1957 Guy Mitchell: Singing The Blues

Mitchell's number ones to date have been the rum sound of a man struggling to find a niche for his talents and a decent song to demonstrate them. On 'Singing The Blues' he was handed both gift wrapped. The song is simple enough, being pretty much one line of melody on auto repeat with some jaunty whistling (again) to gee it along. Mitchell gets stuck into it like a starving man at a feast and it's a smart coincidence that this followed 'Just Walking In The Rain' to the top because his performance apes Ray's hics and tics to a tee ("like suh-hinging the blues", "like cuh-huhrying all night" and with no small success. Yes, it's more method actor that anything born from a genuine desire to sing the blues, but it's also more convincing (and enjoyable) than an end of the pier impersonator. Or either of his other number ones - it's a performance where Mitchell redeems himself after much rottenness and for once I can forgive the smug look on his mug.