Songs of the month
[new] “A Wonder Like You” – Rick Nelson
[new] “Big Bad John” – Jimmy Dean
“Big Cold Wind” – Pat Boone
[new] “Big John” – Shirelles
“Bless You” – Tony Orlando
“Bristol Stomp” – Dovells
[new] “Candy Man” – Roy Orbison
“Crying” – Roy Orbison
“Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour” – Lonnie Donegan
[new] “Don’t Blame Me” – Everly Brothers
[new] “Dreamboat” – Connie Francis
[new] “Everlovin'” – Rick Nelson
[new] “Fool No.1” – Brenda Lee
[new] “Foot Stomping” – Flares
[new] “He’s My Dreamboat” – Connie Francis
[new] “Heartaches” – Marcels
“His Latest Flame” – Elvis Presley
“Hit The Road Jack” – Ray Charles
[new] “I Love How You Love Me” – Paris Sisters
[new] “I Really Love You” – Stereos
[new] “I Understand” – G-Clefs
“Let Me Belong To You” – Brian Hyland
“Let’s Get Together” – Hayley Mills
“Little Sister” – Elvis Presley
[new] “Look In My Eyes” – Chantels
“Mexico” – Bob Moore
“Michael” – Highwaymen
[new] “More Money For You & Me” – Four Preps
“My True Story” – Jive Five
“One Track Mind” – Bobby Lewis
[new] “Runaround Sue” – Dion
[new] “Sad Movies” – Sue Thompson
[new] “So Long Baby” – Del Shannon
[new] “Stick Shift” – Duals
[new] “Sweets For My Sweet” – Drifters
[new] “Take Five” – Dave Brubeck
“Take Good Care Of My Baby” – Bobby Vee
“The Astronaut” – Jose Jimenez
[new] “The Fly” – Chubby Checker
“The Mountain’s High” – Dick And Deedee
[new] “The Way You Look Tonight” – Lettermen
“This Time” – Troy Shondell
[new] “Tower Of Strength” – Gene Mcdaniels
“When We Get Married” – Dreamlovers
“Who Put The Bomp” – Barry Mann
“Without You” – Johnny Tillotson
[new] “Ya Ya” – Lee Dorsey
[new] “Ya-Ya” – Lee Dorsey
“You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby” – Bobby Darin
[new] “You’re The Reason” – Bobby Edwards
[new] = New to the chart this week.
You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.
This month in history
The most important historical event in some time happened on the first of the month… advertising executive Lester Wunderman coined the phrase “direct marketing” in a speech in New York to the Hundred Million Club, an organization of businesspeople using direct mail.
On October 3 “The Dick Van Dyke Show”, starring Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie and Morey Amsterdam, was shown for the first time. Although the show would go on to become very popular, the initial telecast attracted so few viewers that it was not even among the Top 70 most popular programs that week
On the 22nd Chubby Checker performed his 1960 #1 hit, “The Twist” on The Ed Sullivan Show, reigniting the popularity of both the dance and the record. The song returned to the Top 100 three weeks later, and became the first and only hit single to reach #1 twice.
What’d Sadie think?
One more week at the top for “Take Good Care Of My Baby” by Bobby Vee before Ray Charles tells it to “Hit The Road Jack” which has prime position for two weeks. “Runaround Sue” by Dion rounds out the month with a week at the top.
Loved ’em
Two songs about a “Big John” new to the charts this week. “Big John” by the Shirelles isn’t bad, but it’s “Big Bad John” by Jimmy Dean that is a personal favourite of mine since childhood and which I’ve been annoying Sadie by singing along to her this week. My father was a “Big” John and Sadie has recently learnt he passed away some time ago so it’s an interesting one to have dredge up memories. Either way a great story song that won the 1962 Grammy Award for “Best Country & Western Recording” and spent weeks at number 1.
- “Big Bad John” – Jimmy Dean
- “Fool No.1” – Brenda Lee
- “Runaround Sue” – Dion
- “Stick Shift” – Duals
- “Sweets For My Sweet” – Drifters
Liked ’em
- “A Wonder Like You” – Rick Nelson
- “Big John” – Shirelles
- “Candy Man” – Roy Orbison
- “Dreamboat” – Connie Francis
- “Everlovin'” – Rick Nelson
- “Foot Stomping” – Flares
- “He’s My Dreamboat” – Connie Francis
- “Heartaches” – Marcels
- “I Love How You Love Me” – Paris Sisters
- “I Really Love You” – Stereos
- “Look In My Eyes” – Chantels
- “So Long Baby” – Del Shannon
- “Take Five” – Dave Brubeck
- “The Fly” – Chubby Checker
- “The Way You Look Tonight” – Lettermen
- “Tower Of Strength” – Gene Mcdaniels
- “Ya Ya” – Lee Dorsey
- “You’re The Reason” – Bobby Edwards
Leave ’em
- “Don’t Blame Me” – Everly Brothers
- “I Understand” – G-Clefs
- “More Money For You & Me” – Four Preps
- “Sad Movies” – Sue Thompson
Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.