Top 100 songs for December 25, 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, “The Little Drummer Boy” by The Harry Simeone Chorale rises from No. 69 to No. 34. 11 songs are listed in their first chart week.
See debuts and biggest movers
This week’s chart highlights
Biggest climbers
- The Little Drummer Boy — The Harry Simeone Choraleup 35 places, No. 69 → No. 34
- Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree — Brenda Leeup 26 places, No. 84 → No. 58
- Irresistible You — Bobby Darinup 26 places, No. 89 → No. 63
New to this week’s Top 10
New to this week’s Top 40
- Jingle Bell Rock — Bobby Rydell/Chubby CheckerNo. 27
- Funny How Time Slips Away — Jimmy ElledgeNo. 31
- The Little Drummer Boy — The Harry Simeone ChoraleNo. 34
- Jambalaya (On The Bayou) — Fats DominoNo. 35
- Cotton Fields — The HighwaymenNo. 37
- If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody — James RayNo. 39
- Johnny Will — Pat BooneNo. 40
First-week entries
- She's Everything (I Wanted You To Be) — Ral DonnerNo. 76
- Please Come Home For Christmas — Charles BrownNo. 85
- Go On Home — Patti PageNo. 91
- Tuff — Ace CannonNo. 92
- I Told The Brook — Marty RobbinsNo. 94
- Smoky Places — The Corsairs Featuring Jay "Bird" UzzellNo. 95
- Tears From An Angel — Troy ShondellNo. 96
- Free Me — Johnny PrestonNo. 97
- I Need Some One — The BelmontsNo. 98
- Santa & The Touchables — Dickie GoodmanNo. 99
- Ev'rybody's Cryin' — Jimmie BeaumontNo. 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.