I was looking at the Billboard Top Ten bestsellers charts for January 18, 1947, 70 years ago, and there were not one or two, but FOUR different versions of (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons, the song written in 1945 by Ivory “Deek” Watson, former founding member of The Ink Spots, and William “Pat” Best, a founding member of The Four Tunes. “Best later stated that Watson had nothing to do with the creation of the song, but Watson maintained in his late 1960s autobiography that he and Best wrote the song together, lyrics and music respectively.”
The King Cole Trio Cole first hit the Top 10 on November 30, 1946, with Charlie Spivak (vocals by Jimmy Saunders), Eddy Howard, and Dinah Shore all joining him on the charts nearly two months later. Cole debuted at #8, fell off the charts for a week, and then was #5 for two weeks before dipping to #8 on December 28, right behind his own The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You).
In 1947: Jan 4: #6 Cole. Jan 11: #5 Cole. Jan 18: #4 Cole, #7 Spivak, #8 Howard, #10 Shore. Jan 25: #4 Cole, #6 Howard, #9 Spivak
Feb 1: #3 Cole, #6 Howard, #7 Spivak, #9 Shore. Feb 8: #4 Cole, #6 Shore, #8 Howard, #9 Spivak. Feb 15: #1 Cole, #8 Howard, #9 Shore. Feb 22: #4 Cole.
So the Cole version started up the charts earliest, charted highest (#1), and lasted longest (12 weeks)
But there was an alternate chart during this time that took into account not just sales but radio play and jukeboxes. On THAT chart, Cole was #1 for SIX weeks, Shore was #2 for two weeks, Howard got to #2, and Spivak to #5. Also, Ella Fitzgerald got to #8 and Art Kassel, with vocalist Jimmy Featherstone, to #15, all in the same time frame.
Listen to (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
Nat King Cole (different recordings) HERE or HERE
Ella Fitzgerald and the Delta Rhythm Boys HERE or HERE
Art Kassel HERE