Billboard Hot 100 — December 25, 1961
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week of December 25, 1961. "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Tokens held #1 for a 2nd straight week, on its way to 3 weeks on top. 14 songs entered the chart this week; the highest new entry was "Up A Lazy River" by Si Zentner And His Orchestra at #67, which would go on to peak at #43. The biggest climber was "The Little Drummer Boy" by The Harry Simeone Chorale, up 35 places from #69 to #34.
Chart highlights
- At #1: "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Tokens — 2 weeks at the top so far, 7 weeks on the chart since debuting November 13, 1961.
- New in the top 10: "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires (up from #18 to #10).
- Biggest fall: "Bristol Stomp" by The Dovells, down 47 places from #30 to #77.
- Longest run on this week's chart: "The Twist" by Chubby Checker, 25 weeks and counting (peak #1).
- Gone from the chart: "The Fly" by Chubby Checker after 13 weeks (peak #7).
- Stories that mention this week: No Room at the Top: America's Christmas Number Ones, 1958-1990.
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 | 1 | 1 | 7 | The Lion Sleeps Tonight The Tokens |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | Run To Him Bobby Vee |
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 25 | The Twist Chubby Checker |
| 4 | 6 | 3 | 11 | Goodbye Cruel World James Darren |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 | Walk On By Leroy Van Dyke |
| 6 | 10 | 6 | 6 | Peppermint Twist - Part I Joey Dee & the Starliters |
| 7 | 2 | 1 | 17 | Please Mr. Postman The Marvelettes |
| 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen Neil Sedaka |
| 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | Let There Be Drums Sandy Nelson |
| 10 | 18 | 10 | 4 | Can't Help Falling In Love Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires |
| 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | Moon River Henry Mancini And His Orchestra |
| 12 | 13 | 12 | 9 | I Don't Know Why Linda Scott |
| 13 | 14 | 13 | 6 | When I Fall In Love The Lettermen |
| 14 | 17 | 14 | 5 | Unchain My Heart Ray Charles and his Orchestra |
| 15 | 16 | 15 | 6 | When The Boy In Your Arms (Is The Boy In Your Heart) Connie Francis |
| 16 | 15 | 11 | 12 | Moon River Jerry Butler |
| 17 | 23 | 17 | 10 | 'Til The Angels |
| 18 | 11 | 8 | 11 | Tonight Ferrante & Teicher |
| 19 | 9 | 1 | 13 | Big Bad John Jimmy Dean |
| 20 | 33 | 20 | 9 | White Christmas Bing Crosby |
| 21 | 21 | 20 | 11 | Gypsy Woman The Impressions |
| 22 | 28 | 22 | 6 | Revenge Brook Benton |
| 23 | 26 | 23 | 6 | There's No Other (Like My Baby) The Crystals |
| 24 | 27 | 24 | 8 | Your Ma Said You Cried In Your Sleep Last Night Kenny Dino |
| 25 | 32 | 25 | 4 | Rock-A-Hula Baby Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires |
| 26 | 38 | 26 | 7 | I Know (You Don't Love Me No More) Barbara George |
| 27 | 45 | 27 | 3 | Jingle Bell Rock Bobby Rydell/Chubby Checker |
| 28 | 19 | 3 | 13 | Fool #1 Brenda Lee |
| 29 | 22 | 8 | 18 | Let's Twist Again Chubby Checker |
| 30 | 31 | 24 | 15 | Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms) Solomon Burke |
| 31 | 44 | 31 | 7 | Funny How Time Slips Away Jimmy Elledge |
| 32 | 29 | 29 | 7 | Well, I Told You The Chantels |
| 33 | 39 | 33 | 4 | Small Sad Sam Phil McLean |
| 34 | 69 | 13 | 23 | The Little Drummer Boy The Harry Simeone Chorale |
| 35 | 41 | 35 | 3 | Jambalaya (On The Bayou) Fats Domino |
| 36 | 37 | 36 | 9 | Town Without Pity Gene Pitney |
| 37 | 48 | 37 | 5 | Cotton Fields The Highwaymen |
| 38 | 24 | 9 | 15 | I Understand (Just How You Feel) The G-Clefs |
| 39 | 49 | 39 | 6 | If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody James Ray |
| 40 | 46 | 40 | 7 | Johnny Will Pat Boone |
| 41 | 56 | 41 | 4 | The Wanderer Dion |
| 42 | 43 | 42 | 8 | The Gypsy Rover The Highwaymen |
| 43 | 54 | 43 | 3 | Baby's First Christmas Connie Francis |
| 44 | 55 | 44 | 5 | Hey! Little Girl Del Shannon |
| 45 | 65 | 45 | 2 | Baby It's You The Shirelles |
| 46 | 47 | 46 | 5 | Poor Fool Ike & Tina Turner |
| 47 | 63 | 41 | 10 | The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) David Seville And The Chipmunks |
| 48 | 51 | 48 | 5 | Little Altar Boy Vic Dana |
| 49 | 58 | 35 | 10 | Jingle Bell Rock Bobby Helms |
| 50 | 53 | 50 | 3 | Dear Lady Twist Gary U.S. Bonds |
| 51 | 52 | 21 | 4 | Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer David Seville And The Chipmunks |
| 52 | 73 | 52 | 2 | A Little Bitty Tear Burl Ives |
| 53 | 42 | 42 | 7 | Soothe Me Sims Twins |
| 54 | 36 | 36 | 4 | The Majestic Dion |
| 55 | 20 | 1 | 14 | Runaround Sue Dion |
| 56 | 61 | 23 | 11 | September In The Rain Dinah Washington |
| 57 | 25 | 9 | 10 | Crazy Patsy Cline |
| 58 | 84 | 14 | 7 | Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree Brenda Lee |
| 59 | 40 | 32 | 8 | Language Of Love John D. Loudermilk |
| 60 | 66 | 60 | 4 | Norman Sue Thompson |
| 61 | 74 | 61 | 4 | Turn On Your Love Light Bobby Bland |
| 62 | 70 | 62 | 7 | Turn Around, Look At Me Glen Campbell |
| 63 | 89 | 63 | 3 | Irresistible You Bobby Darin |
| 64 | 87 | 64 | 2 | Pocketful Of Miracles Frank Sinatra |
| 65 | 76 | 65 | 2 | Twist-Her Bill Black's Combo |
| 66 | 82 | 66 | 2 | Do-Re-Mi Lee Dorsey |
| 67 | NEW | 43 | 6 | Up A Lazy River Si Zentner And His Orchestra |
| 68 | 77 | 68 | 3 | Maria Roger Williams |
| 69 | 78 | 69 | 3 | Flying Circle Frank Slay And His Orchestra |
| 70 | 80 | 70 | 3 | Letter Full Of Tears Gladys Knight And The Pips |
| 70 | 50 | 50 | 7 | It's All Because Linda Scott |
| 72 | 83 | 72 | 2 | Room Full Of Tears The Drifters |
| 73 | 85 | 63 | 13 | Dreamy Eyes Johnny Tillotson |
| 74 | 79 | 74 | 5 | Walkin' With My Angel Bobby Vee |
| 75 | 81 | 75 | 3 | Just Got To Know Jimmy McCracklin |
| 76 | NEW | 76 | 1 | She's Everything (I Wanted You To Be) Ral Donner |
| 77 | 30 | 2 | 16 | Bristol Stomp The Dovells |
| 78 | 67 | 67 | 7 | It Will Stand The Showmen |
| 79 | 35 | 7 | 12 | Heartaches The Marcels |
| 80 | 34 | 5 | 13 | Tower Of Strength Gene McDaniels |
| 81 | 68 | 68 | 3 | Twistin' U.S.A. Chubby Checker |
| 82 | 88 | 82 | 4 | Unsquare Dance The Dave Brubeck Quartet |
| 83 | 86 | 83 | 2 | Multiplication Bobby Darin |
| 84 | NEW | 3 | 13 | Alvin's Harmonica David Seville And The Chipmunks |
| 85 | NEW | 85 | 1 | Please Come Home For Christmas Charles Brown |
| 86 | 91 | 86 | 5 | Let's Go Trippin' Dick Dale and The Del-Tones |
| 87 | NEW | 87 | 2 | Pop Goes The Weasel Anthony Newley |
| 88 | 62 | 54 | 4 | The Peppermint Twist Danny Peppermint and the Jumping Jacks |
| 89 | 99 | 89 | 2 | I Could Have Loved You So Well Ray Peterson |
| 90 | 96 | 90 | 2 | Lost Someone James Brown And The Famous Flames |
| 91 | NEW | 91 | 1 | Go On Home Patti Page |
| 92 | NEW | 92 | 1 | Tuff Ace Cannon |
| 93 | 98 | 93 | 2 | Pushin' Your Luck Sleepy King |
| 94 | NEW | 94 | 1 | I Told The Brook Marty Robbins |
| 95 | NEW | 95 | 1 | Smoky Places The Corsairs Featuring Jay "Bird" Uzzell |
| 96 | NEW | 96 | 1 | Tears From An Angel Troy Shondell |
| 97 | NEW | 97 | 1 | Free Me Johnny Preston |
| 98 | NEW | 98 | 1 | I Need Some One The Belmonts |
| 99 | NEW | 99 | 1 | Santa & The Touchables Dickie Goodman |
| 100 | NEW | 100 | 1 | Ev'rybody's Cryin' Jimmie Beaumont |
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