CASH BOX Top 100 Singles
Red square = bullet (strong upward move)Week ending DECEMBER 23, 1961
TWTITLE | Artist–Label LW2WK3WKWKS
  1THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT
    Tokens–RCA Victor 47-7954
  1  114  6
  2PLEASE MR. POSTMAN
    Marvelettes–Tamla 54046
  3  4  215
  3WALK ON BY
    Leroy Van Dyke–Mercury 71834
  5  6  8  9
  4RUN TO HIM
    Bobby Vee–Liberty 55388
  6  711  6
  5THE TWIST
    Chubby Checker–Parkway 811
  7101527
  6GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD
    James Darren–Colpix 609
  2  2  3  9
  7CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE
    Elvis Presley–RCA Victor 47-7968
2150  3
  8PEPPERMINT TWIST (pt. 1)
    Joey Dee & Starliters–Roulette 4401
101628  6
  9MOON RIVER
    Henry Mancini & Orchestra–RCA Victor 47-7916
    Jerry Butler–Vee-Jay 405
  8
 
  5
 
  5
 
11
13
10LET THERE BE DRUMS
    Sandy Nelson–Imperial 5775
  911  9  8
11HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEET SIXTEEN
    Neil Sedaka–RCA Victor 47-7957
141723  6
12BIG BAD JOHN
    Jimmy Dean–Columbia 42175
  4  3  112
13I DON’T KNOW WHY
    Linda Scott–Canadian-American 129
111212  8
14WHEN THE BOY IN YOUR ARMS (Is The Boy In Your Heart)
    Connie Francis–MGM 13051
203244  5
15WHEN I FALL IN LOVE
    Lettermen–Capitol 4658
223364  5
16’TIL
    Angels–Caprice 107
16192014
17GYPSY WOMAN
    Impressions–ABC-Paramount 10241
192124  9
18UNCHAIN MY HEART
    Ray Charles–ABC-Paramount 10266
324669  4
19TONIGHT
    Ferrante & Teicher–United Artists 373
    Eddie Fisher–7 Arts 719
    Jay & Americans–United Artists 353
12
 
 
  8
 
 
  6
 
 
  9
 
 
20THERE’S NO OTHER (Like My Baby)
    Crystals–Philles 100
233040  8
21REVENGE
    Brook Benton–Mercury 71903
304055  5
22RUNAROUND SUE
    Dion–Laurie 3110
13  9  414
23I KNOW (You Don’t Love Me No More)
    Barbara George–A.F.O. 302
344966  5
24FOOL #1
    Brenda Lee–Decca 31309
1514  712
25CRAZY
    Patsy Cline–Decca 31317
17151310
26JUST OUT OF REACH (Of My Two Open Arms)
    Solomon Burke–Atlantic 2114
26232113
27SEPTEMBER IN THE RAIN
    Dinah Washington–Mercury 71876
24201911
28ROCK-A-HULA BABY
    Elvis Presley–RCA Victor 47-7968
3654  3
29I UNDERSTAND (Just How You Feel)
    G-Clefs–Terrace 7500
18181615
30YOU’RE THE REASON
    Bobby Edwards–Crest 1075
25131019
31TOWN WITHOUT PITY
    Gene Pitney–Musicor 1009
374160  6
32IN THE MIDDLE OF A HEARTACHE
    Wanda Jackson–Capitol 4635
29313510
33LANGUAGE OF LOVE
    John D. Loudermilk–RCA Victor 47-7938
312830  7
34WELL, I TOLD YOU
    Chantels–Carlton 564
283547  5
35IF YOU GOTTA MAKE A FOOL OF SOMEBODY
    James Ray–Caprice 110
404552  6
36BRISTOL STOMP
    Dovells–Parkway 827
27221815
37LET’S TWIST AGAIN
    Chubby Checker–Parkway 824
44526818
38JOHNNY WILL
    Pat Boone–Dot 16284
425659  6
39YOUR MA SAID YOU CRIED IN YOUR SLEEP LAST NIGHT
    Kenny Dino–Musicor 1013
41475111
40THE FLY
    Chubby Checker–Parkway 830
33241713
41HEARTACHES
    Marcels–Colpix 612
35272610
42SMALL SAD SAM
    Phil McLean–Versatile 107
6590  3
43UP A LAZY RIVER
    Si Zentner & Orchestra–Liberty 55374
382933  7
44FUNNY HOW TIME SLIPS AWAY
    Jimmy Elledge–RCA Victor 47-7946
566777  4
45POOR FOOL
    Ike & Tina Turner–Sue 753
535970  5
46THE MAJESTIC
    Dion–Laurie 3115
596272  4
47HEY! LITTLE GIRL
    Del Shannon–Big Top 3091
546476  5
48BABY IT’S YOU
    Shirelles–Scepter 1227
71  2
49TURN AROUND, LOOK AT ME
    Glen Campbell–Crest 1087
525357  7
50THE WANDERER
    Dion–Laurie 3115
79  2
51MARIA
    Roger Williams–Kapp 437
    Clebanoff Strings–Mercury 71905
    Johnny Mathis–Columbia 41684
61
 
 
71
 
 
79
 
 
  4
 
 
52LITTLE ALTAR BOY
    Vic Dana–Dolton 48
637078  4
53NORMAN
    Sue Thompson–Hickory 1159
77  2
54DREAMY EYES
    Johnny Tillotson–Cadence 1409
576171  5
55JAMBALAYA (On The Bayou)
    Fats Domino–Imperial 5796
6786  3
56SOOTHE ME
    Sims Twins–Sar 117
645761  8
57COTTON FIELDS
    Highwaymen–United Artists 370
708088  4
58IT WILL STAND
    Showmen–Minit 632
586363  5
59FOOT STOMPING (pt. 1)
    Flares–Felsted 8624
46444217
60THE GYPSY ROVER
    Highwaymen–United Artists 370
495558  8
61JINGLE BELL ROCK
    Bobby Rydell & Chubby Checker–Cameo 205
    Bobby Helms–Decca 30513
87
 

 

 
  2
 
62TOWER OF STRENGTH
    Gene McDaniels–Liberty 55371
39252213
63FLYING CIRCLE
    Frank Slay & Orchestra–Swan 4085
757987  4
64TWIST-HER
    Bill Black’s Combo–Hi 2042
74  2
65A WONDER LIKE YOU
    Rick Nelson–Imperial 5770
43262512
66TURN ON YOUR LOVE LIGHT
    Bobby Bland–Duke 344
8091  3
67SMILE
    Timi Yuro–Liberty 55375
453945  7
68SOMETIME
    Gene Thomas–United Artists 338
626874  7
69I NEED SOME ONE
    Belmonts–Sabina 502
728286  4
70A LITTLE BITTY TEAR
    Burl Ives–Decca 31330
88  2
71LETTER FULL OF TEARS
    Gladys Knight & Pips–Fury 1054
89  2
72DEAR LADY TWIST
    Gary (U.S.) Bonds–Legrand 1015
94  2
73THIS TIME
    Troy Shondell–Liberty 55353 / Goldcrest 161
47362716
74IT’S TOO SOON TO KNOW
    Etta James–Argo 5402
606065  8
75NEVER, NEVER
    Jive Five–Beltone 1014
787583  5
76IRRESISTIBLE YOU
    Bobby Darin–Atco 6214
  1
77ROCK-A-BYE YOUR BABY WITH A DIXIE MELODY
    Aretha Franklin–Columbia 42157
51423712
78SHE’S EVERYTHING (I Wanted You To Be)
    Ral Donner–Gone 5121
90  2
79I WANNA THANK YOU
    Bobby Rydell–Cameo 201
48373610
80MULTIPLICATION
    Bobby Darin–Atco 6214
  1
81PREVIEW OF PARADISE
    Adam Wade–Coed 560
737782  5
82TUFF
    Ace Cannon–Hi 2040
8692  3
83SEARCHING
    Jack Eubanks & Sound Of The South–Monument 451
8387100   4
84LET’S GO TRIPPIN’
    Dick Dale & Del-Tones–Deltone 5017
858999  4
85BABY’S FIRST CHRISTMAS
    Connie Francis–MGM 13051
100   2
86GO ON HOME
    Patti Page–Mercury 71906
100   2
87POP GOES THE WEASEL
    Anthony Newley–London 9501
555862  6
88YOU’RE RUNNING OUT OF KISSES
    Chuck Foote–Soncraft 401
9194  3
89I COULD HAVE LOVED YOU SO WELL
    Ray Peterson–Dunes 2009
100   2
90IT’S ALL BECAUSE
    Linda Scott–Canadian-American 129
927273  7
91LONESOME NUMBER ONE
    Don Gibson–RCA Victor 47-7959
99  2
92POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES
    Frank Sinatra–Reprise 20,040
  1
93DO-RE-MI
    Lee Dorsey–Fury 1056
  1
94THE COMANCHEROS
    Claude King–Columbia 42196
767881  6
95HAPPY TIMES (Are Here To Stay)
    Tony Orlando–Epic 9476
817680  5
96TENNESSEE FLAT-TOP BOX
    Johnny Cash–Columbia 42147
958893  5
97PUSHIN’ YOUR LUCK
    Sleepy King–Joy 257
848585  8
98WALKIN’ WITH MY ANGEL
    Bobby Vee–Liberty 55388
89  3
99UNSQUARE DANCE
    Dave Brubeck Quartet–Columbia 42228
93100   3
100 BUT ON THE OTHER HAND BABY
    Ray Charles–ABC-Paramount 10266
  1
100 ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE
    Brenda Lee–Decca 30776
  5
100 THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY
    Harry Simeone Chorale–20th Fox 121
19
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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