Patsy Cline could do not wrong! She gave Americans "Crazy", and "I Fall to Pieces" in the very same year. While she was rocking the world with love songs, Ray Charles was keeping us lit up with "Hit the Road Jack". Dion made the scene with "The Wanderer" and "Runaround Sue". It just kept getting better and better.
Important Fact: In 1961, Jimmy Dean's "Big, Bad John" (his only chart topper) became the 100th U.S. #1 single of the rock and roll era. He wrote it in less than thirty minutes while traveling to Nashville for a recording session.
The Rolling Stone named 500 of the greatest songs of all time. 10 songs made the cut in 1961!
377 Hit the Road, Jack - Ray Charles
85 Crazy - Patsy Cline
238 I Fall to Pieces - Patsy Cline
452 Cupid - Sam Cooke
239 The Wanderer - Dion
342 Runaround Sue - Dion
121 Stand By Me - Ben E. King
69 Crying - Roy Orbison
394 Can't Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley
466 Runaway - Del Shannon