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 Number Ones


Number Ones 1961


Elvis opened the year at number one in the U.S. with “Are you Lonesome Tonight”  which moved to the top in late January in the U.K.

In March in the U.K., Elvis took the top spot with “Wooden Heart” his record company RCA didn’t release it as a single in the U.S. and a version by Joe Dowell took it to the top in America in August.

Elvis still had a number one in March in the U.S. with “Surrender” which topped the U.K. Charts at the start of June.

In the U.K the song written by Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman  

(Marie’s the Name of) His Latest Flame took Elvis to number one in November.


The Gerry Goffin & Carole King composition “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” went to the top for the Shirelles they were previously called the Poquellos.


The Highwaymen reached No.1 in both singles charts with 'Michael' it was the U.S. group's only UK Top 40 hit. The Highwaymen were college students who broke up when they graduated.

“Blue Moon” written by Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart was a hit both sides of the Atlantic for the Marcels as was “Runaway” recorded by Del Shannon and co-written with his keyboard player Max Crook who used a heavily modified Clavioline electronic keyboard called a "Musitron".


In October Ray Charles had a number one in the U.S. with “Hit the Road Jack” written by Percy Mayfield.


Motown had their first number one in the U.S. with “Please Mr. Postman” by the Marvelettes.


In the U.K. charts the Everly Brothers hit the top in March with “Walk Right Back” written by Sonny Curtis who was a member of Buddy Holly’s Crickets. They also topped the charts in July with the song written by Arthur Freed & Nacio Herb Brown “Temptation”.


Helen Shapiro had two number one hits in the U.K. with  “You Don’t Know” and “Walkin Back to Happiness” both written by John Shroeder & Michael Hawker.


The final number one in the U.K. of 1961 was “Moon River”

recorded by Danny Williams the song was in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s and was written by Johnny Mercer & Henry Mancini.


The Lion Sleeps Tonight by the Tokens was the last number one

Of 1961 in the U.S. This was adapted from a Zulu folk song called “Mbube” or “Wimoweh.

      Date

      American Titles

 Artist

2nd Jan

  Are You Lonesome Tonight

  Elvis Presley

9th Jan

  Wonderful By Night

  Bert Kaempfert

30th Jan

  Will You Love Me Tomorrow

  The Shirelles

13th Feb

  Calcutta

  Lawrence Welk

27th Feb

  Pony Time

  Chubby Checker

20th Mar

  Surrender

  Elvis Presley

3rd Apr

  Blue Moon

  The Marcels

24th Apr

  Runaway

  Del Shannon

22ndMay

  Mother-in-Law

  Ernie K-Doe

29th May

  Travelin’ Man

  Ricky Nelson

5th Jun

  Running Scared

  Roy Orbison

12th Jun

  Travelin Man

  Ricky Nelson  

19th Jun

  Moody River

  Pat Boone

26th Jun

  Quarter to Three

  Gary U.S. Bonds

10th Jul

  Tossin’ and Turnin’

  Bobby Lewis

28th Aug

 Wooden Heart (Muss I Denn)

  Joe Dowell

4th Sep

  Michael

  The Highwaymen

18th Sep

  Take Good Care Of My Baby

  Bobby Vee

9th Oct

  Hit The Road Jack

  Ray Charles

23rd Oct

  Runaround Sue

  Dion

6th Nov

  Big Bad John

  Jimmy Dean

11th Dec

  Please Mr. Postman

  The Marvelettes

18th Dec

  The Lion Sleeps Tonight    

  The Tokens

     Date

                        British Titles

                         Artist

1st Jan

  I Love You

Cliff Richard & the  Shadows

12th Jan

  Poetry In Motion

  Johnny Tillotson

26th Jan

  Are You Lonesome Tonight

  Elvis Presley

23rd Feb

  Sailor

  Petula Clark

2nd Mar

  Walk Right Back

  Everly Brothers

23 Mar

  Wooden Heart

  Elvis Presley

4th May

  Blue Moon

  Marcels

18th May

  On The Rebound

  Floyd Cramer

25th May

  You’re Driving Me Crazy

  Temperance Seven

1st Jun

  Surrender

  Elvis Presley

29th Jun

  Runaway

  Del Shannon

20th Jul

  Temptation

  Everly Brothers

3rd Aug

  Well I Ask You

  Eden Kane

10th Aug

  You Don’t Know

  Helen Shapiro

31st Aug

  Johnny Remember Me

  John Leyton

21st Sep

  Climb Every Mountain

  Shirley Bassey

28th Sep

  Johnny Remember Me

  John Leyton

5th Oct

  Kon-Tiki

  The Shadows

12th Oct

  Michael

  Highwaymen

19th Oct

  Walkin’ Back To Happiness

  Helen Shapiro

9th Nov

  His Latest Flame

  Elvis Presley

7th Dec

  Tower Of Strength

  Frankie Vaughan

28th Dec

  Moon River

  Danny Williams

What were the N01’s in 1961 ?

1961

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