3 Timeless Rock Songs From 1961 That Bring Back Memories of the Old Days

Much of the music that hit the airwaves and became popular in 1961 has since aged out of the realm of interest. It’s a natural thing; the early 1960s were over six decades ago, after all. Tastes change. And yet, some songs from 1961, particularly in the rock and roll genre, have managed to remain timeless after all these years. Let’s look at a few memorable tracks, shall we?

“Quarter To Three” by Gary U.S. Bonds from ‘Dance ‘Til Quarter To Three With Gary U.S. Bonds’

It’ll never not be funny to me that Gary U.S. Bonds picked his stage name to trick DJs into playing his music, hopefully mistaking his tracks for public announcements. But mischievous (and, honestly, smart) trickery aside, Bonds dished out some genuinely good songs. One such song is the rock and roll classic, “Quarter To Three”, released in 1961. This tune has since been hailed as one of the most influential rock and roll songs of its time, and listeners at the time really enjoyed it. “Quarter To Three” peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

“Hello Mary Lou” by Ricky Nelson from ‘Rick Is 21’

Ricky Nelson’s iconic rockabilly tune “Hello Mary Lou” was a shoo-in for this list. This rock and roll tune with a touch of country was quite the international hit, reaching the Top 10 across the US, UK, and much of Europe. It was a No. 9 hit on the Hot 100. And while a particularly rough plagiarism suit left a mark on the song, it wasn’t enough to make anyone fall out of love with “Hello Mary Lou”.

“Let’s Go Trippin’” by Dick Dale and The Del-Tones from ‘Surfers’ Choice’

How about a little bit of instrumental surf rock goodness? This entry on our list of timeless rock songs from 1961 comes straight from Dick Dale and The Del-Tones. Listen to it for just a few seconds, and you’ll recognize it immediately, especially if you were around when it hit the airwaves in Los Angeles. Many a 60s California kid was obsessed with this local hit, and it would later earn modest international success by hitting No. 60 on the Hot 100 chart.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images