Bryan Davies - Five Foot-Two (1961)

(Joe Young - Ray Henderson - Sam Lewis)
 Australia
#5 Sydney #10 Brisbane #10 Adelaide | #16 Australia

Single on His Master’s Voice, October 1961, the second single released by Bryan Davies and the second to chart. The first was his hit Dream Girl (#5 Australia).

♫ Listen at YouTube

Popular singer, TV host, actor and cabaret artist Bryan Davies was born in 1944 in Manchester UK, but lived in Australia from early childhood.

His recording career followed initial TV appearances on ATN7’s Teen Time and other local pop shows. His best chart runs were in Sydney where he had eight charting singles 1961-67.

During a sojourn in London he worked with EMI producer and conductor Norrie Paramor, best known for his work with Cliff Richard & The Shadows.

For more on Bryan Davies see under Dream Girl.

Thanks to Dave Overett for suggestion.

Frisco Joe’s Goodtime Boys (With Smacka The Singing Barman) - Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue (1954)

(Joe Young - Ray Henderson - Sam Lewis)
 Australia

On Magnasound EP Frisco Joe’s Housewarming Party Vol 1 by mid-1950s Dixieland jazz outfit from Melbourne.

This record features at least two Australian jazz legends: pianist-composer and mainstay of the group Graeme Bell (1914-2012) and singer-banjoist-restaurateur¹ Graham Francis “Smacka” Fitzgibbon (1930-1979). Smacka’s sister Maggie Fitzgibbon (1929-2020) also recorded with Frisco Joe’s Goodtime Boys.

See also Smacka Fitzgibbon – Waterloo Road (1970). Smacka’s biggest hit was The Adventures Of Barry McKenzie (1972, #20 Australia).

Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue seems to have been favoured by Australian trad jazz bands. See, for example:
• Ray Price Quintet, on ATA LP Jazz Spectrum (Introduction To Jazz By Ray Price) (1971)
• The Red Onions Jazz Band LP on Drum/HMV Red Onions Live! At La Brochette¹ (1974).

Footnote: 1. La Brochette was a Melbourne jazz restaurant run by Smacka Fitzgibbon from 1969.

Reference: Jack Mitchell, Australian Jazz On Record (1988)

Gene Austin - Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue (Has Anybody Seen My Girl) (1926)

(Joe Young - Ray Henderson - Sam Lewis)
 USA
#1 USA*

*Chart placings here are as calculated for Joel Whitburn’s chart book Pop memories, 1890-1954 (digitised copy at Internet Archive; see here and here for methodology).

This was the big hit version of the 1920s. A Victor release, recorded in December 1925, it peaked in March 1926.

Singer Gene Austin (1900-1972) was from Texas, born Eugene Lucas. His 1927 hit My Blue Heaven was one of the biggest selling records of the pre-rock’n’roll era. See Gene Austin entry at Donald Clarke’s Encyclopaedia of Popular Music.

Some other popular early versions:
• Art Landry & His Orchestra, vocals Denny Curtis (1926, #10 USA) on Victor rec. 17 Nov 1925
• Ernie Golden & His Orchestra (1926, #15 USA) on Brunswick rec. 11 Jan 1926 by prolific recording artist
• Tiny Hills & His Orchestra (1940, #25 USA) on Okeh rec. 15 June 1940
• Benny Strong & His Orchestra (1949, #30 USA) on Capitol released 1948