6 of the 60s: 8/6/14 (1962)

I'm ready to go back in time to serve up a half-dozen more nuggets from the 60s, and this week I'm back to 1962, the year the first Wal-Mart store opens in Arkansas.

Dion - "The Wanderer"
from the album Runaround Sue (1961)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2
Songwriter: Ernie Maresca

The blues version of teenage pop idol stardom is set down by this, probably the hippest of the type from the hippest of singers.

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Rick Nelson - "Teen Age Idol"
from the album Legendary Master Series (1971)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #5
Songwriter: Jack Lewis

Rick was already "legal" and dropped the "y" from his first name when he released this reflection on his status that actually climbed higher on the adult contemporary chart.


Bobby Rydell - "The Cha-Cha-Cha"
from the album Golden Hits (1963)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #10
Songwriters: Dave Appell, Kal Mann

The Philly idol brought a little drama to the sock hop version of the Latin dance craze.

Paul Anka - "A Steel Guitar and a Glass Of Wine"
from the album The Very Best Of Paul Anka (2009)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #13
Songwriter: Paul Anka

A forgotten one-off from the Canadian prodigy that never appeared on an album that capitalized on the Cha-cha fad.

Bobby Vee - "Punish Her"
from the album Bobby Vee's Golden Greats (1962)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #20
Songwriters: John Gluck, Neval Nader

Bordering on stalking, this word of advice to a spurned lover maybe isn't the best.

Bobby Darin - "Multiplication"
from the album Twist With Bobby Darin (1961)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #30
Songwriter: Bobby Darin

The half idol half swinger gave a course in math with this ditty about the birds and the bees.