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 Laughing - 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.

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