The #Top100of1963

If I get another year before the fall of the Soviet Union next month, I'm finding a new random number generator.

Nonetheless, we're going to take a little look at the year of 1963. It's a very special year in my family for reasons I won't publish so the hackers can't learn more about my life, and the music that was popular in 1963 include some classics I enjoyed listening to on the Oldies station early in life.

Lesley Gore sang one of the quintessential songs of the early 60s, plus its sequel. (David Redfern // Redferns)

The artist of the year, mostly by virtue of volume, was Lesley Gore. A teenager at the time, Gore was the only artist with three songs to make my year-end list. Her most prominent single, and one of the most prominent of the pre-Beatles pop era, was the iconic "It's My Party."

In addition to "Party," which peaked at number one on the weekly charts but only reached 18 for all of 1963, Gore scored two other top-five singles with sequel track "Judy's Turn to Cry" and the unrelated but similar song "She's A Fool." The former finished the year at 65 and the latter at 32.

Gore's three 1963 hits were part of a streak of four straight songs - her first four ever released - which all peaked inside the top five of the Hot 100. Her fourth, released in December, will be featured in my 1964 list...whenever that comes out.

Surf music took over the pop charts in 1963 too. The Beach Boys had the 10th biggest song of the year with "Surfin' U.S.A." and added number 35 "Surfer Girl." "Surf City" was a number one hit for Jan and Dean that ranked at 11 for the year, and the Surfaris' "Wipe Out" earned the number 28 spot on the list.

The top song of 1963 was "Sugar Shack" by Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs. One of only three songs ever charted by Gilmer's band, and the only one to reach the top 10, "Shack" spent five weeks at number one in October and November.

Other songs that I enjoy from 1963 include "My Boyfriend's Back" by The Angels at number six, "Puff (The Magic Dragon)" from Peter, Paul and Mary at 17, "Easier Said Than Done" by The Essex at 24, and Sam Cooke's "Another Saturday Night" at 86.

And with that, it's PLAYLIST TIME!

*Missing songs: #33 Busted by Ray Charles, #96 Hot Pastrami by the Dartells

Everyone enjoy Pride Month and we'll see you next time!