Throwing back to the week of December 7, 1963, we find The Singing Nun (Soeur Sourire) at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Dominique.’
I wrote about ‘Dominique’ recently when covering the nine songs not in the English language to top this chart.
That brings us to the #2 song that week, which is ‘I’m Leaving It Up To You’ by the duo Dale & Grace.
Throwing back to the week of November 16, 1963, we find Nino Temple and April Stevens atop the Billboard Hot 100 with their recording of ‘Deep Purple.’
The original version of this song was composed by pianist Peter DeRose in the 1920s. It was recorded as an instrumental by many artists in subsequent decades (here’s a version with DeRose himself on piano). In 1938, lyricist Mitchell Parish added words to the composition, and it was reimagined as a doo-wop track.
Throwing back to the week of October 26, 1963, we find Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs in the #1 spot of the Billboard Hot 100 with their song ‘Sugar Shack.’
‘Sugar Shack’ spent five weeks at #1 that fall, and ended up as Billboard’s Song of the Year for 1963. It dominated the charts while The Beatles’ ‘She Loves You’ was struggling to get played on American radio.
Throwing back to the week of October 7, 1963, we find Bobby Vinton in the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 with his recording of ‘Blue Velvet.’
This classic song was written in 1950 by Bernie Wayne and was first recorded by Tony Bennett a year later. Bennett’s version reached #16 on the chart that pre-dated the Hot 100 (charmingly named “Records Most Played by Disc Jockeys”). The song was covered by The Clovers and The Statues, among others, in subsequent years.
Throwing back to the week of September 14, 1963, we find The Angels on top of the Billboard Hot 100 with their only top ten hit, ‘My Boyfriend’s Back.’
This simple tale of promised revenge was inspired by a conversation overheard by co-writer Bob Feldman. A teenaged girl was rejecting the advances of an unwanted suitor, unaware that her dismissal would result in a massive hit. I wonder how many women of the era believed they might have been that girl.
Meet Me In Montauk 