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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Other • Top 1000

Top Songs of 1961

1960 <-

1961

-> 1962

Cover

Date

Title

Album

Comment

Video

03/1961

Runaway by Del Shannon

from Little Town Flirt

361

✫1
US

3
R&B

✫1
UK

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #466]
[Big Top 3067]
written by Del Shannon (as Charles Westover) & Max Crook

10/1961

Big Bad John by Jimmy Dean

from Big Bad John and Other Fabulous Songs and Tales

358

✫1
US

✫1
AC

✫1
country

2
UK

[spoken]
[Columbia 42175]
written by Jimmy Dean

03/1961

Blue Moon by The Marcels

353

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

✫1
UK

[Colpix 186]
written by Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart

07/1961

Michael by The Highwaymen [folk group]

from The Highwaymen

341

✫1
US

✫1
AC

✫1
UK

19th century folk song
written by traditional

02/1961

Surrender by Elvis Presley

333

✫1
US

✫1
UK

adapted from the italian song "come back to sorrento"
[RCA 47-7850]
written by Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman

12/1961

Stranger on the Shore by Mr. Acker Bilk

326

✫1
US

✫1
AC

7
R&B

2
UK

with the Leon Young String Chorale
[instrumental]
[Atco 6217]
written by Mr. Acker Bilk (as Acker Bilk) & Robert Mellin

12/1961

Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley

from Blue Hawaii

322

2
US

✫1
AC

✫1
UK

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #394]
charted as Rock-A-Hula Baby/Can't Help Falling in Love in UK charts
[RCA 47-7968]
written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore & George David Weiss

04/1961

Travelin' Man by Ricky Nelson

from Rick Is 21

303

✫1
US

2
UK

charted as Hello Mary Lou / Travellin' Man in UK charts
[Imperial 5741]
written by Jerry Fuller

08/1961

Take Good Care of My Baby by Bobby Vee

from Take Good Care of My Baby

296

✫1
US

3
UK

[Liberty 55354]
written by Gerry Goffin & Carole King

10.

08/1961

(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame by Elvis Presley

291

4
US

2
AC

✫1
UK

charted as His Latest Flame / Little Sister in UK charts
[RCA Victor 47-7908]
written by Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman

11.

09/1961

Hit the Road Jack by Ray Charles

from Ray Charles Greatest Hits

282

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

6
UK

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #377]
[ABC-Paramount 10244]
written by Percy Mayfield

12.

11/1961

Midnight in Moscow by Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen

282

2
US

✫1
AC

2
UK

[instrumental]
written by Vasilii Petrovich Soloviev-Sedoy & Kenny Ball (arrangement)

13.

04/1961

Tossin' and Turnin' by Bobby Lewis

274

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

[Beltone 1002]
written by Ritchie Adams & Malou Rene

14.

05/1961

Quarter to Three by Gary U.S. Bonds

from Dance 'Til Quarter to Three

274

✫1
US

3
R&B

7
UK

as U.S. Bonds
[Legrand 1008]
written by Gene Barge, Frank Guida & Joseph Royster

15.

11/1961

The Lion Sleeps Tonight by The Tokens

271

✫1
US

7
R&B

11
UK

aka Wimoweh, a south african zulu song
[RCA 47-7954]
written by Solomon Linda, Paul Campbell, Albert Stanton, Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore & George David Weiss

16.

08/1961

Little Sister by Elvis Presley

268

5
US

✫1
UK

US: B-side to (Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame, UK: Double A-side with (Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame ; charted as His Latest Flame / Little Sister in UK charts
[RCA Victor 47-7908]
written by Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman

17.

11/1961

The Twist by Chubby Checker

from Your Twist Party

264

✫1
US

4
R&B

14
UK

[R]
[Parkway 811]
written by Hank Ballard

18.

03/1961

On the Rebound by Floyd Cramer

from On the Rebound

262

4
US

16
R&B

✫1
UK

[instrumental]
[RCA Victor 7840]
written by Floyd Cramer

19.

09/1961

Runaround Sue by Dion

from Runaround Sue

259

✫1
US

4
R&B

11
UK

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #342]
[Laurie 3110]
written by Dion (as Dion DiMucci) & Ernie Maresca

20.

01/1961

Pony Time by Chubby Checker

from It's Pony Time

253

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

27
UK

[Parkway 818]
written by Don Covay & John Berry

21.

04/1961

Running Scared by Roy Orbison

from Crying

252

✫1
US

9
UK

[Monument 438]
written by Roy Orbison & Joe Melson

22.

01/1961

Ebony Eyes by The Everly Brothers

from The Golden Hits of the Everly Brothers

244

8
US

25
country

25
R&B

✫1
UK

charted as Walk Right Back / Ebony Eyes in UK charts
[Warner 5199]
written by John D. Loudermilk

23.

02/1961

Walk Right Back by The Everly Brothers

from The Golden Hits of the Everly Brothers

243

7
US

✫1
UK

charted as Walk Right Back / Ebony Eyes in UK charts
[Warner 5199]
written by Sonny Curtis

24.

03/1961

Mother-in-Law by Ernie K-Doe

243

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

29
UK

[Minit 623]
written by Allen Toussaint

25.

11/1961

Peppermint Twist (Part 1) by Joey Dee & the Starliters

from Doin' the Twist as the Peppermint Lounge

240

✫1
US

8
R&B

33
UK

as Joey Dee & The Starlighters
inspired by New York City's Peppermint Lounge Club
[Roulette 4401]
written by Joey Dee & Henry Glover

26.

11/1961

Run to Him by Bobby Vee

from Take Good Care of My Baby

239

2
US

6
UK

[Liberty 55388]
written by Gerry Goffin & Jack Keller

27.

05/1961

Moody River by Pat Boone

from Moody River

238

✫1
US

4
AC

18
UK

[Dot 16209]
written by Chase Webster (as Gary Daniel Bruce)

28.

02/1961

I Don't Know Why (But I Do) by Clarence Henry

232

4
US

3
UK

as Clarence "Frogman" Henry
written by Bobby Charles (as Robert Guidry) & Paul Gayten

29.

09/1961

Please, Mr. Postman by The Marvelettes

from Please Mr. Postman

231

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

[Tamla 54046]
written by Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman & Freddie Gorman

30.

10/1961

Walk On By by Leroy Van Dyke

from Walk On By

230

5
US

✫1
country

5
UK

[Mercury 71834]
written by Kendall Hayes & Gary Walker

31.

05/1961

The Boll Weevil Song by Brook Benton

from The Boll Weevil Song and 11 Other Great Hits

226

2
US

✫1
AC

2
R&B

30
UK

[novelty]
[Mercury 71820]
written by traditional

32.

05/1961

I Feel So Bad by Elvis Presley

219

5
US

15
R&B

4
UK

hit for Chuck Willis in 1954
[RCA 47-7880]
written by Chuck Willis

33.

12/1961

The Wanderer by Dion

from Runaround Sue

217

2
US

10
UK

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #239]
[Laurie 3115]
written by Ernie Maresca

34.

06/1961

Wooden Heart by Joe Dowell

217

✫1
US

✫1
AC

based on german folk song Muss I Denn
[Smash 1708]
written by Fred Wise, Ben Weisman, Kay Twomey & Bert Kaempfert

35.

01/1961

Wheels by The String-A-Longs

from Pick a Hit

214

3
US

19
R&B

8
UK

[instrumental]
[Warwick 603]
written by Richard Stephens, Jimmy Torres & Norman Petty (uncredited)

36.

06/1961

Together by Connie Francis

from Connie Francis Sings

213

6
US

✫1
AC

6
UK

#1 hit for Paul Whiteman in 1928
[MGM 13019]
written by Ray Henderson, Buddy DeSylva & Lew Brown

37.

05/1961

Hello Mary Lou by Ricky Nelson

from Rick Is 21

209

9
US

2
UK

charted as Hello Mary Lou / Travellin' Man in UK charts
[Imperial 5741]
written by Gene Pitney & Cayet Mangiaracina

38.

06/1961

Hats Off to Larry by Del Shannon

from Little Town Flirt

203

5
US

6
UK

[Big Top 3075]
written by Del Shannon

39.

08/1961

Crying by Roy Orbison

from Crying

203

2
US

25
UK

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #69]
B side to Candy Man
[Monument 447]
written by Roy Orbison & Joe Melson

40.

12/1961

A Little Bitty Tear by Burl Ives

from The Versatile Burl Ives!

200

9
US

✫1
AC

2
country

9
UK

[Decca 31330]
written by Hank Cochran

41.

05/1961

I Like It Like That by Chris Kenner

199

2
US

2
R&B

[Instant 3229]
written by Chris Kenner & Allen Toussaint

42.

11/1961

Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen by Neil Sedaka

195

6
US

3
UK

[RCA 7957]
written by Neil Sedaka & Howard Greenfield

43.

03/1961

I've Told Every Little Star by Linda Scott

192

3
US

22
R&B

7
UK

[Canadian American 123]
written by Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II

44.

05/1961

Stand by Me by Ben E. King

191

4
US

✫1
R&B

27
UK

[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #121]
[Atco 6194]
written by Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller

45.

01/1961

Apache by Jørgen Ingmann

190

2
US

9
R&B

[instrumental]
written by Jerry Lordan

46.

05/1961

Raindrops by Dee Clark

189

2
US

3
R&B

[Vee-Jay 383]
written by Dee Clark

47.

09/1961

Bristol Stomp by The Dovells

187

2
US

7
R&B

[Parkway 827]
written by Kal Mann & Dave Appell

48.

07/1961

My True Story by The Jive Five

185

3
US

✫1
R&B

[Beltone 1006]
written by Eugene Pitt, Oscar Waltzer & Phil Belmonte

49.

11/1961

I Know (You Don't Love Me No More) by Barbara George

185

3
US

✫1
R&B

[AFO 302]
written by Barbara George

50.

07/1961

The Mountain's High by Dick and Dee Dee

from Tell Me - The Mountain's High

182

2
US

37
UK

[Liberty F-55350]
written by Dick St. John

51.

10/1961

Let There Be Drums by Sandy Nelson

from Let There Be Drums

181

7
US

3
UK

[instrumental]
[Imperial 5775]
written by Sandy Nelson & Richie Allen (as Richard Podolor)

52.

07/1961

Last Night by The Mar-Keys

from Last Night!

178

3
US

2
R&B

[instrumental]
[Satellite 107]
written by Charles Axton, Jerry Lee Smith, Floyd Newman, Chips Moman & Gil Caple

53.

09/1961

You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby by Bobby Darin

from Twist with Bobby Darin

176

5
US

10
UK

#1 hit for Bing Crosby in 1938
[Atco 6206]
written by Harry Warren & Johnny Mercer

54.

06/1961

Dum Dum by Brenda Lee

from All the Way

174

4
US

22
UK

[Decca 31272]
written by Jackie DeShannon & Sharon Sheeley

55.

01/1961

Dedicated to the One I Love by The Shirelles

from Tonight's the Night

173

3
US

2
R&B

[R]
[Scepter 1203]
written by Ralph Bass & Lowman Pauling

56.

10/1961

Fool #1 by Brenda Lee

from Brenda, That's All

171

3
US

38
UK

[Decca 31309]
written by Kathryn R. Fulton

57.

03/1961

A Hundred Pounds of Clay by Gene McDaniels

from 100 Lbs. of Clay!

169

3
US

11
R&B

[Liberty 55308]
written by Kay Rogers, Luther Dixon & Bob Elgin

58.

05/1961

Yellow Bird by Arthur Lyman

168

4
US

2
AC

[instrumental]
[Hi Fi 5024]
written by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman (as Marilyn Keith) & Norman Luboff

59.

12/1961

Rock-A-Hula Baby (Twist Special) by Elvis Presley

from Blue Hawaii

166

23
US

✫1
UK

US: B-side to Can't Help Falling In Love, UK: Double A-side with Can't Help Falling In Love ; charted as Rock-A-Hula Baby/Can't Help Falling in Love in UK charts
written by Ben Weisman, Fred Wise & Dolores Fuller

60.

07/1961

You Don't Know What You've Got (Until You Lose It) by Ral Donner

166

4
US

25
UK

[Gone 5108]
written by Paul Burton & Paul Hampton

61.

01/1961

Don't Worry by Marty Robbins

from More Greatest Hits

164

3
US

✫1
country

[Columbia 41922]
written by Marty Robbins

62.

04/1961

Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart by Connie Francis

from Connie Francis Sings

164

7
US

12
UK

[MGM 12995]
written by Howard Greenfield & Jack Keller

63.

03/1961

Daddy's Home by Shep & the Limelites

163

2
US

4
R&B

[Hull 740]
written by James Sheppard & William H. Miller

64.

10/1961

Goodbye Cruel World by James Darren

163

3
US

28
UK

[Colpix 609]
written by Gloria Shayne Baker (as Gloria Shayne)

65.

09/1961

This Time by Troy Shondell

159

6
US

22
UK

[Goldcrest 161]
written by Chips Moman

66.

05/1961

The Writing on the Wall by Adam Wade

159

5
US

5
AC

21
R&B

[Coed 550]
written by Mark Barkan, Sandy Baron & George Eddy

67.

05/1961

Every Beat of My Heart by Gladys Knight & the Pips

158

6
US

✫1
R&B

as The Pips
[Vee-Jay 386]
written by Johnny Otis

68.

10/1961

Tower of Strength by Gene McDaniels

157

5
US

5
R&B

[Liberty 55371]
written by Burt Bacharach & Bob Hilliard

69.

10/1961

Soothe Me by The Sims Twins

157

8
US

4
R&B

[Sar 117]
written by Sam Cooke

70.

08/1961

Mexico by Bob Moore

154

7
US

✫1
AC

22
R&B

as Bob Moore and his Orchestra
[instrumental]
[Monument 446]
written by Boudleaux Bryant

71.

01/1961

Where the Boys Are by Connie Francis

from More Greatest Hits

154

4
US

US B side to No One
[MGM 12971]
written by Neil Sedaka & Howard Greenfield

72.

09/1961

Let's Get Together by Hayley Mills

153

8
US

17
UK

[from the movie The Parent Trap]
[Buena Vista F-385]
written by Richard M. Sherman (as Richard Sherman) & Robert B. Sherman (as Robert Sherman)

73.

06/1961

San Antonio Rose by Floyd Cramer

from On the Rebound

151

8
US

3
AC

8
country

36
UK

[instrumental]
[RCA 47-7893]
written by Bob Wills

74.

09/1961

I Understand (Just How You Feel) by The G-Clefs

150

9
US

17
UK

adaptation of "auld lang syne"-melody
[Terrace 7500]
written by Pat Best

75.

02/1961

Lazy River by Bobby Darin

from The Bobby Darin Story

148

14
US

2
UK

hit for Hoagy Carmichael in 1932
[Atco 6188]
written by Hoagy Carmichael & Sidney Arodin

76.

03/1961

Take Good Care of Her by Adam Wade

146

7
US

20
R&B

38
UK

[Coed 546]
written by Arthur Kent & Ed Warren

77.

08/1961

Ya Ya by Lee Dorsey

146

7
US

✫1
R&B

[Fury 1053]
written by Lee Dorsey, Clarence Lewis, Bobby Robinson (as Morgan Robinson) & Morris Levy

78.

01/1961

Baby Sittin' Boogie by Buzz Clifford

from Baby Sittin' with Buzz Clifford

145

6
US

28
country

27
R&B

17
UK

[novelty]
[Columbia 41876]
written by Johnny Parker

79.

05/1961

Temptation by The Everly Brothers

from The Golden Hits of the Everly Brothers

144

27
US

✫1
UK

hit for Bing Crosby in 1934
[Warner 5220]
written by Nacio Brown & Arthur Freed

80.

12/1961

Norman by Sue Thompson

from Meet Sue Thompson

144

3
US

[Hickory 1159]
written by John D. Loudermilk

81.

07/1961

School Is Out by Gary U.S. Bonds

from Dance 'Til Quarter to Three

143

5
US

12
R&B

[Legrand 1009]
written by Gary U.S. Bonds (as Gary Anderson) & Gene Barge

82.

07/1961

Hurt by Timi Yuro

from Hurt!!!!!!

140

4
US

2
AC

22
R&B

[Liberty 55343]
written by Al Jacobs & Jimmie Crane

83.

09/1961

Sad Movies (Make Me Cry) by Sue Thompson

from Meet Sue Thompson

140

5
US

✫1
AC

[Hickory 1153]
written by John D. Loudermilk

84.

03/1961

You Can Depend on Me by Brenda Lee

from Brenda, That's All

140

6
US

25
R&B

[Decca 31231]
written by Charles Carpenter, Louis Dunlap & Earl Hines

85.

03/1961

One Mint Julep by Ray Charles

from Genius+Soul=Jazz

138

8
US

✫1
R&B

[Impulse 200]
written by Rudy Toombs

86.

04/1961

Mama Said by The Shirelles

138

4
US

2
R&B

[Scepter 1217]
written by Luther Dixon & Willie Denson

87.

02/1961

Asia Minor by Kokomo

136

8
US

35
UK

[Felsted 8612]
written by Jimmy Wisner (as James J. Wisner), Roger Mozian & Edvard Grieg

88.

08/1961

Let's Twist Again by Chubby Checker

from Let's Twist Again

136

22
US

2
UK

[R]
[Parkway 824]
written by Kal Mann & Dave Appell

89.

11/1961

Unchain My Heart by Ray Charles

from Ray Charles Greatest Hits

135

9
US

✫1
R&B

[ABC-Paramount 10266]
written by Bobby Sharp & Teddy Powell (disputed credit)

90.

10/1961

Heartaches by The Marcels

134

7
US

19
R&B

#1 hit for Ted Weems in 1947
[Colpix 612]
written by Al Hoffman & John Klenner

91.

03/1961

Wooden Heart by Elvis Presley

134

✫1
UK

US: B-side to Blue Christmas and Puppet On a String
[RCA 47-7865]
written by Fred Wise, Ben Weisman, Kay Twomey & Bert Kaempfert

92.

05/1961

You Always Hurt the One You Love by Clarence Henry

134

12
US

11
R&B

6
UK

#1 hit for the Mills Brothers in 1944
[Argo 5388]
written by Allan Roberts & Doris Fisher

93.

09/1961

The Fly by Chubby Checker

from For Teen Twisters Only

134

7
US

11
R&B

[Parkway 830]
written by John Medora (as John Madara) & David White

94.

08/1961

Candy Man by Roy Orbison

133

25
US

2
UK

[Monument 447]
written by Beverly Ross & Fred Neil

95.

10/1961

Tonight by Ferrante & Teicher

from West Side Story and Other Motion Picture and Broadway Hits

132

8
US

2
AC

[instrumental]
[United Artists 373]
written by Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim

96.

12/1961

Dear Lady Twist by Gary U.S. Bonds

131

9
US

5
R&B

[Legrand 1015]
written by Frank Guida (as Frank J. Guida)

97.

07/1961

As If I Didn't Know by Adam Wade

129

10
US

4
AC

16
R&B

[Coed 553]
written by Scott David & Larry Kusik

98.

06/1961

Let's Twist Again by Chubby Checker

from Let's Twist Again

129

8
US

26
R&B

[Parkway 824]
written by Kal Mann & Dave Appell

99.

08/1961

Who Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp) by Barry Mann

129

7
US

written by Barry Mann & Gerry Goffin

100.

11/1961

When the Boy in Your Arms (Is the Boy in Your Heart) by Connie Francis

from Connie Francis Sings

128

10
US

2
AC

written by Sid Tepper & Roy Bennett

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