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Top 40 Radio I - Pre-Beatles Trivia Quiz

Yes, there was Top 40 radio before The Beatles arrived. You could get Perry Como, Little Richard, The Singing Nun, Johnny Cash and so much more. Perhaps you remember some of these. All chart Info is U.S. Billboard Top 100 Pop Charts.

A multiple-choice quiz by JRooowe. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
JRooowe

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
343,402

Updated
Jul 18 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
988

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 99 (5/10), Guest 24 (6/10), crossesq (7/10).

One at a Time - Single Page

Question 1 of 10

1. Back in '59 his mother told him "Don't Take Your Gun to Town". But the lad didn't listen and paid the price. Who was this foolish boy? Hint

Ira Hayes

Billy Joe

Tom Dooley

Young Jesse James

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. "Oh, I wonder wonder wonder wonder who. Who wrote the book of love?" Well-- who is it? Hint

The Monotones

The Wonder Who

Harper Lee

Harvey and The Moonglows

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Question 3 of 10

3. Instrumentals seemed to be a lot more popular "back in the day." In 1962 "Midnight In Moscow" almost made it to the top of the charts. Say... who made that record anyway? Hint

The George Soros Orchestra

Preston Epps

The Yakov Smirnoff Express

Kenny Ball

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Question 4 of 10

4. It was '61 and Sue Thompson had a big crush on Norman. She was turning down dates all over the place. She even turned down Joey! Where did Joey want to take Sue on a date? Hint

movies and a shake

the Heidi Hotel

out to skate

a day at the lake

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. Starting in 1958, which fellow made the Top 40 five years in a row with his only hit... a seasonal favorite? Hint

Boris Yeltsin

Bobby "Boris" Pickett

Harry Simeone

Wilson Pickett

6. If Elvis was the "King Of Rock 'n Roll" this teen age idol would have to be the Prince. Prior to the beginning of the "British Invasion" he had sixteen Top Ten hits; afterwards... one. Who was he? Hint

Roy Orbison

Ricky Nelson

Bobby Darin

Buddy Holly

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. Before being replaced by Elvis' "Stuck On You", this Toronto-born entertainer held down the Number One spot for nine weeks in 1960. Who was he? Hint

Ray Charles

Paul Anka

Percy Faith

Kyu Sakamoto

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Over five years before becoming rock and roll mega-stars in the early '60s, the Four Seasons had a minor hit under another name. What was it? Hint

The Four-Evers

The Valley Boys

Frank and Steinborn

The Four Lovers

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. Lots of grief and untimely endings in those Top 40 tunes. Which of these hits did NOT involve the death of a loved one? Hint

Running Bear

Endless Sleep

The Three Bells

Patches

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Question 10 of 10

10. This harmonica playing singer exploded onto the music scene with a Number One record in the summer of '63. He wouldn't have another Number One for over nine years. Who was he? Hint

Johnny Cash

Bob Dylan

Stevie Wonder

Jerry Murad

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Most Recent Scores

Apr 16 2024 : Guest 99: 5/10
Apr 02 2024 : Guest 24: 6/10
Mar 30 2024 : crossesq: 7/10
Mar 29 2024 : Fred68: 5/10
Mar 27 2024 : Segrove15: 7/10
Mar 09 2024 : Guest 109: 5/10
Mar 08 2024 : Guest 73: 7/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Back in '59 his mother told him "Don't Take Your Gun to Town". But the lad didn't listen and paid the price. Who was this foolish boy?

Answer: Billy Joe

"Don't Take Your Gun to Town" was Johnny Cash's first Top 40 Pop Chart hit on Columbia Records. He would spend 28 years with the label selling massive amounts of records... including eight Number One LPs.

2. "Oh, I wonder wonder wonder wonder who. Who wrote the book of love?" Well-- who is it?

Answer: The Monotones

Monotones... one tone and one hit. This was their only hit, but it made the Top Ten in mid-1958. The Four Seasons had a hit under the name "Wonder Who." Harvey and the Moonglows gave us "The Ten Commandments of Love". Harper Lee wrote a book... something about birds I think...

3. Instrumentals seemed to be a lot more popular "back in the day." In 1962 "Midnight In Moscow" almost made it to the top of the charts. Say... who made that record anyway?

Answer: Kenny Ball

"Midnight..." peaked out at Number Two and was Ball's only entry in the U.S. Top 40. He was quite a bit more popular in his native England, where he had over a dozen hit records. Yakov Smirnoff is a comedian... In Russia you don't listen to the radio.. the radio listens to you!

4. It was '61 and Sue Thompson had a big crush on Norman. She was turning down dates all over the place. She even turned down Joey! Where did Joey want to take Sue on a date?

Answer: out to skate

"Norman" was Sue's biggest hit. Released in late 1961, it reached Number Three in early '62 and was her last Top Ten hit. In 2011 Sue was inducted into the "Las Vegas Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." No... really.

5. Starting in 1958, which fellow made the Top 40 five years in a row with his only hit... a seasonal favorite?

Answer: Harry Simeone

The Christmas classic "The Little Drummer Boy" was the only hit for The Harry Simeone Chorale. It never charted higher than Number 13 but has been a holiday staple for over 50 years. Bobby Pickett's hit "Monster Mash" reached Number One in 1962 and made the Top 10 again in 1973. It was his only hit of any size. No... Boris Yeltsin did NOT record "Midnight In Moscow".

6. If Elvis was the "King Of Rock 'n Roll" this teen age idol would have to be the Prince. Prior to the beginning of the "British Invasion" he had sixteen Top Ten hits; afterwards... one. Who was he?

Answer: Ricky Nelson

Having "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" TV show to showcase his records certainly didn't hurt his career. Without actual singing talent, though, a TV showcase doesn't always work; heard any Anson Williams songs lately? He had the talent though, and it's quite possible that his huge fan base carried the show for the last few years.

When he switched record companies in 1963, both Decca and Imperial rushed to release his records and he ended up with 10 chart hits that year.

7. Before being replaced by Elvis' "Stuck On You", this Toronto-born entertainer held down the Number One spot for nine weeks in 1960. Who was he?

Answer: Percy Faith

The song was "Theme From A Summer Place." Percy was no stranger to the Number One spot; in 1952 he reached it with "Delicado" and in 1953 he topped the charts for ten weeks with "The Song From Moulin Rouge". His plans of a career as a concert pianist were ended when, at age eighteen, his hands were damaged in a fire.

8. Over five years before becoming rock and roll mega-stars in the early '60s, the Four Seasons had a minor hit under another name. What was it?

Answer: The Four Lovers

In 1956 the lads reached Number 62 with "You're the Apple Of My Eye." Very raw compared to the harmonies to come. Listen to this and then to "Little Darlin'" which charted eight months later by The Diamonds. The Four-Evers had a minor hit in mid-1964 with "Be My Girl"... which was a fairly well-done knock off of the Four Seasons sound.

9. Lots of grief and untimely endings in those Top 40 tunes. Which of these hits did NOT involve the death of a loved one?

Answer: Endless Sleep

Running Bear (and his gal Little White Dove), Jimmy "Three Bells" Brown, and Patches were done for by the time their records ended. At the end of "Endless Sleep" Jody Reynolds averted the tragic ending when he saved his suicide-bent girl "from an angry sea." Jody brought this classic to Number Five in mid 1958.

10. This harmonica playing singer exploded onto the music scene with a Number One record in the summer of '63. He wouldn't have another Number One for over nine years. Who was he?

Answer: Stevie Wonder

Thirteen year old Stevie's 1963 hit was "Fingertips - Pt 2". He had eleven more Top Ten hits before reaching Number One again with "Superstition" in early '73. Stevie won an Oscar for his song "I Just Called To Say I Love You" from the 1985 film "The Lady In Red."

Source: Author JRooowe

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor kyleisalive before going online.
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Related Quizzes

This quiz is part of series My Top 40 Radio Quiz collection:

One great thing about "Top 40" radio was the variety. In the same hour you could get Elvis, The Drifters, the Singing Nun, Bobby Vee-Darin-Vinton AND Rydell. These quizzes cover the Top 40 years before the British Invasion.

  1. Top 40 Radio I - Pre-Beatles Difficult
  2. Top 40 Radio II - Pre-Beatles Tough
  3. Top 40 Radio III - Pre-Beatles Tough
  4. Top 40 Radio IV - Novelty Tunes Average
  5. Top 40 Radio V - Pre-Beatles Average