This is the first number one by a female artist since August 4, 1956 when the Platters hit number one. (The Platters had a female singer as part of their group.) Another female artist would not hit number one until December of 1958, (a member of the Teddy Bears) resulting in one of the longest periods of male dominance in the rock and roll era.

Taken from the movie Tammy and the Bachelor which starred Debbie Reynolds as Tammy, Leslie Nielsen as the bachelor and Walter Brennan as Tammy’s grandfather. Tammy is a seventeen year old girl who lives with her grandfather on a houseboat in the swamps of Mississippi. One day a plane crashes nearby and grandfather rescues the pilot, Leslie Nielsen, who is the bachelor and whose name is Peter Brent.

Tammy, of course, falls in love with Peter, but he is engaged to be married and must return home. When he leaves, he tells the grandfather if they ever need anything to come and see him. When grandfather is arrested for moonshining, Tammy now needs help and heads for Peter’s house. The actual scene where she sings the title song of the movie occurs in Peter’s house. Now you have reason to find the movie on Netflix or somewhere and watch it. I’m sure you would like to know what happens.

The song, “Tammy” was written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans for the movie and was nominated for an Academy Award in 1958. The original recording only has a piano as accompaniment. But, later Henry Mancini patched in the entire orchestral score resulting in the final product.

Debbie Reynolds was born Mary Francis Reynolds in 1932 in El Paso, Texas. She won a talent contest as a youth and eventually became an actress and singer. She starred in many movies before Tammy and the Bachelor and starred in many more after. She married Eddie Fisher, a great singer in his own right, but they split up when Fisher fell in love with Elizabeth Taylor and asked for a divorce.

“Tammy” entered the chart on August 19, 1957 and spent a total of five weeks at number one. It relinquished number one for one week as “Diana” by Paul Anka took over the spot. But then it went back to number one again.

Next: “Diana” – Paul Anka