Girl Groups were very popular in the early 1960's and they were well represented in the top twenty from September 14th, 1963. The Angels were one of the few white Girl Groups. "My Boyfriend's Back" was in its third week at the top spot. "Heat Wave," "Then He Kissed Me," "Sally Go Round the Roses," and "Be My Baby" were the other Girl Group sounds in the top twenty. "Blue Velvet" which would replace "My Boyfriend's Back" at #1 the next week, and "Sugar Shack" by Jimmy Gilmer would keep "Be My Baby" and "Sally Go Round the Roses" out of the #1 spot while "Then He Kissed Me" was in its peak position at #6 and "Heat Wave would peak at #4 the next week.
"Blue Velvet" would become Bobby Vinton's second of four number one records. It was part of Vinton's "Blue" album that was put together after his single "Blue on Blue," a Burt Bacharach composition, reached #3 in the spring of 1963. "Blue Velvet" was included on the album even though Vinton considered it a "throwaway" -- he said "we did it in ten minutes and it's too sweet and pretty." But Epic records got so many requests from deejays to issue it as a single, that the record label over-ruled Vinton's assessment and released. Tony Bennett's original recording had peaked at #16 in 1951 and The Clovers had a #14 R&B version in 1956.
Allan Sherman had the most popular novelty song of 1963 with his summer camp spoof, "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh." It would peak at #2 the next week.
Trini Lopez's "If I Had a Hammer" was in its second week at #3 and that would be its highest point. Lopez had a return engagement that September to P.J.'s, the Hollywood night club where his hit song was recorded.
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