Topsy (instrumental)

"Topsy" was a 1938 instrumental release for bandleader Benny Goodman, written by Edgar Battle and Eddie Durham, which became a #14 pop hit.[1] The tune had previously been recorded by Count Basie and His Orchestra on August 9th, 1937.[2]

In 1958, drummer Cozy Cole recorded the song and issued it in two parts as a single. The A-side ("Topsy I") made it to #27 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, while the B-side ("Topsy II") reached #3 on the Hot 100 chart and #1 on the Billboard Rhythm & Blues chart, staying atop the latter for six weeks.[1] The two songs were simultaneous hits; they were closest together on the Hot 100 chart for the week ending November 2, 1958, when Topsy I was at #27 and Topsy II was at #4.[3]

Notable Versions

Count Basie Orchestra
Charlie Christian (credited as "Swing to Bop")

References

  1. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 126.
  2. ↑ Max Harrison, Charles Fox, Eric Thacker (2000). Essential Jazz Records: Volume 1: Ragtime to Swing. London: A&C Black. p. 295.
  3. ↑ "The Billboard Hot 100", Billboard, 1958-10-27, retrieved 2016-01-30
Preceded by
"It's All in the Game" by Tommy Edwards		 Billboard Hot R&B Sides number-one single (Cozy Cole version)
October 27, 1958 – December 1, 1958 		Succeeded by
"A Lover's Question" by Clyde McPhatter

Produced by Leo Scalia

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