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1961

The year end charts as published by Billboard each year were necessarily limited.  In order to publish the chart the last week of December, the magazine stopped including rankings effectively the final week of November.  In some cases, this caused records whose popularity crossed over from one year to another to be underrated.  In some cases, these records ended up on the year end chart for two different years.  In some cases, the records were not included in either chart in spite of significant popularity.  The “Elvis Era Power Ranking” is an effort to correct this oversight by including all the weeks a record was on the charts, not just the weeks of a particular year.  The rating is based on the record's performance in the top twenty: 20 points for being #1, 19 for #2, etc. In the case of the “cross-over” records, whether a record is included in the chart for the year it first entered or the year it last charted, the record was assigned the year in which it enjoyed its highest popularity.  In some cases, there were records that were so closely split that they were included on two year end charts.
Click on the buttons below to access details about each particular set of rankings:
 
The Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" was a top record in both 1961 and 1962 but it isn't ranked by Billboard for either year. It debuted in the top twenty on December 2, 1961 and was #1 for three weeks that December -- all of that was outside of the cutoff for the 1961 rankings and none of it considered for the 1962 rankings. It remained in the top ten for the first seven weeks of 1962, including one week at #1. Since the chart performance was so split between 1961 and 1962, it is included on both the 1961 and 1962 EE charts. For 1961 it is ranked #5 and #10 for 1962.

Three different versions of "Wonderland by Night" made the top twenty in 1961, all three debuting in 1960. The most popular was Bert Kaempfert's instrumental which reached #1 on January 7th. With the additional weeks in the top twenty, Kaempfert's version managed a #3 EE ranking in contrast to its #72 Billboard spot. Another instrumental, Lawrence Welk's "Calcutta" also debuted in 1960, climbing to the top spot on February 11th and getting a #7 EE ranking.

One of the most puzzling rankings by Billboard is "I Fall To Pieces" by Patsy Cline. It was a #1 Country record that crossed over to the pop chart, but had limited success, peaking at #12 with three weeks in the top twenty and only 21 top twenty points. It didn't reach the top 100 on the EE list. But Billboard listed it as the #2 song for 1961. The disparage in these rankings can probably be explained by the slow ascent and descent in the Billboard Top 100. The record was released in January, but didn't enter the top forty until July and didn't peak at #12 until September. Billboard's calculations for end of year rankings are based on total sales and play time while the EE rankings only credit weeks in the top twenty.

Another one of the more puzzling Billboard rankings was Ray Peterson's "Missing You" which only reached #29 on the weekly chart and yet made the year end ranking of #90. Of course, with no time in the top twenty it is missing from the EE top 100.
The chart below is sortable by clicking on the column header:
EE Rank BB Rank title artist Top Twenty Points highest ranking Weeks in Top Twenty Weeks in Top Forty week debuted Date Highest Rank
1 1 Tossin' and Turnin' Bobby Lewis 242 1 15 17 1961—5—29 1961—7—8
2 17 Exodus Ferrante & Teicher 191 2 14 18 1960—11—28 1961—1—21
3 72 Wonderland By Night Bert Kaempfert 188 1 13 15 1960—11—20 1961—1—7
4 86 Big Bad John JImmy Dean 184 1 13 13 1961—10—9 1961—11—4
5
The Lion Sleeps Tonight The Tokens

12 13 1961—11—27 1962—1—6
6 46 Runaround Sue Dion 179 1 11 12 1961—10—2 1961—10—21
7 11 Calcutta Lawrence Welk 174 1 11 13 1960—12—30 1961—2—11
8 5 Runaway Del Shannon 168 1 10 12 1961—3—27 1961—4—22
9 7 Pony Time Chubby Checker 166 1 11 14 1961—1—30 1961—2—25
10 3 Michael The Highwaymen 164 1 10 11 1961—7—31 1961—9—2
11 22 Bristol Stomp The Dovells 159 2 11 14 1961—9—18 1961—10—21
12 23 Travelin' Man Ricky Nelson 155 1 12 15 1961—5—1 1961—5—27
13
Goodbye Cruel World James Darren 154 3 11 12 1961—11—6 1961—12—2
14 16 Will You Love Me Tomorrow The Shirelles 153 1 12 15 1960—12—12 1961—1—28
15
Please Mr. Postman The Marvelettes 152 1 12 15 1961—10—16 1961—12—9
16 14 Dedicated to the One I Love The Shirelles
3 11 14 1961—2—6 1961—3—25
17 31 Quarter to Three Gary U.S. Bonds 150 1 10 12 1961—6—5 1961—6—24
18 40 Blue Moon The Marcels 149 1 9 11 1961—3—20 1961—4—1
19
Run to Him Bobby Vee 147 2 12 13 1961—11—20 1961—12—23
20 19 Hit the Road Jack Ray Charles 145 1 9 11 1961—9—18 1961—10—14
21
Walk On By LeRoy Van Dyke
5 11 12 1961—11—20 1961—12—9
22 21 Mother-in-Law Ernie K-Doe 143 1 9 12 1961—4—3 1961—5—20
23 9 Raindrops Dee Clark
2 10 12 1961—5—22 1961—6—24
24 25 The Boll Weevil Song Brook Benton 141 2 10 12 1961—6—5 1961—7—8
25 51 Surrender Elvis Presley 140 1 9 11 1961—2—20 1961—3—18
26 12 Take Good CAre of My Baby Bobby Vee 133 1 8 11 1961—8—21 1961—9—16
27 28 Don't Worry About Me Marty Robbins 130 3 10 12 1961—2—13 1961—3—18
28 26 A Hundred Pounds of Clay Gene McDaniels 126 3 10 12 1961—4—3 1961—5—6
29 10 Wooden Heart Joe Dowell 125 1 9 12 1961—7—17 1961—8—26
30 34 I Like It Like That Chris Kenner 123 2 8 10 1961—7—3 1961—7—29
31 59 Moody River Pat Boone 121 1 9 12 1961—5—22 1961—6—17
32 4 Crying Roy Orbison
2 10 14 1961—8—28 1961—10—7
33 35 Apache Jorgen Ingmann 119 2 10 13 1961—2—20 1961—4—1
34 24 Shop Around The Miracles 115 2 9 13 1960—12—31 1961—2—18
35 76 Angel Baby Rosie & the Originals 113 5 9 12 1960—12—12 1961—1—21
36 29 On the Rebound Floyd Cramer 105 4 9 11 1961—3—13 1961—4—15
37 13 Running Scared Roy Orbison 101 1 9 15 1961—4—21 1961—6—3
38 15 Last Night The Mar-Keys
3 7 12 1961—7—17 1961—8—5
39 91 Dum Dum Brenda Lee
4 9 10 1961—6—26 1961—7—29
40 8 Wheels The String-a-Longs 100 3 8 13 1961—1—23 1961—3—4
41 42 This Time Troy Shondell
6 10 12 1961—9—25 1961—10—21
42
Fool Number One Brenda Lee 98 3 8 12 1961—10—9 1961—11—11
43 18 Where the Boys Are Connie Francis 97 4 9 12 1961—1—30 1961—3—18
44 68 Hats Off to Larry Del Shannon 93 5 9 11 1961—6—19 1961—7—29
45 41 Daddy's Home Shep & the Limelites 92 2 8 11 1961—4—10 1961—5—27
46 33 Calendar Girl Neil Sedaka 90 4 8 12 1960—12—31 1961—2—11
47 56 You Don't Know What You've Got Ral Donner

7 9 1961—7—24 1961—9—2
48
Every Beat of My Heart The Pips 89 6 7 10 1961—6—5 1961—7—8
49 43 But I Do Clarence Henry 88 4 7 11 1961—3—20 1961—4—22
50 83 The Writing On The Wall Adam Wade
5 7 9 1961—5—29 1961—7—1
51
Tower of Strength Gene McDaniels 85 5 8 10 1961—10—16 1961—11—11
52 74 I've Told Every Little Star Linda Scott 84 3 7 10 1961—4—3 1961—4—29
53 47 Yellow Bird Arthur Lyman
4 7 10 1961—6—12 1961—7—22
54 70 The Fly Chubby Checker
7 8 11 1961—10—2 1961—11—11
55 63 Stand by Me Ben E. King 83 4 7 24 1961—5—22 1961—6—10
56 89 Rubber Ball Bobby Vee 80 6 9 11 1960—12—22 1961—1—7
57 61 Take Good Care Of Her Adam Wade 79 7 8 10 1961—3—27 1961—4—29
58 20 Sad Movies (Make Me Cry) Sue Thompson 78 5 7 11 1961—9—25 1961—10—21
59 81 Mama Said The Shirelles 77 4 7 8 1961—5—1 1961—5—27
60 52 I Love How You Love Me The Paris Sisters
5 8 11 1961—10—2 1961—10—28
61
Let There Be Drums Sandy Nelson 75 7 8 12 1961—11—20 1961—12—16
62 39 Little Sister Elvis Presley 74 5 7 10 1961—8—28 1961—9—30
63
Corinna, Corinna Ray Peterson
9 7 9 1960—12—19 1961—1—7
64 27 The Mountain's High Dick & Dee Dee 72 2 6 10 1961—8—28 1961—9—23
65 6 My True Story The Jive Five
3 6 12 1961—8—14 1961—9—9
66 93 You Can Depend On Me Brenda Lee
6 7 10 1961—4—3 1961—5—6
67 94 Let's Twist Again Chubby Checker
8 7 15 1961—7—3 1961—8—5
68 50 There's a Moon Out Tonight The Capris 71 3 7 10 1961—1—23 1961—2—25
69
Together Connie Francis
6 8 9 1961—7—3 1961—8—5
70 79 Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor Lonnie Donegan 69 5 6 9 1961—6—14 1961—9—23
71
Let's Get Together Hayley Mills
8 7 11 1961—9—18 1961—10—21
72 67 Baby Sittin' Boogie Buzz Clifford 67 6 7 10 1961—1—30 1961—3—11
73
Emotions Brenda Lee
7 6 9 1961—1—16 1961—2—11
74 55 Mexico Bob Moore & His Orchestra 66 7 7 10 1961—9—11 1961—9—30
75 53 Ya Ya Lee Dorsey 63 7 7 10 1961—9—25 1961—10—28
76
Ebony Eyes The Everly Brothers
8 7 9 1961—2—13 1961—3—18
77 54 School is Out Gary U.S. Bonds 62 5 6 9 1961—7—31 1961—9—2
79 57 Walk Right Back The Everly Brothers
7 6 10 1961—2—13 1961—3—25
80 80 Breaking In A Brand New Broken Heart Connie Francis 61 7 6 9 1961—4—24 1961—5—27
81 48 Hurt Timi Yuro 60 4 7 10 1961—7—31 1961—9—9
82 77 Pretty Little Angel Eyes Curtis Lee
7 5 8 1961—7—17 1961—8—5
83 60 One Mint Julep Ray Charles 57 8 6 9 1961—3—27 1961—4—29
84
Feel So Bad Elvis Presley 55 5 6 7 1961—5—22 1961—6—3
85
Tonight Ferrante & Teicher 54 8 7 8 1961—11—13 1961—12—9
86 69 Those Oldies But Goodies Little Caesar & the Romans 52 9 6 9 1961—5—29 1961—6—24
87 49 Hello Mary Lou Ricky Nelson 51 9 8 13 1961—5—8 1961—5—20
88 88 San Antonio Rose Floyd Cramer 50 8 7 8 1961—6—26 1961—7—15
89 32 Who Put the Bomp Barry Mann 48 7 5 9 1961—8—21 1961—9—23
90 30 Portrait of My Love Steve Lawrence 46 9 6 10 1961—4—3 1961—5—6
91 37 Without You Johnny Tillotson 44 7 6 8 1961—8—28 1961—9—16
92
Dance On Little Girl Paul Anka 43 10 5 7 1961—6—12 1961—7—8
93 44 Asia Minor Kokomo 42 8 5 11 1961—3—6 1961—4—15
94 36 Don't Bet Money Honey Linda Scott
9 5 10 1961—7—24 1961—8—26
95 38 The Wings of a Dove Ferlin Husky 41 12 8 13 1960—12—26 1961—2—11
96
As If I Didn't Know Adam Wade 39 10 4 7 1961—8—7 1961—9—2
97 87 Good Time Baby Bobby Rydell
11 5 8 1961—2—6 1961—3—4
98
Crazy Patsy Cline 38 9 5 7 1961—11—6 1961—11—25
99 62 Gee Whiz Carla Thomas 37 10 5 10 1961—2—20 1961—3—25
100 64 Spanish Harlem Ben E. King 37 10 5 10 1961—1—30 1961—3—11