Skip to main contentSkip to navigationSkip to navigationBritish singer Lita Roza in 1957 – one of the most popular female singers of the 1950s. Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty ImagesBritish singer Lita Roza in 1957 – one of the most popular female singers of the 1950s. Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty ImagesA history of pop musicPop and rock This article is more than 14 years old(How Much is) That Doggie in the Window? becomes a novelty hitThis article is more than 14 years old17 April 1953: Number 3 in our series of the 50 key events in the history of pop musicCaspar Llewellyn SmithSat 11 Jun 2011 00.48 BSTShare
Lita Roza became the first British woman to have a No 1 hit in the UK with her version of Bob Merrill's song, already a hit in the US for Patti Page. The song had been so popular in the US that registrations for the American Kennel Club jumped 8% in its wake. It might not have been the first ever novelty song, but it was one of the biggest of all time – paving the way for staples such as The Birdie Song.
Caspar Llewellyn SmithSat 11 Jun 2011 00.48 BSTShare