of 1961 Greatest Hits and Chart Singles

1960 <-1961-> 1962
Top songs: #1: Blue Moon by The Marcels - #2: Michael by The Highwaymen [folk group] - #3: Big Bad John by Jimmy Dean - #4: Runaway by Del Shannon - #5: Stranger on the Shore by Mr. Acker Bilk
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#1
03/1961

Blue Moon
The Marcels

450 pts
1
US




1
R&B
1
UK
[Colpix 186]
written by Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart
Michael
#2
07/1961

Michael
The Highwaymen [folk group]

from The Highwaymen   
450 pts
1
US
1
AC




1
UK
19th century folk song
[United Artists 258]
written by traditional
Big Bad John
#3
10/1961

Big Bad John
Jimmy Dean

from Big Bad John and Other Fabulous Songs and Tales   
446 pts
1
US
1
AC
1
ctry


2
UK
[spoken]
[Columbia 4-42175]
written by Jimmy Dean
Runaway
#4
03/1961

Runaway
Del Shannon

from Runaway with Del Shannon   
444 pts
1
US




3
R&B
1
UK
[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #466]
[Big Top 3067]
written by Charles Westover & Max Crook
Stranger on the Shore
#5
12/1961

Stranger on the Shore
Mr. Acker Bilk

438 pts
1
US
1
AC


7
R&B
2
UK
with The Leon Young String Chorale
instrumental
[Atco 6217]
written by Acker Bilk & Robert Mellin
Surrender
#6
02/1961

Surrender
Elvis Presley

422 pts
1
US






1
UK
adapted from the italian song "come back to sorrento"
[RCA Victor 47-7850]
written by Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman
Can't Help Falling in Love
#7
12/1961

Can't Help Falling in Love
Elvis Presley

from Blue Hawaii   Blue Hawaii
422 pts
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 Victor 47-7968]
written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore & George David Weiss
Travelin' Man
#8
04/1961

Travelin' Man
Ricky Nelson

from Rick Is 21   
393 pts
1
US






2
UK
charted as Hello Mary Lou / Travellin' Man in UK charts
[Imperial 5741]
written by Jerry Fuller
#9
11/1961

Midnight in Moscow
Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen

392 pts
2
US
1
AC




2
UK
instrumental
[Kapp 442]
written by Vasilii Petrovich Soloviev-Sedoy & Kenny Ball
(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame
#10
08/1961

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

377 pts
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
Take Good Care of My Baby
#11
08/1961

Take Good Care of My Baby
Bobby Vee

from Take Good Care of My Baby   
365 pts
1
US






3
UK
[Liberty 55354]
written by Gerry Goffin & Carole King
#12
03/1961

On the Rebound
Floyd Cramer

from On the Rebound   
361 pts
4
US




16
R&B
1
UK
instrumental
[RCA Victor 7840]
written by Floyd Cramer
Hit the Road Jack
#13
09/1961

Hit the Road Jack
Ray Charles

from Ray Charles Greatest Hits   
360 pts
1
US




1
R&B
6
UK
[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #377]
[ABC-Paramount 10244]
written by Percy Mayfield
Quarter to Three
#14
05/1961

Quarter to Three
Gary U.S. Bonds

from Dance 'Til Quarter to Three   
341 pts
1
US




3
R&B
7
UK
as U.S. Bonds
[Legrand 1008]
written by Gene Barge, Frank Guida & Joseph Royster
Little Sister
#15
08/1961

Little Sister
Elvis Presley

339 pts
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
Ebony Eyes
#16
01/1961

Ebony Eyes
The Everly Brothers

from The Golden Hits of the Everly Brothers   The Golden Hits of the Everly Brothers
316 pts
8
US


25
ctry
25
R&B
1
UK
charted as Walk Right Back / Ebony Eyes in UK charts
[Warner 5199]
written by John D. Loudermilk
Walk Right Back
#17
02/1961

Walk Right Back
The Everly Brothers

from The Golden Hits of the Everly Brothers   The Golden Hits of the Everly Brothers
316 pts
7
US






1
UK
charted as Walk Right Back / Ebony Eyes in UK charts
[Warner 5199]
written by Sonny Curtis
Runaround Sue
#18
09/1961

Runaround Sue
Dion

from Runaround Sue   Runaround Sue
312 pts
1
US




4
R&B
11
UK
[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #342]
[Laurie 3110]
written by Dion DiMucci & Ernie Maresca
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
#19
11/1961

The Lion Sleeps Tonight
The Tokens

from The Lion Sleeps Tonight   
308 pts
1
US




7
R&B
11
UK
aka Wimoweh, a south african zulu song
[RCA Victor 47-7954]
written by Solomon Linda, Paul Campbell, Albert Stanton, Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore & George David Weiss
#20
11/1961

The Twist
Chubby Checker

from Your Twist Party   
303 pts
1
US




4
R&B
14
UK
R
[Parkway 811]
written by Hank Ballard
#21
04/1961

Running Scared
Roy Orbison

from Crying   Crying
302 pts
1
US






9
UK
[Monument 438]
written by Roy Orbison & Joe Melson
#22
11/1961

Run to Him
Bobby Vee

from Take Good Care of My Baby   
301 pts
2
US






6
UK
[Liberty 55388]
written by Gerry Goffin & Jack Keller
#23
02/1961

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

296 pts
4
US






3
UK
as Clarence "Frogman" Henry
[Argo 5378]
written by Robert Guidry & Paul Gayten
Moody River
#24
05/1961

Moody River
Pat Boone

from Moody River   
289 pts
1
US
4
AC




18
UK
[Dot 16209]
written by Gary Daniel Bruce
#25
09/1961

Walk On By
Leroy Van Dyke

from Walk On By   
284 pts
5
US


1
ctry


5
UK
[Mercury 71834]
written by Kendall Hayes & Gary Walker
I Feel So Bad
#26
05/1961

I Feel So Bad
Elvis Presley

281 pts
5
US




15
R&B
4
UK
hit for Chuck Willis in 1954
[RCA Victor 47-7880]
written by Chuck Willis
#27
01/1961

Pony Time
Chubby Checker

from It's Pony Time   
281 pts
1
US




1
R&B
27
UK
[Parkway 818]
written by Don Covay & John Berry [John Bobby Berry]
Mother-in-Law
#28
03/1961

Mother-in-Law
Ernie K-Doe

276 pts
1
US




1
R&B
29
UK
[Minit 623]
written by Allen Toussaint
Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen
#29
11/1961

Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen
Neil Sedaka

272 pts
6
US






3
UK
[RCA 7957]
written by Neil Sedaka & Howard Greenfield
#30
05/1961

The Boll Weevil Song
Brook Benton

from The Boll Weevil Song and 11 Other Great Hits   
270 pts
2
US
1
AC


2
R&B
30
UK
[novelty]
[Mercury 71820]
written by traditional
Hello Mary Lou
#31
05/1961

Hello Mary Lou
Ricky Nelson

from Rick Is 21   
270 pts
9
US






2
UK
charted as Hello Mary Lou / Travellin' Man in UK charts
[Imperial 5741]
written by Gene Pitney & Cayet Mangiaracina
#32
03/1961

I've Told Every Little Star
Linda Scott

267 pts
3
US




22
R&B
7
UK
[Canadian American 123]
written by Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II
The Wanderer
#33
12/1961

The Wanderer
Dion

from Runaround Sue   Runaround Sue
266 pts
2
US






10
UK
[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #239]
[Laurie 3115]
written by Ernie Maresca
#34
06/1961

Together
Connie Francis

from Connie Francis Sings   
266 pts
6
US
1
AC




6
UK
#1 hit for Paul Whiteman in 1928
[MGM 13019]
written by Ray Henderson, Buddy DeSylva & Lew Brown
#35
10/1961

Let There Be Drums
Sandy Nelson

from Let There Be Drums   
260 pts
7
US






3
UK
instrumental
[Imperial 5775]
written by Sandy Nelson & Richard Podolor
#36
01/1961

Wheels
The String-A-Longs

from Pick a Hit   
259 pts
3
US




19
R&B
8
UK
instrumental
[Warwick 603]
written by Richard Stephens, Jimmy Torres & Norman Petty
Peppermint Twist (Part 1)
#37
11/1961

Peppermint Twist (Part 1)
Joey Dee & The Starliters

from Doin' the Twist as the Peppermint Lounge   
257 pts
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
Rock-A-Hula Baby (Twist Special)
#38
12/1961

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

from Blue Hawaii   Blue Hawaii
251 pts
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
[RCA Victor 47-7968]
written by Ben Weisman, Fred Wise & Dolores Fuller
#39
06/1961

Hats Off to Larry
Del Shannon

from Runaway with Del Shannon   
249 pts
5
US






6
UK
[Big Top 3075]
written by Del Shannon
Tossin' and Turnin'
#40
04/1961

Tossin' and Turnin'
Bobby Lewis

249 pts
1
US




1
R&B


[Beltone 1002]
written by Ritchie Adams & Malou Rene
#41
02/1961

Lazy River
Bobby Darin

from The Bobby Darin Story   The Bobby Darin Story
245 pts
14
US






2
UK
hit for Hoagy Carmichael in 1932
[Atco 6188]
written by Hoagy Carmichael & Sidney Arodin
Please, Mr. Postman
#42
09/1961

Please, Mr. Postman
The Marvelettes

from Please Mr. Postman   Please Mr. Postman
245 pts
1
US




1
R&B


[Tamla 54046]
written by Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman & Freddie Gorman
Wooden Heart
#43
06/1961

Wooden Heart
Joe Dowell

244 pts
1
US
1
AC






based on german folk song Muss I Denn
[Smash 1708]
written by Fred Wise, Ben Weisman, Kay Twomey & Bert Kaempfert
#44
05/1961

Temptation
The Everly Brothers

from The Golden Hits of the Everly Brothers   The Golden Hits of the Everly Brothers
243 pts
27
US






1
UK
hit for Bing Crosby in 1934
[Warner 5220]
written by Nacio Brown & Arthur Freed
#45
12/1961

A Little Bitty Tear
Burl Ives

from The Versatile Burl Ives!   
229 pts
9
US
1
AC
2
ctry


9
UK
[Decca 9-31330]
written by Hank Cochran
Crying
#46
08/1961

Crying
Roy Orbison

from Crying   Crying
225 pts
2
US






25
UK
[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #69] B side to Candy Man
[Monument 447]
written by Roy Orbison & Joe Melson
Let's Twist Again
#47
08/1961

Let's Twist Again
Chubby Checker

from Let's Twist Again   
224 pts
22
US






2
UK
R
[Parkway 824]
written by Kal Mann & Dave Appell
Candy Man
#48
08/1961

Candy Man
Roy Orbison

219 pts
25
US






2
UK
[Monument 447]
written by Beverly Ross & Fred Neil
You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby
#49
09/1961

You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby
Bobby Darin

from Twist with Bobby Darin   Twist with Bobby Darin
213 pts
5
US






10
UK
#1 hit for Bing Crosby in 1938
[Atco 6206]
written by Harry Warren & Johnny Mercer
Stand by Me
#50
05/1961

Stand by Me
Ben E. King

211 pts
4
US




1
R&B
27
UK
[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #121]
[Atco 6194]
written by Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
I Like It Like That
#51
05/1961

I Like It Like That
Chris Kenner

211 pts
2
US




2
R&B


[Instant 3229]
written by Chris Kenner & Allen Toussaint
#52
09/1961

Walkin' Back to Happiness
Helen Shapiro

211 pts
100
US






1
UK
[Capitol 4662]
written by John Schroeder & Michael Hawker
#53
06/1961

Well I Ask You
Eden Kane

209 pts
119
US






1
UK
[London 1993]
written by Les Vandyke
#54
07/1961

Reach for the Stars
Shirley Bassey

209 pts
120
US






1
UK
Reach For The Stars / Climb Ev'ry Mountain in the UK
[United Artists 363]
written by David West & Udo Jürgens
Raindrops
#55
05/1961

Raindrops
Dee Clark

207 pts
2
US




3
R&B


[Vee-Jay 383]
written by Dee Clark
#56
07/1961

The Mountain's High
Dick and Dee Dee

from Tell Me - The Mountain's High   
207 pts
2
US






37
UK
[Liberty 55350]
written by Dick St. John
Wooden Heart
#57
03/1961

Wooden Heart
Elvis Presley

207 pts








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
Johnny Remember Me
#58
08/1961

Johnny Remember Me
John Leyton

206 pts








1
UK
written by Geoff Goddard
#59
07/1961

You Don't Know
Helen Shapiro

206 pts








1
UK
charted as You Don't Know / Marvellous Lie in Australia charts
[Capitol 4627]
written by John Schroeder & Michael Hawker
#60
11/1961

Tower of Strength
Frankie Vaughan

206 pts








1
UK
written by Burt Bacharach & Bob Hilliard
Moon River
#61
11/1961

Moon River
Danny Williams

206 pts








1
UK
written by Henry Mancini & Johnny Mercer
You're Driving Me Crazy
#62
04/1961

You're Driving Me Crazy
The Temperance Seven

205 pts








1
UK
written by Walter Donaldson
#63
01/1961

Sailor
Petula Clark

205 pts








1
UK
written by Werner Scharfenberger, Fini Busch & David West
Kon-Tiki
#64
09/1961

Kon-Tiki
The Shadows

205 pts








1
UK
instrumental
written by Michael Carr
Daddy's Home
#65
03/1961

Daddy's Home
Shep & The Limelites

205 pts
2
US




4
R&B


[Hull 740]
written by James Sheppard & William H. Miller
#66
05/1961

You Always Hurt the One You Love
Clarence Henry

203 pts
12
US




11
R&B
6
UK
#1 hit for the Mills Brothers in 1944
[Argo 5388]
written by Allan Roberts & Doris Fisher
#67
09/1961

Bristol Stomp
The Dovells

201 pts
2
US




7
R&B


[Parkway 827]
written by Kal Mann & Dave Appell
#68
11/1961

Hey! Little Girl
Del Shannon

from Little Town Flirt   
200 pts
38
US






2
UK
[Big Top 3091]
written by Del Shannon
Apache
#69
01/1961

Apache
Jørgen Ingmann

from Apache   
198 pts
2
US




9
R&B


instrumental
[Atco 6184]
written by Jerry Lordan
#70
08/1961

Bless You
Tony Orlando

193 pts
15
US






5
UK
[Epic 9452]
written by Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren, Deke Richards & Fonce Mizell
Dum Dum
#71
06/1961

Dum Dum
Brenda Lee

from All the Way   
192 pts
4
US






22
UK
[Decca 31272]
written by Jackie DeShannon & Sharon Sheeley
Goodbye Cruel World
#72
10/1961

Goodbye Cruel World
James Darren

from James Darren Sings for All Sizes   
191 pts
3
US






28
UK
[Colpix 609]
written by Gloria Shayne
#73
01/1961

Baby Sittin' Boogie
Buzz Clifford

from Baby Sittin' with Buzz Clifford   
186 pts
6
US


28
ctry
27
R&B
17
UK
[novelty]
[Columbia 4-41876]
written by Johnny Parker
I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)
#74
11/1961

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

186 pts
3
US




1
R&B


[AFO 302]
written by Barbara George
#75
06/1961

My True Story
The Jive Five

186 pts
3
US




1
R&B


[Beltone 45-1006]
written by Eugene Pitt, Oscar Waltzer & Phil Belmonte
You Don't Know What You've Got (Until You Lose It)
#76
07/1961

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

186 pts
4
US






25
UK
[Gone 5108]
written by Paul Burton & Paul Hampton
#77
01/1961

Dedicated to the One I Love
The Shirelles

from Tonight's the Night   
183 pts
3
US




2
R&B


R
[Scepter 1203]
written by Ralph Bass & Lowman Pauling
Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart
#78
04/1961

Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart
Connie Francis

from Connie Francis Sings   
182 pts
7
US






12
UK
[MGM 12995]
written by Howard Greenfield & Jack Keller
#79
07/1961

Last Night
The Mar-Keys

from Last Night!   
182 pts
3
US




2
R&B


instrumental
[Stax 107]
written by Charles Axton, Jerry Lee Smith, Floyd Newman, Chips Moman & Gil Caple
#80
02/1961

Are You Sure
The Allisons

from Are You Sure   
181 pts
102
US






2
UK
[London 1977]
written by John Allison & Bob Allison
#81
01/1961

Don't Worry
Marty Robbins

from More Greatest Hits   
180 pts
3
US


1
ctry




[Columbia 41922]
written by Marty Robbins
#82
06/1961

Wild in the Country
Elvis Presley

179 pts
26
US






4
UK
US B-side to I Feel So Bad, UK: Double A-side with I Feel So Bad
[RCA Victor 47-7880]
written by George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti & Luigi Creatore
Fool #1
#83
10/1961

Fool #1
Brenda Lee

from Brenda, That's All   
178 pts
3
US






38
UK
[Decca 31309]
written by Kathryn R. Fulton
Hurt
#84
07/1961

Hurt
Timi Yuro

from Hurt!!!!!!   
178 pts
4
US
2
AC


22
R&B


[Liberty 55343]
written by Al Jacobs & Jimmie Crane
#85
10/1961

Wild Wind
John Leyton

177 pts








2
UK
written by Geoff Goddard
#86
09/1961

Jealousy
Billy Fury

177 pts








2
UK
written by Jacob Gade & Winifred May
#87
11/1961

Johnny Will
Pat Boone

from Pat Boone's Golden Hits   
177 pts
35
US
10
AC




4
UK
[Dot 16284]
written by Paul Evans & Fred Tobias
Take Five
#88
09/1961

Take Five
The Dave Brubeck Quartet

from Time Out featuring Take Five   
175 pts
25
US
5
AC




6
UK
instrumental
[Columbia 41479]
written by Paul Desmond
#89
05/1961

Yellow Bird
Arthur Lyman

172 pts
4
US
2
AC






instrumental
[Hi Fi 5024]
written by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Keith & Norman Luboff
#90
04/1961

Mama Said
The Shirelles

171 pts
4
US




2
R&B


[Scepter 1217]
written by Luther Dixon & Willie Denson
Cupid
#91
06/1961

Cupid
Sam Cooke

from The Best of Sam Cooke   The Best of Sam Cooke
171 pts
17
US




20
R&B
7
UK
[Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs #452]
[RCA Victor 7883]
written by Sam Cooke
#92
03/1961

A Hundred Pounds of Clay
Gene McDaniels

from 100 Lbs. of Clay!   
168 pts
3
US




11
R&B


[Liberty 55308]
written by Kay Rogers, Luther Dixon & Bob Elgin
Little Devil
#93
05/1961

Little Devil
Neil Sedaka

from Neil Sedaka Sings Little Devil and His Other Hits   
167 pts
11
US






9
UK
[RCA 47-7874]
written by Neil Sedaka & Howard Greenfield
#94
02/1961

Stayin' In
Bobby Vee

from Bobby Vee   
167 pts
33
US






4
UK
charted as More Than I Can Say / Staying In in UK charts
[Liberty 55296]
written by John D. Loudermilk
#95
09/1961

This Time
Troy Shondell

167 pts
6
US






22
UK
[Goldcrest 161]
written by Chips Moman
#96
09/1961

Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)
Sue Thompson

from Meet Sue Thompson   
163 pts
5
US
1
AC






[Hickory 1153]
written by John D. Loudermilk
Multiplication
#97
12/1961

Multiplication
Bobby Darin

from Twist with Bobby Darin   Twist with Bobby Darin
158 pts
30
US






5
UK
[Atco 6214]
written by Bobby Darin
#98
05/1961

The Writing on the Wall
Adam Wade

158 pts
5
US
5
AC


21
R&B


[Coed 550]
written by Mark Barkan, Sandy Baron & George Eddy
#99
12/1961

Norman
Sue Thompson

from Meet Sue Thompson   
157 pts
3
US








[Hickory 1159]
written by John D. Loudermilk
#100
09/1961

Let's Get Together
Hayley Mills

157 pts
8
US






17
UK
from the movie The Parent Trap
[Buena Vista F-385]
written by Richard Sherman & Robert Sherman

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