The year 1961 had some pretty incredible songs, songs that still sound timeless today. Among the many great songs that came out in 1961 are these three tunes. They are all so good, it’s almost certain that every 60s kid still knows them by heart today.
“Take Good Care Of My Baby” by Bobby Vee
Bobby Vee had several hit singles before releasing “Take Good Care Of My Baby”. But it’s this song that became Vee’s first and only single to reach the top of the charts.
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Carole King and Gerry Goffin are the writers of “Take Good Care Of My Baby”. The song is the title track of a record Vee released in 1962.
“Take Good Care Of My Baby” says in part, “Take good care of my baby / Please don’t ever make her blue / Just tell her that you love her / Make sure you’re thinking of her / In everything you say and do.”
Take Good Care Of My Baby also includes “Run To Him”, a Top 5 single.
“The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by The Tokens
“The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is the title track of an album that The Tokens also released in 1961. The song, which originated in South Africa, was written by Solomon Linda, and was first released in 1939. In 1951, The Weavers had a Top 10 hit with “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”. But it’s the version by The Tokens that remains the most successful.
The song says in part, “In the jungle, the mighty jungle / The lion sleeps tonight / In the jungle, the quiet jungle / The lion sleeps tonight.“
In 1994, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” was part of the soundtrack for The Lion King, a blockbuster Disney film.
“Runaround Sue” by Dion
Dion’s first No. 1 single as a solo artist is “Runaround Sue”. The song, written by Dion and Ernie Maresca, is the title track of Dion’s first solo album.
“Runaround Sue” may sound like a feel-good tune, but it’s really about heartbreak. The song says, “I miss her lips and the smile on her face / The touch of her hand and this girl’s warm embrace / So if you don’t wanna cry like I do / Ah, keep away from Runaround Sue.”
Dion later said that “Runaround Sue” was actually based on a real person, although her name wasn’t Sue. Ironically, in 1963, Dion married a woman named Sue.
Rocker Leif Garrett covered this song when he was just 15 years old. “Runaway Sue” became a two-week No.1 hit for Dion.
Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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