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"This Ole House" (sometimes spelled "This Old House") is an American popular song written by Stuart Hamblen, and published in 1954. Rosemary Clooney's version reached the top of the popular music charts in both the US and the UK in 1954. The song again topped the UK chart in 1981 in a recording by Shakin' Stevens.

Stuart Hamblen version

Hamblen recorded the song in March 1954 and released it as a single in May 1954. It became very successful, peaking at number two on the Billboard Country & Western chart, as well as being a top-30 hit on the Hot 100, known then as the Best Sellers in Stores.

Composition

Hamblen was supposedly out on a hunting expedition in the Sierra with guide Monte Wolfe, when his fellow hunter, actor John Wayne, and he came across a hut in the mountains. Inside was the body of a man, and the man's dog was still there, guarding the building. This inspired Hamblen to write "This Ole House". In the following issue, it was described as "a sacred item which re-establishes Hamblen as the top man in his field" and "a sock debut for Hamblen on the label."

Charts

Weekly charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1954)

!Peak<br/>position

|-

!scope="row" |US Best Sellers in Stores (Billboard)

|26

|-

!scope="row" |US Country & Western Records (Billboard)

|3

|}

Year-end charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1954)

!Position

|-

!scope="row" |US Country & Western Records (Billboard)

|13

|}

Rosemary Clooney version

Soon after Hamblen released his version, Rosemary Clooney recorded a version of "This Ole House" with Buddy Cole and His Orchestra. It featured bass vocals by Thurl Ravenscroft and topped the charts in the US and the UK. A version similar to the Clooney version was also recorded by UK singer Alma Cogan in 1954, but without chart success.

Track listings

7" (US)

  1. "Hey There" – 2:57
  2. "This Ole House" – 2:18

7" (UK)

  1. "This Ole House"
  2. "My Baby Sends Me"

Charts

Weekly charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1954)

!Peak<br/>position

|-

|-

!scope="row" |US Best Sellers in Stores (Billboard)

|1

|-

!scope="row"|US Cash Box Best Selling Singles

|3

|}

Year-end charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1954)

!Position

|-

!scope="row" |US Best Sellers in Stores

|12

|}

Shakin' Stevens version

In 1981, Welsh singer Shakin' Stevens covered NRBQ's arrangement of the song for his album of the same name. It became very successful, topping the UK Singles Chart for three weeks, as well as being a hit in several other countries.

|1

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Denmark (Hitlisten)

|6

|-

!scope="row"|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)

|12

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Iceland (Vísir)

|9

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Israel (IBA)

|4

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok Radio)

|1

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Zimbabwe (ZIMA)

|19

|}

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|-

!Chart (2005)

!Peak<br>position

|-

!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)

|11

|-

!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)

|26

|-

!scope="row"|Denmark (Hitlisten)

|22

|-

!scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)

|17

|-

!scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100)

|23

|-

!scope="row"|New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)

|5

|-

!scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok Radio)

|4

|-

!scope="row"|UK Singles

|4

|}

Certifications and sales

Other notable recordings

  • 1954: Billie Anthony's version was a hit in the UK, peaking at number four in October.
  • 1954: Bing Crosby recorded the song in 1954 for use on his radio show, and it was subsequently included on the CD Bing & Rosie: The Crosby-Clooney Radio Sessions (2010).
  • 1960: Stoney and Wilma Lee Cooper released a version in 1960 which charted at No. 16 on the US Country chart.
  • 1964: Per Myrberg recorded the song in Swedish as "Trettifyran", which was a hit in Sweden on the Svensktoppen music chart for 39 weeks.
  • 1966: The Cathedral Quartet recorded the song on their album With Strings.
  • 1966: The Statler Brothers recorded the song on their debut album Flowers on the Wall.
  • 1987: The Cathedral Quartet re-recorded the song with "When the Saints Go Marching In" on their album Symphony of Praise.
  • 1998: The Brian Setzer Orchestra on The Dirty Boogie.
  • 2010: Ernie Haase and Signature Sound on their DVD/CD A Tribute to The Cathedral Quartet.

References

  • Lyrics to "This Ole House"