Billboard)

My Ding-a-Ling (Chuck Berry)

Burning Love (Billboard)

Thought for sure "Burning Love" was going to Hit #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 with all the airplay it was getting and many record stores couldn't keep enough stock.

Record shops had Elvis banners everywhere throughout the store.

Love it when DJ's would say before playing Burning Love, “Elvis is still the King!”

For the weeks of October 21 and 28, 1972, "Burning Love" rose to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, being kept from #1 by Chuck Berry's novelty song "My Ding-a-Ling." However, it reached #1 on Cashbox's Top 40 Charts for the week of November 11, which gave him 20 US #1 hits.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_Love]

Elvis had several #2 hits in the German charts and i've always wondered what songs kept them out of the top spot.

It's hard to find info on those charts especially from so long ago.

''The Peppermint Twist'' kept ''Can't help falling love'' out of the top spot in the U.S.

''The Peppermint Twist'' kept ''Can't help falling love'' out of the top spot in the U.S.

Thanks, brian.
This was at the height of the Twist craze, so maybe not as big of a head scratcher as it initially appears.

That said, few would argue against Elvis' exquisitely gentle signature recording winning the day.

Peppermint Twist (Joey Dee & The Starliters)

Can't Help Falling In Love (Billboard)

This beauty kept E off no1 with this classic in January 1970.

The vastly underrated Rolf

"Return to Sender" also made #1 in Cashbox.

On Billboard it was very cool because you had these two classic records battling it out for dominance on the charts almost their entire chart runs, and their jumps etc. reflected one another. At any other time, "Return to Sender" would have been a long running #1 it just came out at the same time as a fellow chart juggernaut in "Big Girls Don't Cry."

"Peppermint Twist" although not up to "Can't Help Falling in Love" was a great dance record.

Last edited by likethebike on Mon Nov 19, 2012 12:32 am, edited 1 time in total.

Elvis had quite a few #2 hits that should have been #1s.

Elvis had several #2 hits in the German charts and i've always wondered what songs kept them out of the top spot.

It's hard to find info on those charts especially from so long ago.

The German single charts since 1959 are reproduced on the website of "Der Musikmarkt".

http://www.musikmarkt.de/Charts/Chartsg ... nglecharts

This beauty kept E off no1 with this classic in January 1970.

The vastly underrated Rolf

Rolf Harris's song has for some reason been confined to a "joke" for many people these days, and yet I still find his hit one of the most moving songs ever to grace the pop charts. If Elvis was ever kept off the top of the charts, then the fact that people went out and bought a song that was both anti-war and pro-humanity is the best reason in the world.

Amen to that!

Elvis had quite a few #2 hits that should have been #1s.

Elvis also had quite a few #3 hits that should have been #2 hits !

This beauty kept E off no1 with this classic in January 1970.

The vastly underrated Rolf

I always quote this one to non Elvis fans when talking trivia etc. Two Little Boys is legendary, but it is actually quite astonishing that Suspicious Minds by Elvis, arguably one of his greatest songs, was kept out the no 1 spot by a warbling Aussie. I doubt that there are many that could have pulled that off but Rolf and that song definitely one of them!

elvisonline

This beauty kept E off no1 with this classic in January 1970.

The vastly underrated Rolf

Rolf Harris's song has for some reason been confined to a "joke" for many people these days, and yet I still find his hit one of the most moving songs ever to grace the pop charts. If Elvis was ever kept off the top of the charts, then the fact that people went out and bought a song that was both anti-war and pro-humanity is the best reason in the world.

100% agree

''(Now and then there's) A fool such as I'' was kept out of the top spot by the Fleetwoods ''Come softly to me''.

This beauty kept E off no1 with this classic in January 1970.
The vastly underrated Rolf

Good spot, daylon.
You gotta love Rolf! Him and Tony Hart bring back some great childhood memories, so I can forgive him on this occasion...

''(Now and then there's) A fool such as I'' was kept out of the top spot by the Fleetwoods ''Come softly to me''.

Thanks, brian. Cool song!
I've embedded some appropriate videos.

Come Softly To Me (The Fleetwoods)

(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I (Billboard)

Last edited by elvisalisellers on Mon Nov 19, 2012 8:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

This one kept InThe Ghetto off the no1 spot for 3 weeks in July 1969. A good song but ITG was better. Ballad of John and Yoko was no 3 at the time.

It's hard to believe but this little ditty kept Elvis at the number 2 spot for 4 consecutive weeks!

We hear a brief snippet of Young Love [when segueing from Blue Moon] during the superb June 24, 1968 NBC rehearsal [first made legally available on FTD's excellent Let Yourself Go! release].

Young Love (Tab Hunter)

Too Much (Billboard)

Does anyone know what song kept ''Wear your ring around my neck'' from hitting #1?

"Too Much" was actually #1 on the more accurate Best Sellers charts. Even as late as 1957 there were still DJs and stations that refused to play rock records despite the fact that it was the dominant taste. That's why a record like "Young Love" by Tab Hunter could hold sway so long. Its status was artificially boosted by unfair airplay. No wonder the indies turned to payola.

Does anyone know what song kept ''Wear your ring around my neck'' from hitting #1?

"Witch Doctor" by David Seville, soon to enter immortality as the creator of the Chipmunks.

Does anyone know what song kept ''Wear your ring around my neck'' from hitting #1?

"Witch Doctor" by David Seville, soon to enter immortality as the creator of the Chipmunks.

thank you likethebike.

"Too Much" was actually #1 on the more accurate Best Sellers charts...

Of course, some songs charted higher on other equally valid charts than others [for example, Burning Love went all the way to the top on Cashbox]; but that isn't the purpose of this thread.

Thanks for the info on Witch Doctor holding off Wear My Ring Around Your Neck on the Top Sellers in Stores chart.
Interestingly, the stalling of Wear My Ring Around Your Neck marked the end of a string of ten consecutive number 1 hits for Presley.
(P.S. If you have any other contributions, and you know how to, please embed the applicable YouTube videos, thanks.)

Witch Doctor (David Seville)

Wear My Ring Around Your Neck (Billboard)

What about Australia's singles chart.

These Elvis songs peaked at #2 on the Australian singles chart

Hard headed woman
A big hunk o' love
(Marie's the name) latest flame/Little sister
(You're the) devil in disguise
If i can dream/Edge of reality

I know less about the Austrailian singles chart than i do about the U.S. and U.K. so if anybody knows what songs prevented these songs from hitting #1 please share.