Billboard #1 Adult Contemporary Hits 1961-Present

On the AC Chart simultaneously with Sue Thompson's version of "Sad Movies" was a version by The Lennon Sisters. Their version peaked at #13 on the AC Chart the week after Sue Thompson's version went to #1. On the Hot 100 chart, it peaked at #56.





After the 1 week at #1 for Sue Thompson's version, it stayed at #2 for 4 weeks, so it had the potential to be #1 longer.

 

That's one reason why I'm surprised "Norman" didn't chart AC at all. Both songs had a kind of teenage-theme going on, so I don't know why one charted while the other didn't. On the other hand, the chart was still titled "Easy Listening" at the time, so maybe some stations found "Sad Movies" easy to listen to, whereas "Norman" wasn't?

 

I've never heard that before. It does sound a little more like 'adult'.

 

I was going to post that Lennon Sisters version but ya beat me to it. I don't know if it's a regional thing or the fact that my mother subjected the family to Lawrence Welk every Sunday but this is the version I most remember hearing way back when so it's the one I prefer. The two versions are pretty similar so it comes down to the vocals and for me, the LS are far less annoying. Norman, on the other hand was a fun Pop tune made even better by the fact that there was a Norman in our neighborhood so we got to tease him with Norman, oohoohoohoohooh. Good times.

 

Sad Movies is alright, Norman is a bit cutesy but also okay, but Paper Tiger (a few years later, in '65) is her best song IMHO!

 

The Lennon Sisters' version also went to #1 in Japan, their only #1 hit anywhere. (I'm a big fan of theirs, but even they couldn't save this whine-fest in my view.) I do, though, agree their version sounds a bit more adult...which is odd, since they were all quite a bit younger than Sue Thompson!

I love early '60s folk music, but "Michael" never did anything for me. Ironically, one of the Highwaymen later became an administrator at my college, and was still there while I was a student there. If it had been just about any other folk group of that era, I'd have been hounding the guy for autographs and stories of the good old days.

"Mexico", though, I love. I have the original 45 in my collection, and for the longest time I had no idea it had ever been a big hit, as I don't think I've ever heard it on the radio. The whole album it comes from is pretty good, although that song is by far the best.

 

Sue Thompson's voice sounds a lot like Game Show panelist and actress Joyce Bulifant to me. I could totally hear Joyce singing Sue Thompson's hits.

 

"Norman" struck me more as someone in their twenties, but I think the reason it didn't make it is because of its somewhat sociopathic nature.

 

I believe Abba singles performed better on the AC chart than the top 100.

 

That's what I mean. Annoying.

 

Next is "Big Bad John" by Jimmy Dean.

Peak Date: October 23, 1961
Weeks At #1: 9
Weeks Charted: 16
Hot 100 Chart Position: #1 (5 weeks)

 

I can hear Big Bad John reaching adults, though it's much more Country than AC. At least to my ears.

Jimmy Dean's You're Nobody Until Somebody Loves You is my favorite version of that chestnut. Now that's AC!

 

Thanks for mentioning that. I meant to make a notation in my last post that it was also #1 on the Country Chart. (2 weeks).

Also, I should point out the two different versions that exist - the one with the line near the end of the song that says, "At the bottom of this mine lies a big, big man" and the other one that says "At the bottom of this mine lies one hell of a man". The latter is the one in the YouTube video I posted.

 

Although you always see the title listed as "Big Bad John" since I don't even know when, some copies of the original 45 just say "Big John". Mine does, and I had no idea the "Bad" was usually included in the title for a long time. (My copy also has the "a hell of a man" ending, but I recall mostly hearing the other one on the radio.)

 

Yeah, big hit for Big Bad John, heard it all the time. Maybe the antecedent for Bad Bad Leroy Brown or at least a relative? I also remember him for his variety show and I believe he was on one of those Fess Parker shows - Daniel Boone or Davy Crockett, I forget which. It really creeps me out that they still use his voice (or a sound-a-like) for current Jimmy Dean sausage commercials. Guess a guy's gotta make a livin', even in the afterlife.

 

I never thought much of Big Bad John.

Oddly enough, I once had a summer job with a guy named Norm. He would often sing, "Big bad John" when I walked in the door, so I would reply, "Norman, oo-ee-oo-ee-oo" (and sometimes he'd join in before I had finished)

 

Next is "Moon River" by Henry Mancini, the last #1 AC Song of 1961.

Peak Date: December 25, 1961
Weeks At #1: 1
Weeks Charted: 23
Hot 100 Chart Position: #11




This may be Henry Mancini's best-known song, despite having another #1 AC Hit several years later which was #1 much longer, but on the chart less weeks than "Moon River".

 

If you're familiar with the daytime soap opera "Days Of Our Lives", I believe they still use MacDonald Carey's voice on the opening theme where he says, "Like sands through the hour glass, so are the days of our lives", and he passed away in the 90's.

 

I don't know how many versions I have of Moon River, but I never get tired of the sung version by Audrey Hepburn as heard in the movie.



Moon river wider than a mile
I'm crossing you in style someday (someday, day)
A dream maker (maker, maker)
My heartbreaker (you heartbreaker)
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' that way (the same, the same)
Two drifters off to see the world
There's such a crazy world to see
We're all chasin' after all the same
Chasing after our rainbow's end
Moon river wider than a mile
Crossin' in style someday
My dream maker
Heartbreaker
Wherever you're going I'm going the same...

 

Yes they do but it doesn't bother me the way the Jimmy Dean commercial does.

As for Moon River, now this is the kind of song I think of as Adult Contemporary or Easy Listening. Andy William's version is the one I connect to the song the most yet it wasn't even a single for him.

 

Speaking of Andy W, here's a guy I would have assumed owned the top of the AC charts in the 60s but surprisingly, that's not the case.

 

He had a really good run on the AC Chart in the 60's with 15 Top 10's in the decade, but less than a handful of #1's. I'm also surprised he didn't have more.

 

True, they had 8 Top 10's and 2 #1's on the AC Chart, versus 4 Top 10's and 1 #1 on the Pop Chart.

 

After doing a little research, it will become apparent how many classic AC songs failed to hit the top. The chart Gods are a fickle bunch.