Artists on Holiday! Trivia Quiz

Answer: House Of The Rising Sun

This was the first number one to play longer than four minutes, charting in June 1964. More impressive is that it was recorded in one take.

Answer: Green Green Grass Of Home

It had been recorded by Porter Wagoner in 1964, Bobby Bare in 1965 and Jerry Lee Lewis in 1966, but Tom's version later that year hit the top. "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" hit the top of the charts in 1983 for Paul Young. Blur scored their first number one with "Country House" in 1995.

Answer: Massachusetts

Apparently at the time they recorded this, they had never visited Massachusetts - they merely liked the sound of the name!

Answer: The Tears Of A Clown

Recorded and released in 1967 on their album "Make It Happen", but not released as a single until 1970. It is notable as the first number one Motown hit. "Crying" was a number one for Don McLean. "The Tracks Of My Tears" is another Smokey Robinson song but it didn't reach number one.

Answer: Waterloo

Well known for winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest for Sweden, the group compares love to Napoleon. As you do.

Answer: Walking On The Moon

They actually recorded the video for this song at the Kennedy Space Center. No trips in space for them, though, and certainly not on the moon - the last Apollo moon mission was four years earlier in 1972. David Bowie's "Space Oddity" reached number five on its first release in 1969, but went to the top in a re-release six years later. "Spaceman" was a number one hit for Babylon Zoo in 1996.

Answer: Xanadu

"Xanadu" comes from the soundtrack of the same name, which comes from the film of the same name. The musical may have been disappointing, but it got the Electric Light Orchestra their first and only number one. The band's songwriter Jeff Lynne re-recorded the song in 2000 for the "Flashback" compilation.

Answer: The Tide Is High

This is a cover version of a 1965 song by a Jamaican group called the Paragons - but that went largely unnoticed until Blondie's version in 1980. "Seasons In The Sun" was another number one, but by Terry Jacks and several years earlier.

Answer: Ghost Town

The song was written in response to UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's economic policies, which many feared would increase the already high unemployment and cause riots. It was particularly important to the Specials, whose home city Coventry had some of the worst employment levels in the UK. Strangely enough, "Ghost Town"'s chart success coincided with the riots in a rare moment of music providing current social commentary.

Answer: The Land Of Make Believe

Yet another (subtle) dig at Margaret Thatcher in this song from the Eurovision Song Contest winners. It makes you wonder how she kept her position for so long, doesn't it?

Answer: Town Called Malice

Paul Weller's home town of Woking inspired this song. It appeared in the films "Billy Elliot" and "The Matador".

Answer: House Of Fun

This is their only number one hit to date (yes, as of 2008 they still exist!). This isn't your typical song, either... a shy 16-year-old asks a chemist for some prophylactics using various slang terms; the confused chemist thinks he is asking for joke toys and directs him to the 'House of Fun'. But never fear, 16-year-olds of today! You can order them online and avoid all embarrassment.

Answer: Down Under

In January 1983, both "Down Under" and accompanying album "Business As Usual" hit number one in the UK and USA, the first time that an Australian artist achieved this feat.

Answer: West End Girls

Its first release in 1984 went nowhere; even their second single "Opportunities (Let's make lots of money)" flopped. However they struck it lucky re-releasing "West End Girls", and things went rather well after that.

Answer: La Isla Bonita

Madonna set a trend in this song for Spanish themes and lyrics seen in subsequent songs like "Who's That Girl". Nobody actually knows what "La Isla Bonita" really is, but you can be sure this won't be the first place you'll hear of it!

Answer: Orinoco Flow

The song was actually named after Orinoco Studios where it was recorded in 1988. No doubt the connection with the river is intentional, however.

Answer: Gangsta's Paradise

Coolio reworked the music of Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise" and changed the lyrics to express 'life on the streets'. I'm not sure which streets, though - there wasn't a valley of death where I grew up, just a corner shop and some alleyways...

Answer: Breakfast At Tiffany's

The song hit the top of the charts in the UK in 1996 but only number five in the USA, the band's home country. Hepburn's first film "Roman Holiday" inspired the song, but one of the band members thought "Breakfast At Tiffany's" made a better song title.

Answer: We're Going To Ibiza!

They released this song in March 1999, before their previous and first number one "Boom Boom Boom Boom" had actually reached number one. It took until September for this song to reach the top. Perhaps they should have continued the trend - their next single "Kiss (When the Sun Don't Shine)" was released in 2000 and only made number three.

Answer: Dakota

I have no idea why it's called "Dakota". It's not even mentioned in the song! Nevertheless, this was the first and only (as of 2008) Stereophonics single to actually appear in a USA chart, the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. Maybe they should stick to USA place names if they want to increase their fanbase there...