The Top 100 Songs of 1961
1. |
Tossin' And Turnin' | Bobby Lewis |
2. |
Big Bad John | Jimmy Dean |
3. |
Runaway | Del Shannon |
4. |
Wonderland By Night | Bert Kaempfert |
5. |
Pony Time | Chubby Checker |
6. |
Take Good Care Of My Baby | Bobby Vee |
7. |
The Lion Sleeps Tonight | Tokens |
8. |
Blue Moon | Marcels |
9. |
Will You Love Me Tommorrow | Shirelles |
10. |
Michael | Highwaymen |
11. |
Calcutta | Lawrence Welk |
12. |
Travelin' Man | Ricky Nelson |
13. |
Quarter To Three | Gary U.S. Bonds |
14. |
Runaround Sue | Dion |
15 |
Hit The Road Jack | Ray Charles |
16. |
Surrender | Elvis Presley |
17. |
Please Mr. Postman | Marvelettes |
18. |
Running Scared | Roy Orbison |
19. |
Wooden Heart | Joe Dowell |
20. |
Moody River | Pat Boone |
21. |
Mother-In-Law | Ernie K. Doe |
22. |
I Like It Like That | Chris Kenner |
23. |
The Boll Weevil Song | Brook Benton |
24. |
Apache | Jorgen Ingmann |
25. |
Bristol Stomp | Dovells |
26. |
The Mountain's High | Dick & DeeDee |
27. |
Exodus | Ferrante & Teicher |
28. |
Raindrops | Dee Clark |
29. |
Crying | Roy Orbison |
30. |
Shop Around | Miracles |
31. |
Run To Him | Bobby Vee |
32. |
Daddy's Home | Shep & Limelites |
33. |
My True Story | Jive Five |
34. |
Goodbye Cruel World | James Darren |
35. |
Dedicated To the One I Love | Shirelles |
36. |
Wheels | String A-Longs |
37. |
A hundred Pounds Of Clay | Gene McDaniels |
38. |
Don't Worry | Marty Robbins |
39. |
Last Night | Markeys |
40. |
Fool No. 1 | Brenda Lee |
41. |
I've Told Every Little Star | Linda Scott |
42. |
There's A Moon Out Tonight | Capris |
43. |
I Don't Know Why, But I Do | Clarence "Frogman" Henry |
44. |
Where The Boys Are | Connie Francis |
45. |
Calendar Girl | Neil Sedaka |
46. |
Stand By Me | Ben E. King |
47. |
On The Rebound | Floyd Cramer |
48. |
Dum Dum | Brenda Lee |
49. |
Yellow Bird | Arthur Lyman |
50. |
You Don't Know What You've Got | Ral Donner |
51. |
Hurt | Timi Yuro |
52. |
(Marie's The Name Of) His Lastest Flame | Elvis Presley |
53. |
Mama Said | Shirelles |
54. |
Walk On By | Leroy Van Dyke |
55. |
I Love How You Love Me | Paris Sisters |
56. |
Sad Movies (Make Me Cry) | Sue Thompson |
57. |
Angel Baby | Rosie & Originals |
58. |
Hats Off To Larry | Del Shannon |
59. |
Little Sister | Elvis Presley |
60. |
Tower Of Strength | Gene McDaniels |
61. |
Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavor.... | Lonnie Donegan |
62. |
You Must have Been A Beautiful Baby | Bobby Darin |
63. |
The Writing On The Wall | Adam Wade |
64. |
School Is Out | Gary U.S. Bonds |
65. |
I Feel So Bad | Elvis Presley |
66. |
Rubber Ball | Bobby Vee |
67. |
Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen | Neil Sedaka |
68. |
Baby Sittin' Boogie | Buzz Clifford |
69. |
This Time | Troy Shondell |
70. |
Every Beat Of My Heart | Pips |
71. |
You Can Depend On Me | Brenda Lee |
72. |
Together | Connie Francis |
73. |
Let There Be Drums | Sandy Nelson |
74. |
Mexico | Bob Moore |
75. |
Take Good Care Of Her | Adam Wade |
76. |
Walk Right Back | Everly Brothers |
77. |
The Fly | Chubby Checker |
78. |
Without You | Johnny Tillotson |
79. |
Ya Ya | Lee Dorsey |
80. |
Who Put The Bomp (In The Bomp, Bomp) | Barry Mann |
81. |
Heartaches | Marcels |
82. |
Emotions | Brenda Lee |
83. |
Pretty Little Angel Eyes | Curtis Lee |
84. |
Breakin' In A Brand New Broken Heart | Connie Francis |
85. |
Let's Twist Again | Chubby Checker |
86. |
Let's Get Together | Hayley Mills |
87. |
Asia Minor | Kokomo |
88. |
Tonight | Ferrante & Teicher |
89. |
One Mint Julip | Ray Charles |
90. |
Ebony Eyes | Everly Brothers |
91. |
San Antonio Rose | Floyd Cramer |
92. |
I Understand | G-Clefs |
93. |
Portrait Of My Love | Steve Lawrence |
94. |
Hello Mary Lou | Ricky Nelson |
95. |
Corina, Corina | Ray Peterson |
96. |
Don't Bet Money Honey | Linda Scott |
97. |
Those Oldies But Goodies | Little Caesar & Romans |
98. |
Unchain My Heart | Ray Charles |
99. |
Crazy | Patsy Cline |
100. |
One Track Mind | Bobby Lewis |
Some statistics from 1961
US GDP (1998 dollars): $544.8 billion
Federal spending: $97.72 billion
Federal debt: $292.6 billion
Consumer Price Index: 29.9
Unemployment: 5.5%
Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.04US breaks diplomatic relations with Cuba (Jan. 3). 1,200 US-sponsored anti-Castro exiles invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs (April 17); the attackers are all killed or captured by Cuban forces.
East Germany erects the Berlin Wall between East and West Berlin to halt flood of refugees (Aug. 13).
USSR detonates 50-megaton hydrogen bomb in the largest man-made explosion in history (Oct. 29).
There are 2,000 US military advisers in South Vietnam.
OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) formally constituted.
First US astronaut, Navy Cmdr. Alan B. Shepard, Jr., rockets 116.5 miles up in 302-mile trip (May 5).
World Series
NY Yankees defeated Cincinnati (4-1)
NBA Championship
Boston defeated St. Louis Hawks (4-1)
Kentucky Derby Champion
Carry Back
NCAA Basketball Championship
Cincinnati defeated Ohio St. (70-65 OT)
NCAA Football Champions
Alabama (AP, UPI, NFF) (11-0-0) & Ohio St. (FW) (8-0-1)Patsy Cline releases "I Fall to Pieces" and "Crazy." The success of the songs help her cross over from country to pop.
West Side Story is adapted for the big screen, and will go on to win Oscars.
Best Picture: The Apartment
Best Actor: Burt Lancaster, Elmer Gantry
Best Supporting Actor: Peter Ustinov, Spartacus
Best Actress: Elizabeth Taylor, Butterfield 8
Best Supporting Actress: Shirley Jones, Elmer Gantry
Best Director: Billy Wilder, The Apartment