(Non) hits of 1961

Continuing with my personal top ten, we move on to 1961 - the in-between year. Rock and roll was by now a distant memory but the horror of the Beatles and the rest of the British groups was still to come. My top record that year - amazingly - was a classic piece of doo-wop. My top 30:
1. Chimes Once in a while - 124
2= Roy Orbison Running scared - 105
2= Roy Orbison Cryin' - 105
4. Johnny Burnette Girls - 101
5. Sam Cooke Sad mood - 98
6. Del Shannon So long baby - 96
7. Neil Sedaka Happy birthday sweet sixteen - 87
8. Neil Sedaka Calendar girl - 85
9. Bobby Rydell That old black magic - 81
10. Floyd Cramer On the rebound - 79
11. Neil Sedaka Hey little devil - 78
12. Chris Kenner I like it like that - 71
13= Jimmy Jones I told you so - 70
13= Bobby Vee Take good care of my baby - 70
15= Sam Cooke Cupid - 68
15= Johnny Tillotson Without you - 68
15= Don Gibson Lonesome number one - 68
18. Don Gibson Sea of heartbreak - 67
19= Bobby Vee Rubber ball - 66
19= Johnny Burnette Little boy sad - 66
21. Johnny & the Hurricanes Ja-da - 65
22. Marv Johnson Happy days - 62
23= Elvis Presley I feel so bad - 61
23= Sam Cooke Feel it - 61
25= Everly Brothers Walk right back - 60
25= Bobby Vee Baby face - 60
27= Elvis Presley Are you lonesome tonight - 58
27= Miracles Shop around - 58
27= Bobby Vee Run to him - 58
30= Ernie K-doe Mother in law - 57
30= Fats Domino Let the four winds blow - 57
Other entries in that rather forgettable year included Rosie & the Originals Angel baby, Shirelles Will you love me tomorrow, Dion Havin' fun, Carla Thomas Gee whiz, Maxine Brown All in my mind, Clarence Henry But I do, Jerry Lee Lewis What'd I say, Troy Shondell This time and the Marvelettes Please Mr Postman. Motown and Stax began to stir.