Top 100 Lists


TOP 100 FOLK HITS
OF THE '50S AND '60S

  1. Goodnight Irene - Gordon Jenkins and the Weavers - 1950
  2. Michael - The Highwaymen - 1961
  3. Tom Dooley - The Kingston Trio - 1958
  4. The Sounds of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel - 1965
  5. Walk Right In - The Rooftop Singers - 1963
  6. Leaving on a Jet Plane - Peter, Paul and Mary - 1969
  7. On Top of Old Smoky - The Weavers and Terry Gilkyson - 1951
  8. Greenfields - The Brothers Four - 1960
  9. Tzena Tzena Tzena - Gordon Jenkins and the
    Weavers
    - 1950
  10. Blowin' in the Wind - Peter, Paul and Mary - 1963
  11. Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire - 1965
  12. Puff (The Magic Dragon) - Peter, Paul and Mary - 1963
  13. Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan - 1965
  14. Banana Boat (Day-O) - Harry Belafonte - 1957
  15. We'll Sing in the Sunshine - Gale Garnett - 1964
  16. Marianne - Terry Gilkyson and the Easy Riders - 1957
  17. If I Had a Hammer - Trini Lopez - 1963
  18. I Am a Rock - Simon and Garfunkel - 1966
  19. I'll Never Find Another You - The Seekers - 1965
  20. Homeward Bound - Simon and Garfunkel - 1966
  21. The Banana Boat Song - The Tarriers - 1956
  22. Elusive Butterfly - Bob Lind - 1966
  23. Don't Let the Rain Come Down (Crooked Little Man) - The
    Serendipity Singers
    - 1964
  24. So Long (It's Been Good to Know Yuh) - Gordon Jenkins
    and the Weavers
    - 1951
  25. Marianne - The Hilltoppers - 1957
  26. Does Your Chewing Gum Lose its Flavor (On the Bedpost
    Over Night?) - Lonnie Donegan - 1961
  27. The Unicorn - The Irish Rovers - 1968
  28. A Little Bitty Tear - Burl Ives - 1962
  29. Rock Island Line - Lonnie Donegan - 1956
  30. If I Were a Carpenter - Bobby Darin - 1966
  31. Both Sides Now - Judy Collins - 1968
  32. Reverend Mr. Black - The Kingston Trio - 1963
  33. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right - Peter, Paul and Mary - 1963
  34. Jamaica Farewell - Harry Belafonte - 1956
  35. Cindy, Oh Cindy - Vince Martin with the Tarriers - 1956
  36. Cotton Fields - The Highwaymen - 1962
  37. If I Had a Hammer - Peter, Paul and Mary - 1962
  38. Funny Way of Laughin' - Burl Ives - 1962
  39. The Tijuana Jail - The Kingston Trio - 1959
  40. Green, Green - The New Christy Minstrels - 1963
  41. Wimoweh - The Weavers and Gordon Jenkins - 1952
  42. M.T.A. - The Kingston Trio - 1959
  43. On Top of Old Smoky - Percy Faith with Burl Ives - 1951
  44. Today - The New Christy Minstrels - 1964
  45. Where Have All the Flowers Gone - The Kingston Trio - 1962
  46. On Top of Spaghetti - Tom Glazer and the Children's
    Chorus
    - 1963
  47. The Roving Kind - The Weavers - 1951
  48. A World of Our Own - The Seekers - 1965
  49. A Worried Man - The Kingston Trio - 1959
  50. Silver Threads and Golden Needles - The Springfields - 1962
  51. Tom Cat - The Rooftop Singers - 1963
  52. Greenback Dollar - The Kingston Trio - 1963
  53. Call Me Mr. In-Between - Burl Ives - 1962
  54. Day is Done - Peter, Paul and Mary - 1969
  55. Hey, Mr. Banjo - The Sunnysiders - 1955
  56. Catch the Wind - Donovan - 1965
  57. Kisses Sweeter Than Wine - The Weavers - 1951
  58. Lemon Tree - Trini Lopez - 1965
  59. Saturday Night - The New Christy Minstrels - 1963
  60. Beans in My Ears - The Serendipity Singers - 1964
  61. Island in the Sun - Harry Belafonte - 1957
  62. I Can Make it With You - The Pozo-Seco Singers - 1966
  63. El Matador - The Kingston Trio - 1960
  64. For Lovin' Me - Peter, Paul and Mary - 1965
  65. Look What You've Done - The Pozo-Seco Singers - 1967
  66. Desert Pete - The Kingston Trio - 1963
  67. Tell it on the Mountain - Peter, Paul and Mary - 1964
  68. Lemon Tree - Peter, Paul and Mary - 1962
  69. Frogg - The Brothers Four - 1961
  70. Stewball - Peter, Paul and Mary - 1963
  71. Bad Man Blunder - The Kingston Trio - 1960
  72. Hootenanny - The Glencoves - 1963
  73. Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan - 1965
  74. The Gypsy Rover - The Highwaymen - 1961
  75. The Marvelous Toy - The Chad Mitchell Trio - 1963
  76. Mary Ann Regrets - Burl Ives - 1962
  77. Cocoanut Woman - Harry Belafonte - 1957
  78. Lizzie Borden - The Chad Mitchell Trio - 1962
  79. Morningtown Ride - The Seekers - 1967
  80. Time - The Pozo-Seco Singers - 1966
  81. Freight Train - Chas. McDevitt Skiffle Group - 1957
  82. There But For Fortune - Joan Baez - 1965
  83. My Tani - The Brothers Four - 1960
  84. Ode to the Little Brown Shack Out Back - Billy Edd
    Wheeler
    - 1965
  85. Lovin' Place - Gale Garnett - 1964
  86. Kum Ba Ya - Tommy Leonetti - 1969
  87. Universal Soldier - Donovan - 1965
  88. The Cruel War - Peter, Paul and Mary - 1966
  89. Mama Don't Allow - The Rooftop Singers - 1963
  90. Settle Down - Peter, Paul and Mary - 1963
  91. Colours - Donovan - 1965
  92. Ally Ally Oxen Free - The Kingston Trio - 1963
  93. Bony Moronie - The Appalachians - 1963
  94. Everglades - The Kingston Trio - 1960
  95. Ballad of the Alamo - Bud and Travis - 1960
  96. Little Boxes - Pete Seeger - 1964
  97. Winkin', Blinkin' and Nod - The Simon Sisters - 1964
  98. A Dollar Down - The Limeliters - 1961
  99. Jenny Brown - The Smothers Brothers - 1963
  100. Little Boxes - The Womenfolk - 1964

This list ranks hit folk singles from 1950 to 1969, illustrating a difference between songs of social and/or political significance and many of the popular hits of the era. In many cases, recordings by the original songwriters were overshadowed by hit cover versions. Calypso, skiffle, novelty songs and other folk music styles are included. Establishing the fine line between country and folk, or folk and rock, becomes a judgment call; an artist who made a gradual transition may be represented by a small percentage of that artist's output.

"Folk boom" artists The Kingston Trio and Peter, Paul and Mary lead all others on the list with 12 songs apiece. Early 1950s stars The Weavers (in different configurations with other artists) are next with seven, followed by Burl Ives with five and Harry Belafonte with four.




MORE TOP 100 LISTS!

Goodnight Irene Michael Tom Dooley Walk Right In Greenfields Banana Boat (Day-O) Marianne