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Quiz about Top 40 Radio V  PreBeatles
Quiz about Top 40 Radio V  PreBeatles

Top 40 Radio V - Pre-Beatles Trivia Quiz


Contrary to popular belief there was a lot of great music before 1964. Before "niche programming", we had Top 40 radio providing everything you could think of. Perhaps you remember these.

A multiple-choice quiz by JRooowe. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
JRooowe
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
358,023
Updated
Jul 18 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
563
Last 3 plays: Guest 109 (6/10), Guest 110 (4/10), Guest 172 (4/10).
Question 1 of 10
1. Just what was veteran actor Walter Brennan looking for when he sang/talked a hit record back in 1960? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Back in 1958 the Kingston Trio sang about "the man who never returned." Who was that poor fellow? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. You just don't see them around these days. Who wanted you to put another nickel in the Nickelodeon way back in 1950? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. According to the Elvis classic hit, who was "the cutest little jailbird I ever did see?" Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. In all of 1957 only one female vocalist made it to Number One on the Billboard Pop charts. Who was it that nailed the top spot with her song from a hit movie? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. We've all heard about "the day the music died." But, just how many solo Number One US Billboard Hot 100 hits did Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Richie Valens have, combined? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. What in the world was Way Out Willie doing with Rockin' Billie? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Before going solo, Dion had a string of hit records as lead singer of Dion and the Belmonts. Whatever happened to those guys? Never mind. The real question is which of these guys was one of The Belmonts? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Her first hit... and it was a big one. In fact, she was the youngest female vocalist to ever hit the Number One spot on the Billboard Charts. Who was that girl? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Top 40 radio was certainly diverse in 1963. Along with Little Stevie Wonder, The Singing Nun, and the Four Seasons we also had the first (and only) Number One hit sung in Japanese. The singer was later killed in a plane crash. His song "Sukiyaki" topped the charts for three weeks. Who was the singer? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 09 2024 : Guest 109: 6/10
Feb 12 2024 : Guest 110: 4/10
Jan 31 2024 : Guest 172: 4/10
Jan 31 2024 : Hayes1953: 3/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Just what was veteran actor Walter Brennan looking for when he sang/talked a hit record back in 1960?

Answer: Dutchman's Gold

Multi-Oscar winner Brennan reached Number 30 on the Billboard Charts with this one. Two years later he made the national Top Ten with another spoken effort... the emotional "Old Rivers." Brennan won the very first Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role in the 1936 film "Come and Get It."
2. Back in 1958 the Kingston Trio sang about "the man who never returned." Who was that poor fellow?

Answer: Charlie

Charly was riding on the M.T.A. when the fare changed. He had no money on him so was unable to exit. "He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston... he's the man who never returned." Fifty-plus years after this song there is still a version of the Kingston Trio performing. There are no original members in the group.
3. You just don't see them around these days. Who wanted you to put another nickel in the Nickelodeon way back in 1950?

Answer: Theresa Brewer

"Cause all I want is loving you and 'Music, Music, Music'." It was her first solo record and it was a Number One hit. In 1956 Theresa recorded a song with baseball legend Mickey Mantle. The perfectly awful song was titled "I Love Mickey." It was a minor hit.
4. According to the Elvis classic hit, who was "the cutest little jailbird I ever did see?"

Answer: Number 3

In Elvis' 1957 Number One hit "Jailhouse Rock" it was "Number 47" who had an eye on Number 3. Having not seen a mug shot, we can't say one way or another. This was Elvis' NINTH Number One hit in under two years.
5. In all of 1957 only one female vocalist made it to Number One on the Billboard Pop charts. Who was it that nailed the top spot with her song from a hit movie?

Answer: Debbie Reynolds

Debbie's movie-theme of "Tammy" (from "Tammy and the Bachelor") replaced Elvis' "Teddy Bear" after his seven week run at the top. The Ames Brothers also had a Top Ten hit with "Tammy." During her long career Debbie was nominated for an Oscar, an Emmy and a Tony.
6. We've all heard about "the day the music died." But, just how many solo Number One US Billboard Hot 100 hits did Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Richie Valens have, combined?

Answer: None

The only time any of them spent at Number One was when Buddy Holly sang "That'll Be the Day" as a member of The Crickets. As a solo artist Holly only had four Top 40 hits. Big Bopper and Valens each only made it into the Top 40 twice. Holly and The Big Bopper had no songs in the Billboard Top 100 at the time of their fatal plane crash. The plane was NOT named "American Pie".
7. What in the world was Way Out Willie doing with Rockin' Billie?

Answer: The Hand Jive

According to the 1958 Johnny Otis hit the "Hand Jive" was all over town. Uncle Joe, Sister Flo, babies, everybody was doing it. Way Out Willie was doing it with Rockin' Billie. Bandleader Otis is credited with discovering such talents as Etta James, Big Mama Thornton and Jackie Wilson.
8. Before going solo, Dion had a string of hit records as lead singer of Dion and the Belmonts. Whatever happened to those guys? Never mind. The real question is which of these guys was one of The Belmonts?

Answer: Fred Milano

It was Fred Milano who lived on Belmont Avenue in The Bronx (from which they got their name). The other three guys listed were professional wrestlers who plied their trade in the New York City area in the late '50s. Before the Beatles arrived in early '64, Dion had 13 Top 40 hits... the Belmonts only two.
9. Her first hit... and it was a big one. In fact, she was the youngest female vocalist to ever hit the Number One spot on the Billboard Charts. Who was that girl?

Answer: Little Peggy March

In April of 1963, at the age of 14, Peggy hit the top of the charts with "I Will Follow Him." It also made it to the top in Australia, Japan, Scandinavia and South Africa. She had limited U.S. success following IWFH, but in Germany Peggy remained a star; she racked up over 20 Top 20 hits there! Laurie London was a thirteen year old English boy who had a hit record with "He's Got the Whole World In His Hands."
10. Top 40 radio was certainly diverse in 1963. Along with Little Stevie Wonder, The Singing Nun, and the Four Seasons we also had the first (and only) Number One hit sung in Japanese. The singer was later killed in a plane crash. His song "Sukiyaki" topped the charts for three weeks. Who was the singer?

Answer: Kyu Sakamoto

Kyu was only 43 when he was killed in the 1985 crash of Japan Airline Flight 123. It was the deadliest single-aircraft accident in aviation history with 15 crewmen and 515 passengers killed. In 1999 Japan Post issued a stamp commemorating Kyu and "Sukiyaki." Hideo Nomo was a pitcher for several major league teams.
Source: Author JRooowe

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony 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

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