Chart peak : 7
Number of hits : 27
Frankie was another Mitch Miller protégé although much older than Guy Mitchell and he had already clocked up eleven hits in the jazz vein before the two collaborated on "That Lucky Old Sun" in 1949 which immediately charged up to number one. Thereafter Frankie was uncategorisable; he covered every conceivable style during his active recording career. Laine and Miller had umpteen US hits including no less than 6 duets with Jo Stafford before this one opened up his British account.
It also opened up a new direction in the burly 39-year old's career as the singer of Western themes whether for film or TV. Ironically Frankie's version isn't the one used in the classic film; that gig went to Tex Ritter. Frankie and Miller actually changed the words to make it less specific to the film.
The song encapsulates the dilemma of Gary Cooper's sheriff in the film - does he stand up and fight the bad guys alone for his less-than-grateful town or please his beautiful pacifist wife and run away with her at the cost of his self-respect ? Unlike the film there's no resolution in the record; we don't find out whether Frankie's girl returns or not.
Instead he's all alone and echoing up front in the mix with the guy playing the simple and ominous rhythm on his acoustic guitar and the cooing and aahing choir seemingly behind shuttered doors elsewhere. You're forced to focus on Frankie's vocal and jump when he hiccups on the word "hate " in the second verse. It's a master class in the producer's art and you can be sure both Joe Meek and Gene Pitney heard this.
Frankie would go on to be the first artist to score three number ones in the UK charts and just about made it into the following decade as far as his chart life goes.
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