The 1960 - 1963 Countdown Kicks Off Today!

This week we'll be featuring The Top 100 Singles, 1960 - 1963, based on information collected from Dann Isbell's new book "Ranking The '60's", available now through Amazon.com ...  
Click here: Ranking the '60s: A Comprehensive Listing of the Top Songs and Acts from Pop's Golden Decade: Dann Isbell: 9781492  

#100 - The countdown kicks off with The Philly Sound of The Orlons, in at #100 with "The Wah-Watusi".  (1962) 

#99 - Be My Baby - The Ronettes  (1963) 
This timeless classic (and Brian Wilson favorite) has shown up EVERYWHERE over the years ... TV, movies, advertising ... in 1986 Rocker Eddie Money even got lead singer Ronnie Spector to reprise the "Be My Little Baby" line in his hit song "Take Me Home Tonight"!

#98 - Running Scared - Roy Orbison  (1961)

The Big "O" ... and no, I don't mean Oprah! 

#97 - I Like It Like That, Part 1 - Chris Kenner  (1961)

Later a hit for The Dave Clark Five, this was the original. 

#96 - Sixteen Reasons - Connie Stevens  (1960)

Cricket from "Hawaiian Eye" had her first solo hit after helping out Edd "Kookie" Byrnes (of "77 Sunset Strip" fame) with his Top Three Smash "Kookie, Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb". 

#95 - The End Of The World - Skeeter Davis  (1963)

Still one of my all-time favorites from this decade. 



#94 - North To Alaska - Johnny Horton  (1960)

Horton closed out the '50's with his #1 Smash "The Battle Of New Orleans" ... it spent EIGHT WEEKS on top of Billboard's Hot 100 Single Chart!  Now he was back, taking a northerly look at the map. 

#93 - So Much In Love - The Tymes  (1963)

Another timeless classic, long out of print until ABKCO finally opened up and shared the Cameo / Parkway Vaults a few years ago. 



#92 - Wooden Heart - Joe Dowell  (1961)

Known by most as an Elvis song (he sang it in "G.I. Blues", his first comeback movie after his stint in the Army), the #1 Hit Record actually belonged to Joe Dowell. 

#91 -  Don't Break The Heart That Loves You - Connie Francis  (1962)

You'll find three hits by Connie in our Top 100 Countdown ... along with Brenda Lee, Francis dominated the charts as one of the premier female vocalists of the decade.  (Yet she's STILL not in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame!!!) 

#90 - Wild One - Bobby Rydell  (1960)

One of the original Teen Idols ... and another artist who was able to ride the wave of The Philly Sound. 

#89 - Walk, Don't Run - The Ventures  (1960)

A GREAT Rock And Roll Instrumental ... and one that ANY guitarist worth his salt had to learn at one time or another. 

#88 - Can't Get Used To Losing You - Andy Williams  (1963)

A long-forgotten gem by crooner Andy Williams, who left us a short time ago after entertaining us for decades on both the charts and the TV screen. 

#87 - Bobby's Girl - Marcie Blane  (1962)

Marcie wished that she was Bobby's Girl ... 20 years later, Rick Springfield wished that he had Jessie's Girl ... proving that teen age lust will never die!

#86 - Our Day Will Come - Ruby and the Romantics  (1963)

Still a haunting sound, even fifty years later! 

#85 - The Boll Weevil Song - Brook Benton  (1961)

One of my favorites as a kid growing up, Brook normally took a more serious approach with this recordings.  Incredibly, he would have one of the biggest hits of his career in 1970 with "Rainy Night In Georgia". 

#84 - Only The Lonely (Know How I Feel) - Roy Orbison  (1960)

The Big O is back with one of his best ... a 1960 smash. 

#83 - I Want To Be Wanted - Brenda Lee  (1960)

There's the first Top 100 Hit in our countdown for Little Miss Dynamite. 

#82 - Easier Said Than Done - Essex  (1963)

A #1 Hit from 1963 by a group that originally formed when they were members of The U.S. Marine Corps! 

#81 - Deep Purple - Nino Tempo and April Stevens  (1963)

A GREAT duet, later brought back to the charts by Donny and Marie ... and I've got to say that I love BOTH versions of this song!

The countdown continues tomorrow ... be there or be square!