Topsy (instrumental)

"Topsy" is an instrumental by Count Basie and His Orchestra, released on August 9, 1937, written by Edgar Battle and Eddie Durham.^[1] It became a #14 pop hit for bandleader Benny Goodman in 1938.^[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.^[2] 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]^{[better source needed]}

Notable versions

Count Basie Orchestra
Charlie Christian (credited as "Swing to Bop")
Jimmy Giuffre, on his album Western Suite
The Chico Hamilton Quintet, on their album Chico Hamilton Quintet in Hi Fi
Meco (1977) ^[4]

References

^ Max Harrison, Charles Fox, Eric Thacker (2000). Essential Jazz Records: Volume 1: Ragtime to Swing. London: A&C Black. p. 295.
^ ^a ^b Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 126.
^ "The Billboard Hot 100", Billboard, 1958-10-27, retrieved 2016-01-30
^ https://www.discogs.com/release/6501514-Meco-Topsy

[1] Max Harrison, Charles Fox, Eric Thacker (2000). Essential Jazz Records: Volume 1: Ragtime to Swing. London: A&C Black. p. 295.

[Whitburn-2] Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 126.

[3] "The Billboard Hot 100", Billboard, 1958-10-27, retrieved 2016-01-30

[4] ttps://www.discogs.com/release/6501514-Meco-Topsy

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