US Top 40 Singles for the Week Ending 3rd December, 1961

BYTop40weekly

UPDATED:Aug 20, 2026 1:56 AM

POSTED:Apr 8, 2026 12:56 PM

These are all the US Top 40 Singles for the Week Ending December 3, 1961

US Hot 40 Singles for the Week Ending 3rd December, 1961

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US Top 40 Singles – 3rd December, 1961

TW LW TITLE –•– Artist (Label)-Weeks on Chart (Peak To Date)

1 1 BIG BAD JOHN –•– Jimmy Dean (Columbia)-9 (4 weeks at #1) (1)
2 2 RUNAROUND SUE –•– Dion (Laurie)-10 (1)
3 8 PLEASE MR. POSTMAN –•– The Marvelettes (Tamla)-13 (3)
4 4 GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD –•– James Darren (Colpix)-7 (4)
5 3 FOOL #1 –•– Brenda Lee (Decca)-9 (3)
6 5 BRISTOL STOMP –•– The Dovells (Parkway)-12 (2)
7 19 HEARTACHES –•– The Marcels (Colpix)-8 (7)
8 6 TOWER OF STRENGTH –•– Gene McDaniels (Liberty)-9 (5)
9 15 CRAZY –•– Patsy Cline (Decca)-6 (9)
10 9 THIS TIME –•– Troy Shondell (Liberty)-11 (6)
——
11 10 THE FLY –•– Chubby Checker (Parkway)-10 (7)
12 31 WALK ON BY –•– Leroy Van Dyke (Mercury)-5 (12)
13 13 TONIGHT –•– Ferrante and Teicher (United Artists)-7 (13)
14 14 I UNDERSTAND (Just How You Feel) –•– The G-Clefs (Terrace)-11 (14)
15 11 YOU’RE THE REASON –•– Bobby Edwards (Crest)-14 (11)
16 27 THE TWIST –•– Chubby Checker (Parkway)-21 (1)
17 29 RUN TO HIM –•– Bobby Vee (Liberty)-3 (17)
18 20 A WONDER LIKE YOU –•– Rick Nelson (Imperial)-9 (11)
19 12 I LOVE HOW YOU LOVE ME –•– The Paris Sisters (Gregmark)-13 (5)
20 22 MOON RIVER –•– Jerry Butler (Vee-Jay)-8 (20)
——
21 21 I WANNA THANK YOU –•– Bobby Rydell (Cameo)-7 (21)
22 7 HIT THE ROAD JACK –•– Ray Charles (ABC-Paramount)-12 (1)
23 28 SEPTEMBER IN THE RAIN –•– Dinah Washington (Mercury)-7 (23)
24 24 JUST OUT OF REACH (Of My Two Open Arms) –•– Solomon Burke (Atlantic)-11 (24)
25 18 GOD, COUNTRY AND MY BABY –•– Johnny Burnette (Liberty)-7 (18)
26 26 MOON RIVER –•– Henry Mancini and His Orchestra (RCA Victor)-8 (26)
27 30 LET THERE BE DRUMS –•– Sandy Nelson (Imperial)-5 (27)
28 45 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEET SIXTEEN –•– Neil Sedaka (RCA Victor)-3 (28)
29 42 IN THE MIDDLE OF A HEARTACHE –•– Wanda Jackson (Capitol)-7 (29)
30 16 EVERLOVIN’ –•– Rick Nelson (Imperial)-9 (16)
——
31 17 SAD MOVIES (Make Me Cry) –•– Sue Thompson (Hickory)-13 (5)
32 37 GYPSY WOMAN –•– The Impressions (ABC-Paramount)-7 (32)
33 23 LET’S GET TOGETHER –•– Hayley Mills (Buena Vista)-13 (8)
34 25 YA YA –•– Lee Dorsey (Fury)-12 (7)
35 32 FOOT STOMPING (Part 1) –•– The Flares (Felsted)-13 (25)
36 55 THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT –•– The Tokens (RCA Victor)-3 (36)
37 39 ROCK-A-BYE YOUR BABY WITH A DIXIE MELODY –•– Aretha Franklin (Columbia)-8 (37)
38 47 I DON’T KNOW WHY –•– Linda Scott (Canadian American)-5 (38)
39 34 CRYING –•– Roy Orbison (Monument)-16 (2)
40 65 LET’S TWIST AGAIN –•– Chubby Checker (Parkway)-14 (8)

THIS WEEK’S DROPS – 3rd December, 1961

51 33 BIG JOHN –•– The Shirelles (Scepter)-9 (21)
70 36 THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT –•– The Lettermen (Capitol)-13 (13)

POWER PLAYS – 3rd December, 1961

41 61 LANGUAGE OF LOVE –•– John D. Loudermilk (RCA Victor)-4 (41)
42 59 SMILE –•– Timi Yuro (Liberty)-4 (42)
43 68 PEPPERMINT TWIST (Part 1) –•– Joey Dee and the Starliters (Roulette)-2 (43)
44 56 TOWN WITHOUT PITY –•– Gene Pitney (Musicor)-5 (44)
45 51 UP A LAZY RIVER –•– Si Zentner and His Orchestra (Liberty)-3 (45)
46 48 UNDER THE MOON OF LOVE –•– Curtis Lee (Dunes)-7 (46)
47 57 ‘TIL –•– The Angels (Caprice)-6 (47)
48 41 ANYBODY BUT ME –•– Brenda Lee (Decca)-9 (31)
49 43 CANDY MAN –•– Roy Orbison (Monument)-14 (25)
50 53 YOUR MA SAID YOU CRIED IN YOUR SLEEP LAST NIGHT –•– Kenny Dino (Musicor)-4 (50)

NEW THIS WEEK – 3rd December, 1961

62 — UNCHAIN MY HEART –•– Ray Charles (ABC-Paramount)-1 (62)
78 — HEY! LITTLE GIRL –•– Del Shannon (Big Top)-1 (78)
83 — I’LL NEVER STOP WANTING YOU –•– Brian Hyland (ABC-Paramount)-1 (83)
88 — SOOTHE ME –•– The Sims Twins (Sar)-3 (88)
91 — SEARCHING –•– Jack Eubanks and The Sound of the South (Monument)-1 (91)
93 — HAPPY TIMES (Are Here To Stay) –•– Tony Orlando (Epic)-1 (93)
94 — LET’S GO TRIPPIN’ –•– Dick Dale and the Del-Tones (Deltone)-1 (94)
95 — POOR FOOL –•– Ike and Tina Turner (Sue)-1 (95)
96 — WALKIN’ WITH MY ANGEL –•– Bobby Vee (Liberty)-1 (96)
97 — YOUNG BOY BLUES –•– Ben E. King (Atco)-6 (66)
98 — IT DO ME SO GOOD –•– Ann-Margret (RCA Victor)-2 (97)
99 — LITTLE ALTER BOY –•– Vic Dana (Dolton)-1 (99)
100 — COTTON FIELDS –•– The Highwaymen (United Artists)-1 (100)