Top 100 songs for December 4, 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 “Big Bad John” by Jimmy Dean. Meanwhile, “Soothe Me” by Sims Twins rises from No. 88 to No. 60. 15 songs are listed in their first chart week.
See debuts and biggest movers
This week’s chart highlights
Biggest climbers
- Soothe Me — Sims Twinsup 28 places, No. 88 → No. 60
- There's No Other (Like My Baby) — The Crystalsup 25 places, No. 68 → No. 43
- Unchain My Heart — Ray Charles and his Orchestraup 24 places, No. 62 → No. 38
New to this week’s Top 10
- The Twist — Chubby CheckerNo. 6
- Walk On By — Leroy Van DykeNo. 7
- I Understand (Just How You Feel) — The G-ClefsNo. 9
New to this week’s Top 40
- Peppermint Twist - Part I — Joey Dee & the StarlitersNo. 29
- 'Til — The AngelsNo. 33
- When I Fall In Love — The LettermenNo. 35
- Language Of Love — John D. LoudermilkNo. 36
- When The Boy In Your Arms (Is The Boy In Your Heart) — Connie FrancisNo. 37
- Unchain My Heart — Ray Charles and his OrchestraNo. 38
- Your Ma Said You Cried In Your Sleep Last Night — Kenny DinoNo. 39
First-week entries
- Can't Help Falling In Love — Elvis Presley With The JordanairesNo. 57
- The Peppermint Twist — Danny Peppermint and the Jumping JacksNo. 59
- Rock-A-Hula Baby — Elvis Presley With The JordanairesNo. 62
- The Majestic — DionNo. 64
- Lonesome Number One — Don GibsonNo. 66
- I Hear You Knocking — Fats DominoNo. 67
- The Wanderer — DionNo. 79
- Turn On Your Love Light — Bobby BlandNo. 81
- Small Sad Sam — Phil McLeanNo. 86
- Unsquare Dance — The Dave Brubeck QuartetNo. 87
- Norman — Sue ThompsonNo. 94
- (How Can I Write On Paper) What I Feel In My Heart — Jim ReevesNo. 95
- Pop Goes The Weasel — Anthony NewleyNo. 96
- She Really Loves You — Timi YuroNo. 98
- Walkin' Back To Happiness — Helen ShapiroNo. 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.