3 Nostalgic Songs You’ll Remember if You Were a Kid in 1962

If you were a kid (or, honestly, an adult) in 1962, these three nostalgic songs might just transport you back in time. At least, if you love folk and pop music. And maybe a little bit of doo-wop. Let’s dive in!

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“You Belong To Me” by The Duprees

This entry on our list of nostalgic songs from 1962 actually got its start a decade earlier. This song is a cover of a tune that was released in the 1950s and made popular by traditional pop singer Jo Stafford in 1952.

However, I have to say, The Duprees’ doo-wop version of the song from 1962 is an absolute banger. And audiences at the time certainly thought so, too. “You Belong To Me” by The Duprees made it to the Top 10 of the Billboard charts that year, peaking at No. 7. 

Fun fact: Country crooner Patsey Cline also released a stellar version of this song a few months later that same year.

“Funny Way Of Laughin’” by Burl Ives

While I wasn’t even a thought back in 1962, I did see the cover of The Best Of Burl Ives as a kid in the early 2000s, and I always thought this American folk singer had such a sweet face. His hit single, “Funny Way Of Laughin’”, is a similarly sweet but also heartbreaking folk song. 

This tune, written by Hank Cochran, hit No. 3 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1962 and also hit the Top 10 on the country charts. It did quite well in the UK and Canada, too. And we can’t forget how this folk tune won a Grammy in 1963, either. Honestly, no matter your age in 1962, you’ll probably remember this song.

“Surfin’ Safari” by The Beach Boys

What would a list of nostalgic songs from 1962 be without a little bit of The Beach Boys? “Surfin’ Safari” was released that very year and almost immediately hit the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No. 14. 

This surf rock pop tune was inspired by famous rock and roll star Chuck Berry, namely his musical method of using simple chords with lyrics that focus on the names of places. It’s an ode, in a way, to Southern California. And if you were a little Californian in 1962, you probably know this song by heart.

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