Sounds Of The Sixties Rewound Part 45 Quiz

Answer: Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder was aged just 16 when he wrote the music for "I Was Made To Love Her". In 1967 it reached number two on the US Hot 100 and number five in the UK. This was Wonder's fifth US top ten of the 1960s.

In an article "The 50 greatest male R&b singers of all time" IMDb placed Wonder at number two.

The Beach Boys, Jimi Hendrix, Boyz II Men, and Whitney Houston were among those to cover the song.

Answer: Sam Cooke

In 1960, "Chain Gang" was a Hot 100 number two and reached number nine in the UK.
Cooke wrote the song after seeing a chain gang of prisoners working at the side of a road.

Answer: Johnny Burnette

In 1960,"Dreamin'" reached number five in the UK and number 11 on the Hot 100.
Born in Mississippi, Burnette turned to music when he and his brother Dorsey formed a trio with Paul Burlison.

In 1956 the trio auditioned for "Ted Mack's Amateur Hour" in New York City and won the contest three weeks in a row.

Answer: Louis Armstrong

British record buyers liked "What A Wonderful World" much better than Americans, it was a UK number one in 1967, but only made 116 that year in the USA. It was to take a re-release in 1988 for Americans to "get it", hitting number 32.

The first recording to feature Armstrong was in 1923, and it has been estimated he made over1,000 releases. (Some of them were alternative versions of the same track.). The last release in his lifetime was in 1971.

In 2022, 'Smooth Radio' in the UK listed Louis Armstrong's ten best songs ever, ranked, and put "What A Wonderful World" at number one.

It is interesting to look at some of those other tracks that became famous with other artists: "Dream a Little Dream of Me"became a hit for Cass Elliott; "St. James Infirmary Blues" was recorded by the likes of The Doors, The White Stripes, Aro Guthrie and Dave Van Ronk; "'When the Saints Go Marching In' was covered by Elvis Presley and Dolly Parton, among others: 'Mack the Knife' was a huge hit for Bobby Darin.

Answer: Val Doonican

Val Doonican was a product of the Irish showband era and eventually became a successful singer and television presenter in Great Britain.

"Walk Tall" was written by the US country singer/songwriter Don Wayne. Val Doonican had a UK number three hit with it in 1964. A year later, Faron Young took it to number ten on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.

Answer: Petula Clark

"This Is My Song" was written by Charlie Chaplin for a 1966 movie.


Petula Clark had successful career throughout Europe and recorded the song in French, Italian, and German, as well as English. The English version topped the UK charts charts in 1967. It also reached number one in Australia and Ireland and was a top ten across Europe and made number four in Canada and number two on the US Adult Contemporary chart.

Although her first single came out in 1949, it was not until the 1960s that she had her first chart entry. Her latest before this quiz was in 2011 when Irish band The Saw Doctors (well worth tracking down if you haven't already) covered "Downtown" with Clark and had a number two in Ireland.

Answer: The Beatles

The Fab Four had a US number one and UK number two with "Penny Lane" in 1967.

There is a real street called Penny Lane in Liverpool, thought to have been named after a local slave ship owner. There was a move to rename the street because of this, but Liverpool City Council reasoned that it was better known for its association to The Beatles than to any historical figure. Paul McCartney was the main writer.

Fun fact: If you add up all the Beatles songwriting royalties earned by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, Lennon and his estate have earned more from McCartney songs than McCartney has from Lennon songs. Imagine that.

Answer: The Hollies

"Listen To Me" was the last single from The Hollies before Graham Nash jumped ship. It reached number 12 in the UK in 1968, but failed to make the Hot 100 in the USA.

Answer: The Swinging Blue Jeans

People often associate Liverpool's Cavern Club mostly with The Beatles, but a host of other bands played there too, including The Swinging Blue Jeans.
"Good Golly Miss Molly" was a 1958 hit for Little Richard. In 1964, The Swinging Blue Jeans had a UK number 43.

The SBJ had several hits in the 1960s, but the last was in 1966. They embarked on the nostalgia circuit playing 1960s songs to those who remember them and those who grew to love the era.

By the way, the Cavern Club is still operating. It bills itself as 'The Most Famous Club In The World'. It has a regular rota of singers, including (naturally) Beatles cover bands.

Answer: Jimmy Jones

Jimmy Jones had a 1960 UK number one and US number three with "Good Timin'". That song made him the first black artist to sell more than one million singles in the UK.

Jimmy Jones had had a hit with "Handy Man" in 1959, but had lessening success as the 1960s progressed. An obituary in 'The Independent' newspaper noted "Some of his records were dire..." He also had problems with his manager - who seemed to hold on to most of the earnings from Jones's songs.

Answer: Herman's Hermits

"I'm Into Something Good" was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and was modest hit in the US for Earl-Jean in 1964.

In December of that year it was the debut single for Herman's Hermits and reached number one on the charts in the UK and number 13 in the USA. This was to be their only UK number one, but they were to have two in the USA.

Answer: The Walker Brothers

"Make It Easy On Yourself" was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and was first recorded by Jerry Butler in 1962. Dionne Warwick also made a demo of it, but her record company would not take it on.

In 1965, The Walker Brothers took it to the top of the UK charts.

In a 2018 obituary of Scott Walker, the 'Financial Times' reported: "It's Scott Walker's radiant reading that remains the gold standard for this timeless classic. In later years, as he turned to cerebral art-rock, Walker hoped his music could "say the unsayable". Yet it was "Make It Easy on Yourself", decades earlier, that was his true inarticulate speech of the heart."

Answer: The Rolling Stones

"It's All Over Now" was first recorded by The Valentonos, but the Stones heard it while touring the US and released a cover that topped the UK charts and made number 26 in the US. It was the first number one for the Stones.

The song was written by Bobby Womack and his sister-in-law Shirley Womack. Bobby Womack was said to have initially been upset to hear a white group singing a black R&B song.

Answer: Neil Sedaka

Neil Sedaka wrote this for Carole King. They had been in high school together, when she used her birth name Carol Klein.

Although released in November 1959, it was a number three on the UK charts in April 1960.

Answer: The Lemon Pipers

In 1967 The Lemon Pipers had a US number one hit with "Green Tambourine". This was a song about a street busker who used a tambourine to collect money as he sang. The song reached number seven in the UK.

This was the only hit for The Lemon Pipers.