Billboard #1 Hits: #83: ‘ Go Away Little Girl”- Steve Lawrence- January 12, 1963. #1 for 2 weeks.

• Single: “Go Away Little Girl”- Steve Lawrence
• Record Company- Columbia
• Genre: Easy Listening
• Written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin
• Time: 2:12
• B-side:”If You Love Her Tell Her So”
• Album- Come Waltz With Me/ Winners
• Grade:  F
• Peaked at #1 and #1 in New Zealand

Looking at the 20 new #1 hits from 1963- it makes me look forward to mid February when we will be into 1964 and The Beatles and a major upturn in the quality of music. I didn’t think a whole lot overall of the #1 hits in 1962 and glancing at 1963- it looks even worse. While of course there was good music in 1962-63 they are never mentioned as great years for rock/ pop music.

Steve Lawrence was born Sidney Liebowitz in Brooklyn in 1935. He is of course best remembered for the duo he formed with his wife Eydie Gorme aka Edith Gormezano. “Go Away Little Girl” was the first of 9 singles that went to #1 by two different artists- the other version that went to #1 was by Donny Osmond in 1971. Bobby Vee was the first to record the song written by the great Goffin and King songwriting team.  Other hits with this song- Happenings #12 1966 and of course the Osmond train wreck. “Go Away Little Girl” was not one of Goffin/ King’s greatest moments. Rather embarrassing to be honest.

As a solo artist- Steve Lawrence had 24 Hot 100 singles-11 making the Top 40 from 1957-72. “Go Away Little Girl” was his only #1 hit. His last Top 40 hit was in late 1963- The Beatles and The British Invasion pretty much put an end to his chart successes. Edyie Gorme died in 2013 at the age of 84, Steve Lawrence is now 84 but it was announced a year ago he was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.