Billboard Hot 100 | Top 5 – Week of November 7, 1960
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending November 7, 1960 showed The Drifters still holding the #1 position with “Save The Last Dance For Me.” The elegant Atlantic Records classic continued one of the strongest vocal-group runs of the year, blending rhythm-and-blues polish, pop appeal, and emotional storytelling.
Brenda Lee remained at #2 with “I Want To Be Wanted,” keeping her remarkable 1960 chart presence alive. Just behind her, Johnny Tillotson made a major move as “Poetry In Motion” jumped from #9 to #3, giving the chart a fresh burst of teen-pop energy.
Ray Charles climbed to #4 with “Georgia On My Mind,” one of the most important recordings of his career, while Joe Jones moved to #5 with “You Talk Too Much.” That gave the Top 5 a strong mix of vocal-group soul, female pop balladry, teen pop, classic American songwriting, and New Orleans-flavored rhythm-and-blues.
The week also brought major movement from Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs, Hank Ballard And The Midnighters, and Roy Orbison. “Stay,” “Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go,” and “Blue Angel” all entered the Top 10, making this one of the more active chart weeks of late 1960.
Top 5 Songs (November 7, 1960)
1. “Save The Last Dance For Me” – The Drifters
The Drifters remained at #1 with “Save The Last Dance For Me,” one of the most graceful and enduring hits of 1960.
The song’s lyric tells a story that sounds simple at first: enjoy the dance, but remember who will take you home. Underneath that, though, is a deeper feeling of love, trust, and quiet vulnerability.
Written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, the record became one of The Drifters’ signature songs thanks to its smooth rhythm, elegant arrangement, and emotional vocal performance.
Its continued hold at #1 showed how strongly vocal-group rhythm-and-blues could connect with mainstream pop audiences.
2. “I Want To Be Wanted” – Brenda Lee
Brenda Lee held the #2 position with “I Want To Be Wanted,” continuing her extraordinary run as one of 1960’s strongest female vocalists.
The song followed the emotional path opened earlier by “I’m Sorry,” giving Lee another dramatic ballad built around longing and vulnerability.
Her vocal performance sounded mature, polished, and deeply sincere, helping her stand apart from many teen performers of the period.
Even without the #1 spot this week, “I Want To Be Wanted” remained one of the major ballads of the fall.
3. “Poetry In Motion” – Johnny Tillotson
Johnny Tillotson climbed to #3 with “Poetry In Motion,” one of the brightest teen-pop hits of late 1960.
The song’s catchy title, upbeat rhythm, and clean vocal style made it a natural fit for radio during a period filled with dramatic ballads and rhythm-and-blues crossover records.
Tillotson’s smooth delivery helped the record feel youthful without sounding rough or rebellious.
Its rapid rise showed that polished teen pop still had major commercial power on the Hot 100.
4. “Georgia On My Mind” – Ray Charles
Ray Charles climbed to #4 with “Georgia On My Mind,” a deeply expressive interpretation of the Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell standard.
Charles transformed the song into something personal and soulful, blending pop, jazz, blues, and gospel feeling into one unforgettable performance.
His vocal phrasing gave the record emotional depth, while the lush arrangement helped it reach a broad pop audience.
By this week, “Georgia On My Mind” was clearly becoming one of Ray Charles’ most important and lasting recordings.
5. “You Talk Too Much” – Joe Jones
Joe Jones reached #5 with “You Talk Too Much,” a rhythm-and-blues flavored hit with a sharp, humorous edge.
The record’s appeal came from its simple complaint, memorable groove, and conversational vocal style.
It brought a New Orleans-flavored feel into the upper chart, balancing the smoother ballads and polished pop records around it.
“You Talk Too Much” showed that witty rhythm-and-blues records could still break through strongly on mainstream radio.
More Weeks at #1 for “Save the Last Dance for Me”
This song spent multiple weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Explore each chart week below:
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🎵 Save the Last Dance for Me by The Drifters
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Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 – Week of November 7, 1960
- Save The Last Dance For Me – The Drifters
- I Want To Be Wanted – Brenda Lee
- Poetry In Motion – Johnny Tillotson
- Georgia On My Mind – Ray Charles
- You Talk Too Much – Joe Jones
- My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own – Connie Francis
- Stay – Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs
- Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go – Hank Ballard And The Midnighters
- Blue Angel – Roy Orbison
- Devil Or Angel – Bobby Vee
Ray Charles, Maurice Williams, and Roy Orbison Added New Depth to the Top 10
The Billboard Hot 100 for November 7, 1960 showed The Drifters still on top, but the biggest story was how much fresh movement appeared beneath them.
Ray Charles brought “Georgia On My Mind” into the Top 5, turning a well-known standard into one of the most soulful pop performances of the year. Johnny Tillotson’s “Poetry In Motion” brought bright teen-pop energy to #3, while Joe Jones added rhythm-and-blues humor with “You Talk Too Much.”
The lower half of the Top 10 was just as important. Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs jumped to #7 with “Stay,” a short but unforgettable vocal-group classic. Hank Ballard And The Midnighters returned with “Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go,” and Roy Orbison reached the Top 10 with “Blue Angel,” continuing the lonely ballad style he had established with “Only The Lonely.”
The week of November 7, 1960 remains a strong snapshot of late-1960 pop: vocal-group soul, teenage ballads, classic standards, New Orleans rhythm-and-blues, doo-wop, dance music, and dramatic Roy Orbison pop all sharing one national Top 10.