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50 Song Hits
1962
Compiled by songwriter, Roger Lee Hall
In 1962, as in previous years, there was a wide variety of songs heard on radio, movies and television. Just consider these different categories:
Brazilian: "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars"
Russian melody: "Midnight in Moscow"
Anti-war song: "Where Have All The Flowers Gone"
Movie song: "Days of Wine and Roses"
Jazz song: "Cast Your Fate To The Wind"
Rhythm & Blues: "Twistin' The Night Away"
Dance: "The Twist" (hit song in 1960 and again in 1962)On a personal side, 1962 marks the 50th anniversary of my song, "Peace-Lovin' Blues," the title of my multmedia memoir,
"Peace-Lovin' Blues: Survival Songs.
50 Song Hits From 1962
Look at this list and see how many of these songs you know
( listed in alphabetical order not by record sales)
1. Baby Elephant Walk from film, HATARI (Henry Mancini) --
Henry Mancini and His Orchestra
2. Ballad of Paladin (Johnny Western, Richard Boone, Sam Rolfe) --
Johnny Western
3. Big Girls Don't Cry (Bob Crewe-Bob Gaudio) - The Four Seasons
4. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do (Neil Sedaka-Howard Greenfield) --
Neil Sedaka
5. Can't Help Falling In Love (George David Weiss-Hugo Peretti-
Luigi Creatore) -- Elvis Presley
6. Cast Your Fate To The Wind (Vincent Guaraldi-Carel Werber) --
Vince Guaraldi
7. Days of Wine and Roses (Henry Mancini-Johnny Mercer) --
Henry Mancini (Osacr-winning song of 1962)
8. +Don't Break The Heart That Loves You (Benny Davis-Murray Mencher)-- Connie Francis
9. Don't Go Near The Indians (Lorene Mann) -- Rex Allen
10. Do You Hear What I Hear? (Noel Regney-Gloria Shayne) -- Bing Crosby
11. Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)(Cindy Walker) --
Roy Orbison
12. +Duke of Earl (Earl Edwards-Eugene Dixon-Bernie Williams) --
Gene Chandler
13. +Good Luck Charm (Aaron Schroeder-Wally Gold) --
Elvis Presley14. Green Onions (Booker T. Jones-Steve Cropper-Al Jackson-Lewis Steinberg) -- Booker T. and The MG's
15. +Hey! Baby (Margaret Cobb-Bruce Channel) -- Bruce Channel
16. Home Is Where The Heart Is (Hal David-Sherman Edwards) --
Elvis Presley
17. +I Can't Stop Loving You (Don Gibson, 1958) -- Ray Charles
18. If I Had A Hammer (Lee Hays-Pete Seeger, 1958) --
Peter, Paul and Mary
19. I Left My Heart In San Francisco (Douglass Cross-George Cory, 1954)-- Tony Bennett (Grammy as Record of the Year)
20. +Johnny Angel (Lyn Duddy-Lee Pockriss) -- Shelley Fabares
21. King Of The Whole Wide World (Ruth Bachelor-Bob Roberts) --
Elvis Presley
22. The Loco-Motion (Gerry Goffin-Carole King) --
Little Eva
23. Make It Easy On Yourself (Hal David-Burt Bacharach) --
Jerry Butler
24. Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (Hal David-Burt Bacharach) --
Gene Pitney
25. Mashed Potato Time (Jon Sheridan-Harry Land) --
Dee Dee Sharp
26. Midnight In Moscow (Russian song arr. by Kenny Ball and Jan Burgers) -- Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen
27. Only Love Can Break A Heart (Hal David-Burt Bacharach) --
Gene Pitney
28. Our Day Will Come (Mort Garson-Bob Hilliard) --
Ruby and The Romantics
29. Palisades Park (Chuck Barris) -- Freddie Cannon
30. +Peppermint Twist (Joey Dee-Henry Glover) --
Joey Dee & The Starliters
31. Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars (Corcovado)(Antonio Carlos Jobim-Englsih translation by Gene Lees) -- Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd
32. Ramblin' Rose (Noel Sherman-Joe Sherman) --
Nat King Cole
33. Real Live Girl (Carolyn Leigh-Cy Coleman) -- Steve Alaimo
34. Return To Sender (Otis Blackwell-Winifred Scott) --
Elvis Presley
35. Rock-A-Hula Baby (Fred Wise-Ben Weisman-Dlores Fuller) --
Elvis Presley
36. Roses Are Red (My Love)(Al Bryon-Paul Evans) --
Bobby Vinton
37. She's Not You (Doc Pomus, Jerry Lieber-Mike Stoller) --
Elvis Presley
38. Sherry (Bob Gaudio) -- The Four Seasons
39. Slow Twistin' (Kal Mann) --
Chubby Checker with Dee Dee Sharp
40. +Soldier Boy (Luther Dixon-Florence Green)-- The Shirelles
41. Speedy Gonzales (Buddy Kaye-David Hess-Ethel Lee) --
Pat Boone
42. +Stranger On The Shore (Acker Bilk-Robert Mellin)-- Mr. Acker Bilk
43. +The Stripper (David Rose) -- David Rose & His Orchestra
44. A Taste Of Honey (Bobby Scott-Ric Marlow) --
Tony Bennett
45. +The Twist (Hank Ballard, 1960) -- Chubby Checker
46. Twistin' The Night Away (Sam Cooke) -- Sam Cooke
47. Walk On The Wild Side (Elmer Bernstein-Mack David) --
Brook Benton
48. The Wanderer (Ernest Maresca) -- Dion
49. Where Have All The Flowers Gone? (Pete Seeger) --
The Kingston trio
50. The Wishing Star from TARAS BULBA (Franz Waxman-Mack David) --
Jerry Butler
+ = from Billboard Top 1000 Singles, 1955-1996,
compiled by Joel Whitburn
Singers with most recordings listed:
Elvis Presley = 7
Jerry Butler = 2
Chubby Checker =2
The Four Seasons = 2
Henry Mancini = 2
Gene Pitney = 2
No. 1 Songs from 1962
Arranged by number of weeks (3 or more weeks) at No. 1 and alphaebtical titles if tied weeks (according to The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits by Joel Whitburn)
I Can't Stop Lovin' You -- Ray Charles (5 weeks)
Big Girls Don't Cry -- The Four Seasons (5 weeks)
Sherry -- The Four Seasons (5 weeks)
Roses Are Red (My Love) -- Bobby Vinton (4 weeks)
Duke of Earl -- Gene Chandler (3 weeks)
Hey, Baby! -- Bruce Channel (3 weeks)
Peppermint Twist - Part I -- Joe Dee & The Starliters (3 weeks)
Soldier Boy -- The Shirelles (3 weeks)
Recommended CD Recordings
Songwriter Memories
Read about songs from the 1950s and '60s, including a chapter about Elvis Presley from 1955-1956, in these this illustrated disc playable on any computer, with music files by songwriter Roger Hall:
"Dream World" - Songs, Poems and Stories
AMP Song Links
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