Top 100 songs for December 18, 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 “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by The Tokens. Meanwhile, “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby rises from No. 66 to No. 33. 12 songs are listed in their first chart week.
See debuts and biggest movers
This week’s chart highlights
Biggest climbers
- White Christmas — Bing Crosbyup 33 places, No. 66 → No. 33
- The Little Drummer Boy — The Harry Simeone Choraleup 29 places, No. 98 → No. 69
- Jingle Bell Rock — Bobby Rydell/Chubby Checkerup 26 places, No. 71 → No. 45
New to this week’s Top 10
New to this week’s Top 40
- Can't Help Falling In Love — Elvis Presley With The JordanairesNo. 18
- Revenge — Brook BentonNo. 28
- Rock-A-Hula Baby — Elvis Presley With The JordanairesNo. 32
- White Christmas — Bing CrosbyNo. 33
- The Majestic — DionNo. 36
- Town Without Pity — Gene PitneyNo. 37
- I Know (You Don't Love Me No More) — Barbara GeorgeNo. 38
- Small Sad Sam — Phil McLeanNo. 39
First-week entries
- Baby It's You — The ShirellesNo. 65
- A Little Bitty Tear — Burl IvesNo. 73
- Twist-Her — Bill Black's ComboNo. 76
- Do-Re-Mi — Lee DorseyNo. 82
- Room Full Of Tears — The DriftersNo. 83
- Multiplication — Bobby DarinNo. 86
- Pocketful Of Miracles — Frank SinatraNo. 87
- Seven Day Fool — Etta JamesNo. 95
- Lost Someone — James Brown And The Famous FlamesNo. 96
- Pushin' Your Luck — Sleepy KingNo. 98
- I Could Have Loved You So Well — Ray PetersonNo. 99
- You Don't Have To Be A Tower Of Strength — Gloria LynneNo. 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.