Rhythm and Blues was a major factor, with Little Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye(2), Jackie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield, The Tymes(3), and Wilson Pickett all starting their run up the charts, and continuing appearances by greats like Sam Cooke, The Drifters(2), the Miracles(2), and Ray Charles(3)

In a class by themselves, the Four Seasons(4) and Leslie Gore(3) each had several major hits this year.

Romantic male lead vocalists were represented by Roy Orbison(2), Gene Pitney, Steve Lawrence, Johnny Mathis, and having their biggest years ever, Bobbie Vinton(3) and Dion(4). And of course, Elvis(2). Romantic female leads were there as well, with Peggy March, Skeeter Davis(2), Dionne Warwick, Mary Wells, and Barbara Lewis.

Humor and novelty were part of the mix as well, and the timeless party classic "Louie, Louie" started an endless game of guessing the lyrics. No other year would have two hits with "monkey" in the title. 1963 had "Little' Stevie Wonder, "Little" Esther Philllips, "Little' Johnny Taylor, "Little" Peggy March, and "Little" Eva !

Other sounds would peter out and largely disappear from the charts after 1963. One fading genre was the "Doo-wop" sound of the late 50's, well represented in 1963 by the classic "Denise", as well as songs by the Earls, the Duprees, and Dion and the Belmonts.

Folk music would also fade out owing to a looming force that would sweep everything before it, but which had not yet made its debut over here - the British Invasion of 1964. Folk groups like Peter, Paul and Mary(2), Village Stompers, and Kingston Trio would never recover from the combination of British rock and the electrification of Bob Dylan. The Girl Groups' rough edges would be smoothed by Motown's slick production of hits by the Supremes, Four Tops, and Temptations. American Teen-Throb Romantics would fade when the Beatles, Stones and Gerry and the Pacemakers came along to croon their love ballads.

Technological developments would also change the sound of rock & roll and pop music after 1963. The development of hi-fidelity stereo recording techniques would replace Phil Spector's monophonic Wall of Sound. AM radio's ability to reach long distances would gradually be eclipsed by the superior quality and stereo capability of FM. A stack of 45's and a 'victrola' with a carrying handle would soon give way to "concept albums", a stereo phonograph cartridge, and a diamond 'stylus'.

1963 stands out as the pinnacle of pre-British invasion American pop and rock, characterized by raw, almost amateur production values, and with songs carried by sheer talent, inventiveness, and youthful playfulness. Great songs were coming from every corner of America, from every musical background, made by, sung by, and produced by teenagers. There was room for everyone, and the music didn't take itself seriously. Music was for fun, and for saying "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to!"

1 "I Will Follow Him"..................................Little Peggy March

2 "Be My Baby".........................................The Ronettes

3 "He's So Fine".......................................The Chiffons

4 "Our Day Will Come"..................................Ruby and The Romantics

5 "Easier Said Than Done"..............................The Essex

6 "So Much In Love"....................................The Tymes

7 "My Boyfriend's Back"................................The Angels

8 "Hey Paula"..........................................Paul and Puala

9 "Fingertips Part 2"..................................Little Stevie Wonder

10 "Go Away Little Girl"...............................Steve Lawrence

11 "Blue Velvet".......................................Bobby Vinton

12 "Sugar Shack".......................................Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs

13 "If You Wanna Be Happy".............................Jimmy Soul

14 "Washington Square".................................The Village Stompers

15 "Walk Like A Man"...................................The Four Seasons

16 "Walk Right In".....................................The Rooftop Singers

17 "It's My Party".....................................Lesley Gore

18 "Candy Girl"........................................The Four Seasons

19 "Deep Purple".......................................Nino Tempo and April Stevens

20 "Foolish Little Girl"...............................The Shirelles

21 "I'm Leavin' It Up To You"..........................Dale and Grace

22 "Surf City".........................................Jan and Dean

23 "Hello Stranger"....................................Barbara Lewis

24 "Denise"............................................Randy And The Rainbows

25 "She's A Fool"......................................Lesley Gore

26 "Dominique".........................................The Singing Nun

27 "It's All Right"....................................The Impressions

28 "Donna The Prima Donna".............................Dion

29 "Surfin' U.S.A."....................................The Beach Boys

30 "You Can't Sit Down"................................The Dovells

31 "Tell Him"..........................................The Exciters

32 "Da Doo Ron Ron"....................................The Crystals

33 "The End Of The World"..............................Skeeter Davis

34 "Heat Wave".........................................Martha and The Vandellas

35 "Rhythm Of The Rain"................................The Cascades

36 "Baby Workout"......................................Jackie Wilson

37 "Blame It On The Bossa Nova"........................Eydie Gorme

38 "Blowin' In The Wind"...............................Peter Paul and Mary

39 "The Monkey Time"...................................Marjor Lance

40 "Up On The Roof"....................................The Drifters

41 "I Can't Stay Mad At You"...........................Skeeter Davis

42 "Puff The Magic Dragon".............................Peter, Paul and Mary

43 "El Watusi".........................................Ray Barretto

44 Then He Kissed Me"..................................The Crystals

45 "Cry Baby"..........................................Garnet Mimms and The Enchanters

46 "Sukiyaki"..........................................Kyu Sakamoto

47 "Mockingbird".......................................Inez and Charlie Foxx

48 "Ruby Baby".........................................Dion

49 "Can't Get used To Losing You"......................Andy Williams

50 "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight".................Barry and the Tamerlanes

51 "Just One Look".....................................Doris Troy

52 "Wipe Out"..........................................The Surfaris

53 "Pepino The Italian Mouse"..........................Lou Monte

54 "The Gypsie Cried"..................................Lou Christie

55 "Killer Joe"........................................Rocky Fellers

56 "Sally, Go 'Round The Roses"........................The Jaynetts

57 "South Street"......................................The Orlons

58 "Come And Get These Memories".......................Martha and The Vandellas

59 "You've Really Got A Hold On Me"....................The Miracles

60 "If I Had A Hammer".................................Trini Lopez

61 "Talk To Me"........................................Sunny and The Sunglows

62 "Louie Louie".......................................The Kingsmen

63 "Cast Your Fate To The Wind"........................Vince Guaraldi Trio

64 "Till Then".........................................The Classics

65 "I Have A Boyfriend"................................The Chiffons

66 "Unchained Melody"..................................Vito and The Salutations

67 "Telstar"...........................................The Tornadoes

68 "Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)".............The Cookies

69 "Watermelon Man"....................................Mongo Santamaria

70 "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah!".......................Allan Sherman

71 "One Fine Day"......................................The Chiffons

72 "Limbo Rock"........................................Chubby Checker

73 "Hey, Girl".........................................Freddie Scott

74 "Mickey's Monkey"...................................The Miracles

75 "Remember Then".....................................The Earls

76 "Bobby's Girl"......................................Marcie Blane

77 "Mama Didn't Lie"...................................Jan Bradley

78 "Blue On Blue"......................................Bobby Vinton

79 "From A Jack To A King".............................Ned Miller

80 "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport".......................Rolf Harris

81 "Have You Heard"....................................The Duprees

82 "Pride and Joy".....................................Marvin Gaye

83 "More"..............................................Kai Winding and Orchestra

84 "The Love Of My Man"................................Theola Kilgore

85 "Wild Weekend"......................................The Rebels

86 "Walking The Dog"...................................Rufus Thomas

87 "Down The Aisle (Wedding Song)".....................Patti Labelle and The Bluebelles

88 "Swinging On A Star"................................Big Dee Irwin and Little Eva

89 "Pipeline"..........................................The Chantay's

90 "There! I've Said It Again".........................Bobby Vinton

91 "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes".....................Bobby Vee

92 "What Will Mary Say"................................Johnny Mathis

93 "On Top of Spaghetti"...............................Tom Glazer

94 "Another Saturday Night"............................Sam Cooke

95 "Zip A Dee Doo Dah".................................Bob B. Soxx and The Blue Jeans

96 "Linda".............................................Jan and Dean

97 "If You Need Me"....................................Wilson Pickett

98 "My Summer Love"....................................Ruby and The Romantics

99 "He's Sure The Boy I Love"..........................The Crystals

100 "Two Faces Have I".................................Lou Christie

101 "Mr. Bassman"......................................Johnny Cymbal and Ronnie Bright

102 "Losing You".......................................Brenda Lee

103 "I Love You Because"...............................Al Martino

104 "Big Girls Don't Cry"..............................The Four Seasons

105 "Fools Rush In"....................................Rick Nelson

106 "Two Lovers".......................................Mary Wells

107 "Busted"...........................................Ray Charles

108 "Drip Drop"........................................Dion

109 "Everybody"........................................Tommy Roe

110 "Memphis"..........................................Lonnie Mack

111 "Hotel Happiness"..................................Brook Benton

112 "Why Don't You Believe Me".........................The Duprees

113 "Wonderful Summer".................................Robin Ward

114 "(You're The) Devil in Disguise"...................Elvis Presley

115 "Judy's Turn To Cry"...............................Leslie Gore

116 "Loop De Loop".....................................Johnny Thunder

117 "Cry To Me"........................................Betty Harris

118 "My Coloring Book".................................Kitty Kallen

119 "Fly Me To The Moon Bossa Bossa Nova"..............Joe Harnell and His Orchestra

120 "You're The Reason I'm Living".....................Bobby Darin

121 "Forget Him".......................................Bobby Rydell

122 "Can I Get A Witness"..............................Marvin Gaye

123 "Part Time Love"...................................Little Johnny Taylor

124 "I (Who Have Nothing)".............................Ben E. King

125 "Brenda"...........................................The Cupids

126 "Surfer Girl"......................................The Beach Boys

127 "Wives and Lovers".................................Jack Jones

128 "Since I Fell For You".............................Lenny Welch

129 "Return To Sender".................................Elvis Presley

130 "Release Me".......................................Little Esther Phillips

131 "I Wanna Be Around"................................Tony Bennett

132 "Popsicles and Icicles"............................The Murmaids

133 "Never"............................................The Earls

134 "Why Do Lovers Break Each Other's Heart?"..........Bob B. Soxx and The Blue Jeans

135 "Make The World Go Away"...........................Timi Yuro

136 "Hot Pastrami With Mashed Potatoes"................Joey Dee and The Starliters

137 "In Dreams"........................................Roy Orbison

138 "You Are My Sunshine"..............................Ray Charles

139 "You Don't Have To Be a Baby To Cry"...............The Caravelles

140 "(Down At) Papa Joe's".............................The Dixiebelles

141 "Don't Make Me Over"...............................Dionne Warwick

142 "Wiggle Wobble"....................................Les Cooper and The Soul Rockers

143 "Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer".............Nat "King" Cole

144 "Quicksand".........................................Martha and The Vandellas

145 "All Alone Am I"...................................Brenda Lee

146 "The Kind Of Boy You Can't Forget".................The Raindrops

147 "Everybody Loves A Lover"..........................The Shirelles

148 "Shut Down"........................................The Beach Boys

149 "Please Don't Kiss Me Again".......................The Charmettes

150 "Ain't That A Shame!"..............................The Four Seasons

151 "Prisoner Of Love".................................James Brown and The Famous Flames

152 "Sandy"............................................Dion

153 "Don't Hang Up"....................................The Orlons

154 "Wonderful! Wonderful!"............................The Tymes

155 "What Are Boys Made Of"............................The Percells

156 "Take These Chains From My Heart"..................Ray Charles

157 "A Walkin' Miracle"................................The Essex

158 "Honolulu Lulu"....................................Jan and Dean

159 "Maria Elena"......................................Los Indios Tabajaras

160 "Talk Back Trembling Lips".........................Johnny Tillotson

161 "Midnight Mary"....................................Joey Powers

162 "Misty"............................................Lloyd Price

163 "Call Me Irresponsible"............................Jack Jones

164 "Young Lovers".....................................Paul and Paula

165 "I Saw Linda Yesterday"............................Dickey Lee

166 "The Bird's The Word"..............................The Rivingtons

167 "Mecca"............................................Gene Pitney

168 "Mean Woman Blues".................................Roy Orbison

169 "The Lonely Bull"..................................Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass

170 "Echo".............................................The Emotions

171 "Any Other Way"....................................Chuck Jackson

172 "Call on Me".......................................Bobby Bland

173 "Wait 'Til My Bobby Gets Home".....................Darlene Love

174 "Mala Femmena".....................................Jimmy Roselli

175 "Somewhere"........................................The Tymes

176 "On Broadway"......................................The Drifters

177 "Only In America"..................................Jay and The Americans

178 "Reverend Mr. Black"...............................The Kingston Trio

179 "Still"............................................Bill Anderson

180 "Reach Out For Me".................................Lou Johnson

 

For additional information, contact Allan Sniffen at asniffen@computer.net

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