Maurice Williams And The Zodiacs – Stay 01/1961
Rhet Stoller – Chariot 01/1961
Danny Rivers – Can’t You Hear My Heart 01/1961
Ramrods – Riders In The Sky 03/1961
String-A-Longs – Wheels 03/1961
Buzz Clifford – Baby Sittin’ Boogie 03/1961
Ferrante And Teicher – Theme From Exodus 03/1961
Semprini – Theme From Exodus 03/1961
Krew-Kats – Trambone 03/1961
Nero And The Gladiators – Entry Of The Gladiators 03/1961
Marcels – Blue Moon 04/1961
Kokomo – Asia Minor 04/1961
Ernie K-Doe – Mother-In-Law 05/1961
Linda Scott – I’ve Told Every Little Star 05/1961
Adam Wade – Take Good Care Of Her 06/1961
Al Caiola – Theme From ‘The Magnificent Seven’ 06/1961
Tommy Cooper – Don’t Jump Off The Roof Dad 07/1961
Fireballs – Quite A Party 08/1961
Bobby Angelo And The Tuxedos – Baby Sittin’ 08/1961
Don Gibson – Sea Of Heartbreak 09/1961
Highwaymen – Michael 09/1961
Cleo Laine – You’ll Answer To Me 09/1961
Odetta with Harry Belafonte – Hole In The Bucket 09/1961
Ral Donner – You Don’t Know What You Got (Until You Lose It) 09/1961
Laurie Johnson Orchestra – Sucu Sucu 10/1961
Ted Heath Orchestra – Sucu Sucu 10/1961
Hayley Mills – Let’s Get Together 10/1961
Dick And Deedee – The Mountain’s High 11/1961
Troy Shondell – This Time 11/1961
Jimmy Crawford – I Love How You Love Me 11/1961
The Lettermen – The Way You Look Tonight 11/1961
Dale Sisters – My Sunday Baby 11/1961
G-Clefs – I Understand 12/1961
Dorothy Provine – Don’t Bring Lulu 12/1961
Rose Brennan – Tall Dark Stranger 12/1961
Mrs. Mills – Mrs. Medley 12/1961
Tokens – The Lion Sleeps Tonight 12/1961
Ricky Steves – I Cried For You 12/1961
Listen to: Maurice Williams And The Zodiacs – Stay
Songs are funny things. “Stay” is a mere one minute and thirty nine seconds (not the shortest ever, Jack Black holds the title at 34 seconds) but it’s so recognisable and such strong writing that it genuinely doesn’t feel like that. Jackson Browne would go on to reach number 12 in the UK charts with his version of “Stay” in 1978 but that brings up another trend. Some songs are One Hit Wonder magnets. Later in the years to come, artists will cover other one hitters and they themselves only make it to the top 40 once. Cursed songs? Maybe. We also will see a rise in comedians playing the game. Most have a string of hits but others, strike lucky just the once. Tommy Cooper’s “Don’t Jump Off The Roof Dad” is actually quite funny, not only in subject matter but just his sheer charisma and his laugh puts a smile on my face every time. And for anyone who noticed, a good Wembube to you.
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