November 6, 1961 – Jimmy Dean Hits #1 with “Big Bad John" On this day in 1961, Jimmy Dean reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with his unforgettable storytelling classic, “Big Bad John.” The song became the 100th U.S. number one single of the Rock and Roll era, a milestone moment in American pop music history. Written by Dean himself — reportedly in just an hour and a half while flying to Nashville — the song tells the tale of a quiet, hulking miner who sacrifices his life to save his fello