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