WMGM Top 200 of 1961
Courtesy of www.musicradio77.com
Survey collected and contributed by Randy
Price and Tom Natoli
For more information contact Allan Sniffen
Compiled by Randy Price using an inverse, progressive point system,
in which the intervals between point values are greater for chart
positions closer to the top of the chart, and records that remain
at No. 1 for two or more consecutive weeks receive progressively
increasing bonus points. Records whose chart runs began toward the
end of one year and carried over into the following year are given
credit for all their chart weeks, and are included with the year
in which they earned a majority of their points.
1. WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW - The Shirelles (Scepter)
2. QUARTER TO THREE - Gary (U.S.) Bonds (Legrand)
3. EXODUS - Ferrante & Teicher (United Artists)
4. RUNAWAY - Del Shannon (Big Top)
5. THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT - The Tokens (RCA Victor)*
6. TRAVELIN’ MAN - Rick Nelson (Imperial)
7. BLUE MOON - The Marcels (Colpix)
8. RUNAROUND SUE - Dion (Laurie)
9. THERE’S A MOON OUT TONIGHT - The Capris (Old Town)
10. PLEASE MR. POSTMAN - The Marvelettes (Tamla)
11. PONY TIME - Chubby Checker (Parkway)
12. A HUNDRED POUNDS OF CLAY - Gene McDaniels (Liberty)
13. MOTHER-IN-LAW - Ernie K-Doe (Minit)
14. TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY BABY - Bobby Vee (Liberty)
15. PLEASE LOVE ME FOREVER - Cathy Jean & The Roommates (Valmor)
16. PEPPERMINT TWIST - Joey Dee & The Starliters (Roulette)*
17. DADDY’S HOME - Shep & The Limelites (Hull)
18. SHOP AROUND - The Miracles (Tamla)
19. MICHAEL - The Highwaymen (United Artists)
20. PRETTY LITTLE ANGEL EYES - Curtis Lee (Dunes)
21. CALCUTTA - Lawrence Welk & His Orchestra (Dot)
22. TOSSIN’ AND TURNIN’ - Bobby Lewis (Beltone)
23. LET’S TWIST AGAIN - Chubby Checker (Parkway)
24. BIG BAD JOHN - Jimmy Dean (Columbia)
25. BRISTOL STOMP - The Dovells (Parkway)
26. BARBARA-ANN - The Regents (Gee)
27. SPANISH HARLEM - Ben E. King (Atco)
28. ANGEL BABY - Rosie & The Originals (Highland)
29. MY TRUE STORY - The Jive Five (Beltone)
30. (I Don’t Know Why) BUT I DO - Clarence Henry (Argo)
31. SCHOOL IS OUT - Gary (U.S.) Bonds (Legrand)
32. GEE WHIZ (Look At His Eyes) - Carla Thomas (Atlantic)
33. HEART AND SOUL - The Cleftones (Gee)
34. RAINDROPS - Dee Clark (Vee-Jay)
35. I’VE TOLD EVERY LITTLE STAR - Linda Scott (Canadian-American)
36. THE BOLL WEEVIL SONG - Brook Benton (Mercury)
37. THOSE OLDIES BUT GOODIES (Remind Me Of You) - Little Caesar &
The Romans (Del-Fi)
38. HIT THE ROAD JACK - Ray Charles (ABC-Paramount)
39. BABY BLUE - The Echoes (Seg-way)
40. STAND BY ME - Ben E. King (Atco)
41. DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE - The Shirelles (Scepter)
42. HATS OFF TO LARRY - Del Shannon (Big Top)
43. RUNNING SCARED - Roy Orbison (Monument)
44. I LIKE IT LIKE THAT (pt. 1) - Chris Kenner (Instant)
45. ONCE IN AWHILE - The Chimes (Tag)
46. MAMA SAID - The Shirelles (Scepter)
47. HEARTACHES - The Marcels (Colpix)
48. CRYING - Roy Orbison (Monument)
49. DOES YOUR CHEWING GUM LOSE ITS FLAVOR (On The Bedpost Over Night) -
Lonnie Donegan & His Skiffle Group (Dot)
50. WHERE THE BOYS ARE - Connie Francis (M-G-M)
51. GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD - James Darren (Colpix)
52. BLESS YOU - Tony Orlando (Epic)
53. RAMA LAMA DING DONG - The Edsels (Twin)
54. RUN TO HIM - Bobby Vee (Liberty)
55. CALENDAR GIRL - Neil Sedaka (RCA Victor)
56. WHEELS - The String-A-Longs (Warwick)
57. TONIGHT I FELL IN LOVE - The Tokens (Warwick)
58. YOU’RE THE REASON - Bobby Edwards (Crest)
59. I LOVE HOW YOU LOVE ME - The Paris Sisters (Gregmark)
60. SURRENDER - Elvis Presley (RCA Victor)
61. THE FLY - Chubby Checker (Parkway)
62. LOOK IN MY EYES - The Chantels (Carlton)
63. HURT - Timi Yuro (Liberty)
64. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEET SIXTEEN - Neil Sedaka (RCA Victor)
65. YELLOW BIRD - The Arthur Lyman Group (Hi Fi)
66. THIS TIME - Troy Shondell (Liberty)
67. MOON RIVER - Jerry Butler (Vee-Jay)
68. PORTRAIT OF MY LOVE - Steve Lawrence (United Artists)
69. ONCE UPON A TIME - Rochell & The Candles (Swingin’)
70. DON’T BET MONEY HONEY - Linda Scott (Canadian-American)
71. TONIGHT (Could Be The Night) - The Velvets (Monument)
72. THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT - The Lettermen (Capitol)
73. LAST NIGHT - The Mar-Keys (Satellite)
74. I COUNT THE TEARS - The Drifters (Atlantic)
75. YOU MUST HAVE BEEN A BEAUTIFUL BABY - Bobby Darin (Atco)
76. WOODEN HEART - Joe Dowell (Smash)
77. THERE’S NO OTHER (Like My Baby) - The Crystals (Philles)
78. RUBBER BALL - Bobby Vee (Liberty)
79. SOLITAIRE - The Embers (Empress)
80. BABY SITTIN’ BOOGIE - Buzz Clifford (Columbia)
81. APACHE - Jorgen Ingmann & His Guitar (Atco)
82. MOODY RIVER - Pat Boone (Dot)
83. WIZARD OF LOVE - The Ly-Dells (Master)
84. WHO PUT THE BOMP (In The Bomp, Bomp, Bomp) - Barry Mann
(ABC-Paramount)
85. ALL IN MY MIND - Maxine Brown (Nomar)
86. WALK ON BY - Leroy Van Dyke (Mercury)
87. HALFWAY TO PARADISE - Tony Orlando (Epic)
88. COTTON FIELDS / THE GYPSY ROVER - The Highwaymen (United Artists)*
89. TONIGHT - Jay & The Americans (United Artists) / Ferrante & Teicher
(United Artists)
90. SAD MOVIES (Make Me Cry) - Sue Thompson (Hickory)
91. TOGETHER - Connie Francis (M-G-M)
92. THINK TWICE - Brook Benton (Mercury)
93. YA YA - Lee Dorsey (Fury)
94. SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL - The Drifters (Atlantic)
95. GOOD TIME BABY - Bobby Rydell (Cameo)
96. I DON’T KNOW WHY - Linda Scott (Canadian-American)
97. THE TOUCHABLES - Dickie Goodman (Mark-X)
98. I UNDERSTAND (Just How You Feel) - The G-Clefs (Terrace)
99. FOOL #1 - Brenda Lee (Decca)
100. TOWER OF STRENGTH - Gene McDaniels (Liberty)
101. MEXICO - Bob Moore & His Orchestra (Monument)
102. THE MOUNTAIN’S HIGH - Dick & DeeDee (Liberty)
103. YOU CAN DEPEND ON ME - Brenda Lee (Decca)
104. BETTER TELL HIM NO - The Starlets (PAM)
105. DUM DUM - Brenda Lee (Decca)
106. TELL ME WHY - The Belmonts (Sabrina)
107. LET’S GET TOGETHER - Hayley Mills (Buena Vista)
108. LET THERE BE DRUMS - Sandy Nelson (Imperial)
109. WALK RIGHT BACK - The Everly Brothers (Warner Bros.)
110. WHAT A SWEET THING THAT WAS - The Shirelles (Scepter)
111. WHEN I FALL IN LOVE - The Lettermen (Capitol)
112. LITTLE SISTER / (Marie’s The Name) HIS LATEST FLAME - Elvis Presley
(RCA Victor)
113. CORINNA, CORINNA - Ray Peterson (Dunes)
114. FOOT STOMPING (pt. 1) - The Flares (Felsted)
115. GLORY OF LOVE - The Roommates (Valmor)
116. LOVER’S ISLAND - The Blue Jays (Milestone)
117. EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART - The Pips (Vee-Jay)
118. A LITTLE BIT OF SOAP - The Jarmels (Laurie)
119. LIFE IS BUT A DREAM - The Earls (Rome)
120. YOU CAN HAVE HER - Roy Hamilton (Epic)
121. EMOTIONS - Brenda Lee (Decca)
122. TONIGHT MY LOVE, TONIGHT - Paul Anka (ABC-Paramount)
123. GOOD GOODBY - The Bob Knight Four (Laurel)
124. A THING OF THE PAST - The Shirelles (Scepter)
125. ’TIL - The Angels (Caprice)
126. YOU ALWAYS HURT THE ONE YOU LOVE - Clarence Henry (Argo)
127. FUNNY - Maxine Brown (Nomar)
128. I DON’T WANT TO CRY - Chuck Jackson (Wand)
129. THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN - Al Caiola & His Orchestra (United Artists)
130. WHEN THE BOY IN YOUR HEART (Is The Boy In Your Arms) -
Connie Francis (M-G-M)
131. RUNAROUND - The Regents (Gee)
132. ONE MINT JULEP - Ray Charles (Impulse!)
133. ROCK-A-BYE YOUR BABY WITH A DIXIE MELODY - Aretha Franklin (Columbia)
134. BIG JOHN - The Shirelles (Scepter)
135. BABY OH BABY - The Shells (Johnson)
136. JUKE BOX SATURDAY NIGHT - Nino & The Ebb Tides (Madison)
137. AFRICAN WALTZ - Johnny Dankworth & His Orchestra (Roulette)
138. SACRED - The Castells (Era)
139. DON’T WORRY - Marty Robbins (Columbia)
140. WHEN WE GET MARRIED - The Dreamlovers (Heritage)
141. TAKE GOOD CARE OF HER - Adam Wade (Coed)
142. THE GIRL’S A DEVIL - The Dukays (NAT)
143. A WONDER LIKE YOU - Rick Nelson (Imperial)
144. SWEETS FOR MY SWEET - The Drifters (Atlantic)
145. CRAZY - Patsy Cline (Decca)
146. FOR SENTIMENTAL REASONS - The Cleftones (Gee)
147. MARIA - Roger Williams (Kapp)
148. SONG OF THE NAIROBI TRIO - The Fortune Tellers (Music Makers)
149. I WANNA THANK YOU - Bobby Rydell (Cameo)
150. SEPTEMBER IN THE RAIN - Dinah Washington (Mercury)
151. GYPSY WOMAN - The Impressions (ABC-Paramount)
152. ASIA MINOR - Kokomo (Felsted)
153. HUMAN - Tommy Hunt (Scepter)
154. I REALLY LOVE YOU - The Stereos (Cub)
155. THE BILBAO SONG - Andy Williams (Cadence)
156. TRUST IN ME - Etta James (Argo)
157. THE HOOCHI COOCHI COO - Hank Ballard & The Midnighters (King)
158. REVENGE - Brook Benton (Mercury)
159. NEVER ON SUNDAY - The Chordettes (Cadence)
160. DANCE BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON - The Olympics (Arvee)
161. HOLLYWOOD - Connie Francis (M-G-M)
162. WINGS OF A DOVE - Ferlin Husky (Capitol)
163. AT LAST - Etta James (Argo)
164. MORE MONEY FOR YOU AND ME - The Four Preps (Capitol)
165. SO LONG BABY - Del Shannon (Big Top)
166. PLEASE STAY - The Drifters (Atlantic)
167. ANNIVERSARY OF LOVE - The Caslons (Seeco)
168. DON’T BLAME ME - The Everly Brothers (Warner Bros.)
169. TEMPTATION - The Everly Brothers (Warner Bros.)
170. THE WATUSI - The Vibrations (Checker)
171. (Dance The) MESS AROUND - Chubby Checker (Parkway)
172. MISSING YOU - Ray Peterson (Dunes)
173. CUPID - Sam Cooke (RCA Victor)
174. ONE TRACK MIND - Bobby Lewis (Beltone)
175. JOHNNY WILL - Pat Boone (Dot)
176. UTOPIA - Frank Gari (Crusade)
177. UNDER THE MOON OF LOVE - Curtis Lee (Dunes)
178. LANGUAGE OF LOVE - John D. Loudermilk (RCA Victor)
179. JUST OUT OF REACH (Of My Two Open Arms) - Solomon Burke (Atlantic)
180. THOSE OLDIES BUT GOODIES (Remind Me Of You) - Nino & The Ebb Tides
(Madison)
181. WELL, I TOLD YOU - The Chantels (Carlton)
182. BACK BEAT NO. 1 - The Rondels (Amy)
183. LAZY RIVER - Bobby Darin (Atco)
184. (Ghost) RIDERS IN THE SKY - The Ramrods (Amy)
185. GOODNIGHT BABY - The Imaginations (Music Makers)
186. MY EMPTY ARMS - Jackie Wilson (Brunswick)
187. I FEEL SO BAD - Elvis Presley (RCA Victor)
188. SUCU SUCU - Ping-Pong (Kapp)
189. YOUR MA SAID YOU CRIED IN YOUR SLEEP LAST NIGHT - Kenny Dino
(Musicor)
190. BREAKIN’ IN A BRAND NEW BROKEN HEART - Connie Francis (M-G-M)
191. BRING BACK YOUR HEART - The Del Vikings (ABC-Paramount)
192. LITTLE DEVIL - Neil Sedaka (RCA Victor)
193. THE WRITING ON THE WALL - Adam Wade (Coed)
194. EBONY EYES - The Everly Brothers (Warner Bros.)
195. TUNES OF GLORY - Mitch Miller & His Orchestra (Columbia)
196. THE STORY OF MY LOVE - Paul Anka (ABC-Paramount)
197. THE FISH - Bobby Rydell (Cameo)
198. IT’S TOO SOON TO KNOW - Etta James (Argo)
199. WITHOUT YOU - Johnny Tillotson (Cadence)
200. PEANUT BUTTER - The Marathons (Arvee)
*Records still on the survey as of Jan. 16, 1962 (the last WMGM survey);
points from estimated chart positions (based on WABC's surveys) for one
or more weeks beyond that date are factored into the rankings above.