Whose Line Was It Anyway? US Number One Hits 1956 Quiz

Answer: Dean Martin

"Memories Are Made of This" gave Dean Martin a number one hit for six weeks on the US pop chart in 1956. The song was his only UK number one hit and was top of the UK chart for four weeks the same year.

Dean Martin had a very successful ten year movie partnership with Jerry Lewis between 1946 and 1956. After the split, which was not very amicable, he had an even more successful solo career in movies, TV and music. His 1964 US number one hit "Everybody Loves Somebody" knocked The Beatles "A Hard Day's Night" off the top spot after only two weeks. He became a member of the so-called "Rat Pack" (the '60s version) with Frank Sinatra as the Chairman of the board.

Answer: Waltz

Kay Starr spent six weeks at the top of the US pop chart with "Rock and Roll Waltz" in 1956. It was number one for one week on the UK chart the same year.

Kay was the daughter of a full-blooded Iroquois Indian, and had sung with the Glen Miller and Bob Crosby bands. She had many solo hits in the US in the '40s and early '50s. She only made the US top ten once more with "My Heart Reminds Me", which reached number nine in 1957.

Answer: Elvis Presley

Who else could it be? Elvis Presley hit the top of the US pop chart with "Heartbreak Hotel" for eight weeks in 1956. It reached number two on the UK chart. Elvis has entered the building, this was the first of five US number one hits for Elvis this year. He wasn't the first Rock 'n' Roller in the chart, but he made the biggest shock wave (pity about the later movies). He was the King until The Beatles came along, but he never really lost the crown.

Pat Boone had a number four hit with "I'll Be Home" on the US pop chart in 1956. It reached number one for five weeks on the UK chart the same year. Carl Perkins had a number two hit with his original "Blue Suede Shoes" in 1956. It reached number ten on the UK chart the same year, sadly it was his only top ten hit on either chart. Roy Orbison and The Teen Kings reached number 59 with "Ooby Dooby" in 1956. It was his only US chart hit in the '50s. It never charted in the UK.

Answer: Boom

Perry Como spent one week at number one on the US pop chart with "Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)" in 1956. It reached number four on the UK chart. Yes, they don't write songs like that anymore, but I bet you can't resist singing the title at least.

Perry Como was one of the most popular entertainers worldwide in the '50s and '60s. Among his honors are five Emmy awards, three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement award in 2002.

Answer: The Wayward Wind

Gogi Grant had a number one for eight weeks with "The Wayward Wind" on the US pop chart in 1956. It reached number nine on the UK chart the same year. Not many singers are named after a restaurant but Myrtle Audrey Arinsberg was. She sang under the names of Audrey Brown and Audrey Grant, RCA A&R man Dave Kapp renamed her Gogi Grant after a place he liked to eat at called Gogi's LaRue.

"Wind in the Willow" was a number 53 hit for Jo Stafford on the US pop chart in 1957. It failed to chart in the UK. "The Summer Wind" was a number 25 hit for Frank Sinatra on the US pop chart in 1966. It reached number 36 on the UK chart the same year. "Windy" was a number one hit for Association on the US pop chart in 1967. It failed to chart in the UK.

Answer: I Almost Lost My Mind

Pat sang "I Almost Lost My Mind", but gained a number one hit for four weeks on the US pop chart in 1956. It reached number 14 on the UK chart the same year.

Pat was at it again with this song, recording a big R&B hit. Written and recorded by Ivory Joe Hunter, it was a number one hit for him on the US R&B chart in 1950. It has been recorded by artists of many musical genres such as, Eddie Cochran, Willie Nelson, Nat 'King' Cole, Fats Domino, Charlie Rich, Duane Eddy and Bill Haley and His Comets to name but a few. The alternate songs are all Pat Boone top ten hits on the US pop chart in 1956.

Answer: The Platters

The Platters had a number one hit for five weeks with "My Prayer" on the US pop chart in 1956. It reached number four on the UK chart the same year, then 28 and 22 in 1957. The Platters had many different members over the years and at one time there was more than one group using the name. They had four number one hits on the US pop chart during the '50s.

The Hilltoppers had a number 38 hit with "Ka-Ding-Dong" on the US pop chart in 1956. It failed to chart in the UK. The Chordettes had a number five hit with "Born To Be With You" on the US pop chart in 1956. It reached number eight on the UK chart the same year. The Four Lads had a number three hit with "Standing On The Corner" on the US pop chart in 1956. It reached number 34 on the UK chart in 1960.

Answer: Hound Dog

"Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog" was a double A-side number one hit for 11 weeks on the US pop chart for Elvis in 1956. Only "Hound Dog" made it to the UK chart and reached number two the same year.

"I Was The One" was the B-side of "Heartbreak Hotel" and reached number 19 on the US pop chart this year. "My Baby Left Me" was the B-side of "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" and reached number 31 on the US pop chart this year. "Any Way You Want Me (That's How I Will Be)" was the B-side of "Love Me Tender" and reached number 20 on the US pop chart this year.

Answer: Love Me Tender

"Love Me Tender" was the first single to have one million in advanced sales. It was number one for five weeks on the US pop chart in 1956. It reached number 11 on the UK chart the same year.

The alternate song titles are all from the movie "Love Me Tender" Some US chart debut year for Elvis this was, 17 records in the chart including singles, a double A-sided single, B-sides and E.P.s and five number one hits. He also scored two number one albums with his first two albums "Elvis Presley" which spent ten weeks at number one and "Elvis" which spent five weeks at number one.

Answer: Singing the Blues

"Singing the Blues" gave Guy Mitchell a ten week run at number one on the US pop chart in 1956. It reached number one on the UK chart for one week on three separate occasions in January and February 1957.

A version by Marty Robbins was number one on the Country & Western chart but only reached number 17 on the US pop chart. It did not chart in the UK. England's answer to Elvis Presley, Tommy Steele (I kid you not) reached number one with the song on the UK chart in 1956. The three alternate song titles were all Guy Mitchell US & UK chart hits.