On this day in 1963 Jerry and the Pacemakers topped the UK charts with a song from a Rogers and Hammerstein musical, and reduced grown men to tears.

‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ was Jerry and the Pacemakers’ 3rd single and the third to reach number one. The song was taken from Carousel which was first performed in 1945. Based on a story from Hungary (Liliom) it does not the normal musical show formula. It features a hold up, a suicide, bullying and discrimination. HOwever, it does have a happy ending, unlike Liliom in which the anti-hero is sent to hell.

‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ has been recorded by many artists over the years including; Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, The Blind Boys Of Alabama, and Gene Vincent among others. However, it is Jerry and the Pacemekers’ version that is most widely remembered. At the time it was recorded and released Liverpool was the centre of the pop world and Liverpool FC one of the best football clubs in the country (some of us would say world). For whatever reason, some say Bill Shankly (Liverpool FC’s legendary manager) fell in love with the song, some say it was the fans who chose the song, the song became the anthem of the football club. The title appears in the memorial Shankly gates at Anfield so much has the song become part of the Liverpool club’s fabric.

As a fervent Liverpool supporter John Peel often said that he would be reduced to tears when he heard the song or the Kop singing it. He is not the only one.