Ruby's 54 year old record

[Teddy O'Neil]

According to some press reports, Ruby's 54 year old record of having 5 titles in the Top Twenty at one time is in danger of being broken posthumously by Michael Jackson. Following his untimely death several of Michael Jackson's singles were re-released and there are currently 6 titles in the Top Forty.
'Man in the mirror ' (No. 11)
Thriller (23)
Billie Jean (25)
Smooth criminal (28)
Beat it (30)
Earth song (38)

Some experts say that these titles are selling rapidly and all six could be in the Top Twenty within the next few weeks.
We will watch the charts with interest but perhaps the Jackson fever will fade away after his funeral.

Teddy O'Neil

[Bernie Burgess]

Hello Teddy,

Yes, it certainly looks as though Michael Jackson will have numerous hits in the charts 'all at the same time' but perhaps the fact that his is posthumously might just save Ruby's world record, her record was created 'live', I think there is a significant difference???

Adios Amigo. Bernie.

[Jk]

Hello Ted, yes I have been watching the charts for the last week, and yesterday the UK Charts show that M.J has indeed equalled Ruby's record. What we have to hope now is that next Sunday that one or two drop out, so that he doesn't actually break Ruby record. In any case I think our "Home Page" will have to be re-wrote, has we now cannot claim that Ruby is the only one to have 5 records in the top twenty at one time. I see what Bernie is on about, but at the end off the day the "UK Charts" will always recognise that M Jackson had five records in the charts in one week. The Charts mentioned above or "The BBC Charts"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/singles.shtml
I have just had a look and the "OFFICIAL UK CHARTS" only shows ONE M.J. Jackson in the top twenty for this week, so we might get away with it.
http://www.theofficialcharts.com/top40_singles.php

[Bernie Burgess]

Hello Frirends.

Below is a copy of an email that I have sent to The Official Charts.com. I am hoping that there will be some kind of response. Watch this space.

Adios Amigos. Bernie.

Hello Phil
I am watching the charts with great interest, and this is why. - In 1955 my ex wife, Ruby Murray, created a world record by achieving having 5 hit records in the charts, all at one and the same time, 3 of which were in the Top Ten. No-one has ever beaten this record. There was a claim that Madonna had broken the record but this is not so. Madonna may have had more hits than Ruby but never 5 hits in the Top Twenty at one and the same time. Anyone doubting this can simply check up in the Guinness Book of Records, this will confirm that Ruby still holds that world record. From memory I think it shows that Madonna had 3 hits in the Top Twenty???

Currently Michael Jackson is 'POSTHUMOUSLY' achieving hit singles going into the charts. As it stands as of today, he has not broken Ruby's 54yr old world record. I think that there is a significant difference between someone 'posthumously' getting singles into the charts as opposed to doing it ''LIVE' I would appreciate your comments on these facts.

Respectfully,

Bernie Burgess. email: - bernieburgess@terra.es

[rbl.ca]

Hello Teddy, and all the others.
I fail to understand the UK's enthusiasm for Michael Jackson. Not only is his position on the charts posthumous, it is commemorative. As such, it doesn't compare to Ruby's Golden Anniversary Collection.

Anyway, how could anybody compare Ruby's beautiful voice to that created by surgery (to preserve Michael's boy voice)? And how could anybody compare Ruby's beauty to the despicable freak, created by multiple surgeries, that Michael became?
Was he ashamed of being an African American? It sure seems so. I'm amazed that any African American would support the little creep, pedophile that he must have been.
I can't watch him on TV because his false face disgusts me.
Ralph

[Bernie Burgess]

Hello Friends.

Ralph has certainly made his feelings known. He is a man who knows what he likes and what he doesn't and is prepared to speak out about it. Millions of Jackson fans across the world would disagree with him but it goes to prove we all have our own personal preferences. Personally I whole heartedly applaud Jackson's dancing ability, he is undoubtedly a great dancer and a very good showman but for me it ends there.

Ruby also appealed to millions of people, there were obviously those to whom she didn't appeal. Her voice was unique and it had a quality of it's own, that is why she sold millions of records. In complete contrast to others, her appearance was completely natural, she had no aires and graces, a very charming and very feminine human being, but I would say that wouldn't I?

I am still waiting to hear from The Official Charts company and will post their reply in due course.

Adios Amigos. Bernie

[MARTIN FOSTER]

HI guys,

Hope you are all well.

Bernie, I do hope that Michael Jackson doesn't break Ruby's record. We will have to see what happens with the charts and also the outcome to your email, which should be very interesting.

Ruby has said in a radio interview with Sarah Kennedy that she is a fan of Michael Jackson. I wonder if this was really the case?

Martin.

[Teddy O'Neil]

Hi Bernie,
We will await with interest the response to your E-mail from The Official Charts.
Fans may be interested to know that the fact that Ruby's record has not yet been broken by Michael Jackson was mentioned to-day by Frank Mitchell on U 105 (N. Ireland local radio station). There are now 5 Jackson songs in this week Top Twenty (per BBC) equalling the record set by Ruby all those years ago. Eddie McIlwaine (showbiz correspondent with the Belfast Telegraph) was interviewed and 'Softly, softly' was played. Eddie said that this recording was one of his top five favourite records of all time. He also mentioned that Ruby's singing was praised by Frank Sinatra.
Let's see what happens in next week's Top Twenty.

Cheers, Ted

[Bernie Burgess]

Hello Martin,

Ruby must have becme a Jackson fan after we had parted. The billiance of his dancing would win over Ruby but I am not sure whether she would go for his singing. She was a very keen fan of 'Ole Blue eyes, 'the guvnor'. Frank's voice was more like Ruby's idea of a good singer. I also know that she held Mat Monro in very high esteem which together points towards her style of singing. Pity she is not here to answer for herself.

Regarding Teddy's posting, I wonder which charts it will all be based on??? There are numerous and not all print the same ratings. In Ruby's era The New Musical Express printed their charts, among others. Previously it was Radio Luxemburg (which is where it all started) but there were many others who printed charts. Perhaps this is why - The Official Charts.com came about - BUT WHO IS RIGHT??? Currently I have heard several different chart listings and they all differ, sometimes quite remarkable so.

Adios Amigo. Bernie.

[MARTIN FOSTER]

Hi friends,

Hi Bernie,

What can I say, Ruby had excellent taste. Personally I would rather listen to them than Michael Jackson any day!

Wonder if it will make the British news about Ruby's musical record being threatened by M.J.?

[spudmurph]

Hello everyone

I have just been reading the postings regarding Ruby's 5 hit record possibly being surpassed by Michael Jackson. According to a brief article in last night's Belfast Telegraph this has NOT been achieved.

I also read a nice editorial column on Sunday written by Dan Gordon in the Sunday Life this week about this very subject. I am not sure whether or not you can access it online.

Kathleen

[spudmurph]

I have just looked to see whether or not I could access Dan Gordon's column in the Sunday Life but was unable to do so. You can however read last night's short article in the Belfast Telegraph on their website at www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.

[Jk]

Hi, thanks for the info, I have just looked at the article with great pleasure. We will have to see what happens on next week charts, if we can survive that, I think we will be OK. I will put the link on to the article.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/enter ... 85571.html
Thanks again for the link.

[Bernie Burgess]

Hello Friends,
I became somewhat impatient waiting for a reply from The Official Charts company so I rang through to speak to 'Phil'.
He had not read my email but started to read it whilst I was on the telephone. I told him that I was waiting to place his comments onto the official Ruby Murray website, he has promised to come back to me before the end of the week. He said that he couldn't remember seeing the copy of The New Musical Express charts for 1955 that I sent to him so I have re-sent a copy together with some personal comments. I await his reply.

Adios Amigos. Bernie.

Hello Phil,

As arranged, I am re-sending the New Musical Express 'Top Twenty' charts from March 1955. Due to the fact that currently differing charts come up with conflicting results it is therefore difficult to establish which chart to accept as authentic, perhaps you could enlighten me on this?

As it stands at this moment, I believe that Ruby's world record still stands and remains on this side of the Atlantic. I think that you will agree that, whatever the outcome, Michael Jackson's chart entries were achieved posthumously on a wave of sympathy and nostalgia as opposed to Ruby's being achieved 'LIVE', a significant difference. I hasten to add that I do not wish to belittle Michael Jackson's achievements in any shape or form, he was undoubtedly a great entertainer, a brilliant dancer and he enjoyed tremendous acclaim in the recording world.

Please look up the Ruby Murray website, it has masses of data about the world record holding star - RUBY MURRAY

Website: - http://www.rubymurray.org.

Kindest regards. Bernie Burgess email - bernieburgess@terra.es Tel : (0034) 966864430

[Gerald Lawrence]

It is quite a difficult period for all of us fans, and I personally feel that I wish I could say something that would help. But the fact is that the fans of Michael Jackson, swept up in the same kind of fever that seems to dominate today's people and witnessed when Lady Diana died and when the Big Brother member Jade also died, are going to do whatever they wish and that will determine the outcome. It becomes like a pandemic, and people who never really paid all that much attention to such people when they were alive, just have to follow those that did and act as if they have lost a very close friend. The results are often quite unpredictable.

We can only hope that the fever dies down quickly and that the truth becomes fact rather than people's opinions becoming dispensed as fact, with regard to whether or not there are 5 or more Michael Jackson songs in the UK Top Twenty in the same week. That is Ruby's record, and that is the basis on which she either still holds it or loses it.

I hope she doesn't lose her record. But I know I will love and admire her just the same as ever even if it is taken away from her.