Billboard Hot 100 — May 15, 1961
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week of May 15, 1961. "Runaway" by Del Shannon held #1 for a 4th straight week, the last week of its run. 16 songs entered the chart this week; the highest new entry was "I Feel So Bad" by Elvis Presley at #43, which would go on to peak at #5. The biggest climber was "Rama Lama Ding Dong" by The Edsels, up 37 places from #95 to #58.
Chart highlights
- At #1: "Runaway" by Del Shannon — 4 weeks at the top so far, 11 weeks on the chart since debuting March 6, 1961.
- New in the top 10: "Daddy's Home" by Shep And The Limelites (up from #12 to #5); "Travelin' Man" by Ricky Nelson (up from #18 to #8); "Mama Said" by The Shirelles (up from #14 to #9).
- Biggest fall: "African Waltz" by Cannonball Adderley Orchestra, down 25 places from #41 to #66.
- Longest run on this week's chart: "Apache" by Jorgen Ingmann & His Guitar, 17 weeks and counting (peak #2).
- Gone from the chart: "Surrender" by Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires after 12 weeks (peak #1); "Pony Time" by Chubby Checker after 16 weeks (peak #1); "Dedicated To The One I Love" by The Shirelles after 20 weeks (peak #3).
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 | 11 | Runaway Del Shannon |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | Mother-In-Law Ernie K-Doe |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | A Hundred Pounds Of Clay Gene McDaniels |
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 10 | I've Told Every Little Star Linda Scott |
| 5 | 12 | 5 | 8 | Daddy's Home Shep And The Limelites |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | You Can Depend On Me Brenda Lee |
| 7 | 5 | 1 | 11 | Blue Moon The Marcels |
| 8 | 18 | 8 | 4 | Travelin' Man Ricky Nelson |
| 9 | 14 | 9 | 5 | Mama Said The Shirelles |
| 10 | 7 | 7 | 10 | Take Good Care Of Her Adam Wade |
| 11 | 13 | 11 | 5 | Breakin' In A Brand New Broken Heart Connie Francis |
| 12 | 9 | 9 | 11 | Portrait Of My Love Steve Lawrence |
| 13 | 8 | 8 | 11 | One Mint Julep Ray Charles |
| 14 | 16 | 14 | 5 | Flaming Star Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires |
| 15 | 27 | 15 | 3 | Hello Mary Lou Ricky Nelson |
| 16 | 19 | 16 | 6 | Running Scared Roy Orbison |
| 17 | 10 | 4 | 11 | On The Rebound Floyd Cramer |
| 18 | 15 | 15 | 11 | Tonight I Fell In Love The Tokens |
| 19 | 23 | 19 | 7 | Bonanza Al Caiola And His Orchestra |
| 20 | 22 | 20 | 10 | Just For Old Time's Sake The McGuire Sisters |
| 21 | 11 | 4 | 13 | But I Do Clarence Henry |
| 22 | 31 | 22 | 5 | Tragedy The Fleetwoods |
| 23 | 34 | 23 | 3 | Little Devil Neil Sedaka |
| 24 | 26 | 24 | 5 | Girl Of My Best Friend Ral Donner |
| 25 | 25 | 25 | 8 | Funny Maxine Brown |
| 26 | 29 | 26 | 6 | Hello Walls Faron Young |
| 27 | 24 | 24 | 4 | (Dance The) Mess Around Chubby Checker |
| 28 | 21 | 21 | 8 | Bumble Boogie B. Bumble & The Stingers |
| 29 | 20 | 12 | 11 | Baby Blue The Echoes |
| 30 | 17 | 13 | 10 | Tonight My Love, Tonight Paul Anka |
| 31 | 38 | 31 | 3 | That Old Black Magic Bobby Rydell |
| 32 | 36 | 32 | 9 | Some Kind Of Wonderful The Drifters |
| 33 | 35 | 33 | 7 | The Continental Walk Hank Ballard And The Midnighters |
| 34 | 30 | 30 | 7 | What'd I Say Jerry Lee Lewis And His Pumping Piano |
| 35 | 43 | 35 | 6 | Lullaby Of Love Frank Gari |
| 36 | 48 | 36 | 8 | Triangle Janie Grant |
| 37 | 28 | 8 | 13 | Asia Minor Kokomo |
| 38 | 47 | 38 | 8 | I'm In The Mood For Love The Chimes |
| 39 | 32 | 2 | 17 | Apache Jorgen Ingmann & His Guitar |
| 40 | 37 | 37 | 6 | Saved LaVern Baker |
| 41 | 75 | 41 | 2 | Stand By Me Ben E. King |
| 42 | 56 | 42 | 4 | What A Surprise Johnny Maestro The Voice Of The Crests |
| 43 | NEW | 43 | 1 | I Feel So Bad Elvis Presley |
| 44 | 46 | 44 | 6 | Exodus Eddie Harris |
| 45 | 50 | 45 | 4 | The Touchables In Brooklyn Dickie Goodman |
| 46 | 52 | 46 | 6 | (It Never Happens) In Real Life Chuck Jackson |
| 47 | 45 | 43 | 5 | Good, Good Lovin' Chubby Checker |
| 48 | 51 | 48 | 4 | Peanut Butter The Marathons |
| 49 | 44 | 44 | 7 | Underwater The Frogmen |
| 50 | 33 | 12 | 12 | Please Love Me Forever Cathy Jean and The Roommates |
| 51 | 62 | 51 | 3 | Raindrops Dee Clark |
| 52 | 57 | 52 | 4 | I'm A Fool To Care Joe Barry |
| 53 | 55 | 53 | 6 | Glory Of Love The Roommates |
| 54 | 74 | 54 | 3 | Moody River Pat Boone |
| 55 | 66 | 55 | 4 | Tossin' And Turnin' Bobby Lewis |
| 56 | 58 | 56 | 4 | Be My Boy Paris Sisters |
| 57 | 60 | 57 | 3 | Those Oldies But Goodies (Remind Me Of You) Little Caesar and The Romans |
| 58 | 95 | 58 | 3 | Rama Lama Ding Dong The Edsels |
| 59 | NEW | 59 | 1 | Barbara-Ann The Regents |
| 60 | 49 | 49 | 9 | Foolin' Around Kay Starr |
| 61 | 79 | 19 | 17 | Never On Sunday Don Costa And His Orchestra And Chorus |
| 62 | 67 | 62 | 3 | Buzz Buzz A-Diddle-It Freddy Cannon |
| 63 | 61 | 61 | 4 | The Bilbao Song Andy Williams |
| 64 | 68 | 64 | 4 | That's The Way With Love Piero Soffici |
| 65 | 86 | 65 | 2 | You'd Better Come Home Russell Byrd |
| 66 | 41 | 41 | 6 | African Waltz Cannonball Adderley Orchestra |
| 67 | 77 | 67 | 4 | The Wayward Wind Gogi Grant |
| 68 | 76 | 68 | 4 | Little Egypt (Ying-Yang) The Coasters |
| 69 | 72 | 69 | 4 | Lullaby Of The Leaves The Ventures |
| 70 | 73 | 70 | 6 | Three Hearts In A Tangle Roy Drusky |
| 71 | 81 | 71 | 2 | A Love Of My Own Carla Thomas |
| 72 | 78 | 72 | 3 | Halfway To Paradise Tony Orlando |
| 73 | 84 | 73 | 3 | Big Big World Johnny Burnette |
| 74 | 83 | 74 | 2 | In My Heart The Timetones |
| 75 | 85 | 75 | 3 | Count Every Star Donnie and The Dreamers |
| 76 | NEW | 76 | 1 | You Always Hurt The One You Love Clarence Henry |
| 77 | NEW | 77 | 1 | The Writing On The Wall Adam Wade |
| 78 | NEW | 78 | 1 | (I've Got) Spring Fever Little Willie John |
| 79 | 82 | 79 | 4 | Better Tell Him No The Starlets |
| 80 | 71 | 71 | 4 | Shy Away Jerry Fuller |
| 81 | NEW | 81 | 1 | Every Beat Of My Heart Pips |
| 82 | 92 | 82 | 3 | Kissin Game Dion |
| 83 | NEW | 83 | 1 | Every Beat Of My Heart Gladys Knight And The Pips |
| 84 | 89 | 84 | 2 | In Between Tears Lenny Miles |
| 85 | NEW | 85 | 1 | I Don't Mind James Brown And The Famous Flames |
| 86 | 97 | 86 | 2 | Son-In-Law The Blossoms |
| 87 | NEW | 87 | 1 | Miss Fine The New Yorkers |
| 88 | 100 | 88 | 2 | Son-In-Law Louise Brown |
| 89 | 96 | 89 | 3 | A Cross Stands Alone Jimmy Witter |
| 90 | NEW | 90 | 1 | The Boll Weevil Song Brook Benton |
| 91 | NEW | 91 | 1 | I Can't Do It By Myself Anita Bryant |
| 92 | 80 | 80 | 3 | You're Gonna Need Magic Roy Hamilton |
| 93 | 99 | 93 | 2 | Our Love Is Here To Stay Dinah Washington |
| 94 | NEW | 94 | 1 | It Keeps Rainin' Fats Domino |
| 95 | NEW | 95 | 1 | For Your Love The Wanderers |
| 96 | 98 | 96 | 2 | What Will I Tell My Heart The Harptones |
| 97 | 88 | 88 | 4 | (A Ship Will Come) Ein Schiff Wird Kommen Lale Anderson |
| 98 | NEW | 98 | 1 | Brother-In-Law (He's A Moocher) Paul Peek |
| 99 | NEW | 99 | 1 | The Girl's A Devil The Dukays |
| 100 | NEW | 100 | 1 | Here's My Confession Wyatt (Earp) McPherson |
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