Billboard Hot 100 | Top 5 – Week of November 19, 1966
The Billboard Hot 100 for November 19, 1966 brought The Supremes back to #1 with “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” one of Motown’s sharpest and most urgent records of the decade. The song jumped from #7 to the top spot, replacing Johnny Rivers’ “Poor Side Of Town” after its single week at #1. With its stinging guitar-style opening, driving rhythm, and Diana Ross’s controlled but emotional lead vocal, the record gave the chart a fresh burst of Motown energy.
The rest of the Top 5 showed how competitive late 1966 had become. The Beach Boys climbed to #2 with the groundbreaking “Good Vibrations,” while The New Vaudeville Band moved to #3 with the novelty-flavored “Winchester Cathedral.” The Monkees slipped to #4 after their recent #1 run with “Last Train To Clarksville,” and Johnny Rivers remained strong at #5 with “Poor Side Of Town.”
Below the Top 5, the chart mixed soul, rock, pop, and folk-influenced material. Mitch Ryder And The Detroit Wheels were climbing with their high-energy medley, James & Bobby Purify brought Southern soul into the Top 10, and ? (Question Mark) & The Mysterians remained present after their garage-rock #1. Bobby Darin and The Lovin’ Spoonful added more reflective textures to an already varied chart.
By mid-November, the Hot 100 was moving quickly toward the final stretch of 1966. Motown was still producing #1 hits, studio pop was becoming more ambitious, and novelty records were still competing with some of the most sophisticated productions of the year.
Top 5 Songs
1. You Keep Me Hangin’ On – The Supremes
“You Keep Me Hangin’ On” surged from #7 to #1, giving The Supremes another major Motown chart-topper. The song’s urgent rhythm and sharp production gave it a harder edge than many of the group’s earlier hits.
The record showed The Supremes continuing to evolve while remaining one of the most reliable hitmaking acts of the decade. Its combination of emotional tension and danceable energy made it one of the standout singles of 1966.
2. Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys
“Good Vibrations” climbed from #4 to #2 and continued its rapid rise as one of the most innovative records on the chart. Brian Wilson’s layered production, shifting sections, and unusual instrumental textures made it unlike almost anything else on radio.
The song’s climb signaled that a major artistic breakthrough was becoming a major commercial success. It was clearly one of the most important records of the year.
3. Winchester Cathedral – The New Vaudeville Band
“Winchester Cathedral” climbed from #6 to #3, bringing a playful old-time sound into the upper chart. Its music-hall flavor and novelty charm made it stand apart from the soul, rock, and studio-pop records around it.
The song’s rise showed once again how unpredictable the 1966 Hot 100 could be. A record with a deliberately old-fashioned style could compete directly with Motown and The Beach Boys.
4. Last Train To Clarksville – The Monkees
“Last Train To Clarksville” slipped from #2 to #4 but remained one of the biggest debut hits of the year. The Monkees had quickly become a major pop phenomenon, powered by both television exposure and strong radio appeal.
The song’s continued Top 5 presence confirmed that the group’s first single had staying power beyond its initial breakout moment.
5. Poor Side Of Town – Johnny Rivers
After reaching #1 the previous week, “Poor Side Of Town” slipped to #5 but remained one of Johnny Rivers’ most important records. Its reflective mood and mature songwriting gave the chart a softer emotional tone.
The song marked a major career achievement for Rivers and showed that thoughtful ballads could still reach the top during a fast-changing musical year.
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More Weeks at #1 for “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”
This song spent multiple weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Explore each chart week below:
🎂 What Was the #1 Song on Your Birthday?
If you were born during the week ending November 19, 1966, this was your birthday song:
🎵 You Keep Me Hangin’ On by The Supremes
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🎂 Born in the 60s? Try your own birthday:
Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 This Week
- You Keep Me Hangin’ On – The Supremes
- Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys
- Winchester Cathedral – The New Vaudeville Band
- Last Train To Clarksville – The Monkees
- Poor Side Of Town – Johnny Rivers
- Devil With A Blue Dress On & Good Golly Miss Molly – Mitch Ryder And The Detroit Wheels
- I’m Your Puppet – James & Bobby Purify
- 96 Tears – ? (Question Mark) & The Mysterians
- If I Were A Carpenter – Bobby Darin
- Rain On The Roof – The Lovin’ Spoonful
Chart Movers This Week
Why This Chart Week Mattered
This chart week mattered because “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” put The Supremes back at #1 with one of their most urgent and modern-sounding singles. The record helped show that Motown could keep evolving while still dominating the pop chart.
The November 19, 1966 Hot 100 also captured the strange and exciting mix of late 1966. “Good Vibrations” was pushing studio pop forward, “Winchester Cathedral” brought old-time novelty charm into the Top 3, and soul, garage rock, television pop, and folk-influenced ballads all shared space in the Top 10.
