Ask “Mr. Music”
Jerry Osborne



FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 15, 2019

DEAR JERRY: Can you tolerate another "Louie Louie" question?

I'm curious as to what song or songs prevented "Louie Louie" from reaching No. 1. Was it perhaps the beginning of the British Invasion? --Harold Newley, North Scituate, R.I.

DEAR HAROLD: On Billboard's Hot 100, the Kingsmen's "Louie Louie" stalled at No. 2 for two weeks (December 14 and 21, 1963) under The Singing Nun's "Dominique," then got bumped down to No. 3 for one week by Bobby Vinton's "There I've Said It Again." (December 28). The Kingsmen returned to No. 2, where they stayed for four consecutive weeks (January 4 to 25). For those four weeks, the Kingsmen were once again topped by Bobby Vinton's "There I've Said It Again."

Things were a bit different on the Cash Box Top 100:

December 14, 1963: "Dominique" was enjoying its third week at No. 1. After five weeks on the chart, "Louie Louie" had just jumped from No. 8 to No. 2.

For the next three weeks, the top two tunes remained the same.

January 4, 1964: "There I've Said It Again" claimed the No. 1 spot, with "Dominique" at No. 2, and "Louie Louie" at No. 3.

January 11, 1964: "Louie Louie" took over the No. 1 spot, with "There I've Said It Again" at No. 2, "Popsicles and Icicles", by the Murmaids at No. 3, and "Dominique" dropped to No. 4.

January 18, 1964: The Top 3 remained the same, but No. 4 was now "Surfin' Bird," by the Trashmen.

January 25, 1964: In just its third week on the chart, The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" leaped from No. 43 to No. 1. One week later, Billboard also ranked "I Want to Hold Your Hand" at No. 1.


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