CASH BOX Top 100 Singles
Red square = bullet (strong upward move)Week ending DECEMBER 16, 1961
TWTITLE | Artist–Label LW2WK3WKWKS
  1THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT
    Tokens–RCA Victor 47-7954
  11442  5
  2GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD
    James Darren–Colpix 609
  2  3  5  8
  3PLEASE MR. POSTMAN
    Marvelettes–Tamla 54046
  4  2  314
  4BIG BAD JOHN
    Jimmy Dean–Columbia 42175
  3  1  111
  5WALK ON BY
    Leroy Van Dyke–Mercury 71834
  6  815  8
  6RUN TO HIM
    Bobby Vee–Liberty 55388
  71128  5
  7THE TWIST
    Chubby Checker–Parkway 811
10153926
  8MOON RIVER
    Henry Mancini & Orchestra–RCA Victor 47-7916
    Jerry Butler–Vee-Jay 405
  5
 
  5
 
10
 
10
12
  9LET THERE BE DRUMS
    Sandy Nelson–Imperial 5775
11  919  7
10PEPPERMINT TWIST (pt. 1)
    Joey Dee & Starliters–Roulette 4401
162861  5
11I DON’T KNOW WHY
    Linda Scott–Canadian-American 129
121220  7
12TONIGHT
    Ferrante & Teicher–United Artists 373
    Eddie Fisher–7 Arts 719
    Jay & Americans–United Artists 353
  8
 
 
  6
 
 
12
 
 
  8
 
 
13RUNAROUND SUE
    Dion–Laurie 3110
  9  4  213
14HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEET SIXTEEN
    Neil Sedaka–RCA Victor 47-7957
172345  5
15FOOL #1
    Brenda Lee–Decca 31309
14  7  611
16’TIL
    Angels–Caprice 107
19202913
17CRAZY
    Patsy Cline–Decca 31317
151313  9
18I UNDERSTAND (Just How You Feel)
    G-Clefs–Terrace 7500
18161614
19GYPSY WOMAN
    Impressions–ABC-Paramount 10241
212431  8
20WHEN THE BOY IN YOUR ARMS (Is The Boy In Your Heart)
    Connie Francis–MGM 13051
324484  4
21CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE
    Elvis Presley–RCA Victor 47-7968
50  2
22WHEN I FALL IN LOVE
    Lettermen–Capitol 4658
336495  4
23THERE’S NO OTHER (Like My Baby)
    Crystals–Philles 100
304050  7
24SEPTEMBER IN THE RAIN
    Dinah Washington–Mercury 71876
20192110
25YOU’RE THE REASON
    Bobby Edwards–Crest 1075
1310  818
26JUST OUT OF REACH (Of My Two Open Arms)
    Solomon Burke–Atlantic 2114
23213012
27BRISTOL STOMP
    Dovells–Parkway 827
2218  414
28WELL, I TOLD YOU
    Chantels–Carlton 564
354769  4
29IN THE MIDDLE OF A HEARTACHE
    Wanda Jackson–Capitol 4635
313546  9
30REVENGE
    Brook Benton–Mercury 71903
405586  4
31LANGUAGE OF LOVE
    John D. Loudermilk–RCA Victor 47-7938
283034  6
32UNCHAIN MY HEART
    Ray Charles–ABC-Paramount 10266
4669  3
33THE FLY
    Chubby Checker–Parkway 830
2417  712
34I KNOW (You Don’t Love Me No More)
    Barbara George–A.F.O. 302
496685  4
35HEARTACHES
    Marcels–Colpix 612
272618  9
36ROCK-A-HULA BABY
    Elvis Presley–RCA Victor 47-7968
54  2
37TOWN WITHOUT PITY
    Gene Pitney–Musicor 1009
416079  5
38UP A LAZY RIVER
    Si Zentner & Orchestra–Liberty 55374
293347  6
39TOWER OF STRENGTH
    Gene McDaniels–Liberty 55371
2522  912
40IF YOU GOTTA MAKE A FOOL OF SOMEBODY
    James Ray–Caprice 110
455274  5
41YOUR MA SAID YOU CRIED IN YOUR SLEEP LAST NIGHT
    Kenny Dino–Musicor 1013
47516510
42JOHNNY WILL
    Pat Boone–Dot 16284
565972  5
43A WONDER LIKE YOU
    Rick Nelson–Imperial 5770
26251111
44LET’S TWIST AGAIN
    Chubby Checker–Parkway 824
526817
45SMILE
    Timi Yuro–Liberty 55375
394553  6
46FOOT STOMPING (pt. 1)
    Flares–Felsted 8624
44423516
47THIS TIME
    Troy Shondell–Liberty 55353 / Goldcrest 161
36271415
48I WANNA THANK YOU
    Bobby Rydell–Cameo 201
373622  9
49THE GYPSY ROVER
    Highwaymen–United Artists 370
555859  7
50GOD, COUNTRY AND MY BABY
    Johnny Burnette–Liberty 55379
343132  9
51ROCK-A-BYE YOUR BABY WITH A DIXIE MELODY
    Aretha Franklin–Columbia 42157
42372411
52TURN AROUND, LOOK AT ME
    Glen Campbell–Crest 1087
535770  6
53POOR FOOL
    Ike & Tina Turner–Sue 753
597092  4
54HEY! LITTLE GIRL
    Del Shannon–Big Top 3091
647698  4
55POP GOES THE WEASEL
    Anthony Newley–London 9501
586280  5
56FUNNY HOW TIME SLIPS AWAY
    Jimmy Elledge–RCA Victor 47-7946
6777  3
57DREAMY EYES
    Johnny Tillotson–Cadence 1409
6171100   4
58IT WILL STAND
    Showmen–Minit 632
636371  4
59THE MAJESTIC
    Dion–Laurie 3115
6272  3
60IT’S TOO SOON TO KNOW
    Etta James–Argo 5402
606566  7
61MARIA
    Roger Williams–Kapp 437
    Clebanoff Strings–Mercury 71905
    Johnny Mathis–Columbia 41684
71
 
 
79
 
 

 
 
  3
 
 
62SOMETIME
    Gene Thomas–United Artists 338
687481  6
63LITTLE ALTAR BOY
    Vic Dana–Dolton 48
7078  3
64SOOTHE ME
    Sims Twins–Sar 117
576167  7
65SMALL SAD SAM
    Phil McLean–Versatile 107
90  2
66I LOVE HOW YOU LOVE ME
    Paris Sisters–Gregmark 6
43322316
67JAMBALAYA (On The Bayou)
    Fats Domino–Imperial 5796
86  2
68SAD MOVIES (Make Me Cry)
    Sue Thompson–Hickory 1153
48342516
69THREE STEPS FROM THE ALTAR
    Shep & Limelites–Hull 747
51546010
70COTTON FIELDS
    Highwaymen–United Artists 370
8088  3
71BABY IT’S YOU
    Shirelles–Scepter 1227
  1
72I NEED SOME ONE
    Belmonts–Sabina 502
8286  3
73PREVIEW OF PARADISE
    Adam Wade–Coed 560
778289  4
74TWIST-HER
    Bill Black’s Combo–Hi 2042
  1
75FLYING CIRCLE
    Frank Slay & Orchestra–Swan 4085
7987  3
76THE COMANCHEROS
    Claude King–Columbia 42196
788183  5
77NORMAN
    Sue Thompson–Hickory 1159
  1
78NEVER, NEVER
    Jive Five–Beltone 1014
758388  4
79THE WANDERER
    Dion–Laurie 3115
  1
80TURN ON YOUR LOVE LIGHT
    Bobby Bland–Duke 344
91  2
81HAPPY TIMES (Are Here To Stay)
    Tony Orlando–Epic 9476
768087  4
82WHAT A WALK
    Bobby Lewis–Beltone 1015
8392  3
83SEARCHING
    Jack Eubanks & Sound Of The South–Monument 451
87100   3
84PUSHIN’ YOUR LUCK
    Sleepy King–Joy 257
858591  7
85LET’S GO TRIPPIN’
    Dick Dale & Del-Tones–Deltone 5017
8999  3
86TUFF
    Ace Cannon–Hi 2040
92  2
87JINGLE BELL ROCK
    Bobby Rydell & Chubby Checker–Cameo 205
  1
88A LITTLE BITTY TEAR
    Burl Ives–Decca 31330
  1
89LETTER FULL OF TEARS
    Gladys Knight & Pips–Fury 1054
  1
90SHE’S EVERYTHING (I Wanted You To Be)
    Ral Donner–Gone 5121
  1
91YOU’RE RUNNING OUT OF KISSES
    Chuck Foote–Soncraft 401
94  2
92IT’S ALL BECAUSE
    Linda Scott–Canadian-American 129
727375  6
93UNSQUARE DANCE
    Dave Brubeck Quartet–Columbia 42228
100   2
94DEAR LADY TWIST
    Gary (U.S.) Bonds–Legrand 1015
  1
95TENNESSEE FLAT-TOP BOX
    Johnny Cash–Columbia 42147
889396  4
96DANNY BOY
    Andy Williams–Columbia 42199
9878  6
97SEVEN DAY FOOL
    Etta James–Argo 5402
817577  7
98THE BELLS AT MY WEDDING
    Paul Anka–ABC-Paramount 10279
  1
99LONESOME NUMBER ONE
    Don Gibson–RCA Victor 47-7959
  1
100 I COULD HAVE LOVED YOU SO WELL
    Ray Peterson–Dunes 2009
  1
100 BABY’S FIRST CHRISTMAS
    Connie Francis–MGM 13051
  1
100 GO ON HOME
    Patti Page–Mercury 71906
  1
NOTE: On the original chart, Cash Box listed the artist and label for every version in current release under each title, with a star next to the artist(s) who had the best-selling version(s). Those designated artists are listed above. In addition, Cash Box included the secondary category “other versions strongly reported,” designated by an asterisk. Artists in this category are shown above in smaller italic type. Figures in the “Weeks on Chart” (WKS) column indicate only the weeks an artist was listed as having a best-selling version.
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