Top 100 songs for October 9, 1961
This weekly snapshot follows the songs and artists competing across the Billboard Hot 100. Open any entry for its full chart history, or explore 1961 and the 1960s.
This week’s No. 1 is “Hit The Road Jack” by Ray Charles and his Orchestra. Meanwhile, “Tower Of Strength” by Gene McDaniels rises from No. 84 to No. 45. 14 songs are listed in their first chart week.
See debuts and biggest movers
This week’s chart highlights
Biggest climbers
- Tower Of Strength — Gene McDanielsup 39 places, No. 84 → No. 45
- Big Bad John — Jimmy Deanup 36 places, No. 53 → No. 17
- Fool #1 — Brenda Leeup 30 places, No. 66 → No. 36
New to this week’s Top 10
- Runaround Sue — DionNo. 4
- Let's Get Together — Hayley Mills and Hayley MillsNo. 9
New to this week’s Top 40
- Big Bad John — Jimmy DeanNo. 17
- Don't Blame Me — The Everly BrothersNo. 28
- Candy Man — Roy OrbisonNo. 29
- So Long Baby — Del ShannonNo. 31
- (He's My) Dreamboat — Connie FrancisNo. 32
- Fool #1 — Brenda LeeNo. 36
- Foot Stomping - Part 1 — The FlaresNo. 37
- Everlovin' — Rick NelsonNo. 39
- Water Boy — Don Shirley TrioNo. 40
First-week entries
- Moon River — Jerry ButlerNo. 67
- Morning After — Mar-KeysNo. 74
- Heartaches — The MarcelsNo. 79
- Here Comes The Night — Ben E. KingNo. 84
- The Door To Paradise — Bobby RydellNo. 85
- Come September — Billy Vaughn And His OrchestraNo. 86
- Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody — Aretha FranklinNo. 89
- Laugh — The Velvets featuring Virgil JohnsonNo. 90
- Moon River — Henry Mancini And His OrchestraNo. 93
- I Apologize — Timi YuroNo. 94
- Guilty Of Loving You — Jerry FullerNo. 97
- Image - Part 1 — Hank Levine And OrchestraNo. 98
- Late Date — The ParkaysNo. 99
- Make Believe Wedding — The CastellsNo. 100
First-week entries have one recorded chart week. Climbs and Top 10/Top 40 arrivals use recorded previous positions for consecutive chart weeks; returning songs without a previous position are not classified as debuts.