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Quiz about Super Number One Hits 19561967
Quiz about Super Number One Hits 19561967

Super Number One Hits 1956-1967 Quiz


Thankyou to all who have supported the first two quizzes of those great hits that topped the charts in The United States, The United Kingdom and also Australia. So, hopefully, you will enjoy a trip from the sixties back to the dawn of the rock era.

A multiple-choice quiz by muffin1708. Estimated time: 9 mins.
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Author
muffin1708
Time
9 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
255,937
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
2817
Last 3 plays: Hayes1953 (7/10), Guest 76 (6/10), adam36 (5/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. A song released by an up-and-coming group in late 1966 was this band's second number one hit in as many entries on the American charts. It soon claimed top spot on Billboard for seven weeks, and early in the new year spent a month at the head of the U.K. charts and at the same time got there for one week in Australia. The group went on to score another huge hit one year later, but the record in question, which was written by Neil Diamond, was it's biggest and went on to be the band's signature song. Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. A lady from a strong musical family had early success in Europe and Japan but didn't register on the American charts until her career- cutting duet partner came up with a gem. The pair then enlisted the services of the acclaimed session musicians named "The Wrecking Crew", and then went about creating a record which ultimately became a huge hit. This song has really stood the test of time and many artists recorded it, with Jessica Simpson taking it to number fourteen on the American charts as late as 2005. It was also included in the soundtrack of the Stanley Kubrick 1987 movie "Full Metal Jacket". One of this lady's most notable efforts was the theme to a James Bond movie. Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. In 1964 a young British act did, in Australia, exactly the same to the Beatles as what Louis Armstrong achieved in America. This was to, temporarily, stop the boys from Liverpool dominating the number one position on each chart which they had held with three songs for fourteen and seventeen weeks respectively. This song lasted two weeks on top of the Australian charts, as it did in the U.K., and for one in the U.S. Ironically it was a Lennon-McCartney composition which caused the great band's "downfall" in Australia. The song was given to the brother of Paul's then girlfriend who gleefully went on to record it. John, reportedly, was not a great fan of the song as the opening line insinuated that the singer was mentally retarded. These boys later recorded a hit song which was banned in the English city of Coventry. Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. There is some speculation about the origin of the next song which another British group took to the top in all three countries in the latter half of 1964. It is most widely believed to have been written by Kentuckians Georgia Turner and Bert Martin under a slightly different name to the one that became so popular. In the early sixties the song was sung by many artists including Nina Simone and Bob Dylan. It became the first British group to go number one on Billboard after the Beatles in what was then known as the "British Invasion". ("Stranger On The Shore" by Mr. Acker Bilk and "Telstar" by The Tornadoes was prior to this era). It topped the U.S. charts for three weeks, and in Australia and the U.K. for two and one weeks respectively. Originally called The Alan Price Combo, the band changed its name after a commanding blues singer joined, and this traditional folk song with a dark brooding arrangement was its first entry on the charts. Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. The collaboration between a young singer-songwriter and a keyboard wizard in 1961 produced a number of hit-and-miss demos. Neither could read or write music but both were very innovative. This ultimately created a song with a very distinctive sound that topped the Billboard charts for three weeks, the U.K. list for a month and the Australian top forty for six weeks. By using a heavily modified Clavioline electronic keyboard called a "Musitron", the co-writer Max Crook gave a haunting solo performance which greatly enhanced the song's popularity. It also launched the singer's career which led to many memorable hits including two further number ones in Australia. It is estimated that over 200 artists have covered this hit since, and a modified version by the original singer was recorded as the theme song for television's "Crime Story". Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Back in 1911 a musical composition entitled "Melody In A Major" came from an amateur pianist and flautist named Charles Dawes. In the early fifties, lyrics for the tune were written by Carl Sigman and, after a change of title, it went to number eighteen on the charts in 1951. After languishing in the M.G.M. vault for seven years this same song went on to become one of the biggest hits of 1958. It ruled the U.S. charts for six weeks and the U.K. top forty for three. In Australia the song debuted at number forty and took over two months to wend it's way to the top for one week.This would be the only number one for this rhythm and blues singer, although he produced five more songs onto the Billboard charts in the following two years. Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. A young North American singer/composer produced one of the biggest selling recordings in music history in 1957. He went on to have thirty three entries into Billboard which included thirteen top tens and three number ones. The song in question hit the American charts one day before his sixteenth birthday, and although staying on top for only one week there, it was huge in the U.K. and Australia with a nine and eight week dominance in those charts respectively. He had gone to New York, aged 14, and auditioned for Don Costa on ABC. The network was initially more interested in this young man's compositions than his singing but he soon showed that he excelled in both fields. Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Something very unusual occurred in early 1957 when a number one song on the Billboard charts was continued on - but by a different artist. A country singer/guitarist who was to go on to be one of the great performers in that field, went to the top of the charts for one week but was then displaced by another version of the same song which had entered the top 40 list a fortnight later. The "vanquished" act then became one of the biggest crossover hits of all time by heading the Billboard country music charts for nine weeks. The other version was performed by a young man pegged as a teen idol who took the song to the top of the American top 40 for six weeks. It then went on to the number one position in the U.K. for seven and in Australia for two weeks. This song also made a comeback in 1973 when yet another artist took it to the top in the U.K. for four weeks. Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. In 1956 a very popular singer/actor/comedian scored the trifecta with a song co-written by Terry Gilkyson and backed by Terry Gilkyson And The Easyriders. This man was part of the entertainment scene for decades and was half of a successful comedy team for ten years. In his singing career his signature song came with his second and last number one hit eight years later, which was also the theme for his own TV show. The song in question went to the top of the Australian and U.S. charts for six weeks apiece, and headed the U.K. top 40 list for four weeks. Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. A song which was written by a talented songwriter and son of a coalminer Merle Travis in 1946, became a major hit at the end of 1955. It was taken up an emerging popular country singer who was soon to be hosting his own TV variety show on NBC, and affectionately known as "The Old Pea Picker". He was also heavily involved in religious music and won a Grammy for his album "Great Gospel Songs". The song he sang to achieve the treble went top in America for eight weeks, in Australia for six and in the U.K. for four. Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. A song released by an up-and-coming group in late 1966 was this band's second number one hit in as many entries on the American charts. It soon claimed top spot on Billboard for seven weeks, and early in the new year spent a month at the head of the U.K. charts and at the same time got there for one week in Australia. The group went on to score another huge hit one year later, but the record in question, which was written by Neil Diamond, was it's biggest and went on to be the band's signature song.

Answer: "I'm A Believer" - The Monkees

The Monkees' only other number one hit in the U.S. was the former Kingston Trio's John Stewart's composition "Daydream Believer". In late 1967 it went top for a month and got to number two in Australia and number five in the U.K.

"Good Vibrations" headed Billboard for one week, the U.K. for two and was number two in Australia. It was the group's last number one in America for over twenty years before "Cocktail"'s movie theme song "Kokomo" ended the drought in 1988, also for one week. The song's durability, however, earned it sixth place in the "Rolling Stone's 500 Top Songs Of All Time". The Lovin' Spoonful enjoyed three weeks at the head of the American charts with "Summer In The City" which also went to number five Down Under, while The Mamas And The Papas had its only top hit in America with "Monday Monday" for three weeks.
2. A lady from a strong musical family had early success in Europe and Japan but didn't register on the American charts until her career- cutting duet partner came up with a gem. The pair then enlisted the services of the acclaimed session musicians named "The Wrecking Crew", and then went about creating a record which ultimately became a huge hit. This song has really stood the test of time and many artists recorded it, with Jessica Simpson taking it to number fourteen on the American charts as late as 2005. It was also included in the soundtrack of the Stanley Kubrick 1987 movie "Full Metal Jacket". One of this lady's most notable efforts was the theme to a James Bond movie.

Answer: "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" - Nancy Sinatra

Lee Hazlewood teamed with Nancy Sinatra on many recordings including "Jackson" which was released on a 45 disc with the flip side being her title song from the James Bond movie, "You Only Live Twice". Surprisingly, the disc failed to make a big impact on Billboard and peaked at number forty four. A year later Nancy had her only other number one recording when, in collaboration with her father Frank, "Something Stupid" went top for four weeks in the American charts, and also scored the trifecta with two weeks at number one in both the U.K. and Australia.

Sandie Shaw's comfortable win in the 1967 Eurovision Song Contest with "Puppet On A String", after three weeks on top in the U.K., did not reflect the song's initial popularity by barely making the top ten in Australia and failing to chart in America. Bobbie Gentry took a song from the Broadway musical "Promises Promises", "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" top for two weeks in Australia and for one in the U.K. while Americans preferred the Dionne Warwick version of the Burt Bacharach classic. Bobbie, earlier, was top of Billboard for a month with her "Ode To Billie Joe". Cilla Black's "You're My World" topped the lists in both the U.K. and Australia for a month but reached only twenty-six on Billboard.
3. In 1964 a young British act did, in Australia, exactly the same to the Beatles as what Louis Armstrong achieved in America. This was to, temporarily, stop the boys from Liverpool dominating the number one position on each chart which they had held with three songs for fourteen and seventeen weeks respectively. This song lasted two weeks on top of the Australian charts, as it did in the U.K., and for one in the U.S. Ironically it was a Lennon-McCartney composition which caused the great band's "downfall" in Australia. The song was given to the brother of Paul's then girlfriend who gleefully went on to record it. John, reportedly, was not a great fan of the song as the opening line insinuated that the singer was mentally retarded. These boys later recorded a hit song which was banned in the English city of Coventry.

Answer: "World Without Love" - Peter And Gordon

The opening line of "World Without Love" was, of course,"Please lock me away". Peter Asher, brother of Jane, and Gordon Waller didn't score another top hit but were consistent performers over the next three years with two breaking into the Billboard top ten. One of these was a send-up of a legendary figure "Lady Godiva", also the name of the hit, who rode naked through the streets of Coventry in a cause for tax relief, reportedly around the time of William The Conqueror in the eleventh century. The risque lyrics of the song sent the Mayor of that fair city into organising a strong campaign to have the song taken off the air and banned. Peter Asher, in later years went on to be a manager and producer for such stars as James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt.

Manfred Mann's first international number one hit,"Do Wah Diddy Diddy" went top in both the U.S. and U.K. for two weeks and reached number two in Australia. Gerry And The Pacemakers made it to the top for three weeks in the U.K. and for one in Australia with "How Do You Do It?", and The Searchers spent number one on the U.K. charts for three weeks with "Needles And Pins".
4. There is some speculation about the origin of the next song which another British group took to the top in all three countries in the latter half of 1964. It is most widely believed to have been written by Kentuckians Georgia Turner and Bert Martin under a slightly different name to the one that became so popular. In the early sixties the song was sung by many artists including Nina Simone and Bob Dylan. It became the first British group to go number one on Billboard after the Beatles in what was then known as the "British Invasion". ("Stranger On The Shore" by Mr. Acker Bilk and "Telstar" by The Tornadoes was prior to this era). It topped the U.S. charts for three weeks, and in Australia and the U.K. for two and one weeks respectively. Originally called The Alan Price Combo, the band changed its name after a commanding blues singer joined, and this traditional folk song with a dark brooding arrangement was its first entry on the charts.

Answer: "The House Of The Rising Sun" - The Animals

Eric Burdon And The Animals were regular contributors to the top 40 charts over the next four years with nine top twenties on Billboard, but another number one always eluded them. After leaving the Animals, Eric Burdon joined funk band War for two albums and helped get the single "Spill The Wine" to number three in America in 1970.

"You Really Got Me" by The Kinks was top in the U.K. for a fortnight as was "Wild Thing" in the Billboard charts for The Troggs. "One Hit Wonders" The Honeycombs scored top place for two weeks in both the U.K. and Australian top 40's with "Have I The Right?".
5. The collaboration between a young singer-songwriter and a keyboard wizard in 1961 produced a number of hit-and-miss demos. Neither could read or write music but both were very innovative. This ultimately created a song with a very distinctive sound that topped the Billboard charts for three weeks, the U.K. list for a month and the Australian top forty for six weeks. By using a heavily modified Clavioline electronic keyboard called a "Musitron", the co-writer Max Crook gave a haunting solo performance which greatly enhanced the song's popularity. It also launched the singer's career which led to many memorable hits including two further number ones in Australia. It is estimated that over 200 artists have covered this hit since, and a modified version by the original singer was recorded as the theme song for television's "Crime Story".

Answer: "Runaway "- Del Shannon

Del Shannon reached the American charts eight more times but didn't again reach number one. In Australia, however, he returned to the top with "The Swiss Maid" for one week and "Little Town Flirt" for two. The Clavioline keyboard was not a common instrument on hit music but featured on some notable records including "Telstar" by The Tornadoes and "Baby You're A Rich Man" by the Beatles.

Frank Ifield's "I Remember You" was a monster hit in the U.K. and spent seven weeks on top, and in Australia it was number one for two weeks. "Travelin' Man by Ricky Nelson reached the top in the U.S. and Australia for two weeks each, while Bryan Hyland's "Itsy Bitsy" etc. was top for one week in those two countries.
6. Back in 1911 a musical composition entitled "Melody In A Major" came from an amateur pianist and flautist named Charles Dawes. In the early fifties, lyrics for the tune were written by Carl Sigman and, after a change of title, it went to number eighteen on the charts in 1951. After languishing in the M.G.M. vault for seven years this same song went on to become one of the biggest hits of 1958. It ruled the U.S. charts for six weeks and the U.K. top forty for three. In Australia the song debuted at number forty and took over two months to wend it's way to the top for one week.This would be the only number one for this rhythm and blues singer, although he produced five more songs onto the Billboard charts in the following two years.

Answer: "It's All In The Game" - Tommy Edwards

"It's All In The Game"'s initial composer Charles Dawes later became Vice-President of the United States under the presidency of Calvin Coolidge.

"You Send Me" was Sam Cooke's first entry onto Billboard and went top for three weeks. But it remained his only top hit despite twenty nine appearances on the charts. Johnny Mathis' "Chances Are" went top in America for one week, to become his only number one as a solo artist, and reached number three in Australia. Ben E King's "Spanish Harlem" surprisingly did not do as well as expected for the former lead singer of the Drifters' solo debut song, and barely made the top ten in the U.S. and Australia.
7. A young North American singer/composer produced one of the biggest selling recordings in music history in 1957. He went on to have thirty three entries into Billboard which included thirteen top tens and three number ones. The song in question hit the American charts one day before his sixteenth birthday, and although staying on top for only one week there, it was huge in the U.K. and Australia with a nine and eight week dominance in those charts respectively. He had gone to New York, aged 14, and auditioned for Don Costa on ABC. The network was initially more interested in this young man's compositions than his singing but he soon showed that he excelled in both fields.

Answer: "Diana" - Paul Anka

Canadian-born singer Paul Anka put eight songs into the Billboard charts within the first two years of his career, starting with "Diana"- a song he wrote about a girl he knew. Outstanding compositions for other artists include "It Doesn't Matter Any More" for Buddy Holly and She's A Lady" for Tom Jones. Paul also added English lyrics to "My Way" for Frank Sinatra.

Bobby Darin's "Dream Lover" spent four weeks on top of the U.K. charts but only managed number two position in Australia and the U.S. Four months later Bobby's version of the old song "Mack The Knife" topped Billboard for nine weeks. Surprisingly, though, it proved to be his only number one in America even though ten of his twenty two entries made it into the top ten. "Venus" was top in the U.S. for five weeks on Billboard, to be by far Frankie Avalon's biggest hit, and it reached number one for two weeks in Australia. Mark Dinning's tragic tale of love, "Teen Angel", got to the top of Billboard for two weeks and was number four in Australia. His follow-up hit was a clever mix-up of events from the year 1960 called "Top Forty, News, Weather And Sports", but so much for my high opinion of it, it only reached number twelve in Australia.
8. Something very unusual occurred in early 1957 when a number one song on the Billboard charts was continued on - but by a different artist. A country singer/guitarist who was to go on to be one of the great performers in that field, went to the top of the charts for one week but was then displaced by another version of the same song which had entered the top 40 list a fortnight later. The "vanquished" act then became one of the biggest crossover hits of all time by heading the Billboard country music charts for nine weeks. The other version was performed by a young man pegged as a teen idol who took the song to the top of the American top 40 for six weeks. It then went on to the number one position in the U.K. for seven and in Australia for two weeks. This song also made a comeback in 1973 when yet another artist took it to the top in the U.K. for four weeks.

Answer: "Young Love" - Tab Hunter

Tab Hunter's "Young Love" was his only hit of significance and he concentrated more on movies and TV. His most memorable acting role was that of Joe Hardy in the movie "Damn Yankees" in 1958 and in which he was nominated for a Golden Laurel award for top male musical performance. A self titled TV show followed in 1960. Sonny James, also known as "The Southern Gentleman", because of his congenial personality, went on to spend a record fifty seven weeks on top of the country music charts between 1960 and 1979. "Young Love" received a real wake-up call in 1973 when Donny Osmond took it back to the top in the U.K. for a month.

Another country legend Conway Twitty took "It's Only Make Believe" to number one in the U.K. for five weeks and on Billboard for two. Guy Mitchell had moderate success with "Rock-A-Billy" getting the top position in the U.K. for one week and into the top ten in the U.S. and Australia, and Vic Damone had similar success with "On The Street Where You Live" from the Broadway musical "My Fair Lady".
9. In 1956 a very popular singer/actor/comedian scored the trifecta with a song co-written by Terry Gilkyson and backed by Terry Gilkyson And The Easyriders. This man was part of the entertainment scene for decades and was half of a successful comedy team for ten years. In his singing career his signature song came with his second and last number one hit eight years later, which was also the theme for his own TV show. The song in question went to the top of the Australian and U.S. charts for six weeks apiece, and headed the U.K. top 40 list for four weeks.

Answer: "Memories Are Made Of This" - Dean Martin

"Everybody Loves Somebody" went to the top of Billboard for one week in 1964, and was the theme for "The Dean Martin Show", which ran from 1965 to 1974. Many people assumed that "Dino"s career was over when he split with partner Jerry Lewis in 1956, but his singing ability and a foray into some popular western movies ensured the longevity of his career.

Johnnie Ray's smash hit "Just Walkin' In The Rain" topped the Australian charts for nine weeks and the U.K.'s for seven. In America it went within an ace of the treble by getting to number two for one week. "April Love" too, proved to be a huge hit in two of the countries by going top in both Australia and the U.S. for six weeks. "Hot Diggity" was one of four top tens put out by Perry Como in 1956 and reached number one in Australia for five weeks and was on top of Billboard for one.
10. A song which was written by a talented songwriter and son of a coalminer Merle Travis in 1946, became a major hit at the end of 1955. It was taken up an emerging popular country singer who was soon to be hosting his own TV variety show on NBC, and affectionately known as "The Old Pea Picker". He was also heavily involved in religious music and won a Grammy for his album "Great Gospel Songs". The song he sang to achieve the treble went top in America for eight weeks, in Australia for six and in the U.K. for four.

Answer: "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford

Tennessee Ernie earned many tributes and awards for his ongoing services to the music industry, and in 1984 was presented with the Presidential Medal Of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honour, by President Ronald Reagan. Popular bandleader Mitch Miller and his Orchestra took an old American civil war campfire song "The Yellow Rose Of Texas" to the top of the American and Australian charts for six weeks apiece, and Jim Lowe had "Green Door" at number one on both those charts for three and two weeks respectively. Andy Williams, with his third entry on the Billboard charts, scored his only number one in twenty seven attempts, overall, with "Butterfly" for three weeks.

The song scored a creditable number two on both the U.K. and Australian charts.
Source: Author muffin1708

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