1961: Swingin' on the Sax with a Terrible Tune

 7 — Neil Sedaka: "Calendar Girl"

 4 — Andy Stewart: "A Scottish Soldier"

 1 — Andy Stewart: "Donald Where's Your Troosers"

10 — Jørgen Ingmann: "Apache"

 6 — Elvis Presley: "Surrender" / "Lonely Man"

 9 — The Marcels: "Blue Moon"

 9 — Del Shannon: "Runaway"

 7 — Ricky Nelson: "Hello Mary Lou" / "Travelin' Man"

 6 — Roy Orbison: "Running Scared"

 5 — Pat Boone: "Moody River"

 8 — Gary U.S. Bonds: "Quarter to Three"

 7 — Del Shannon: "Hats Off to Larry"

 2 — Eddie Hodges: "I'm Gonna Knock on Your Door"

 6 — Barry Mann: "Put the Bomp (in the Bomp Bomp Bomp)"

 1 — Fred Darian: "Johnny Willow"

 8 — Elvis Presley: "Little Sister" / "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame"

 5 — Bobby Vee: "Take Good Care of My Baby"

 3 — Jimmy Dean: "Big Bad John"

 6 — Bobby Edwards: "You're the Reason"

 9 — Dion: "Runaround Sue"

 6 — Leroy Van Dyke: "Walk on By"

 7 — James Darren: "Goodbye Cruel World"

 7 — The Tokens: "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"

From the dual low points of Andy Stewart and Fred Darian all the way to the lofty heights of Jørgen Ingmann, 1961 managed to run the table on the scores. While I might normally focus on the negative aspects — and, to be sure, there's no ignoring those two utterly pitiful 1s — I'm choosing to see this as a net positive. Almost half of what's on offer here constitutes songs I'd happily listen to, with another five or six that I wouldn't demand be turned off. Not bad, not bad.

Obviously Ingmann was the big one for this year (with The Marcels, Del Shannon and Dion all offering some stiff competition) but it was also something of a surprise. I wasn't initially that taken by it but by the third listen I was all in. Pleasant surprises can come in all shapes and sizes, however, and I must once again give the slightest tip of the hat to Pat Boone's "Moody River" which I didn't hate. I had been expecting to take a giant dump all over it but I found myself almost liking it. Also, kudos to Bobby Edwards, Leroy Van Dyke and James Darren for pulling off some reasonably good pop when I had been expecting yet more dismal novelty country numbers about old geezers heading off to fight in the War of 1812 or some shit. (Weirdly, Roy Orbison scored similarly to them but I had high expectations for "Running Scared" so it was something of a disappointment)

Fingers crossed all this novelty pop will start to dry up as we enter 1962. Sadly, we're also fast approaching instrumental pop's curtain call. Luckily, '62 does have at least one more absolute banger from the genre which I'm practically giddy to write about. That said, keep your expectations low when it comes to Old Familiar Tunes' next 10: better to be Pat Boone and be pleasantly surprised by something that's merely okay than to be let down by something perfectly passable by Roy Orbison. 

And now that I've "praised" Mr Self-Righteous Jesus Boy over The Big O, I'm going to pour myself a stiff drink.