30) Connie Francis – “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool”

The Everlys may moan about being someone’s clown, but along comes Connie to argue “So what? So’s everyone else.”  “The tears I cried for you could fill an ocean/ But you don’t care how many tears I’ve cried” paraphrases the “When you see me share a tear” verse of “Cathy’s Clown,” but the bouncy melody makes the lyrics sound like a big shrug.  Francis’s song doesn’t have the emotional heft of the Everly Brothers’ song, or of her own 1958 hit “Who’s Sorry Now,” but it’s a cute pseudocountry trifle.   In lesser hands, it could be shrill or precious, but Francis’s warm, clear voice has just the right air of self-depricating ruefulness.  Aside from Francis, the most interesting part of the song is the Wurlitzer (?) organ on the intro and outro.  It hints at the carnivalish nature of love: some rides make you queasy, some are fun but end too soon, but there are always plenty to go around, and at the end of the night you can’t wait to do it all over again.  6

Hit #1 on June 27, 1960; total of 2 weeks at #1
30 of 964 #1’s reviewed; 3.11% through the Hot 100

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