Billboard Hot 100 — December 11, 1961
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week of December 11, 1961. "Please Mr. Postman" by The Marvelettes climbed from #2 to take over the #1 spot from "Big Bad John" by Jimmy Dean, which had held it for 5 weeks. 16 songs entered the chart this week; the highest new entry was "Jambalaya (On The Bayou)" by Fats Domino at #63, which would go on to peak at #30. The biggest climber was "Small Sad Sam" by Phil McLean, up 26 places from #86 to #60.
Chart highlights
- At #1: "Please Mr. Postman" by The Marvelettes — 1 week at the top so far, 15 weeks on the chart since debuting September 4, 1961.
- New in the top 10: "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Tokens (up from #17 to #6); "Run To Him" by Bobby Vee (up from #11 to #7); "Tonight" by Ferrante & Teicher (up from #12 to #8); "Let There Be Drums" by Sandy Nelson (up from #16 to #9); "Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen" by Neil Sedaka (up from #21 to #10).
- Biggest fall: "God, Country And My Baby" by Johnny Burnette, down 22 places from #42 to #64.
- Longest run on this week's chart: "The Twist" by Chubby Checker, 23 weeks and counting (peak #1).
- Gone from the chart: "Hit The Road Jack" by Ray Charles and his Orchestra after 13 weeks (peak #1); "Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)" by Sue Thompson after 14 weeks (peak #5); "Ya Ya" by Lee Dorsey after 13 weeks (peak #7).
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 | 15 | Please Mr. Postman The Marvelettes |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 11 | Big Bad John Jimmy Dean |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | Goodbye Cruel World James Darren |
| 4 | 6 | 1 | 23 | The Twist Chubby Checker |
| 5 | 7 | 5 | 7 | Walk On By Leroy Van Dyke |
| 6 | 17 | 6 | 5 | The Lion Sleeps Tonight The Tokens |
| 7 | 11 | 7 | 5 | Run To Him Bobby Vee |
| 8 | 12 | 8 | 9 | Tonight Ferrante & Teicher |
| 9 | 16 | 9 | 7 | Let There Be Drums Sandy Nelson |
| 10 | 21 | 10 | 5 | Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen Neil Sedaka |
| 11 | 14 | 11 | 10 | Moon River Jerry Butler |
| 12 | 4 | 1 | 12 | Runaround Sue Dion |
| 13 | 5 | 3 | 11 | Fool #1 Brenda Lee |
| 14 | 10 | 9 | 8 | Crazy Patsy Cline |
| 15 | 29 | 15 | 4 | Peppermint Twist - Part I Joey Dee & the Starliters |
| 16 | 9 | 9 | 13 | I Understand (Just How You Feel) The G-Clefs |
| 17 | 24 | 17 | 10 | Moon River Henry Mancini And His Orchestra |
| 18 | 8 | 5 | 11 | Tower Of Strength Gene McDaniels |
| 19 | 26 | 19 | 7 | I Don't Know Why Linda Scott |
| 20 | 20 | 20 | 9 | Gypsy Woman The Impressions |
| 21 | 35 | 21 | 4 | When I Fall In Love The Lettermen |
| 22 | 15 | 7 | 12 | The Fly Chubby Checker |
| 23 | 13 | 7 | 10 | Heartaches The Marcels |
| 24 | 37 | 24 | 4 | When The Boy In Your Arms (Is The Boy In Your Heart) Connie Francis |
| 25 | 32 | 8 | 16 | Let's Twist Again Chubby Checker |
| 26 | 38 | 26 | 3 | Unchain My Heart Ray Charles and his Orchestra |
| 27 | 18 | 2 | 14 | Bristol Stomp The Dovells |
| 28 | 23 | 23 | 9 | September In The Rain Dinah Washington |
| 29 | 33 | 29 | 8 | 'Til The Angels |
| 30 | 27 | 27 | 9 | In The Middle Of A Heartache Wanda Jackson |
| 31 | 41 | 31 | 5 | Well, I Told You The Chantels |
| 32 | 36 | 32 | 6 | Language Of Love John D. Loudermilk |
| 33 | 39 | 33 | 6 | Your Ma Said You Cried In Your Sleep Last Night Kenny Dino |
| 34 | 43 | 34 | 4 | There's No Other (Like My Baby) The Crystals |
| 35 | 22 | 5 | 15 | I Love How You Love Me The Paris Sisters |
| 36 | 19 | 6 | 13 | This Time Troy Shondell |
| 37 | 28 | 11 | 16 | You're The Reason Bobby Edwards |
| 38 | 30 | 24 | 13 | Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms) Solomon Burke |
| 39 | 25 | 11 | 11 | A Wonder Like You Rick Nelson |
| 40 | 31 | 21 | 9 | I Wanna Thank You Bobby Rydell |
| 41 | 57 | 41 | 2 | Can't Help Falling In Love Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires |
| 42 | 44 | 42 | 7 | Town Without Pity Gene Pitney |
| 43 | 50 | 43 | 5 | Up A Lazy River Si Zentner And His Orchestra |
| 44 | 46 | 44 | 6 | Tonight Eddie Fisher |
| 45 | 34 | 25 | 15 | Foot Stomping - Part 1 The Flares |
| 46 | 56 | 46 | 4 | Revenge Brook Benton |
| 47 | 62 | 47 | 2 | Rock-A-Hula Baby Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires |
| 48 | 64 | 48 | 2 | The Majestic Dion |
| 49 | 60 | 49 | 5 | Soothe Me Sims Twins |
| 50 | 55 | 50 | 5 | Johnny Will Pat Boone |
| 51 | 53 | 51 | 6 | The Gypsy Rover The Highwaymen |
| 52 | 61 | 52 | 5 | It's All Because Linda Scott |
| 53 | 63 | 53 | 5 | Funny How Time Slips Away Jimmy Elledge |
| 54 | 59 | 54 | 2 | The Peppermint Twist Danny Peppermint and the Jumping Jacks |
| 55 | 68 | 55 | 3 | Hey! Little Girl Del Shannon |
| 56 | 65 | 56 | 5 | I Know (You Don't Love Me No More) Barbara George |
| 57 | 78 | 57 | 3 | Little Altar Boy Vic Dana |
| 58 | 73 | 58 | 3 | Poor Fool Ike & Tina Turner |
| 59 | 66 | 59 | 2 | Lonesome Number One Don Gibson |
| 60 | 86 | 60 | 2 | Small Sad Sam Phil McLean |
| 61 | 74 | 61 | 4 | If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody James Ray |
| 62 | 45 | 42 | 6 | Smile Timi Yuro |
| 63 | NEW | 63 | 1 | Jambalaya (On The Bayou) Fats Domino |
| 64 | 42 | 18 | 9 | God, Country And My Baby Johnny Burnette |
| 65 | NEW | 65 | 1 | Dear Lady Twist Gary U.S. Bonds |
| 66 | NEW | 26 | 7 | White Christmas Bing Crosby |
| 67 | 84 | 67 | 3 | Cotton Fields The Highwaymen |
| 68 | NEW | 35 | 8 | Jingle Bell Rock Bobby Helms |
| 69 | 54 | 54 | 6 | It's Too Soon To Know Etta James |
| 70 | 79 | 70 | 2 | The Wanderer Dion |
| 71 | NEW | 71 | 1 | Jingle Bell Rock Bobby Rydell/Chubby Checker |
| 72 | 76 | 72 | 5 | It Will Stand The Showmen |
| 73 | NEW | 73 | 1 | Baby's First Christmas Connie Francis |
| 74 | 80 | 74 | 5 | Never, Never The Jive Five With Joe Rene And Orchestra |
| 75 | 58 | 58 | 9 | Three Steps From The Altar Shep And The Limelites |
| 76 | 93 | 76 | 5 | Turn Around, Look At Me Glen Campbell |
| 77 | 67 | 67 | 2 | I Hear You Knocking Fats Domino |
| 78 | NEW | 78 | 1 | Twistin' U.S.A. Chubby Checker |
| 79 | 75 | 75 | 5 | The Comancheros Claude King |
| 80 | 85 | 80 | 3 | Walkin' With My Angel Bobby Vee |
| 81 | 89 | 53 | 7 | Sometime Gene Thomas |
| 82 | 82 | 82 | 3 | Happy Times (Are Here To Stay) Tony Orlando |
| 83 | 94 | 83 | 2 | Norman Sue Thompson |
| 84 | 88 | 84 | 5 | Tennessee Flat-Top Box Johnny Cash |
| 85 | NEW | 14 | 5 | Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree Brenda Lee |
| 86 | NEW | 86 | 1 | Maria Roger Williams |
| 87 | 91 | 87 | 3 | Let's Go Trippin' Dick Dale and The Del-Tones |
| 88 | NEW | 88 | 1 | Just Got To Know Jimmy McCracklin |
| 89 | 90 | 89 | 3 | Losing Your Love Jim Reeves |
| 90 | 99 | 63 | 11 | Dreamy Eyes Johnny Tillotson |
| 91 | NEW | 78 | 5 | Maria Johnny Mathis |
| 92 | 95 | 92 | 2 | (How Can I Write On Paper) What I Feel In My Heart Jim Reeves |
| 93 | 98 | 93 | 2 | She Really Loves You Timi Yuro |
| 94 | NEW | 94 | 1 | But On The Other Hand Baby Ray Charles and his Orchestra |
| 95 | NEW | 95 | 1 | Irresistible You Bobby Darin |
| 96 | 81 | 81 | 2 | Turn On Your Love Light Bobby Bland |
| 97 | 87 | 87 | 2 | Unsquare Dance The Dave Brubeck Quartet |
| 98 | NEW | 13 | 21 | The Little Drummer Boy The Harry Simeone Chorale |
| 99 | NEW | 99 | 1 | Letter Full Of Tears Gladys Knight And The Pips |
| 100 | NEW | 100 | 1 | Flying Circle Frank Slay And His Orchestra |
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