Golden Anniversary Song of the Week: "White Silver Sands" by Bill Black's Combo

For the week ending March 13, 1960, on the Billboard Hot 100, we have a relatively mediocre group of newcomers.  Retiring Guy nearly decided to forego the "Song of the Week" honor but, at the last minute, bestowed it upon "White Silver Sands" by Bill Black's Combo, which makes its debut at #70 and peaked at #9 -- its only week in the top 10.  It spent a total of 14 weeks on the chart.  Born in Memphis in 1927, Bill Black was a session musician on Elvis Presley's earliest recordings.

Other songs making their first appearance this week.

"Sink the Bismarck" by Johnny Horton. (69, 3, 18)
Horton specialized in historical story songs and experienced his greatest success with "The Battle of New Orleans", which spent 6 week at #1 in the late spring/early summer of 1959.  The most popular YouTube video of "Sink the Bismarck" has 1,158,159 views.

"I Love the Way You Love" by Marv Johnson. (79, 9, 13)
Produced by Barry Gordy.  For Retiring Guy, the song brings to mind Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.

"Just One Time" by Don Gibson. (80, 29, 11)
More at home on the country charts, Gibson reached the top 10 of the Hot 100 just once, with "Oh Lonesome Me" in the spring of 1958.

"Never Let Me Go" by Lloyd Price. (82, 82, 3)
The "B" side of "Lady Luck", which entered the Hot 100 on February 1, 1960.

"Footsteps" by Steve Lawrence. (84, 7, 13)
The third of three top 10 hits in a row for the man usually mentioned in the same breath with Eydie Gorme.

"Apple Green" by Jane Valli. (89, 29, 13)
June used a win on the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts show as a springboard to a musical career.  Her biggest hit was a 1953 recording of "Crying in the Chapel".

"Closer Walk" by Pete Fountain. (93, 93, 2)
The clarinestist's first of 2 appearance on the Hot 100.

"What'cha Gonna Do" by Nat King Cole. (94, 92, 2)
The "B" side of "Time and the River", which debuted on February 1, 1960.

"Suddenly" by Nick Dematteo. (95, 90, 2)
Another Italian teen from Philadelphia -- 18 at the time this record was released -- Nick makes his only appearance on the Hot 100.

"Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" by Bobby Comstock & the Counts. (99, 90, 4)

"Down by the Riverside" by Les Compangnons de la Chanson. (100, 60, 8)