Billboard Hot 100 — May 22, 1961
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week of May 22, 1961. "Mother-In-Law" by Ernie K-Doe climbed from #2 to take over the #1 spot from "Runaway" by Del Shannon, which had held it for 4 weeks. 11 songs entered the chart this week; the highest new entry was "Tell Me Why" by The Belmonts at #81, which would go on to peak at #18. The biggest climber was "You Always Hurt The One You Love" by Clarence Henry, up 28 places from #76 to #48.
Chart highlights
- At #1: "Mother-In-Law" by Ernie K-Doe — 1 week at the top so far, 9 weeks on the chart since debuting March 27, 1961.
- New in the top 10: "Running Scared" by Roy Orbison (up from #16 to #7); "Breakin' In A Brand New Broken Heart" by Connie Francis (up from #11 to #8); "Hello Mary Lou" by Ricky Nelson (up from #15 to #9).
- Biggest fall: "I'm In The Mood For Love" by The Chimes, down 50 places from #38 to #88.
- Longest run on this week's chart: "Never On Sunday" by Don Costa And His Orchestra And Chorus, 18 weeks and counting (peak #19).
- Gone from the chart: "Apache" by Jorgen Ingmann & His Guitar after 17 weeks (peak #2).
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 | 2 | 1 | 9 | Mother-In-Law Ernie K-Doe |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 12 | Runaway Del Shannon |
| 3 | 5 | 3 | 9 | Daddy's Home Shep And The Limelites |
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 | A Hundred Pounds Of Clay Gene McDaniels |
| 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 | Travelin' Man Ricky Nelson |
| 6 | 9 | 6 | 6 | Mama Said The Shirelles |
| 7 | 16 | 7 | 7 | Running Scared Roy Orbison |
| 8 | 11 | 8 | 6 | Breakin' In A Brand New Broken Heart Connie Francis |
| 9 | 15 | 9 | 4 | Hello Mary Lou Ricky Nelson |
| 10 | 4 | 3 | 11 | I've Told Every Little Star Linda Scott |
| 11 | 6 | 6 | 9 | You Can Depend On Me Brenda Lee |
| 12 | 7 | 1 | 12 | Blue Moon The Marcels |
| 13 | 12 | 9 | 12 | Portrait Of My Love Steve Lawrence |
| 14 | 10 | 7 | 11 | Take Good Care Of Her Adam Wade |
| 15 | 23 | 15 | 4 | Little Devil Neil Sedaka |
| 16 | 22 | 16 | 6 | Tragedy The Fleetwoods |
| 17 | 43 | 17 | 2 | I Feel So Bad Elvis Presley |
| 18 | 26 | 18 | 7 | Hello Walls Faron Young |
| 19 | 18 | 15 | 12 | Tonight I Fell In Love The Tokens |
| 20 | 19 | 19 | 8 | Bonanza Al Caiola And His Orchestra |
| 21 | 20 | 20 | 11 | Just For Old Time's Sake The McGuire Sisters |
| 22 | 24 | 22 | 6 | Girl Of My Best Friend Ral Donner |
| 23 | 17 | 4 | 12 | On The Rebound Floyd Cramer |
| 24 | 21 | 4 | 14 | But I Do Clarence Henry |
| 25 | 31 | 25 | 4 | That Old Black Magic Bobby Rydell |
| 26 | 13 | 8 | 12 | One Mint Julep Ray Charles |
| 27 | 14 | 14 | 6 | Flaming Star Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires |
| 28 | 41 | 28 | 3 | Stand By Me Ben E. King |
| 29 | 25 | 25 | 9 | Funny Maxine Brown |
| 30 | 28 | 21 | 9 | Bumble Boogie B. Bumble & The Stingers |
| 31 | 54 | 31 | 4 | Moody River Pat Boone |
| 32 | 27 | 24 | 5 | (Dance The) Mess Around Chubby Checker |
| 33 | 35 | 33 | 7 | Lullaby Of Love Frank Gari |
| 34 | 36 | 34 | 9 | Triangle Janie Grant |
| 35 | 59 | 35 | 2 | Barbara-Ann The Regents |
| 36 | 48 | 36 | 5 | Peanut Butter The Marathons |
| 37 | 32 | 32 | 10 | Some Kind Of Wonderful The Drifters |
| 38 | 51 | 38 | 4 | Raindrops Dee Clark |
| 39 | 42 | 39 | 5 | What A Surprise Johnny Maestro The Voice Of The Crests |
| 40 | 29 | 12 | 12 | Baby Blue The Echoes |
| 41 | 44 | 41 | 7 | Exodus Eddie Harris |
| 42 | 45 | 42 | 5 | The Touchables In Brooklyn Dickie Goodman |
| 43 | 58 | 43 | 4 | Rama Lama Ding Dong The Edsels |
| 44 | 55 | 44 | 5 | Tossin' And Turnin' Bobby Lewis |
| 45 | 52 | 45 | 5 | I'm A Fool To Care Joe Barry |
| 46 | 57 | 46 | 4 | Those Oldies But Goodies (Remind Me Of You) Little Caesar and The Romans |
| 47 | 46 | 46 | 7 | (It Never Happens) In Real Life Chuck Jackson |
| 48 | 76 | 48 | 2 | You Always Hurt The One You Love Clarence Henry |
| 49 | 33 | 33 | 8 | The Continental Walk Hank Ballard And The Midnighters |
| 50 | 30 | 13 | 11 | Tonight My Love, Tonight Paul Anka |
| 51 | 37 | 8 | 14 | Asia Minor Kokomo |
| 52 | 61 | 19 | 18 | Never On Sunday Don Costa And His Orchestra And Chorus |
| 53 | 53 | 53 | 7 | Glory Of Love The Roommates |
| 54 | 62 | 54 | 4 | Buzz Buzz A-Diddle-It Freddy Cannon |
| 55 | 65 | 55 | 3 | You'd Better Come Home Russell Byrd |
| 56 | 77 | 56 | 2 | The Writing On The Wall Adam Wade |
| 57 | 68 | 57 | 5 | Little Egypt (Ying-Yang) The Coasters |
| 58 | 75 | 58 | 4 | Count Every Star Donnie and The Dreamers |
| 59 | 63 | 59 | 5 | The Bilbao Song Andy Williams |
| 60 | 74 | 60 | 3 | In My Heart The Timetones |
| 61 | 64 | 61 | 5 | That's The Way With Love Piero Soffici |
| 62 | 67 | 62 | 5 | The Wayward Wind Gogi Grant |
| 63 | 81 | 63 | 2 | Every Beat Of My Heart Pips |
| 64 | 79 | 64 | 5 | Better Tell Him No The Starlets |
| 65 | 72 | 65 | 4 | Halfway To Paradise Tony Orlando |
| 66 | 73 | 66 | 4 | Big Big World Johnny Burnette |
| 67 | 83 | 67 | 2 | Every Beat Of My Heart Gladys Knight And The Pips |
| 68 | 71 | 68 | 3 | A Love Of My Own Carla Thomas |
| 69 | 56 | 56 | 5 | Be My Boy Paris Sisters |
| 70 | 70 | 70 | 7 | Three Hearts In A Tangle Roy Drusky |
| 71 | 90 | 71 | 2 | The Boll Weevil Song Brook Benton |
| 72 | 47 | 43 | 6 | Good, Good Lovin' Chubby Checker |
| 73 | 94 | 73 | 2 | It Keeps Rainin' Fats Domino |
| 74 | 78 | 74 | 2 | (I've Got) Spring Fever Little Willie John |
| 75 | 34 | 30 | 8 | What'd I Say Jerry Lee Lewis And His Pumping Piano |
| 76 | 87 | 76 | 2 | Miss Fine The New Yorkers |
| 77 | 85 | 77 | 2 | I Don't Mind James Brown And The Famous Flames |
| 78 | 49 | 44 | 8 | Underwater The Frogmen |
| 79 | 69 | 69 | 5 | Lullaby Of The Leaves The Ventures |
| 80 | 88 | 80 | 3 | Son-In-Law Louise Brown |
| 81 | NEW | 81 | 1 | Tell Me Why The Belmonts |
| 82 | NEW | 82 | 1 | Anna Jorgen Ingmann & His Guitar |
| 83 | NEW | 83 | 1 | Milord Teresa Brewer |
| 84 | 86 | 84 | 3 | Son-In-Law The Blossoms |
| 85 | 40 | 37 | 7 | Saved LaVern Baker |
| 86 | 98 | 86 | 2 | Brother-In-Law (He's A Moocher) Paul Peek |
| 87 | 91 | 87 | 2 | I Can't Do It By Myself Anita Bryant |
| 88 | 38 | 38 | 9 | I'm In The Mood For Love The Chimes |
| 89 | 93 | 89 | 3 | Our Love Is Here To Stay Dinah Washington |
| 90 | 89 | 89 | 4 | A Cross Stands Alone Jimmy Witter |
| 91 | NEW | 91 | 1 | Pick Me Up On Your Way Down Pat Zill |
| 92 | NEW | 92 | 1 | Ronnie Marcy Joe |
| 93 | 95 | 93 | 2 | For Your Love The Wanderers |
| 94 | NEW | 94 | 1 | Lonesome Whistle Blues Freddy King |
| 95 | 99 | 95 | 2 | The Girl's A Devil The Dukays |
| 96 | NEW | 96 | 1 | I Fall To Pieces Patsy Cline |
| 97 | NEW | 93 | 4 | Nobody Cares (about me) Jeanette (Baby) Washington |
| 98 | NEW | 98 | 1 | Heart And Soul The Cleftones |
| 99 | NEW | 99 | 1 | Quarter To Three U.S. Bonds |
| 100 | NEW | 100 | 1 | Driving Wheel Junior Parker |
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