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1959:
"Venus" by Frankie Avalon
"I'm still proud of that record." -- Frankie Avalon

"Venus" and Frankie Avalon are a prime example of the "teen idol" strain of pop music from the late fifties and early sixties. Avalon had three top twenty records in 1958. He had been recruited by Bob Marcucci and Peter DeAngelis of Chancellor records in Philadelphia. His first success came as somewhat of a gimmick record as he held his nose while singing "De-De Dinah" (#7). Maybe the success of the record had much to do with its exposure on American Bandstand. His fourth hit was his biggest. When Ed Marshall brought his song, "Venus" to Avalon, he was immediately excited. When Marshall told him that Al Martino was planning on recording the song, Frankie got hold of Marcucci and they quickly scheduled a recording session in New York. After the session, Frankie told Dick Clark in a phone interview that he had just recorded a new smash hit. Four weeks after first hitting the Billboard Hot 100, "Venus" was #1. Avalon would have other top forty records, including another #1 ("Why") but "Venus" wouuld be his most recognizable hit. In 1976 he had some chart success with a disco version of the song.

 

 


 

LYRICS:

Ey, venus! oh, venus!

Venus if you will
Please send a little girl for me to thrill.
A girl who wants my kisses and my arms
A girl with all the charms of you.

Venus, make her fair
A lovely girl with sunlight in her hair.
And take the brightest stars up in the skies
And place them in her eyes for me.

Venus, goddess of love that you are,
Surely the things i ask
Can't be too great a task.

Venus, if you do
I promise that i always will be true.
I'll give her all the love i have to give
As long as we both shall live.

Venus, goddess of love that you are
Surely the things i ask
Can't be too great a task.

Venus if you do
I promise that i always will be true.
I'll give her all the love i have to give
As long as we both shall live.

Hey, venus! oh, venus!
Make my wish come true.
week debuted highest ranking Date Highest Rank Weeks in Top Twenty Weeks in Top Forty BillBoard Rank Cashbox Ranking GT rank
1959 2 23 1 1959 3 9 11 14 4 3 3