BestOfDate

May 8, 1962

May 8, 1962, was a Tuesday. It was 62 years, 7 months, and 14 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Taurus.

Song charts

Music charts

These songs were on top of the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom on May 8, 1962:

  • United States: "Soldier Boy" by The Shirelles
  • United Kingdom: "Wonderful Land" by The Shadows

The Billboard Hot 100 on May 8, 1962

These were the top five songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart:

  • Soldier Boy - The Shirelles
  • Mashed Potato Time - Dee Dee Sharp
  • Johnny Angel - Shelley Fabares
  • Stranger On The Shore - Mr. Acker Bilk
  • Good Luck Charm - Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires
Play the top songs from 1962
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1962. Take a trip back to the days of Elvis Presley, Chubby Checker, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Frank Ifield and The Tornados.
West Side Story

Top movie at the box office

The movie "West Side Story" was at the top of the box office on May 8, 1962.

Facts

This date was 22,874 days ago. Approximately 762 months have passed. It was the 128th day of 1962, in week 19. The decade was the swinging sixties. People born on this day are currently 62 years old and belong to the Baby Boomer generation. The Earth has experienced 254 seasons of weather since then.

Take me back to May 8, 1962

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.

It is Tuesday, May 8, 1962. Anyone born today will have the star sign Taurus. The summer of 1962 has finally arrived. The weather has warmed up, and the evenings are brighter than usual. The school year is nearly finished.

In America, the song "Soldier Boy" by The Shirelles is at the top of the singles charts, while "Wonderful Land" by The Shadows is the number-one song in the UK. John Fitzgerald Kennedy is the President of the United States, and the movie West Side Story is at the top of the box office. Harold Macmillan is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

In fashion, many of the trends from the late 1950s are still popular. Women are wearing tailored skirts, short boxy jackets and shift dresses. Trousers are also becoming popular amongst women. Meanwhile, men are wearing polo shirts, argyle socks, sweater vests, loafers and harrington jackets. Because it's 1962, radio stations are playing hit songs from music artists such as Ray Charles, The Four Seasons, Elvis Presley, Chubby Checker, Bobby Vinton and Shelley Fabares. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Marilyn Monroe, Robert Frost, Ernie Davis, and John F. Kennedy would all still be alive.

On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "Gunsmoke", "77 Sunset Strip", "The Twilight Zone", and "The Untouchables". Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Tom and Jerry", "Lassie", "Mighty Mouse Playhouse", and "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends". Popular toys at the moment include Wooly Willy, the Frisbee, Playpal dolls, and Astrobase.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on May 8, 1962, will have the star sign Taurus.
  • Zodiac Element: Earth.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1962 was the year of the Tiger (Yang Fire).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 22.
  • Native American Zodiac: May 8, 1962 falls under the Beaver.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of May will have the birthstone Emerald.
  • Birth flower (May): The Lily of the Valley and the Hawthorn.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on May 8, 1962.

  • Fast food is replacing diners and drive-ins.

    Fast food is replacing diners and drive-ins

    The fast food industry was steadily growing, much to the detriment of local diners and drive-in restaurants. Consequently, things such as jukeboxes and carhops also started to decline.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1962?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1962?

    In 1962, the best NBA players were Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Bob Pettit, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West.
  • Who were the best football players?

    Who were the best football players?

    In 1962, the best soccer players were Pelé, Josef Masopust, Eusébio, Karl-Heinz Schnellinger, Dragoslav Šekularac, Jef Jurion, Gianni Rivera, Jimmy Greaves, John Charles, Milan Galić and János Göröcs.
  • Lawrence of Arabia.

    Lawrence of Arabia

    "Lawrence of Arabia" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1962.
  • Sammy Davis Jr. - "What Kind of Fool Am I?"

    Sammy Davis Jr. - "What Kind of Fool Am I?"

    "What Kind of Fool Am I?" by Sammy Davis Jr. would go on to win a Grammy for 1962's Song of the Year.
  • 1962 in music.

    1962 in music

    The Billboard Charts in 1962 were dominated by the likes of Chubby Checker, Gene Chandler, Bruce Channel, The Shirelles, The Four Seasons, Ray Charles and Mr. Acker Bilk.
  • 1962 in movies.

    1962 in movies

    Movies released in 1962 included Lawrence of Arabia, The Longest Day, In Search of the Castaways, That Touch of Mink, Cape Fear, The Music Man, Mutiny on the Bounty, To Kill a Mockingbird, Hatari!, Gypsy, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? and Bon Voyage!
  • Pope John XXIII.

    Pope John XXIII

    Pope John XXIII was named Time Person of the Year in 1962 after he volunteered as a mediator during the Cuban missile crisis.
  • The USA is escalating its involvement in the Vietnam War.

    The USA is escalating its involvement in the Vietnam War

    The United States was slowly escalating its involvement in the Vietnam War. In May 1961, President John F. Kennedy ordered helicopters and 400 Green Berets into South Vietnam. Covert operations against the communist forces in the north were also authorized. By 1963, the number of US military personnel in the country had grown to 10,000.
  • Rotary phones.

    Rotary phones

    Rotary phones were still the most common type of landline phone. Although push-button telephones did begin to appear at the end of 1963, they were relatively uncommon.
  • Greasers.

    Greasers

    A youth subculture called "greasers" emerged during the 1950s and early 1960s. The style included greased-back hairstyles, work pants, and denim or leather jackets.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on May 8, 1962.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

Notable events that happened close to May 8, 1962.

  • April 10, 1962: Ex-Beatles member Stuart Sutcliffe dies of an aneurysm.
  • April 26, 1962: NASA's Ranger 4 spacecraft crashes on the far side of the Moon.
  • May 1, 1962: The first Target discount store is opened in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  • May 2, 1962: Football: Portuguese side Benfica win the European Cup after they defeat Real Madrid 5-3 at the Olympisch Stadion in Amsterdam.
  • May 5, 1962: FA Cup Final 1962: Tottenham Hotspur defeat Burnley 3-1.
  • This date: May 8, 1962
  • May 10, 1962: The first issue of The Incredible Hulk is published.
  • May 19, 1962: Marilyn Monroe sings "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" for President John F. Kennedy.
  • May 30, 1962: The 1962 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Chile.
  • June 1, 1962: Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann is executed.
  • June 2, 1962: Battle of Santiago: The police intervene four times during a violent World Cup game between Italy and Chile.
  • June 3, 1962: 130 people lose their lives after Air France Flight 007 runs off the end of the runway at Orly Airport in Paris, France.

1960s fashion

Photographs of 1960s fashion and hairstyles.

1960s fashion

Television shows

TV shows in 1962

The following TV shows were popular in May 1962:

TV shows from May 1962.

Steptoe and Son
Steptoe and Son
Hazel
Hazel
Route 66
Route 66
The Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Danger Man
Danger Man
The Untouchables
The Untouchables
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
Bonanza
Bonanza
Rawhide
Rawhide
77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip
Perry Mason
Perry Mason

Cars in 1962

1962 saw the introduction of cars such as the Buick Wildcat, the Ford Cortina, the Mitsubishi Colt, the Pontiac LeMans, the Dodge Custom 880, and the Plymouth Fury (3rd generation).

Cars in 1962.

Children TV shows

Kids TV shows on May 8, 1962

Cartoons and TV shows that children and teenagers were watching on this day in 1962:

Top Cat
Top Cat
Davey and Goliath
Davey and Goliath
Mister Ed
Mister Ed

The Dick Tracy Show
The Dick Tracy Show
King Leonardo and His Short Subjects
King Leonardo and His Short Subjects
The Bugs Bunny Show
The Bugs Bunny Show
The Flintstones
The Flintstones
My Three Sons
My Three Sons
Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse
Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends
Dennis the Menace
Dennis the Menace
Toys

Popular toys and games in 1962

Toys and games that were popular in 1962:

Tammy (doll)
Tammy (doll)
Chatter Telephone
Chatter Telephone
Rock-a-Stack
Rock-a-Stack
Ken (doll)
Ken (doll)
Etch A Sketch
Etch A Sketch
Astrobase
Astrobase
Troll doll
Troll doll
Tonka trucks
Tonka trucks
Matchbox toy cars
Matchbox toy cars
Barbie
Barbie
Playpal dolls
Playpal dolls
Crater Critters
Crater Critters

Were you born on May 8, 1962?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1962.

This is because humans find it difficult to retrieve memories of their early childhood.

If you are looking for some childhood nostalgia, then you should check out May 8, 1968, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on May 8.

Harry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman

US President Deceased
Born on May 8, 1884
He turned 78 on this day in 1962.

David Attenborough

David Attenborough

British broadcaster
Born on May 8, 1926
He turned 36 on this day in 1962.

Sonny Liston

Sonny Liston

Boxer Deceased
Born on May 8, 1932
He turned 30 on this day in 1962.

Enrique Iglesias

Enrique Iglesias

Singer
Born on May 8, 1975
He was born exactly 13 years after this date.

Matt Willis

Matt Willis

Busted
Born on May 8, 1983
He was born exactly 21 years after this date.

6ix9ine

6ix9ine

Rapper
Born on May 8, 1996
He was born exactly 34 years after this date.

Holidays

Holidays

National holidays and famous events that fall on May 8:

USA

US President

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the President of the United States on May 8, 1962.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Harold Macmillan was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Seán Lemass was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on May 8, 1962 was most likely conceived around August 15, 1961.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on May 8, 1962 is close to January 29, 1963.

Submit a comment

Have something to say about this date? Was it your birthday? Or perhaps you have a memory of it?

All comments are moderated. Our system may automatically edit comments to correct misspellings and grammar. We may also remove or redact personal information.

How old was I?

Enter your date of birth below to find out how old you were on May 8, 1962.
This information is not transmitted to our server.

Stats for May 8, 1962

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about May 8, 1962:

  • 22,874 days have passed since this date.
  • 3,267 weeks have passed.
  • 1,976,317,200 seconds have passed since May 8, 1962.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 2,305,703,400 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 1,019,779,675,200 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 329,386,200 times.
  • You have taken approximately 169,963,279 steps. That's roughly 75,539 miles.
  • 23,715,806 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1962?

Search

It looks like you have reached the end. Try searching for another date.

Random

Random dates

Check out some of these random dates.