Billboard Hot 100 — October 23, 1961
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week of October 23, 1961. "Runaround Sue" by Dion climbed from #2 to take over the #1 spot from "Hit The Road Jack" by Ray Charles and his Orchestra, which had held it for 2 weeks, on its way to 2 weeks on top. 12 songs entered the chart this week; the highest new entry was "School Is In" by Gary U.S. Bonds at #59, which would go on to peak at #28. The biggest climber was "September In The Rain" by Dinah Washington, up 28 places from #77 to #49.
Chart highlights
- At #1: "Runaround Sue" by Dion — 1 week at the top so far, 5 weeks on the chart since debuting September 25, 1961.
- New in the top 10: "This Time" by Troy Shondell (up from #11 to #6); "I Love How You Love Me" by The Paris Sisters (up from #12 to #7); "Let's Get Together" by Hayley Mills and Hayley Mills (up from #13 to #8); "The Fly" by Chubby Checker (up from #14 to #10).
- Biggest fall: "More Money For You And Me" by The Four Preps, down 31 places from #56 to #87.
- Longest run on this week's chart: "My True Story" by The Jive Five With Joe Rene And Orchestra, 17 weeks and counting (peak #3).
- Gone from the chart: "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavor (On The Bedpost Over Night)" by Lonnie Donegan And His Skiffle Group after 11 weeks (peak #5); "When We Get Married" by The Dreamlovers after 12 weeks (peak #10).
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 | 5 | Runaround Sue Dion |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | Bristol Stomp The Dovells |
| 3 | 8 | 3 | 4 | Big Bad John Jimmy Dean |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 7 | Hit The Road Jack Ray Charles and his Orchestra |
| 5 | 7 | 5 | 8 | Sad Movies (Make Me Cry) Sue Thompson |
| 6 | 11 | 6 | 6 | This Time Troy Shondell |
| 7 | 12 | 7 | 8 | I Love How You Love Me The Paris Sisters |
| 8 | 13 | 8 | 8 | Let's Get Together Hayley Mills and Hayley Mills |
| 9 | 10 | 9 | 7 | Ya Ya Lee Dorsey |
| 10 | 14 | 10 | 5 | The Fly Chubby Checker |
| 11 | 4 | 2 | 11 | Crying Roy Orbison |
| 12 | 9 | 7 | 11 | Mexico Bob Moore and His Orch. |
| 13 | 15 | 13 | 8 | The Way You Look Tonight The Lettermen |
| 14 | 18 | 14 | 9 | Look In My Eyes The Chantels |
| 15 | 6 | 1 | 12 | Take Good Care Of My Baby Bobby Vee |
| 16 | 5 | 5 | 8 | You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby Bobby Darin |
| 17 | 23 | 17 | 4 | Tower Of Strength Gene McDaniels |
| 18 | 19 | 18 | 7 | Sweets For My Sweet The Drifters |
| 19 | 25 | 19 | 5 | (He's My) Dreamboat Connie Francis |
| 20 | 33 | 20 | 6 | I Understand (Just How You Feel) The G-Clefs |
| 21 | 31 | 21 | 4 | Fool #1 Brenda Lee |
| 22 | 34 | 22 | 4 | Everlovin' Rick Nelson |
| 23 | 20 | 20 | 5 | Don't Blame Me The Everly Brothers |
| 24 | 24 | 24 | 9 | You're The Reason Bobby Edwards |
| 25 | 26 | 25 | 7 | Stick Shift Duals |
| 26 | 16 | 2 | 13 | The Mountain's High Dick and DeeDee |
| 27 | 39 | 27 | 4 | A Wonder Like You Rick Nelson |
| 28 | 32 | 28 | 8 | Foot Stomping - Part 1 The Flares |
| 29 | 40 | 29 | 5 | I Really Love You The Stereos |
| 30 | 35 | 30 | 8 | Please Mr. Postman The Marvelettes |
| 31 | 38 | 31 | 4 | Anybody But Me Brenda Lee |
| 32 | 27 | 3 | 17 | My True Story The Jive Five With Joe Rene And Orchestra |
| 33 | 41 | 33 | 4 | Big John The Shirelles |
| 34 | 17 | 5 | 10 | Little Sister Elvis Presley |
| 35 | 30 | 30 | 7 | (He's) The Great Impostor The Fleetwoods |
| 36 | 29 | 9 | 9 | One Track Mind Bobby Lewis |
| 37 | 43 | 29 | 9 | Candy Man Roy Orbison |
| 38 | 46 | 25 | 7 | Take Five The Dave Brubeck Quartet |
| 39 | 42 | 39 | 4 | What A Party Fats Domino |
| 40 | 21 | 15 | 11 | Bless You Tony Orlando |
| 41 | 22 | 4 | 9 | (Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame Elvis Presley |
| 42 | 28 | 28 | 6 | So Long Baby Del Shannon |
| 43 | 50 | 43 | 3 | Moon River Jerry Butler |
| 44 | 58 | 44 | 3 | Heartaches The Marcels |
| 45 | 52 | 45 | 4 | It's Just A House Without You Brook Benton |
| 46 | 48 | 46 | 5 | Hollywood Connie Francis |
| 47 | 49 | 14 | 13 | It's Gonna Work Out Fine Ike & Tina Turner |
| 48 | 37 | 7 | 12 | Without You Johnny Tillotson |
| 49 | 77 | 49 | 2 | September In The Rain Dinah Washington |
| 50 | 45 | 29 | 13 | Missing You Ray Peterson |
| 51 | 67 | 51 | 5 | Please Don't Go Ral Donner |
| 52 | 44 | 1 | 16 | Michael The Highwaymen |
| 53 | 51 | 41 | 5 | Movin' Bill Black's Combo |
| 54 | 60 | 54 | 6 | Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms) Solomon Burke |
| 55 | 36 | 7 | 12 | Who Put The Bomp (In The Bomp, Bomp, Bomp) Barry Mann |
| 56 | 64 | 56 | 5 | Feel It Sam Cooke |
| 57 | 59 | 56 | 5 | Sad Movies (Make Me Cry) The Lennon Sisters |
| 58 | 62 | 58 | 6 | Bright Lights Big City Jimmy Reed |
| 59 | NEW | 59 | 1 | School Is In Gary U.S. Bonds |
| 60 | 76 | 60 | 2 | I Wanna Thank You Bobby Rydell |
| 61 | 71 | 61 | 6 | Tonight I Won't Be There Adam Wade |
| 62 | 68 | 62 | 3 | Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody Aretha Franklin |
| 63 | 66 | 63 | 5 | Your Last Goodbye Floyd Cramer |
| 64 | 81 | 64 | 2 | God, Country And My Baby Johnny Burnette |
| 65 | NEW | 65 | 1 | Crazy Patsy Cline |
| 66 | 84 | 66 | 2 | Tonight Ferrante & Teicher |
| 67 | 75 | 67 | 2 | Young Boy Blues Ben E. King |
| 68 | 90 | 68 | 3 | Moon River Henry Mancini And His Orchestra |
| 69 | 88 | 69 | 2 | Goodbye Cruel World James Darren |
| 70 | 63 | 63 | 3 | Morning After Mar-Keys |
| 71 | 78 | 71 | 2 | I'll Be Seeing You Frank Sinatra |
| 72 | NEW | 72 | 1 | My Heart Belongs To Only You Jackie Wilson |
| 73 | 47 | 19 | 10 | The Astronaut (Parts 1 & 2) Jose Jimenez |
| 74 | 61 | 57 | 8 | Don't Get Around Much Anymore The Belmonts |
| 75 | 86 | 75 | 2 | The Bridge Of Love Joe Dowell |
| 76 | NEW | 76 | 1 | The Way I Am Jackie Wilson |
| 77 | 74 | 74 | 5 | Berlin Melody Billy Vaughn And His Orchestra |
| 78 | 82 | 71 | 6 | Don't Cry No More Bobby Bland |
| 79 | 87 | 79 | 3 | Come September Billy Vaughn And His Orchestra |
| 80 | NEW | 80 | 1 | Somewhere Along The Way Steve Lawrence |
| 81 | NEW | 81 | 2 | Here Comes The Night Ben E. King |
| 82 | 85 | 82 | 2 | Under The Moon Of Love Curtis Lee |
| 83 | 73 | 73 | 4 | Let True Love Begin Nat King Cole |
| 84 | 96 | 84 | 2 | In The Middle Of A Heartache Wanda Jackson |
| 85 | 69 | 51 | 7 | It's Your World Marty Robbins |
| 86 | NEW | 86 | 1 | Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues The Miracles |
| 87 | 56 | 17 | 11 | More Money For You And Me The Four Preps |
| 88 | 99 | 88 | 2 | Gypsy Woman The Impressions |
| 89 | NEW | 89 | 1 | Wasn't The Summer Short? Johnny Mathis |
| 90 | 92 | 82 | 4 | Muskrat The Everly Brothers |
| 91 | 93 | 91 | 3 | Broken Heart And A Pillow Filled With Tears Patti Page |
| 92 | 97 | 92 | 2 | For Me And My Gal Freddy Cannon |
| 93 | 95 | 93 | 2 | Why Not Now Matt Monro |
| 94 | 65 | 48 | 8 | Human Tommy Hunt |
| 95 | NEW | 95 | 1 | Soothe Me Sims Twins |
| 96 | 100 | 96 | 2 | Backtrack Faron Young |
| 97 | 72 | 72 | 3 | I Apologize Timi Yuro |
| 98 | NEW | 98 | 2 | Three Steps From The Altar Shep And The Limelites |
| 99 | NEW | 99 | 1 | Who Can I Count On Patsy Cline |
| 100 | NEW | 100 | 1 | Blue Moon The Ventures |
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