Stuck at 2: the 1950s
The table below lists every song that was “Stuck at 2” in the UK charts during the 1950s, from the first official chart in November 1952 up to December 1959. These are the songs that made it to #2 but no further.
When a single was kept off #1 by more than one song, each one is listed, along with how many weeks it kept its rival at #2.
When a song was kept off the top by the same #1 for non-consecutive weeks each separate run at #2 is listed.
For example, Frank Chacksfield, Terry’s Theme From ‘Limelight’ was kept off #1 by Frankie Laine, I Believe for 2 weeks in July 1953. Nat ‘King’ Cole, Pretend replaced it at #2 for a week and then Frank Chacksfield, Terry’s Theme From ‘Limelight’ returned to #2 for 6 weeks.
| Month | Act, Title | Weeks at #2 | Act and song that kept it at #2 |
| Nov-52 | Guy Mitchell, Feet Up (Pat Him On The Po-Po) | 1 | Al Martino, Here In My Heart |
| May-53 | Guy Mitchell, Pretty Little Black Eyed Susie | 1 | Frankie Laine, I Believe |
| May-53 | Nat ‘King’ Cole, Pretend | 4 | Frankie Laine, I Believe |
| Jun-53 | Frank Chacksfield, Terry’s Theme From Limelight | 2 | Frankie Laine, I Believe |
| Jun-53 | Nat ‘King’ Cole, Pretend | 1 | Frankie Laine, I Believe |
| Jul-53 | Frank Chacksfield, Terry’s Theme From Limelight | 6 | Frankie Laine, I Believe |
| Oct-53 | Frankie Laine, Where The Wind Blows | 1 | Guy Mitchell, Look At That Girl |
| Dec-53 | Mantovani & His Orchestra, Swedish Rhapsody | 1 | Frankie Laine, Answer Me |
| Dec-53 | Diana Decker, Poppa Piccolino | 1 | Frankie Laine / David Whitfield, Answer Me (tied for one week) |
| Jan-54 | Mantovani & His Orchestra, Swedish Rhapsody | 1 | Eddie Calvert, Oh Mein Papa |
| Jan-54 | Winifred Atwell, Let’s Have A Party | 1 | Eddie Calvert, Oh Mein Papa |
| Jan-54 | Frankie Laine, Blowing Wild | 3 | Eddie Calvert, Oh Mein Papa |
| Feb-54 | Guy Mitchell, Cloud Lucky Seven | 1 | Eddie Calvert, Oh Mein Papa |
| Feb-54 | Dean Martin with Dick Stabile and his orchestra, That’s Amore | 1 | Eddie Calvert, Oh Mein Papa |
| Feb-54 | Frankie Laine, Blowing Wild | 1 | Eddie Calvert, Oh Mein Papa |
| Mar-54 | Obernkirchen Children’s Choir, Happy Wanderer (Der Frohliche Wanderer) | 5 | The Stargazers, I See The Moon |
| Oct-54 | Nat ‘King’ Cole, Smile | 3 | Frank Sinatra, Three Coins In The Fountain |
| Dec-54 | David Whitfield, Santo Natale | 5 | Winifred Atwell, Let’s Have Another Party |
| Jun-55 | Al Hibbler, Unchained Melody | 2 | Eddie Calvert, Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White |
| Jul-55 | Al Hibbler, Unchained Melody | 2 | Jimmy Young, Unchained Melody |
| Aug-55 | Frankie Laine, Cool Water | 3 | Slim Whitman, Rose Marie |
| Aug-55 | Frank Sinatra with Nelson Riddle & his Orchestra, Learnin’ The Blues | 5 | Slim Whitman, Rose Marie |
| Oct-55 | Frankie Laine, Cool Water | 2 | Slim Whitman, Rose Marie |
| Oct-55 | Cyril Stapleton Orchestra, Blue Star (The Medic Theme) | 2 | Jimmy Young, The Man From Laramie |
| Nov-55 | Four Aces featuring Al Alberts, Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing | 2 | Bill Haley & His Comets, Rock Around The Clock |
| Jan-56 | Max Bygraves, Meet Me On The Corner | 1 | Bill Haley & His Comets, Rock Around The Clock |
| Jan-56 | Bill Hayes, Ballad Of Davy Crockett | 3 | Tennessee Ernie Ford, Sixteen Tons |
| Feb-56 | Frank Sinatra, (Love Is) The Tender Trap | 1 | Tennessee Ernie Ford, Sixteen Tons |
| Feb-56 | Lou Busch, Zambesi | 3 | Dean Martin, Memories Are Made Of This |
| Mar-56 | Lou Busch, Zambesi | 1 | Dreamweavers, It’s Almost Tomorrow |
| May-56 | Teresa Brewer, A Tear Fell | 1 | Ronnie Hilton, No Other Love |
| Jun-56 | Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group, Lost John / Stewball | 2 | Ronnie Hilton, No Other Love |
| Jun-56 | Elvis Presley, Heartbreak Hotel | 2 | Pat Boone, I’ll Be Home |
| Jul-56 | Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group, Lost John / Stewball | 1 | Pat Boone, I’ll Be Home |
| Jul-56 | Various Artists, All Star Hit Parade | 1 | Pat Boone, I’ll Be Home |
| Aug-56 | Tony Martin, Walk Hand In Hand | 1 | Doris Day, Whatever Will Be Will Be |
| Oct-56 | Elvis Presley, Hound Dog | 3 | Frankie Laine, A Woman In Love |
| Dec-56 | Frankie Vaughan, Green Door | 3 | Johnnie Ray, Just Walkin’ In The Rain |
| Feb-57 | Frankie Vaughan, The Garden Of Eden | 2 | Tab Hunter, Young Love |
| Mar-57 | Pat Boone, Don’t Forbid Me | 5 | Tab Hunter, Young Love |
| Apr-57 | Harry Belafonte with Tony Scott’s Orchestra & Chorus & Millard Thomas, guitar, Banana Boat Song | 2 | Lonnie Donegan, Cumberland Gap |
| Jun-57 | Nat ‘King’ Cole, When I Fall In Love | 1 | Johnnie Ray, Yes Tonight Josephine |
| Aug-57 | Russ Hamilton, We Will Make Love | 1 | Elvis Presley, All Shook Up |
| Aug-57 | Pat Boone, Love Letters In The Sand | 2 | Elvis Presley, All Shook Up |
| Aug-57 | Pat Boone, Love Letters In The Sand | 2 | Paul Anka, Diana |
| Sep-57 | Johnny Duncan & The Blue Grass Boys, Last Train To San Fernando | 1 | Paul Anka, Diana |
| Sep-57 | Pat Boone, Love Letters In The Sand | 2 | Paul Anka, Diana |
| Oct-57 | Johnny Duncan & The Blue Grass Boys, Last Train To San Fernando | 1 | Paul Anka, Diana |
| Oct-57 | Pat Boone, Love Letters In The Sand | 1 | Paul Anka, Diana |
| Oct-57 | Elvis Presley with The Jordanaires, Party | 1 | Paul Anka, Diana |
| Nov-57 | Debbie Reynolds, Tammy | 1 | The Crickets, That’ll Be The Day |
| Nov-57 | Elvis Presley with The Jordanaires, Party | 3 | The Crickets, That’ll Be The Day |
| Nov-57 | Jim Dale, Be My Girl | 2 | Harry Belafonte, Mary’s Boy Child |
| Dec-57 | Everly Brothers, Wake Up Little Susie | 1 | Harry Belafonte, Mary’s Boy Child |
| Dec-57 | Johnny Otis Show, Ma (He’s Making Eyes At Me) | 2 | Harry Belafonte, Mary’s Boy Child |
| Jan-58 | Everly Brothers, Wake Up Little Susie | 1 | Harry Belafonte, Mary’s Boy Child |
| Jan-58 | Johnny Otis Show, Ma (He’s Making Eyes At Me) | 2 | Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls Of Fire |
| Jan-58 | Johnny Otis Show, Ma (He’s Making Eyes At Me) | 1 | Elvis Presley, Jailhouse Rock |
| Mar-58 | Elvis Presley with The Jordanaires, Don’t | 1 | Perry Como, Magic Moments |
| May-58 | Pat Boone, A Wonderful Time Up There | 1 | Connie Francis, Who’s Sorry Now |
| May-58 | Elias & His Zigzag Jive Flutes, Tom Hark | 4 | Connie Francis, Who’s Sorry Now |
| Jul-58 | Four Preps, Big Man | 2 | The Everly Brothers, All I Have To Do Is Dream / Claudette |
| Aug-58 | Elvis Presley with The Jordanaires, Hard Headed Woman | 2 | The Everly Brothers, All I Have To Do Is Dream / Claudette |
| Sep-58 | Dean Martin, Return To Me | 1 | The Kalin Twins, When |
| Sep-58 | Dean Martin, Volare | 3 | Connie Francis, Carolina Moon / Stupid Cupid |
| Oct-58 | Elvis Presley with The Jordanaires, King Creole | 1 | Connie Francis, Carolina Moon / Stupid Cupid |
| Oct-58 | Cliff Richard & The Drifters, Move It | 1 | Connie Francis, Carolina Moon / Stupid Cupid |
| Nov-58 | Marino Marini & His Quartet, Come Prima | 1 | Connie Francis, Carolina Moon / Stupid Cupid |
| Nov-58 | Marino Marini & His Quartet, Come Prima | 1 | Tommy Edwards, It’s All In The Game |
| Nov-58 | Everly Brothers, Bird Dog | 1 | Tommy Edwards, It’s All In The Game |
| Jan-59 | Little Richard, Baby Face | 1 | Jane Morgan, The Day The Rains Came |
| Jan-59 | Teddy Bears, To Know Him Is To Love Him | 2 | Elvis Presley, One Night / I Got Stung |
| Jul-59 | Marty Wilde, A Teenager In Love | 2 | Bobby Darin, Dream Lover |
| Jul-59 | Lonnie Donegan & His Skiffle Group, Battle Of New Orleans | 1 | Bobby Darin, Dream Lover |
| Aug-59 | Lonnie Donegan & His Skiffle Group, Battle Of New Orleans | 1 | Cliff Richard & The Drifters, Living Doll |
| Oct-59 | Everly Brothers, (Til) I Kissed You | 1 | Bobby Darin, Mack The Knife |
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The Compartments 