Top 100 songs for December 11, 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 “Please Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes. Meanwhile, “Small Sad Sam” by Phil McLean rises from No. 86 to No. 60. 11 songs are listed in their first chart week.
See debuts and biggest movers
This week’s chart highlights
Biggest climbers
- Small Sad Sam — Phil McLeanup 26 places, No. 86 → No. 60
- Little Altar Boy — Vic Danaup 21 places, No. 78 → No. 57
- Cotton Fields — The Highwaymenup 17 places, No. 84 → No. 67
New to this week’s Top 10
- The Lion Sleeps Tonight — The TokensNo. 6
- Run To Him — Bobby VeeNo. 7
- Tonight — Ferrante & TeicherNo. 8
- Let There Be Drums — Sandy NelsonNo. 9
- Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen — Neil SedakaNo. 10
New to this week’s Top 40
- Well, I Told You — The ChantelsNo. 31
- There's No Other (Like My Baby) — The CrystalsNo. 34
First-week entries
- Jambalaya (On The Bayou) — Fats DominoNo. 63
- Dear Lady Twist — Gary U.S. BondsNo. 65
- Jingle Bell Rock — Bobby Rydell/Chubby CheckerNo. 71
- Baby's First Christmas — Connie FrancisNo. 73
- Twistin' U.S.A. — Chubby CheckerNo. 78
- Maria — Roger WilliamsNo. 86
- Just Got To Know — Jimmy McCracklinNo. 88
- But On The Other Hand Baby — Ray Charles and his OrchestraNo. 94
- Irresistible You — Bobby DarinNo. 95
- Letter Full Of Tears — Gladys Knight And The PipsNo. 99
- Flying Circle — Frank Slay And His OrchestraNo. 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.