FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 13, 2016

DEAR JERRY: Not counting resurrections of older material (i.e., Swan, Vee-Jay, MGM, Atco, etc.), how many consecutive No. 1 hits did the Beatles have in the U.S.?

Were they the first group of two or more members with consecutive No. 1 hits?
—Kent Camillo, Indianapolis

DEAR KENT: As you requested, only the Beatles' standard catalog of Capitol singles, meaning their 5000 and 2000 series, will be considered for this honor.

Besides the labels you mention, none of the Capitol Starline, Capitol of Canada, or Capitol EPs will count against them:

1964 "I Feel Fine" (Capitol 5327)
1965 "Eight Days a Week" (Capitol 5371)
1965 "Ticket to Ride" (Capitol 5407)
1965 "Help!" (Capitol 5476)
1965 "Yesterday" (Capitol 5498)
1966 "We Can Work It Out" (Capitol 5555)

Billboard and Cash Box agree on the above six, but neither ranked "Nowhere Man" as No. 1, thus ending the streak.

But Record World magazine kept the run alive, opening the door for six additional titles:

"Nowhere Man" (Capitol 5587)
"Paperback Writer" (Capitol 5651)
"Yellow Submarine" (Capitol 5715)
"Penny Lane" (Capitol 5810)
"All You Need Is Love" (Capitol 5964)
"Hello Goodbye" (Capitol 2056)

Having 12 consecutive chart-toppers is preposterous, especially considering that the most by any of the other three vinyl era runners up have far fewer:

Ames Brothers:
1950 "Rag Mop" (Coral 60140)
1950 "Sentimental Me" (Coral 60173)

Everly Brothers:
1957 "Bye Bye Love" (Cadence 1315)
1957 "Wake Up Little Susie" (Cadence 1337)

Their next single, "This Little Girl of Mine" (Cadence 1342), barely reached the Top 25, but then came two more at No. 1:
1958 "All I Have to Do Is Dream" (Cadence 1348)
1958 "Bird Dog" (Cadence 1350)

The 4 Seasons had either two or three in a row, depending on how one views their non-chart topping Christmas single, "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (Vee-Jay 478). I choose not to hold a holiday release against them, and will credit them with three:
1962 "Sherry" (Vee-Jay 456)
1962 "Big Girls Don't Cry" (Vee-Jay 465)
1963 "Walk Like a Man" (Vee-Jay 485)

Though not a group with pre-Beatles chart-toppers, we must acknowledge the impressive stretch of five consecutive No. 1 hits by the Supremes that began in July 1964:
1964 "Where Did Our Love Go" (Motown 1060)
1964 "Baby Love" (Motown 1066)
1964 "Come See About Me" (Motown 1068)
1965 "Stop! In the Name Love" (Motown 1074)
1965 "Back in My Arms Again" (Motown 1075)

DEAR JERRY: I have searched everywhere for a recording of "Nothin' in My Letter Box," by Dale Evans.

Does her version of this song exist in any form that can be had?
—Trisha Donaldson, Pawtucket, R.I.

DEAR TRISHA: This is not one of Dale's most common tunes, but I did locate one CD that should still be available when you read this.

This is an import from the British Archive of Country Music, titled "The Rage of the Sage" (B.A.C.M. CD-153).

Among its 24 tracks from the late 1940s is "Nothin' in My Letter Box," originally issued in June 1949, backed with "Don’t Ever Fall in Love With a Cowboy" (RCA Victor 48-0073).

You may find some online sellers asking close to $50 for this disc, but shop around and you'll likely get it for under $20.

IZ ZAT SO? A dozen years after the aforementioned No. 1 streaks by the Beatles and the Supremes, "Saturday Night Fever" struck, and with it came six No. 1 hits in a row for the Bee Gees:

1977 "How Deep Is Your Love" (RSO 882)
1977 "Stayin' Alive" (RSO 885)
1978 "Night Fever" (RSO 889)
1978 "Too Much Heaven" (RSO 913)
1979 "Tragedy" (RSO 918)
1979 "Love You Inside Out" (RSO 925)

Issued between "Night Fever" and "Too Much Heaven" was "Oh! Darling," by Robin Gibb, backed with "She's Leaving Home," by the Bee Gees, Jay MacIntosh, and John Wheeler (RSO 907). Not being a true Bee Gees single, it doesn't affect their streak.

Both sides are from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."