Top 20 Song Chart for December 9, 1961 |
| LW | TW | peak |
| 7 | 1 | The Lion Sleeps Tonight | ▲ |
| The Tokens |
 |  |
| 1 | 2 | The Twist | 1 |
| Chubby Checker |
| | |
| 2 | 3 | Big Bad John | 1 |
| Jimmy Dean |
| | |
| 4 | 4 | Goodbye Cruel World | ▲ |
| James Darren |
| | |
| 3 | 5 | Please Mr. Postman | 1 |
| The Marvelettes |
| | |
| 5 | 6 | Heartaches | 5 |
| The Marcels |
| | |
| 9 | 7 | I Understand (Just How You Feel) | ▲ |
| The G-Clefs |
| |
| 11 | 8 | Moon River | ▲ |
| Jerry Butler |
| | |
| 14 | 9 | Run To Him | 3 |
| Bobby Vee |
| | |
| 16 | 10 | There's No Other (Like My Baby) | 6 |
| The Crystals |
| | |
| 12 | 11 | Hit The Road Jack | 1 |
| Ray Charles |
| | |
| 8 | 12 | Runaround Sue | 1 |
| Dion |
| | |
| 6 | 13 | You're The Reason | 5 |
| Bobby Edwards |
| | |
| - | 14 | Walk On By | 4 |
| Leroy Van Dyke |
| | |
| 17 | 15 | Tonight | ▲ |
| Ferrante & Teicher |
| | |
| 20 | 16 | I Don't Know Why | 6 |
| Linda Scott |
| |
| - | 17 | Peppermint Twist - Part I | 1 |
| Joey Dee & The Starliters |
| | |
| - | 18 | Let There Be Drums | 9 |
| Sandy Nelson |
| | |
| - | 19 | Gypsy Woman | 17 |
| The Impressions |
| | |
| - | 20 | When I Fall In Love | 4 |
| The Lettermen |
| | |
| Prior Week | Next Week |