21 Best Songs From 1962

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12. “Soldier Boy” by The Shirelles

Song year: 1962

Despite the United States being involved in no active wars at the time, the girl group the Shirelles recorded “Soldier Boy.” The song is about a woman waiting at home for her lover to return home from the war. She vows to remain faithful to him and awaits his return.

The Shirelles did not originally intend for this song to talk about a soldier until recording it.

13. “The Stripper” by David Rose

Song year: 1962

David Rose produced one of the more risque songs of 1962 with the evocatively named “The Stripper.” He originally recorded the song in 1958 but waited four years to release it.

“The Stripper” is an instrumental jazz song; many burlesque clubs played the track. Despite being a B-side, “The Stripper” is one of the most popular songs Rose has ever recorded.

14. “Johnny Angel” by Shelley Fabares

Song year: 1962

“Johnny Angel” is another pop staple of the era. Multiple artists recorded versions of the song years prior, but none of them managed to make much of an impression. Shelley Fabares put her spin on the song and turned it into one of the most popular songs of 1962.

The song had a strong appeal to teenagers at the time, as Fabares sang about unrequited love.

15. “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” by Neil Sedaka

Song year: 1962

Neil Sedaka recorded his signature song in 1962 with “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do.” Sedaka proved his ability to make pop music with this song, and it set the stage for later in his career when he helped co-write many hits.

The intro to the song was improvised because Sedaka could not write any lyrics to start the song.

16. “Duke of Earl” by Gene Chandler

Song year: 1962

Gene Chandler had the biggest hit of his career with “Duke of Earl.” The song became so synonymous with him that he took to calling himself the Duke of Earl in later years.

Most of the lyrics are just Chandler repeating Duke of Earl. Chandler said he came up with this idea while warming up and turned it into the song.

17. “The Loco-Motion” by Little Eva

Song year: 1962

“The Loco-Motion” was a classic dance track of the early 1960s and lives on today as a popular song of that era. Studios originally wanted Dee Dee Sharp to sing the song, but when she passed on it, they gave it to Little Eva.

The lyrics describe the dance moves you are supposed to do while listening to it. Unlike most dance songs, the “Loco-Motion” dance existed before the song.

18. “The One Who Really Loves You” by Mary Welles

Song year: 1962

The Motown label was one of the biggest for Black artists for years, and Mary Welles scored a hit with the label with “The One Who Really Loves You.” As was common at the time, Welles did not write the song; the writer was Smokey Robinson.

Welles sings about a girl trying to convince her partner not to leave her for another girl. The protagonist believes she is the only girl for her boyfriend.

19. “Surfin' Safari” by The Beach Boys

Song year: 1962

The Beach Boys hit the ground running with “Surfin' Safari.” The band would go on to hit new commercial and critical heights in later years, but this surf rock anthem proved they had all the musical chops you could want.

The lyrics are a simple affair of wanting to head out surfing and having fun. The lyrical content was standard for the Beach Boys in this era of the group's career.

20. “Lovers Who Wander” by Dion

Song year: 1962

Dion carved out a long and storied career, but in 1962, he was a fresh-faced singer-songwriter looking to make a name for himself. “Lovers Who Wander” was one of Dion's first big hits, and it helped promote his music to a larger audience.

The song talks about two partners who are drifting away, and nobody is sure if they can find their way back.

21. “Palisades Park” by Freddy Cannon

Song year: 1962

Freddy Cannon was an early practitioner of rock and roll and recorded one of his most enduring hits with “Palisades Park.” Chuck Barris wrote the song about a generic amusement park and could not settle on a name. He noticed the Palisades Amusement Park in New Jersey and determined it would be the name of his song.

Cannon brings high energy to the track with his rock and roll style.

Top Songs From 1962, Final Thoughts

Many big artists of the 1950s were still recording music in 1962, and many new artists were emerging in the mainstream. It is safe to say there was no shortage of good music from 1962.

What are your best songs from 1962? Did we miss any of the best tracks from that year? Let us know in the comments below!

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