Number One Hits of 1962 - Part 2 Quiz

Answer: Neil Sedaka

Neil Sedaka scored his first number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Breaking Up is Hard to Do". This was Neil's twentieth chart entry, having had previous top tens with "Oh Carol" in 1959, "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" and "Calendar Girl" both in 1961. "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" made the top thirty in UK and Australia.

Interestingly; A slower version of "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" by Neil Sedaka entered the charts again in 1976 and went to number one the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

Answer: Elvis Presley

Recorded specifically for the movie "Blue Hawaii", "Can't Help Falling in Love" was yet another number one for Elvis Presley. This single reached number one in Australia and the UK and made the number two slot on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was recorded by UB40 in 1993 and made number one in Australia, UK and the Billboard Hot 100. On both the Australian and UK chart listing "Can't Help Falling in Love" is equally credited with the flipside of the single release, "Rock-A-Hula Baby".

Answer: Mike Sarne with Wendy Richard

Mike Sarne had a number one hit in the UK during 1962 with "Come Outside". The record featured a comic interchange between a boy and a girl at a dance. The girl featured on the record was Wendy Richard who became well known as Miss Brahms on the British TV series "Are you Being Served". "Come Outside" was Mike Sarnes' only hit, he recorded other songs without much success so he became an actor and director. "Come Outside did not make a dent on the Billboard Hot 100 but was a top ten in Australia.

Answer: Larry Finnegan

Larry Finnegan hit number one on the Aussie charts with "Dear One". The record made number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 and did not make the UK top 50. Larry Finnegan moved to Sweden during the mid 1960s and had a few local releases there. Sadly, Larry died in 1973 from a brain tumor at the age of 34.

Answer: Connie Francis

"Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" was Connie Francis's third number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was a top thirty in the UK and a top twenty in Australia. Connie had a few more chart entries in 1962: "V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N", "Second Hand Love" and "I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter".

Answer: Frank Ifield

"I Remember You" was written for the 1942 movie, "The Fleet's In" starring William Holden, Dorothy Lamour, Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra and Betty Hutton. Frank Ifield recorded the song somewhat in the style of Slim Whitman and scored a massive hit. The song was number one in the UK for six weeks and three weeks in Australia.

The recording was a top ten hit in the USA, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: Dion

Recorded as the 'B' side of the single "The Majestic", "The Wanderer" became the 'A' side and raced up the charts in early 1962. The song was number one in Australia, number ten in the UK and made it all the way to number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: Joey Dee and the Starliters

"Well, gonna do a dance and goes like this" were the opening lines of "The Peppermint Twist". Recorded by Joey Dee and the Starliters who were the house band at the Peppermint Lounge in New York City. The record was a number one on the Billboard Hot 100, a top ten in the UK and Australia.

The song was recorded on the album "Sweet Fanny Adams" by British glam rockers, The Sweet in 1974. Their Australian record company (RCA) released "Peppermint Twist" as a single and it went to the number one slot in late 1974.

Answer: Roy Orbison

Roy Orbison scored his third number one on the Australian charts with "Working for the Man". This record with "Leah" on the flipside spent 22 weeks on the charts. Roy Orbison was so popular in Australia that he had six number ones, a further fifteen top tens and eleven other records make the top forty. "Working for the Man" only made it to 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 50 on the UK chart.

Answer: Chubby Checker

Written and originally recorded by Hank Ballard, "The Twist" when recorded by Chubby Checker in 1960 raced up the charts to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. This recording made the top ten in Australia and the top twenty in the UK. Chubby recorded the song again in 1961 and this version was number one again in 1962 on the Billboard Hot 100, number five in the UK and number three in Australia.

The record started a cultural revolution; "The Twist" enabled people to dance with each other and not touch.

The record that replaced "The Twist" at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 was "The Peppermint Twist" mentioned earlier in this quiz. Furthermore, even the two left footed author of this quiz, could do the twist.