Billboard Hot 100 — October 9, 1961
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week of October 9, 1961. "Hit The Road Jack" by Ray Charles and his Orchestra climbed from #4 to take over the #1 spot from "Take Good Care Of My Baby" by Bobby Vee, which had held it for 3 weeks, on its way to 2 weeks on top. 16 songs entered the chart this week; the highest new entry was "Moon River" by Jerry Butler at #67, which would go on to peak at #11. The biggest climber was "Tower Of Strength" by Gene McDaniels, up 39 places from #84 to #45.
Chart highlights
- At #1: "Hit The Road Jack" by Ray Charles and his Orchestra — 1 week at the top so far, 5 weeks on the chart since debuting September 11, 1961.
- New in the top 10: "Runaround Sue" by Dion (up from #21 to #4); "Let's Get Together" by Hayley Mills and Hayley Mills (up from #15 to #9).
- Biggest fall: "Lover's Island" by The Blue Jays, down 35 places from #42 to #77.
- Longest run on this week's chart: "Wooden Heart" by Joe Dowell, 16 weeks and counting (peak #1).
- Gone from the chart: "Last Night" by Mar-Keys after 14 weeks (peak #3); "School Is Out" by Gary U.S. Bonds after 11 weeks (peak #5); "Don't Bet Money Honey" by Linda Scott after 14 weeks (peak #9).
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 | 4 | 1 | 5 | Hit The Road Jack Ray Charles and his Orchestra |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 | Crying Roy Orbison |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | Take Good Care Of My Baby Bobby Vee |
| 4 | 21 | 4 | 3 | Runaround Sue Dion |
| 5 | 10 | 5 | 5 | Bristol Stomp The Dovells |
| 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby Bobby Darin |
| 7 | 2 | 2 | 11 | The Mountain's High Dick and DeeDee |
| 8 | 5 | 5 | 8 | Little Sister Elvis Presley |
| 9 | 15 | 9 | 6 | Let's Get Together Hayley Mills and Hayley Mills |
| 10 | 7 | 7 | 9 | Mexico Bob Moore and His Orch. |
| 11 | 6 | 1 | 14 | Michael The Highwaymen |
| 12 | 32 | 12 | 6 | I Love How You Love Me The Paris Sisters |
| 13 | 17 | 13 | 4 | This Time Troy Shondell |
| 14 | 14 | 14 | 5 | Ya Ya Lee Dorsey |
| 15 | 18 | 15 | 9 | Bless You Tony Orlando |
| 16 | 16 | 16 | 6 | The Way You Look Tonight The Lettermen |
| 17 | 53 | 17 | 2 | Big Bad John Jimmy Dean |
| 18 | 24 | 18 | 6 | Sad Movies (Make Me Cry) Sue Thompson |
| 19 | 23 | 19 | 7 | Look In My Eyes The Chantels |
| 20 | 12 | 7 | 10 | Without You Johnny Tillotson |
| 21 | 26 | 4 | 7 | (Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame Elvis Presley |
| 22 | 36 | 22 | 3 | The Fly Chubby Checker |
| 23 | 9 | 5 | 10 | Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavor (On The Bedpost Over Night) Lonnie Donegan And His Skiffle Group |
| 24 | 28 | 24 | 5 | Sweets For My Sweet The Drifters |
| 25 | 38 | 25 | 5 | Take Five The Dave Brubeck Quartet |
| 26 | 33 | 26 | 5 | Stick Shift Duals |
| 27 | 11 | 7 | 10 | Who Put The Bomp (In The Bomp, Bomp, Bomp) Barry Mann |
| 28 | 46 | 28 | 3 | Don't Blame Me The Everly Brothers |
| 29 | 55 | 29 | 7 | Candy Man Roy Orbison |
| 30 | 13 | 9 | 7 | One Track Mind Bobby Lewis |
| 31 | 43 | 31 | 4 | So Long Baby Del Shannon |
| 32 | 59 | 32 | 3 | (He's My) Dreamboat Connie Francis |
| 33 | 20 | 3 | 15 | My True Story The Jive Five With Joe Rene And Orchestra |
| 34 | 30 | 29 | 11 | Missing You Ray Peterson |
| 35 | 19 | 19 | 8 | The Astronaut (Parts 1 & 2) Jose Jimenez |
| 36 | 66 | 36 | 2 | Fool #1 Brenda Lee |
| 37 | 50 | 37 | 6 | Foot Stomping - Part 1 The Flares |
| 38 | 39 | 38 | 5 | (He's) The Great Impostor The Fleetwoods |
| 39 | 68 | 39 | 2 | Everlovin' Rick Nelson |
| 40 | 49 | 40 | 13 | Water Boy Don Shirley Trio |
| 41 | 57 | 41 | 3 | Movin' Bill Black's Combo |
| 42 | 67 | 42 | 4 | I Understand (Just How You Feel) The G-Clefs |
| 43 | 56 | 43 | 3 | I Really Love You The Stereos |
| 44 | 63 | 44 | 2 | What A Party Fats Domino |
| 45 | 84 | 45 | 2 | Tower Of Strength Gene McDaniels |
| 46 | 69 | 46 | 7 | You're The Reason Bobby Edwards |
| 47 | 22 | 17 | 9 | More Money For You And Me The Four Preps |
| 48 | 51 | 48 | 6 | Human Tommy Hunt |
| 49 | 25 | 20 | 10 | Let Me Belong To You Brian Hyland |
| 50 | 29 | 10 | 11 | When We Get Married The Dreamlovers |
| 51 | 64 | 51 | 5 | It's Your World Marty Robbins |
| 52 | 81 | 52 | 6 | Please Mr. Postman The Marvelettes |
| 53 | 27 | 19 | 8 | Big Cold Wind Pat Boone |
| 54 | 73 | 54 | 2 | A Wonder Like You Rick Nelson |
| 55 | 35 | 14 | 11 | It's Gonna Work Out Fine Ike & Tina Turner |
| 56 | 61 | 56 | 3 | Sad Movies (Make Me Cry) The Lennon Sisters |
| 57 | 58 | 57 | 6 | Don't Get Around Much Anymore The Belmonts |
| 58 | 77 | 58 | 2 | Anybody But Me Brenda Lee |
| 59 | 75 | 59 | 2 | Big John The Shirelles |
| 60 | 76 | 60 | 2 | It's Just A House Without You Brook Benton |
| 61 | 40 | 12 | 10 | A Little Bit Of Soap The Jarmels |
| 62 | 31 | 4 | 12 | Hurt Timi Yuro |
| 63 | 37 | 1 | 16 | Wooden Heart Joe Dowell |
| 64 | 74 | 64 | 4 | Bright Lights Big City Jimmy Reed |
| 65 | 72 | 65 | 3 | Feel It Sam Cooke |
| 66 | 65 | 59 | 8 | I Wake Up Crying Chuck Jackson |
| 67 | NEW | 67 | 1 | Moon River Jerry Butler |
| 68 | 41 | 17 | 12 | I Just Don't Understand Ann-Margret |
| 69 | 71 | 59 | 7 | Sweet Little You Neil Sedaka |
| 70 | 86 | 70 | 4 | Cinderella Paul Anka |
| 71 | 78 | 67 | 3 | Hollywood Connie Francis |
| 72 | 79 | 72 | 3 | Your Last Goodbye Floyd Cramer |
| 73 | 60 | 60 | 6 | For Sentimental Reasons The Cleftones |
| 74 | NEW | 74 | 1 | Morning After Mar-Keys |
| 75 | 44 | 20 | 8 | Frankie And Johnny Brook Benton |
| 76 | 82 | 76 | 3 | Please Don't Go Ral Donner |
| 77 | 42 | 31 | 9 | Lover's Island The Blue Jays |
| 78 | 83 | 78 | 4 | Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms) Solomon Burke |
| 79 | NEW | 79 | 1 | Heartaches The Marcels |
| 80 | 88 | 80 | 2 | You Don't Know What It Means Jackie Wilson |
| 81 | 96 | 35 | 7 | Kissin' On The Phone Paul Anka |
| 82 | 85 | 82 | 2 | Muskrat The Everly Brothers |
| 83 | 91 | 76 | 4 | Tonight I Won't Be There Adam Wade |
| 84 | NEW | 84 | 1 | Here Comes The Night Ben E. King |
| 85 | NEW | 85 | 1 | The Door To Paradise Bobby Rydell |
| 86 | NEW | 86 | 1 | Come September Billy Vaughn And His Orchestra |
| 87 | 87 | 87 | 3 | Riders In The Sky Lawrence Welk His Orchestra And Chorus |
| 88 | 92 | 86 | 4 | Back To The Hop Danny & The Juniors |
| 89 | NEW | 89 | 1 | Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody Aretha Franklin |
| 90 | NEW | 90 | 1 | Laugh The Velvets featuring Virgil Johnson |
| 91 | 98 | 91 | 3 | Berlin Melody Billy Vaughn And His Orchestra |
| 92 | NEW | 92 | 2 | Honky Train Bill Black's Combo |
| 93 | NEW | 93 | 1 | Moon River Henry Mancini And His Orchestra |
| 94 | NEW | 94 | 1 | I Apologize Timi Yuro |
| 95 | 97 | 95 | 2 | Hang On Floyd Cramer |
| 96 | NEW | 77 | 2 | Let True Love Begin Nat King Cole |
| 97 | NEW | 97 | 1 | Guilty Of Loving You Jerry Fuller |
| 98 | NEW | 98 | 1 | Image - Part 1 Hank Levine And Orchestra |
| 99 | NEW | 99 | 1 | Late Date The Parkays |
| 100 | NEW | 100 | 1 | Make Believe Wedding The Castells |
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