That Was The Year That Was: Pop Music 1966 Quiz

Answer: The Sound Of Silence

"The Sound Of Silence" was written by Paul Simon. It was number one for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for Simon & Garfunkel in 1966. It did not chart in the UK.

Originally "The Sounds of Silence, it was recorded in 1964 for the album "Wednesday Morning, 3 AM". The album stalled in 1964 but "The Sound Of Silence" was picking up airplay. In 1965 without telling Simon & Garfunkel, the record's producer, Tom Wilson, remixed it with Al Gorgoni and Vinnie Bell on guitar, Bob Bushnell on bass and Bobby Gregg on drums. The album "Wednesday Morning, 3 AM" peaked at number 30 on the Billboard album chart in 1966.

In 1965 Paul Simon was performing solo in Denmark when he acquired a copy of Billboard and saw that "The Sound Of Silence" had entered the Billboard Hot 100. Later when he actually heard the single he was not happy with the remix. Art Garfunkel on the other hand was not too unhappy. I bet they both enjoyed receiving the royalties later, especially Simon who also received the songwriter's percentage.

Answer: We Can Work It Out

"We Can Work It Out" was written by Lennon/McCartney. It was number one for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Beatles in 1966. It was number one as a double A-Side with "Day Tripper" written by Lennon/McCartney, for five weeks on the UK singles chart the same year.

"We Can Work It Out" was the last of six consecutive number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100, the other five being "I Feel Fine" (number one for three weeks in 1964), "Eight Days A Week" (number one for two weeks in 1965), "Ticket To Ride" (number one for one week in 1965), "Help!" (number one for three weeks in 1965) and "Yesterday" (number one for four weeks in 1965).

In the UK John Lennon favoured releasing "Day Tripper" as the A-Side but in the end it was released as The Beatles first double A-Side single in the UK. It became The Beatles' fastest selling single since "Can't Buy Me Love" and sold in excess of 1,300,000 copies in the UK alone.

Answer: Staff Sergeant

"The Ballad Of The Green Berets" was written by Robin Moore/Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler. It was number one for five weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler in 1966. It peaked at number 24 on the UK singles chart the same year.

Against the prevailing trend of protests in the US against the war in Vietnam, this rare at the time, pro military song was named Billboard's number one single for the year 1966. The tune is from a traditional American folk song, "The Butcher Boy". The lyrics were written in honor of Green Beret US Army Specialist 5 James Gabriel Jr. He was the first native Hawaiian to die in Vietnam; he was killed by the Viet Cong while on a training mission with the South Vietnamese Army on April 8 1962.

Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler had his own tragedy in 1988; he was shot in the head while sitting in a cab in Guatemala City, where he had moved in the mid-80s. It is not clear whether he accidentally shot himself or was shot by someone else. He was moved to various hospitals in the US but never recovered from his injury and died of cardiac arrest in 1989 aged 49.

Answer: Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass

In 1966 while the British invasion was still going on but faltering, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass made a fight back. They had five albums simultaneously in the Top 20 and four albums simultaneously in the Top Ten of the Billboard album chart. At number two was "!!Going Places!!", at number three was "Whipped Cream & Other Delights", at number nine was "South Of The Border", at number ten was "Lonely Bull" and at number 20 was "Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, Volume 2".

Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass also had three Top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 this year, "Zorba The Greek" (number 11), "The Work Song" (number 18) and "Mame" (number 19). In 1966 Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass sold in excess of 13,000,000 records, outselling even The Beatles. Having five albums simultaneously in the Top 20 of the Billboard album chart had never been done before but having four albums simultaneously in the Top Ten had been done previously. It was achieved by The Kingston Trio in 1959.

Answer: No British artists had a Top Ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100

For the first time since 18 January 1964, no British artists had a Top Ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 of Saturday 23 April 1966. This brought to an end a run of 117 consecutive weeks of Top Ten hits by British artists on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Billboard Top Ten on 23 April 1966 was:

1. "(You're My) Soul And Inspiration" - The Righteous Brothers
2. "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" - Cher
3. "Secret Agent Man" - Johnny Rivers
4. "Daydream" - The Lovin' Spoonful
5. "Time Won't Let Me" - The Outsiders
6. "Good Lovin'" - The Young Rascals
7. "Kicks" - Paul Revere & The Raiders
8. "Sloop John B" - The Beach Boys
9. "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" - B. J. Thomas And The Triumphs
10. "Monday, Monday" - The Mamas & The Papas

Answer: Monday, Monday

"Monday, Monday" was written by John Phillips. It was number one for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Mamas & The Papas in 1966. It peaked at number three on the UK singles chart the same year.

Formed in Los Angeles in 1965 The Mamas & The Papas were Denny Doherty (born 1940), Cass Elliot (born 1941), John Phillips (born 1935) and Michelle Phillips (born 1944). Between 1966 and 1967 they had seven Top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, six of which were Top Ten hits and one, "Monday, Monday" was their only US number one hit. The group disbanded in 1968.

In the UK they had four Top 20 hits on the singles chart, three of which made the Top Ten. In 1997 the re-issue of "California Dreamin'" peaked at number nine on the UK singles chart. Mama Cass died of a heart attack in London, UK, on 29 July 1974 aged 32. John Phillips died of heart failure in Los Angeles, USA, on 18 March 2001 aged 65. Denny Doherty died of an abdominal aortic aneurysm in Mississauga, Canada, on 19 January 2007 aged 66.

Answer: Judas

Many have claimed to be the guy that shouted "Judas" when Bob Dylan started his electric set when performing at the Manchester Free Trade Hall on 17 May 1966. It was in fact John Cordwell who at the time was a law-student in Manchester, England, in 1966.

British broadcaster Andy Kershaw was determined to find the person responsible for the heckle. Kershaw discounted the claims of Canadian Keith Butler who had travelled to England to claim it was him. Receiving an e-mail from John Cordwell in Cumbria, England, Kershaw went to meet him in the King's Arms pub in Salford, Manchester, in 1999. Kershaw confirmed it was indeed Cordwell that had heckled Dylan 33 years previously.

The concert at the Manchester Free Trade Hall was officially released in 1998 on Columbia records.

Answer: The Rolling Stones

"Paint It, Black" was written by Mick Jagger/Keith Richards. It was number one for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Rolling Stones in 1966. It was number one for one week on the UK singles chart the same year.

"Paint It, Black" was The Rolling Stones' third number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and their sixth number one hit on the UK singles chart. All of their US '60s hits were on the London record label and all of their '60s UK hits were on the Decca record label. "Paint It, Black" was included on the US version of the album "Aftermath" which peaked at number two on the Billboard album chart in 1966. It was not included on the UK version of the album which was number one for eight weeks on the UK album chart the same year. It was their first album to consist entirely of Mick Jagger/Keith Richards compositions.

Answer: Frank Sinatra

"Strangers In The Night" was written by Bert Kaempfert/Charles Singleton/Eddie Snyder. It was number one for one week on the Billboard Hot 100 for Frank Sinatra in 1966. It was number one for three weeks on the UK singles chart the same year.

"Learnin' The Blues" entered the Billboard chart on the 7 May 1955 and reached the top spot on the 9 July 1955. Exactly 11 years later "Strangers In The Night" entered the Billboard chart on the 7 May 1966 and reached the top spot on the 2 July 1966. Although Sinatra did not like "Strangers In The Night" it gave him his first number one hit for 11 years and it was the lead track on the album "Strangers In The Night" that he made with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra. Despite the album's success it would the final album Sinatra performed with long-time arranger/conductor Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra who had also played on "Learnin' The Blues" 11 years previously.

Answer: Bobby Fuller

"I Fought The Law" was written by member of the Crickets Sonny Curtis. It peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Bobby Fuller Four in 1966. It peaked at number 33 on the UK singles chart the same year.

The Bobby Fuller Four were formed in El Paso, Texas, USA, in 1962. After some personnel changes they were, by 1963, Bobby Fuller (lead vocal, guitar), Randy Fuller (bass guitar), DeWayne Quirico (Drums) and Jim Reese (guitar). Their biggest hit and only Billboard Top 20 hit "I Fought The Law" was originally released in 1964 as by Bobby Fuller. Less than six months later on 18 July 1966 at the age of 23, Bobby Fuller was found dead in an car parked outside his Hollywood apartment. The circumstances of his death were suspicious and he may have been murdered. Suspects have ranged from Charles Manson to the LAPD but no charges have ever been brought.

Answer: Candlestick Park

The Beatles performed their last live concert at Candlestick Park on the 29 Aug 1966.

1966 was not a good year on the road for The Fab Four. After a perceived snub of the first family in the Philippines their security was withdrawn and they barely made it out of the country in one piece. Then John Lennon made the now famous "More popular than Jesus" statement and all hell broke loose in America before their tour. Burnings, boycotts and bullets followed, burning of Beatles records and memorabilia, boycott of their performances and even bullet holes were found in the fuselage of their tour plane. On top of that they could not hear themselves play in large stadiums and their musicianship was suffering. It wasn't fun anymore and so they played the final song of their final show of their final tour, Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally".

Answer: Last Train To Clarksville

"Last Train To Clarksville" was written by Tommy Boyce/Bobby Hart. It was number one for one week on the Billboard Hot for The Monkees in 1966. It peaked at number 23 on the UK singles chart in 1967.

The Monkees, who formed after auditions for a TV show were: Mickey Dolenz (drums, vocals), born George Michael Dolenz, Jr. in Los Angeles, California, USA, in 1945; Davy Jones (vocals), born David Thomas Jones in Openshaw, Manchester, England, in 1945; Michael Nesmith (guitar, vocals) born Robert Michael Nesmith in Houston, Texas, USA, in 1942; and Peter Tork (bass, vocals) born Peter Halsten Thorkelson in Washington, D. C. USA, in 1942.

"Last Train To Clarksville" was their first hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and the first of three number one hits between 1966 and 1967. The TV show ran for 58 episodes over two seasons between 1966 and 1968. The idea for the show was based on The Beatles' 1964 movie "A Hard Day's Night".

Answer: The Ronettes

"I Can Hear Music" was written by Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich/Phil Spector. It peaked at number 100 on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Ronettes in 1966. It did not chart in the UK.

The Darling Sisters were formed in the '50s and they were Estelle Bennett, Veronica Bennett, Diane Linton, Elaine Mayes and Nedra Talley. By the time they had signed for the Colpix record label in 1961 Diane Linton and Elaine Mayes had left the group. As a trio they became Ronnie and the Relatives who morphed into The Ronettes. After having no success with Colpix they signed for Phil Spector's record label, Philles Records in 1963. For all their lasting fame which is mostly due to the Spector connection, they only had one Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It was their first chart hit "Be My Baby", which peaked at number two in 1963. It peaked at number four on the UK singles chart. They had another Top 20 hit in the UK when "Baby I Love You" peaked at number 11 in 1964. It peaked at number 24 in the US.

Answer: The Supremes

"You Keep Me Hangin' On" was written by Holland/Dozier/Holland, (who else). It was number one for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Supremes in 1966. It peaked at number eight on the UK singles chart the same year.

The Supremes had their eighth number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 this year. They were "Where Did Our Love Go" (two weeks in 1964), "Baby Love" (four weeks in 1964), "Come See About Me" (two weeks in 1964), "Stop! In The Name Of Love" (two weeks in 1965), "Back In My Arms Again" (one week in 1965), "I Hear A Symphony" (two weeks in 1965), "You Can't Hurry Love" (two weeks in 1966) and "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (two weeks in 1966). All eight US number one hits were written by Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/Eddie Holland. During this period of their success The Supremes were Florence Ballard (born 1943), Diana Ross (born 1944) and Mary Wilson (born 1944).

Answer: False

At the Ninth Annual Grammy Awards in 1967 The New Vaudeville Band won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary (Rock and Roll) Recording of 1966 for "Winchester Cathedral" written by Geoff Stephens. It was number one for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for The New Vaudeville Band in 1966. It peaked at number four on the UK singles chart the same year.

The other nominations were:

The Association for "Cherish"
The Beach Boys for "Good Vibrations"
The Beatles for "Eleanor Rigby"
The Mamas & The Papas for "Monday, Monday"
The Monkees for "Last Train To Clarksville"

"Winchester Cathedral" beat all of them, give me a break!