Just another GR refugee. Other than that, I had a stroke in 2004, and read almost anything I can get my hands on, though I have a particular weakness for history, mystery, and historical fiction.
The last pre-Beatles year in American music, which was shortly to be very different.
Charting in 1963: It's My Party (Leslie Gore), Louie Louie (The Kingsmen), Be My Baby (The Ronettes), Blowin' in the Wind (Peter Paul & Mary - written by Bob Dylan), Bo Diddley (Buddy Holly; he had a couple of posthumous hits in 1963), Da Doo Ron Ron (The Crystals), He's So Fine (The Chiffons), Heat Wave (Martha and the Vandellas), My Boyfriend's Back (The Angels), Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash), Surf City (Jan and Dean), and Up on the Roof (The Drifters).
It was also a very big year for The Beach Boys (with hits including everything from Be True to Your School to Little Deuce Coupe and Surfin' USA).
Weirdest hit of the year: Sukiyaki. Sung in Japanese. To this date the only Japanese-language #1 hit song in the history of the U.S. charts. (We heard it in class today. The overwhelming response was TURN IT OFF!)