List of UK top-ten singles in 1962

The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom.[1] Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles.[2][3] This list shows singles that peaked in the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 1962, as well as singles which peaked in 1961 and 1963 but were in the top 10 in 1962. The entry date is when the single appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).

This 2011 photograph shows the original plaque erected at the birthplace in Newent, Gloucestershire of legendary songwriter and producer Joe Meek, best known for writing and producing The Tornados' chart-topping hit "Telstar". The instrumental piece entered the UK top 10 in September 1962 and spent five straight weeks at number-one. It would later become the first song by a British group to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US.
Cliff Richard had four top 10 singles this year, including "The Young Ones", the theme song from his film of the same name, which entered the chart at number-one in January and spent six weeks at the top spot. It remains Richard's biggest-selling single in the UK, with over 1.6 million copies sold there.

Ninety-two singles were in the top ten in 1962. Seven singles from 1962 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year, while "(Dance With The) Guitar Man" by Duane Eddy & the Rebelettes, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee and "The Next Time"/"Bachelor Boy" by Cliff Richard and The Shadows were all released in 1962 but did not reach their peak until 1963. "Moon River" by Danny Williams with Geoff Love and His Orchestra, "Midnight in Moscow" by Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen and "Stranger on the Shore" by Mr Acker Bilk were the singles from 1961 to reach their peak in 1962. Twenty-three artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1962. Chubby Checker, The Four Seasons, Frank Ifield, Joe Brown and Tommy Roe were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1962.

The 1961 Christmas number-one, "Moon River" by Danny Williams, remained at number one for the first two weeks of 1962. The first new number-one single of the year was "The Young Ones" by Cliff Richard and The Shadows. Overall, twelve different singles peaked at number-one in 1962, with Elvis Presley (4) having the most singles hit that position.

Background

Multiple entries

Ninety-two singles charted in the top 10 in 1962, with eighty-five singles reaching their peak this year. "When My Little Girl is Smiling" was recorded by Craig Douglas and Jimmy Justice and both versions reached the top 10.

Twenty-three artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1962. The Shadows secured the record for most top 10 hits in 1962 with six hit singles, four of which were with Cliff Richard.

Frank Ifield was one of a number of artists with two top-ten entries, including the number-one single "I Remember You". Adam Faith, Bobby Darin, Duane Eddy, Karl Denver and Neil Sedaka were among the other artists who had multiple top 10 entries in 1962.

Chart debuts

Twenty-five artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1962, either as a lead or featured artist. Bernard Cribbins, Frank Ifield and Jimmy Justice all had one other entry in their breakthrough year.

The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo single.

ArtistNumber of top 10sFirst entryChart positionOther entries
Leroy Van Dyke1"Walk On By"5
Chubby Checker1"Let's Twist Again"2
Burl Ives1"A Little Bitty Tear"9
Dion1"The Wanderer"10
Bernard Cribbins2"The Hole in the Ground"9"Right Said Fred" (10)
Bruce Channel1"Hey! Baby"2
Johnny Keating & His Orchestra1"Theme from Z-Cars"2
B. Bumble and the Stingers1"Nut Rocker"1
Ketty Lester1"Love Letters"4
Jimmy Justice2"When My Little Girl is Smiling"9"Ain't That Funny" (8)
Mike Sarne1"Come Outside"1
Wendy Richard1
Joe Brown and the Bruvvers1"A Picture of You"2
Eydie Gormé1"Yes, My Darling Daughter"10
Frank Ifield2"I Remember You"1"Lovesick Blues" (1)
Ronnie Carroll1"Roses Are Red (My Love)"3
The Tornados1"Telstar"1
Tommy Roe1"Sheila"3
Little Eva1"The Loco-Motion"2
Carole King1"It Might as Well Rain Until September"3
Mark Wynter1"Venus in Blue Jeans"4
Chris Montez1"Let's Dance"2
The Four Seasons1"Sherry"8
Susan Maughan1"Bobby's Girl"3
Marty Robbins1"Devil Woman"5
Notes

British vocal group The Tornados were Billy Fury's backing group from the start of this year until August 1963 but they did not receive specific credit for these recordings. Their first official chart credit was "Telstar" under their own name.

Songs from films

Original songs from various films entered the top 10 throughout the year. These included "The Young Ones" (from The Young Ones), "Rock-A-Hula Baby" and "Can't Help Falling in Love" (Blue Hawaii), "The Ballad of Paladin" (The Wild Westerners), "The Next Time" and "Bachelor Boy" (Summer Holiday).

Additionally, the original version of "Love Letters" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song after being used in the film of the same name (losing out to "It Might As Well Be Spring" from State Fair). "The Green Leaves of Summer" was also Academy Award-nominated, appearing in the 1960 film The Alamo, where it was performed by The Brothers Four.

Best-selling singles

Until 1970 there was no universally recognised year-end best-sellers list. However, in 2011 the Official Charts Company released a list of the best-selling single of each year in chart history from 1952 to date. According to the list, "I Remember You" by Frank Ifield is officially recorded as the biggest-selling single of 1962.

Top-ten singles

Key
SymbolMeaning
Single peaked in 1961 but still in chart in 1962.
Single released in 1962 but peaked in 1963.
(#)Year-end best-selling single.
EnteredThe date that the single first appeared in the chart.
PeakHighest position that the single reached in the UK Singles Chart.
Entered
(week ending)
Weeks
in
top
10
SingleArtistPeakPeak reached
(week ending)
Weeks
at
peak
Singles in 1961
22 November 19617"Take Good Care of My Baby" ‡Bobby Vee320 December 19612
29 November 19617"Tower of Strength" ‡Frankie Vaughan113 December 19613
9"Moon River"Danny Williams13 January 19622
13 December 19619"Midnight in Moscow"Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen210 January 19621
20 December 19613"My Friend the Sea" ‡Petula Clark727 December 19611
27 December 19615"Johnny Will" ‡Pat Boone427 December 19612
17"Stranger on the Shore" [A]Mr. Acker Bilk217 January 19623
Singles in 1962
3 January 19626"Let There Be Drums"Sandy Nelson310 January 19622
2"Toy Balloons"Russ Conway73 January 19621
8"Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen"Neil Sedaka331 January 19622
10 January 19626"Multiplication"Bobby Darin531 January 19621
9"I'd Never Find Another You"Billy Fury517 January 19621
17 January 196211"The Young Ones"Cliff Richard & The Shadows117 January 19626
1"So Long, Baby"Del Shannon1017 January 19621
24 January 19624"Run to Him" [B]Bobby Vee621 February 19622
31 January 19628"Forget Me Not"Eden Kane314 February 19622
8"Walk On By"Leroy Van Dyke514 February 19623
7 February 19629"Let's Twist Again"Chubby Checker27 February 19622
14 February 196213"Rock-A-Hula Baby"/"Can't Help Falling in Love"Elvis Presley128 February 19624
5"Crying in the Rain"The Everly Brothers67 March 19621
28 February 19628"Wimoweh"Karl Denver414 March 19621
2"A Little Bitty Tear"Burl Ives928 February 19622
7 March 19625"March of the Siamese Children"Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen428 March 19621
14 March 19629"Tell Me What He Said"Helen Shapiro228 March 19623
14"Wonderful Land"The Shadows128 March 19628
28 March 19628"Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)"Roy Orbison218 April 19622
1"The Wanderer"Dion1028 March 19621
4 April 19623"The Hole in the Ground"Bernard Cribbins94 April 19622
2"Softly, as I Leave You"Matt Monro104 April 19622
11 April 19624"Twistin' the Night Away"Sam Cooke618 April 19621
8"Hey! Little Girl"Del Shannon29 May 19621
18 April 19626"Hey! Baby"Bruce Channel22 May 19621
25 April 19621"Theme from Z-Cars"Johnny Keating825 April 19621
4"Never Goodbye"Karl Denver925 April 19622
2"When My Little Girl is Smiling"Craig Douglas92 May 19621
2 May 19625"Speak to Me Pretty"Brenda Lee316 May 19621
9 May 19629"Nut Rocker"B. Bumble and the Stingers123 May 19621
16 May 19624"Love Letters"Ketty Lester430 May 19621
1"Wonderful World of the Young"Danny Williams816 May 19621
1"The Party's Over"Lonnie Donegan916 May 19621
23 May 196211"Good Luck Charm"Elvis Presley130 May 19625
10"I'm Looking out the Window"/"Do You Want to Dance"Cliff Richard & The Shadows [C]26 June 19623
6"As You Like It"Adam Faith530 May 19623
2"When My Little Girl is Smiling"Jimmy Justice923 May 19622
30 May 19629"Ginny Come Lately"Brian Hyland527 June 19624
6 June 19625"Last Night Was Made for Love"Billy Fury46 June 19621
11"Come Outside"Mike Sarne with Wendy Richard14 July 19622
4"I Don't Know Why"Eden Kane720 June 19622
13 June 196211"A Picture of You"Joe Brown & the Bruvvers24 July 19622
20 June 19623"Green Leaves of Summer" [D]Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen711 July 19621
4 July 19625"English Country Garden" [E]Jimmie Rodgers525 July 19621
11"I Can't Stop Loving You"Ray Charles118 July 19622
11 July 19622"Ain't That Funny"Jimmy Justice811 July 19621
1"Sharing You"Bobby Vee1011 July 19621
18 July 19625"Here Comes That Feeling"Brenda Lee51 August 19621
1"Yes, My Darling Daughter"Eydie Gormé1018 July 19621
25 July 196214"I Remember You" (#1)Frank Ifield11 August 19627
2"Our Favourite Melodies"Craig Douglas925 July 19621
1 August 19629"Speedy Gonzales"Pat Boone215 August 19624
5"Don't Ever Change"The Crickets58 August 19622
8 August 19623"Little Miss Lonely"Helen Shapiro88 August 19621
1"Right Said Fred"Bernard Cribbins108 August 19621
15 August 19627"Guitar Tango"The Shadows422 August 19623
8"Things"Bobby Darin212 September 19621
22 August 19624"Once Upon a Dream"Billy Fury722 August 19623
7"Roses Are Red (My Love)"Ronnie Carroll319 September 19621
29 August 19627"Sealed with a Kiss"Brian Hyland312 September 19621
6"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"Neil Sedaka712 September 19622
5 September 19621"Vacation"Connie Francis105 September 19621
12 September 19629"She's Not You"Elvis Presley119 September 19623
19 September 19626"It'll Be Me"Cliff Richard & The Shadows23 October 19621
1"The Ballad of Paladin"Duane Eddy1019 September 19621
26 September 19624"Don't That Beat All"Adam Faith83 October 19621
3 October 196216"Telstar" [F]The Tornados110 October 19625
8"Sheila"Tommy Roe317 October 19622
10 October 19629"The Loco-Motion"Little Eva217 October 19623
6"It Might as Well Rain Until September"Carole King324 October 19621
3"You Don't Know Me"Ray Charles910 October 19622
17 October 19623"What Now My Love?"Shirley Bassey524 October 19621
24 October 19625"Ramblin' Rose"Nat King Cole531 October 19621
31 October 19626"Venus in Blue Jeans"Mark Wynter47 November 19621
10"Let's Dance" [G]Chris Montez27 November 19624
9"The Swiss Maid"Del Shannon25 December 19621
7 November 196212"Lovesick Blues"Frank Ifield114 November 19625
14 November 19624"Sherry" [H]The Four Seasons828 November 19621
21 November 19629"Bobby's Girl"Susan Maughan35 December 19621
28 November 19625"Devil Woman"Marty Robbins55 December 19621
10"(Dance With The) Guitar Man" ♦Duane Eddy42 January 19632
5 December 19628"Sun Arise"Rolf Harris319 December 19621
12 December 19629"Return to Sender"Elvis Presley119 December 19623
19 December 196211"The Next Time"/"Bachelor Boy" ♦Cliff Richard & The Shadows19 January 19633
26 December 19622"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" ♦Brenda Lee62 January 19631

Entries by artist

Ray Charles scored two top 10 entries in 1962, including his only UK number-one single, "I Can't Stop Loving You", which topped the chart for two weeks in July.
Little Eva was only 19 years old when her hit "The Loco-Motion" peaked at number two in the UK in October of this year.
Northern Irish singer Ronnie Carroll reached number three in September 1962 with his cover version of Bobby Vinton's "Roses Are Red (My Love)".

The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 1962, including singles that reached their peak in 1961 or 1963. The figures include both main artists and featured artists. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 1962 is also shown.

EntriesArtistWeeksSingles
5The Shadows [I]50"Guitar Tango", "Do You Want to Dance", "It'll Be Me", "The Next Time"/"Bachelor Boy", "The Young Ones", "Wonderful Land"
4Cliff Richard [I]29"I'm Looking out the Window"/"Do You Want to Dance", "It'll Be Me", "The Next Time"/"Bachelor Boy", "The Young Ones"
Elvis Presley36"Good Luck Charm", "Return to Sender", "Rock-A-Hula Baby"/"Can't Help Falling in Love", "She's Not You"
3Billy Fury17"I'd Never Find Another You", "Last Night Was Made for Love", "Once Upon a Dream"
Bobby Vee [J]6"Run to Him", "Sharing You", "Take Good Care of My Baby"
Brenda Lee [I]11"Here Comes That Feeling", "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", "Speak to Me Pretty"
Del Shannon18"Hey! Little Girl", "So Long, Baby", "The Swiss Maid"
Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen [K]14"Green Leaves of Summer", "March of the Siamese Children", "Midnight in Moscow"
2Adam Faith10"As You Like It", "Don't That Beat All"
Bernard Cribbins4"Right Said Fred", "The Hole in the Ground"
Bobby Darin14"Multiplication", "Things"
Brian Hyland16"Ginny Come Lately", "Sealed with a Kiss"
Craig Douglas4"Our Favourite Melodies", "When My Little Girl is Smiling"
Danny Williams [K]5"Moon River", "Wonderful World of the Young"
Duane Eddy [I]6"(Dance With The) Guitar Man", "The Ballad of Paladin"
Eden Kane12"Forget Me Not", "I Don't Know Why"
Frank Ifield22"I Remember You", "Lovesick Blues"
Helen Shapiro12"Little Miss Lonely", "Tell Me What He Said"
Jimmy Justice4"Ain't That Funny", "When My Little Girl is Smiling"
Karl Denver12"Never Goodbye", "Wimoweh"
Neil Sedaka14"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do", "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen"
Pat Boone [J]13"Johnny Will", "Speedy Gonzales"
Ray Charles14"I Can't Stop Loving You", "You Don't Know Me"

Notes

See also

References

General

  • "Six decades of singles charts". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2018.

Specific

External links