Billboard Hot 100 — May 1, 1961
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week of May 1, 1961. "Runaway" by Del Shannon held #1 for a 2nd straight week, on its way to 4 weeks on top. 14 songs entered the chart this week; the highest new entry was "That Old Black Magic" by Bobby Rydell at #53, which would go on to peak at #21. The biggest climber was "(Dance The) Mess Around" by Chubby Checker, up 51 places from #79 to #28.
Chart highlights
- At #1: "Runaway" by Del Shannon — 2 weeks at the top so far, 9 weeks on the chart since debuting March 6, 1961.
- Biggest fall: "Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes)" by Carla Thomas, down 43 places from #25 to #68.
- Longest run on this week's chart: "Dedicated To The One I Love" by The Shirelles, 19 weeks and counting (peak #3).
- Gone from the chart: "Wheels" by The String-A-Longs after 16 weeks (peak #3); "Where The Boys Are" by Connie Francis after 15 weeks (peak #4).
TW = this week, LW = last week (NEW = first week on the chart), Peak = highest position reached up to this week, Wks = weeks on the chart up to this week.
| TW | LW | Peak | Wks | Song / Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | Runaway Del Shannon |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | Mother-In-Law Ernie K-Doe |
| 3 | 7 | 3 | 8 | I've Told Every Little Star Linda Scott |
| 4 | 6 | 4 | 7 | A Hundred Pounds Of Clay Gene McDaniels |
| 5 | 2 | 1 | 9 | Blue Moon The Marcels |
| 6 | 4 | 4 | 11 | But I Do Clarence Henry |
| 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | Take Good Care Of Her Adam Wade |
| 8 | 10 | 8 | 9 | One Mint Julep Ray Charles |
| 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 | You Can Depend On Me Brenda Lee |
| 10 | 5 | 4 | 9 | On The Rebound Floyd Cramer |
| 11 | 17 | 11 | 9 | Portrait Of My Love Steve Lawrence |
| 12 | 14 | 12 | 9 | Baby Blue The Echoes |
| 13 | 16 | 13 | 8 | Tonight My Love, Tonight Paul Anka |
| 14 | 11 | 2 | 15 | Apache Jorgen Ingmann & His Guitar |
| 15 | 20 | 15 | 6 | Daddy's Home Shep And The Limelites |
| 16 | 21 | 16 | 3 | Breakin' In A Brand New Broken Heart Connie Francis |
| 17 | 28 | 17 | 9 | Tonight I Fell In Love The Tokens |
| 18 | 42 | 18 | 3 | Mama Said The Shirelles |
| 19 | 34 | 19 | 3 | Flaming Star Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires |
| 20 | 12 | 12 | 10 | Please Love Me Forever Cathy Jean and The Roommates |
| 21 | 15 | 8 | 11 | Asia Minor Kokomo |
| 22 | 18 | 3 | 14 | Don't Worry Marty Robbins |
| 23 | 26 | 23 | 8 | Just For Old Time's Sake The McGuire Sisters |
| 24 | 38 | 24 | 4 | Running Scared Roy Orbison |
| 25 | 19 | 1 | 11 | Surrender Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires |
| 26 | 33 | 26 | 6 | Bumble Boogie B. Bumble & The Stingers |
| 27 | 13 | 3 | 19 | Dedicated To The One I Love The Shirelles |
| 28 | 79 | 28 | 2 | (Dance The) Mess Around Chubby Checker |
| 29 | 30 | 29 | 6 | Funny Maxine Brown |
| 30 | 23 | 1 | 15 | Pony Time Chubby Checker |
| 31 | 39 | 31 | 5 | What'd I Say Jerry Lee Lewis And His Pumping Piano |
| 32 | 35 | 32 | 4 | Frogg The Brothers Four |
| 33 | 58 | 33 | 5 | Bonanza Al Caiola And His Orchestra |
| 34 | 71 | 34 | 2 | Travelin' Man Ricky Nelson |
| 35 | 31 | 31 | 6 | Tenderly Bert Kaempfert And His Orchestra |
| 36 | 55 | 36 | 3 | Girl Of My Best Friend Ral Donner |
| 37 | 47 | 37 | 5 | The Continental Walk Hank Ballard And The Midnighters |
| 38 | 54 | 38 | 4 | Saved LaVern Baker |
| 39 | 62 | 39 | 4 | Hello Walls Faron Young |
| 40 | 44 | 36 | 7 | Some Kind Of Wonderful The Drifters |
| 41 | 51 | 41 | 6 | I'm In The Mood For Love The Chimes |
| 42 | 40 | 30 | 8 | Trust In Me Etta James |
| 43 | 53 | 43 | 3 | Good, Good Lovin' Chubby Checker |
| 44 | 27 | 27 | 9 | Find Another Girl Jerry Butler |
| 45 | 64 | 45 | 4 | African Waltz Cannonball Adderley Orchestra |
| 46 | 74 | 46 | 3 | Tragedy The Fleetwoods |
| 47 | 37 | 29 | 9 | Hide Away Freddy King |
| 48 | 65 | 48 | 6 | Triangle Janie Grant |
| 49 | 59 | 49 | 7 | Foolin' Around Kay Starr |
| 50 | 24 | 7 | 13 | Walk Right Back The Everly Brothers |
| 51 | 36 | 35 | 6 | Brass Buttons The String-A-Longs |
| 52 | 22 | 20 | 8 | Please Tell Me Why Jackie Wilson |
| 53 | NEW | 53 | 1 | That Old Black Magic Bobby Rydell |
| 54 | 56 | 54 | 6 | Sleepy-Eyed John Johnny Horton |
| 55 | 66 | 55 | 4 | Lullaby Of Love Frank Gari |
| 56 | NEW | 56 | 1 | Little Devil Neil Sedaka |
| 57 | 61 | 57 | 4 | Exodus Eddie Harris |
| 58 | 63 | 58 | 4 | (It Never Happens) In Real Life Chuck Jackson |
| 59 | 29 | 11 | 12 | Think Twice Brook Benton |
| 60 | 73 | 60 | 2 | A Dollar Down The Limeliters |
| 61 | 50 | 37 | 7 | (Love Theme From) One Eyed Jacks Ferrante & Teicher |
| 62 | 48 | 38 | 6 | Like, Long Hair Paul Revere & The Raiders |
| 63 | 81 | 63 | 2 | Peanut Butter The Marathons |
| 64 | 68 | 64 | 5 | Underwater The Frogmen |
| 65 | 32 | 32 | 7 | Shu Rah Fats Domino |
| 66 | 67 | 66 | 4 | Glory Of Love The Roommates |
| 67 | 57 | 55 | 7 | (Theme from) My Three Sons Lawrence Welk And His Orchestra |
| 68 | 25 | 10 | 14 | Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes) Carla Thomas |
| 69 | 84 | 69 | 2 | What A Surprise Johnny Maestro The Voice Of The Crests |
| 70 | 80 | 70 | 2 | Be My Boy Paris Sisters |
| 71 | 86 | 71 | 2 | The Bilbao Song Andy Williams |
| 72 | 78 | 72 | 2 | The Touchables In Brooklyn Dickie Goodman |
| 73 | NEW | 73 | 1 | Hello Mary Lou Ricky Nelson |
| 74 | 52 | 39 | 7 | Theme From Dixie Duane Eddy |
| 75 | 41 | 26 | 13 | Once Upon A Time Rochell And The Candles With Johnny Wyatt |
| 76 | 85 | 76 | 2 | Lullaby Of The Leaves The Ventures |
| 77 | 49 | 49 | 6 | Ain't It, Baby The Miracles |
| 78 | 82 | 78 | 2 | The Wayward Wind Gogi Grant |
| 79 | 83 | 79 | 2 | That's The Way With Love Piero Soffici |
| 80 | NEW | 80 | 1 | Those Oldies But Goodies (Remind Me Of You) Little Caesar and The Romans |
| 81 | 91 | 81 | 2 | Tossin' And Turnin' Bobby Lewis |
| 82 | 93 | 82 | 2 | Shy Away Jerry Fuller |
| 83 | 69 | 69 | 4 | The Charanga Merv Griffin |
| 84 | 88 | 84 | 4 | Three Hearts In A Tangle Roy Drusky |
| 85 | 95 | 85 | 2 | Jura (I Swear I Love You) Les Paul And Mary Ford |
| 86 | 92 | 86 | 2 | Better Tell Him No The Starlets |
| 87 | 99 | 87 | 2 | I'm A Fool To Care Joe Barry |
| 88 | NEW | 88 | 1 | Buzz Buzz A-Diddle-It Freddy Cannon |
| 89 | 96 | 89 | 2 | Little Egypt (Ying-Yang) The Coasters |
| 90 | NEW | 90 | 1 | Raindrops Dee Clark |
| 91 | 97 | 91 | 2 | (A Ship Will Come) Ein Schiff Wird Kommen Lale Anderson |
| 92 | NEW | 92 | 1 | Big Big World Johnny Burnette |
| 93 | NEW | 93 | 1 | You're Gonna Need Magic Roy Hamilton |
| 94 | NEW | 94 | 1 | Count Every Star Donnie and The Dreamers |
| 95 | NEW | 95 | 1 | Moody River Pat Boone |
| 96 | NEW | 96 | 1 | Halfway To Paradise Tony Orlando |
| 97 | NEW | 97 | 1 | A Cross Stands Alone Jimmy Witter |
| 98 | 100 | 98 | 2 | Nobody Cares (about me) Jeanette (Baby) Washington |
| 99 | NEW | 99 | 1 | Kissin Game Dion |
| 100 | NEW | 100 | 1 | Rama Lama Ding Dong The Edsels |
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