On this day in 1961, JIMMY DEAN’s BIG BAD JOHN began its five-week reign at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, cementing itself as one of country music’s most recognisable hits (Nov 6, 1961) The song tells the tale of an unsung hero, an unassuming but towering figure in a mining town, whose mysterious past and quiet demeanour earn him a place in American folklore. More than just a chart-topping single, “Big Bad John” became a story that audiences returned to repeatedly—a quintessential piece of t