Top 40 Songs

January, 1958 to December, 1961

I put this list together so that you can take a trip down memory lane. I don't know about you guys but, for myself, I can track a lot of my life through songs. They bring back memories of people I have met, places I have been, or things I have done. Especially in my early years. As an example; the song "Who's Sorry Now" by Connie Francis was sung by all of us during boot camp. Take a walk down memory lane as you browse through the list of songs.

This list covers the four years I served in the Navy

The date shown is the date the song first appeared on Billboard's charts, not when it was released.

If you find a song not listed or should not be listed or listed in the wrong place, let me know and I may change it - after I check my source (The Billboard Top 40) :-).

1958

01/06/58     "The Stroll"     The Diamonds
01/06/58     "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" Sam Cooke
01/06/58     "Sugartime"     The McGuire Sisters
01/13/58     "Catch A Falling Star"     Perry Como
01/13/58     "LaDee Dah"     Billy & Lillie
01/20/58     '26 Miles (Santa Catalina)"     The Four Preps
01/20/58     "Get A Job"     The Silhouttes
01/20/58     "Oh Julie"     The Crescendoes
01/20/58     "Magic Moments"     Perry Como
01/20/58     "Witchcraft"     Frank Sinatra
01/27/58     "Dede Dinah"     Frankie Avalon
01/27/58     "Maybe"     The Chantels
01/27/58     "Don't Let Go"     Roy Hamilton
01/27/58     "Don't"     Elvis Presley
01/28/59     "26 Miles (Santa Catalina)"     The Four Preps
02/03/58     "Short Shorts"     Royal Teens
02/03/58     "You Are My Destiny"     Paul Anka
02/17/58     "Click-Clack"     Dickey Doo & The Don'ts
02/24/58     "Sweet Little Sixteen"     Chuck Berry
02/24/58     "Good Golly, Miss Molly"     Little Richard
02/24/58     "Are You Sincere"     Andy Williams
02/24/58     "Oh-Oh, I'm Falling In Love Again"    Jimmie Rodgers
03/03/58     "Been So Long"     The Pastels
03/03/58     "Tequila"     The Champs
03/03/58     "Who's Sorry Now"     Connie Francis
03/03/58     "The Walk"     Jimmy McCracklin
03/03/58     "We Belong Together"     Robert & Johnny
03/03/58     "Oh Julie"     Sammy Salvo
03/10/58     "Lollipop"     The Chordettes
03/10/58     "Rock and Roll is Here to Stay"    Danny & The Juniors
03/10/58     "Breatless"     Jerry Lee Lewis
03/24/58     "Lollipop"     Ronald & Ruby
03/24/58     "He's Got The Whole World"    Laurie London
03/31/58     "Don't You Just Know It"     Huey "Piano" Smith
03/31/58     "Lonesome Me"     Don Gibson
03/31/58     "Billy"     Kathy Linden
04/07/58     "There's Only One Of You"     The Four Lads
04/07/58     "Return To Me"     Dean Martin
04/07/58     "Book of Love"     The Monotones
04/07/58     "Believe What You Say"     Ricky Nelson
04/07/58     "Twilight Time"     The Platters
04/14/58     "Looking Back"     Nat "King" Cole
04/14/58     "Witch Doctor"     David Seville
04/21/58     "Kewpie Doll"     Perry Como
04/21/58     "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck"    Elvis Presley
04/28/58     "All I Have To Do Is Dream"     Everly Brothers
04/28/58     "Crazy Love"     Paul Anka
04/28/58     "For Your Love"     Ed Townsend
05/05/58     "Big Man"     The Four Preps
05/05/58     "You"     The Aquatones
05/05/58     "Johnny B. Goode"     Johnny B. Goode
05/19/58     "Secretly"     Jimmie Rodgers
05/26/58     "Endless Sleep"     Jody Reynolds
05/26/58     "Jennie Lee"     Jan & Dean
06/02/58     "The Purple People Eater"     Sheb Wooley
06/09/58     "Yakety Yak"     The Coasters
06/16/58     "For Your Precious Love"     Jerry Butler
06/16/58     "Try The Impossible"     Lee Andrews
06/23/58     "Patricia"     Perez Padro
06/30/58     "One Summer Night"     The Danleers
06/30/58     "Splish Splash"     Bobby Darin
06/30/58     "Willie And The Hand Jive"    The Johnny Otis Show
06/30/58     "When"     Kalin Twins
06/30/58     "Hard Headed Woman"     Elvis Presley
07/07/58     "Rebel-Rouser"     Duane Eddy
07/07/58     "Poor Little Fool"     Ricky Nelson
07/21/58     "Just A Dream"     Jimmy Clanton
07/21/58     "Everybody Loves A Lover"     Doris Day
07/21/58     "Fever"     Peggy Lee
07/28/58     "Born To Late"     Poni-Tails
07/28/58     "Little Star"     The Elegants
08/04/58     "Volare"     Domenico Modugno
08/04/58     "Rock-in Robin"     Bobby Day
08/04/58     "Chantilly Lace"     Big Bopper
08/04/58     "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)    Domenico Modugno
08/04/58     "Western Movies"     The Olympics
08/11/58     "Bird Dog"     The Everly Brothers
08/11/58     "Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu)"    Dean Martin
08/11/58     "Are You Really Mine"     Jimmie Rodgers
08/18/58     "Tears On My Pillow"     Little Anthony
08/18/58     "Susie Darlin'"     Robin Luke
08/25/58     "Its All In The Game"     Tommy Edwards
08/28/58     "Summertime Blues"     Eddie Cochran
09/08/58     "Down The Aisle Of Love"     The Quin-Tones
09/15/58     "How The Time Flies"     Jerry Wallace
09/15/58     "You Cheated"     The Shields
09/29/58     "Topsy Part II"     Cozy Cole
09/29/58     "The End"     Earl Grant
09/29/58     "It's Only Make Believe"     Conway Twitty
10/05/59     "Seven Little Girls Sitting In The Back Seat"     Paul Evans
10/06/58     "Tom Dooley"     The Kingston Trio
11/10/58     "One Night"     Elvis Presley
10/13/58     "To Know Him Is To Love Him"    The Teddy Bears
10/20/58     "Forget Me Not"     Kalin Twins
10/20/58     "A Lover's Question"     Clyde McPhatter
10/27/58     "Queen of the Hop"     Bobby Darin
10/28/58     "A Lover's Question"     Clyde McPhatter
10/20/58     "Lonesome Town"     Ricky Nelson
11/10/58     "Beep Beep"     The Playmates
11/24/58     "That Old Black Magic"     Louis Prima & Keely Smith
11/24/58     "Problems"     The Everly Brothers
12/01/58     "Whole Lotta Loving"     Fats Domino
12/01/58     "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes"     The Platters
12/08/58     "Loney Teardrops"     Jackie Wilson
12/08/58     "The Chipmunk Song"     David Seville & The Chipmunks
12/15/58     "Donna"     Ritchie Valens
12/15/58     "My Happiness"     Connie Francis
12/22/58     "16 Candles"     The Crests
12/28/58     "I Cried A Tear"     LaVern Baker
12/28/58     "The Little Drummer Boy"     The Harry Simeone Chorale

1959

01/05/59     "All Of A Sudden My Heart Sings"     Paul Anka
01/05/59     "Stagger Lee"     Lloyd Price
01/05/59     "Lucky Ladybug"     Billy & Lilly
01/19/59     "Peter Gunn"     Ray Anthony
01/19/59     "La Bamba"     Ritchie Valens
02/02/59     'Petite Fleur"     Christ Barber's Jazz Band
02/02/59     "Tall Paul"     Annette
02/09/59     "I've Had It"     The Bell Tones
02/09/59     "Charlie Brown"     The Coasters
02/09/59     "Its Just A Matter Of Time"     Brook Benton
02/16/59     "Tragedy"     Thomas Wayne
02/23/59     "Pretty Girls Everywhere"     Eugene Church
02/23/59     "Venus"     Frankie Avalon
03/09/59     "Sea Cruise"     Frankie Ford
03/09/59     "It Doesn't Matter Anymore"    The Crickets
03/09/59     "Pink Shoe Laces"     Dodie Stevens
03/16/59     "Come Softly To Me"     The Fleetwoods
03/23/59     "Since I Don't Have You"     The Skyliners
03/30/59     "The Happy Organ"     Dave "Baby" Cortez
03/30/59     "A Fool Such As I"     Elvis Presley
04/06/59     "Turn Me Loose"     Fabian
04/06/59     "Tell Him No"     Travis & Bob
04/13/59     "Sorry (I Ran All The Way Home)"    The Impalas
04/27/59     "Kansas City"     Wilbur Harrison
04/27/59     "Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)"   Edd Bynres & Connie Stevens
04/27/59     "A Teenager In Love"     Dion & The Belmonts
04/27/59     "Quiet Village"     Martin Denny
05/02/59     "So Fine"     The Fiestas
05/04/59     "Dream Lover"     Bobby Darin
05/04/59     "The Battle of New Orleans"    Johnny Horton
05/11/59     "Personality"     Lloyd Price
05/25/59     "Tallahassie Lassie"     Freddy Cannon
06/01/59     "Along Came Jones"     The Coasters
06/01/59     "My Heart Is An Open Book"     Carl Dobkins, Jr.
06/01/59     "Lipstick On Your Collar"     Connie Francis
06/08/59     "I Only Have Eyes For You"     The Flamingoes
06/08/59     "Lonely Boy"     Paul Anka
06/08/59     "You're So Fine"     The Falcons
06/08/59     "Waterloo"     Stonewall Jackson
06/22/59     "What A Difference A Day Makes"    Dinah Washington
06/22/59     "Tiger"     Fabian
06/29/59     "There Goes My Baby"     The Drifters
06/29/59     "Forty Miles Of Bad Road"     Duane Eddy
06/29/59     "M.T.A."     The Kingston Trio
07/06/59     "Lavender-Blue"     Sammy Turner
07/13/59     "A Big Hunk Of Love"     Elvis Presley
07/20/59     "Here Comes Summer"     Jerry Keller
07/20/59     "Sea of Love"     Phil Phillips
07/29/59     "What'd I Say (Part I)"     Ray Charles
08/03/59     "The Three Bells"     The Browns
08/10/59     "See You In September"     The Tempos
08/10/59     "I Want To Walk You Home"     Fats Domino
08/10/59     "Baby Talk"     Jan & Arnie
08/17/59     "Broken Hearted Melody"     Sarah Vaughan
08/17/59     "Red River Rock"     Johnny & The Hurricanes
08/17/59     "I'm Gonna Get Married"     Lloyd Price
08/17/59     "Sleep Walk"     Santo & Johnny
10/19/59     "Misty"     Johnny Mathis
08/24/59     ('Til) I Kissed You"     The Everly Brothers
09/07/59     "Poison Ivy"     The Coasters
09/07/59     "Mack The Knife"     Bobby Darin
09/07/59     "Primrose Lane"     Jerry Wallace
09/14/59     "Teen Beat"     Sandy Nelson
09/14/59     "Hey Little Girl"     Dee Clark
09/14/59     "Just Ask Your Heart"     Frankie Avalon
09/14/59     "Put Your Head On My Shoulder"    Paul Anka
09/14/59     "Mr. Blue"     The Fleetwoods
09/28/59     "You Were Mine"     Fireflies
09/28/59     "Deck Of Cards"     Wink Martindale
10/05/59     "Don't You Know"     Della Reese
10/19/59     "Heartaches By The Number"    Guy Mitchell
10/26/59     "We Got Love"     Bobby Rydell
10/26/59     "Oh Carol"     Neil Sedaka
11/02/59     "Love Portion No 9"     The Clovers
11/02/59     "Dance With Me"     The Drifters
11/09/59     "Be My Guest"      Fats Domino
11/16/59     "You Got What It Takes"     Marv Johnson
11/23/59     "The Big Hurt"     Toni Fisher
11/23/59     "True Love, True Love"     The Drifters
11/30/59     "It's Time To Cry"     Paul Anka
11/30/59     "El Paso"     Marty Robbins
12/07/59     "Why"     Frankie Avalon
12/14/59     "Pretty Blue Eyes"     Steve Lawrence
12/21/59     "Running Bear"     Johnny Preston
12/21/59     "Go, Jimmy, Go"     Jimmy Clanton

1960

01/04/60     "Teen Angel"     Mark Dinning
01/11/60     "Where Or When"     Dion & The Belmonts
01/18/60     "Handy Man"     Jimmy Jones
01/18/60     "Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop"    Little Anthony & The Imperials
01/18/60     "What In The World's Come Over You"    Jack Scott
01/25/60     "Theme From A "Summer Place"    Percy Faith
01/25/60     "Beyond the Sea"     Bobby Darin
01/25/60     "Let It Me Me"     The Everly Brothers
02/08/60     "Baby (You Got What It Takes)"    Dinah Washington/Brook Benton
02/08/60     "Forever"     The Little Dippers
02/08/60     "Wild One"     Bobby Rydell
02/15/60     "Sweet Nothin's"     Brenda Lee
02/15/60     "Harbor Lights"     The Platters
03/07/60     "Puppy Love"     Paul Anka
03/14/60     "This Magic Moment"     The Drifters
03/14/60     "Sink The Bismarck"     Johnny Horton
03/14/60     "Sixteen Reasons"     Edward Byrnes & Connie Stevens
03/21/60     "I Don't Know Why (But I Do)"    Clarence 'Frogman' Henry
03/21/60     "White Silver Sands"     Bill Black's Combo
03/21/60     "Greenfields"     The Brothers Four
03/21/60     "I Love The Way You Love"     Marv Johnson
03/28/60     "Let The Little Girl Dance"     Billy Bland
03/28/60     "The Old Lamplighter"     The Browns
03/28/60     "Footsteps"     Steve Lawrence
04/04/60     "Cradle Of Love"     Johnny Preston
04/04/60     "Step by Step"     The Crests
04/11/60     "Stuck On You"     Elvis Presley
04/18/60     "Stairway To Heaven"     Neil Sedaka
04/25/60     "Cherry Pie"     Skip & Flip
04/25/60     "Love You So"     Ron Holden
05/02/60     "Cathy's Clown"     The Everly Brothers
05/09/60     "Good Timin'"     Jimmy Jones
05/16/60     "Everybody's Somebody's Fool"    Connie Francis
05/16/60     "Swingin' School"     Bobby Rydell
05/30/60     "Happy-Go-Lucky-Me"     Paul Evans
05/30/60     "Mack The Knife"     Ella Fitzgerald
06/06/60     "A Rockin Good Way"     Dinah Washington/Brook Benton
06/06/60     "My Home Town"     Paul Anka
06/06/60     "Because They're Young"     Duane Eddy
06/06/60     "I'm Sorry"     Brenda Lee
06/13/60     "Alley-Oop"     Hollywood Argyles
06/13/60     "Mule Skinner Blues"     The Fendermen
06/13/60     "Please Help Me, I'm Falling"    Hank Locklin
06/20/60     "Only The Lonely"     Roy Orbison
06/27/60     "When Will I Be Loved"     The Everly Brothers
06/27/60     "Tell Laura I Love Her"     Ray Peterson
07/04/60     "Walking To New Orleans"     Fats Domino
07/11/60     "Mission Bell"     Donnie Brooks
07/11/60     "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini"     Brian Hyland
07/11/60     "Image Of A Girl"     Safaris
07/18/60     "Finger Poppin Time"     Hank Ballard
07/25/60     "It's Now Or Never"     Elvis Presley
07/25/60     "Walk - Don't Run"     The Ventures
07/28/60     "Exodus"     Ferrante & Teicher
08/01/60     "Volare"     Bobby Rydell
08/08/60     "The Twist"     Chubby Checker
08/15/60     "Dreamin"     Johnny Burnette
08/22/60     "Kiddeo"     Dinah Washington/Brook Benton
08/22/60     "My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own"    Connie Francis
08/29/60     "Chain Gang"     Sam Cooke
08/29/60     "Never On Sunday"     Don Costa
08/29/60     "Yogi"     The Ivy Three
09/05/60     "A Million To One"     Jimmy Charles
09/05/60     "Mr. Custer"     Larry Verne
09/05/60     "Devil Or Angel"     Bobby Vee
09/12/60     "So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad"    The Everly Brothers
09/19/60     "Save The Last Dance For Me"    The Drifters
09/19/60     "I Want To Be Wanted"     Brenda Lee
09/26/60     "Let's Think About Living"     Bob Luman Group
09/26/60     "Diamonds and Pearls"     The Paradons
10/10/60     "Georgia On My Mind"     Ray Charles
10/10/60     "You Talk To Much"     Joe Jones
10/10/60     "Stay"     Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs
10/17/60     "Let's Go. Let's Go, Let's Go"    Hank Ballard & The Midnighters
10/17/60     "Blue Angel"     Roy Orbison
10/17/60     "North To Alaska"     Johnny Horton
10/24/60     "Poetry In Motion"     Johnny Tillotson
10/31/60     "A Thousand Stars"     Kathy Young & The Innocents
10/31/60     "New Orleans"     Gary US Bonds
11/07/60     "He Will Break Your Heart"    Jerry Butler
11/14/60     "Lonely Teenager"     Dion
11/14/60     "Are You Lonesome To-night"    Elvis Presley
11/14/60     "Sailor (Your Home Is The Sea)"    Lolita
11/21/60     "Fools Rush In"     Dinah Washington/Brook Benton
11/21/60     "You're Sixteen"     Johnny Burnette
11/21/60     "Wonderland By Night"     Bert Kaempfert
12/12/60     "Rubber Ball"     Bobby Vee
12/12/60     "Will You Love Me Tomorrow"    The Shirelles
12/12/60     "Angel Baby"     Rosie & The Originals
12/19/60     "Corinna, Corinna"     Ray Peterson
12/31/60     "I Count The Tears"     The Drifters
12/31/60     "Shop Around"     The Miracles
12/31/60     "Calendar Girl"     Neil Sedaka
12/31/60     "Calcutta"     The McGuire Sisters

1961

01/16/61     "Bonanza"     Al Caiola
01/16/61    "Emotions"     Brenda Lee
01/23/61     "There's A Moon Out Tonight"     The Capris
01/30/61     "All In My Mind"     Maxine Brown
01/30/61     "Pony Time"     Chubby Checker
01/30/61     "Where The Boys Are"     Connie Francis
01/30/61     "Spanish Harlem"     Ben E. King
02/06/61     "Dedicated To The One I Love"    The Shirelles
02/13/61     "Walk Right Back"     The Everly Brothers
02/13/61     "Don't Worry"     Marty Robbins
02/20/61     "Surrender"     Elvis Presley
02/20/61     "Apache"     Jorgen Ingmann
03/06/61     "Please Love Me Forever"     Cathy Jean & The Roommates
03/06/61     "Kokomo"     Asia Minor
03/20/61     "Blue Moon"     The Marcells
03/27/61     "Runaway"     Del Shannon
03/27/61     "Baby Blue"     The Echoes
04/03/61     "Mother-In-Law"     Ernie K-Doe
04/03/61     "I've Told Every Little Star"    Linda Scott
04/03/61     "Portrait Of My Love"     Steve Lawrence
04/03/61     "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay"    Gene McDaniels
04/10/61     "Daddy's Home"     Shep & The Limelites
04/18/61     "Mountain of Love"     Harold Dorman
04/24/61     "Running Scared"     Roy Orbison
05/01/61     "Mama Said"     The Shirelles
05/01/61     "Travelin' Man"     Ricky Nelson
05/08/61     "Tragedy"     The Fleetwoods
05/08/61     "Hello Mary Lou"     Ricky Nelson
05/22/61     "Raindrops"     Dee Clark
05/22/61     "Stand By Me"     Ben E. King
05/22/61     "I Like It Like That"     Chris Kenner
05/22/61     "Moody River"     Pat Boone
05/22/61     "Barbara-Ann"     The Regents
05/22/61     "I Feel So Bad"     Elvis Presley
05/29/61     "Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)"     The Coasters
05/29/61     "Tossin' And Turnin'"     Bobby Lewis
05/29/61     "Those Oldies But Goodies (Remind Me Of You)"     Little Caesar & The Romans
06/05/61     "The Boll Weevil Song"     Dinah Washington/Brook Benton
06/05/61     "Quarter To Three"     Gary US Bonds
06/05/61     "Every Beat Of My Heart"     Gladys Knight & The Pips
06/05/61     "Rama Lama Ding Dong"     The Edsels
06/12/61     "Yellow Bird"     Arthur Lyman
06/19/61     "Tell Me Why"     The Belmonts
06/19/61     "Hats Off To Larry"     Del Shannon
06/19/61     "Heart And Soul"     The Cleftones
06/26/61     "Cupid"     Sam Cooke
06/26/61     "Please Stay"     The Drifters
07/03/61     "Let's Twist Again"     Chubby Checker
07/10/61     "Baby Talk"     Jan & Arnie
07/17/61     "Wooden Heart"     Joe Dowell
07/17/61     "Pretty Little Angel Eyes"     Curtis Lee
07/17/61     "Last Night"     Mar-Keys
07/24/61     "You Don't Know What You've Got"    Ral Donner
07/24/61     "Don't Bet Money Honey"     Linda Scott
07/31/61     "Hurt"     Timi Yuro
07/31/61     "Michael"     The Highwaymen
08/14/61     "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor (On The Bedpost Over Night)"     Lonnie Donegan
08/14/61     "My True Story"     The Jive Five
08/21/61     "The Mountains High"     Dick and DeeDee
08/21/61     "Who Put The Bomp (In The Bomp, Bomp, Bomp"     Barry Mann
08/21/61     "Take Good Care Of My Baby"     Bobby Vee
08/28/61     "A Little Bit Of Soap"     The Jarmels
08/28/61     "Crying"     Roy Orbison
08/28/61     "When We Get Married"     Dreamlovers
08/28/61     "Little Sister"     Elvis Presley
09/04/61     "Bless You"     Tony Orlando
09/11/61     "Look In My Eyes"     The Chantels
09/11/61     "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby"     Bobby Darin
09/11/61     "One Track Mind"     Bobby Lewis
09/18/61     "Bristol Stomp"     The Dovels
09/18/61     "Hit The Road Jack"     Ray Charles
09/18/61     "Let's Get Together"     Hayley Mills
09/25/61     "Ya Ya"     Lee Dorsey
09/25/61     "Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)     Sue Thompson
09/25/61     "The Way You Look Tonight"    The Lettermen
10/02/61     "Runaround Sue"     Dion
10/02/61     "I Love How You Love Me"     The Paris Sisters
10/09/61     "Fool #1"     Brenda Lee
10/16/61     "I Understand (Just How You Feel)"    The G-Clefs
10/16/61     "Tower of Strength"     Gene McDaniels
10/30/61     "Moon River"     Jerry Butler
10/30/61     "Heartaches"     The Marcels
11/06/61     "Crazy"     Patsy Cline
11/06/61     "Goodby Cruel World"     James Darin
11/13/61     "Tonight (West Side Story)"     Ferrante & Teicher
11/13/61     "Moon River"     Henry Mancini
11/20/61     "Gypsy Woman"     Jerry Butler
11/20/61     "Run To Him"     Bobby Vee
11/20/61     "Walk On By"     Leroy Van Dyke
11/20/61     "Let There Be Drums"     Sandy Nelson
11/27/61     "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"     The Tokens
11/29/61     "Midnight Cowboy (Midnight Cowboy)"     Ferrante & Teicher
12/04/61     "Peppermint Twist - Part I"     Joey Dee & The Starliters
12/04/61     "Unchain My Heart"     Ray Charles
12/04/61     "When I Fall In Love"     The Lettermen
12/11/61     "There's No Other (Like My Baby)"     The Crystals
12/18/61     "The Wanderer"     Dion
12/18/61     "I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)"     Barbara Geroge
12/18/61     "Can't Help Falling In Love"     Elvis Presley