Yes, you can listen to the songs.  If your computer has a sound card and MP3 player software (most newer ones do), clicking on the title will load the player, download the song, and play it.  The quality's good, but a slow internet connection may require lots of patience.

1955 MOVIES

TIMING

HAPPENINGS IN 1955

Don’t Walk signs are introduced to the streets of New York City.

Polio shots are given in public schools.

US starts sending $216 million in aid to Vietnam.

The U.S. imports 57,115 passenger cars. That number will climb to 668,070 by 1959, which will be a stellar year for imports.

Ann Landers starts her famous column in the Chicago Sun-Times.

Richard J. Daley is elected mayor of Chicago and begins a 21-year reign of  patronage politics.

Defying Alabama law, Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus to a white man.

Home microwave ovens go on sale.

On the air, you'll  find 2,635 AM radio, 553 FM radio and 411 TV Stations.

West Germany is admitted into NATO on May 9. The Soviets counter NATO with creation of the Warsaw Pact, signed by eight countries on May 14.

Bella Lugosi (Dracula) goes into a hospital for treatment of a 20 year drug addition.

New drugs Thorazine and Reserpine are found to be very useful in the treatment of mental patients.

Instant Oatmeal is invented by the Quaker Oats Company.

It's finger lickin' good!  Kentucky Fried Chicken is introduced nationally.

Crest, the first toothpaste with fluoride clinically proven to fight cavities, is launched.

NY psychologist Joyce Brothers won The $64,000 Question.  Her topic was boxing.

The National Review appears, edited and published by William F. Buckley, Jr.

The Village Voice begins publication.  Founded by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher and Norman Mailer, the weekly publication introduces free-form, high-spirited and passionate journalism .

Argentina's President Juan Peron is overthrown by a military coup; he flees to Spain.  Pope Pius XII excommunicates him. 

The first automobile seat belt legislation is enacted in Illinois.

Barbra Striesand records "You'll Never Know" at age 13.

In early 1954 Ray Kroc drives to San Bernardino, CA to see what is going on with a hamburger stand owned by Dick and Maurice (Mac) McDonald.  Kroc, who sold Multimixers, wanted to know why the brothers ordered so many of them.  Kroc discovered a huge lunch line of ordinary people wanting a 15¢ burger (4¢ extra for cheese), a 5¢ coffee, or a 20¢ milkshake!   He opened his own first hamburger stand in suburban Chicago in 1955.  By 1956 there were 12, by 1960, 228.  In 2000, McDonald's has grown to 25,000 restaurants in about 120 countries.

The corticosteroid prednisone is developed.

Congress authorizes all US currency and coins to say In God We Trust.

Marian Anderson becomes the first black singer to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Disneyland opens and has over 1 million visitors in only 7 weeks.

Albert Einstein dies at age 76.

The Brooklyn Dodgers record their only World Series victory, beating the Yankees in game 7.

The Cleveland Browns beat the LA Rams 38-14 in the NFL championship game.

Syracuse beats Fort Wayne, 4 games to 3, for NBA championship.

Tony Trabert wins at Wimbledon.

Bill Shoemaker, aboard Swaps, beats Eddie Arcaro on Nashua in Kentucky Derby.

Eddie Arcaro ties the record of 6 Belmont Stakes wins.

Sugar Ray Robinson wins the world boxing championship by defeating Carl "Bobo" Olson.

Jack Fleck wins the US Open golf tournament.  Cary Middlecoff's 279 wins the Masters.

Howard Cassady, Ohio State, wins the Heisman Trophy.  Earl Morrall, later the hero of the Dolphins 1972 perfect season, comes in 4th in the voting.

A Le Mans race car accident kills 83 spectators.

William Cox buys Yankee Stadium.

Bob Sweikert wins the Indianapolis 500.

Oscars

Best Picture:
Marty

Best Actor:
Ernest Borgnine
Marty

Best Actress:
Anna Magnani
The Rose Tattoo

Best Song:
Sammy Fain,
Paul Francis Webster
Love is a Many-Splendored Thing