Whose Line Was It Anyway? UK Number One Hits 1976 Quiz

Answer: ABBA

"Mamma Mia" was written by Benny Andersson/Bjorn Ulvaeus/Stig Anderson. It was number one for two weeks on the UK singles chart for ABBA in 1976. It peaked at number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

"Mamma Mia" was a track on the third album released by ABBA, the self titled "ABBA" (not released in the UK until 1992) and not due to be released as a single. After pressure from an Australian record company it was released and spent ten weeks at number one there. In the UK Epic records then released "Mamma Mia" which became ABBA's second UK number one hit and the second of 18 consecutive UK Top Ten hits.

"Dreamgirls" (2006) was based on the singing group The Supremes starring Jamie Foxx and Beyonce Knowles, directed by Bill Condon.
"Across The Universe" (2007) was based on the music of The Beatles starring Evan Rachel Wood and Jim Sturges, directed by Julie Taymor.
"Mamma Mia!" (2008) was based on the music of ABBA starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, directed by Phyllida Lloyd.
"Jersey Boys" (2014) was based on the the singing group The 4 Seasons starring Vincent Piazza and John Lloyd Young, directed by Clint Eastwood.

Answer: December

"December '63 (Oh What A Night)" was written by Bob Gaudio/Judy Parker. It was number one for two weeks on the UK singles chart for The 4 Seasons in 1976. It was number one for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

"December '63 (Oh What A Night)" was the fifth number one hit for The 4 Seasons on the Billboard Hot 100 but amazingly it was the first and only number one for them on the UK singles chart. Tommy DeVito, Bob Gaudio, Nick Massi and Frankie Valli were the members of the group on their first four US number one hits, "Sherry" (1962), "Big Girls Don't Cry" (1962), "Walk Like A Man" (1963) and "Rag Doll" (1964).

In 1975 Frankie Valli had a solo number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with "My Eyes Adored You". It was actually recorded by The 4 Seasons but the owner of Valli's new record label, Private Stock Records, insisted that only Frankie Valli's name be on the record label. By the time "December '63 (Oh What A Night)" was released, Frankie Valli was the only original member of The 4 Seasons left; he sang on the record but was not the lead vocal.

Answer: Save Your Kisses For Me

"Save Your Kisses For Me" was written by Tony Hiller/Lee Sheriden/Martin Lee. It was number one for six weeks on the UK singles chart for The Brotherhood Of Man in 1976. It peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

The Brotherhood Of Man line up changed a lot since the group were created by songwriter/record producer Tony Hiller in 1969. The group originally featured Hiller's co-writer John Goodison with Tony Burrows, Sue Glover, Roger Greenaway and Sunny Leslie. Later there was a frequently changing line up of singers which included Hal Atkinson and Russell Stone.

The line up at the time "Save Your Kisses For Me" was recorded was Martin Lee, Lee Sheriden, Nicky Stevens and Sandra Stevens (no relation). The song won the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest held in The Hague, Netherlands, with 164 points, which was then a record score. The group had two more number one hits on the UK singles chart with "Angelo" in 1977 and "Figaro" in 1978.

Answer: Combine Harvester

"The Combine Harvester (Brand New Key)" was written by Melanie Safka as "Brand New Key". It was number one for three weeks on the UK singles chart for The Wurzels in 1976. It did not chart in the US.

The Wurzels were formed by Alan John Cutler in 1966 as Adge Cutler and The Wurzels. The original Wurzels were Reg Chant, John Macey, Reg Quantrill and Brian Walker. Adge Cutler was killed in 1974 when he fell asleep at the wheel of his car in Chepstow, Wales, when returning from a gig in Hereford, England. The three members of The Wurzels at the time of this number one hit were Tommy Banner, Tony Baylis and Pete Budd.

Wurzel may be short for Mangelwurzel, a crop grow mainly to feed livestock. This Somerset based group's music is known as "Scrumpy and Western". Scrumpy is a name given to traditionally made cider in south west England. It is popular with The Wurzels and their fans alike and is referred to in many of their songs.

Answer: You To Me Are Everything

"You To Me Are Everything" was written by Ken Gold/Michael Denne. It was number one for three weeks on the UK singles chart for The Real Thing in 1976. It peaked at number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year. A remix version peaked at number five on the UK singles chart in 1986.

Formed in Liverpool, UK, in 1970, The Real Thing were Chris Amoo, Dave Smith, Kenny Davis and Ray Lake. After releasing a number of unsuccessful singles Kenny Davis left the group. Later Chris Amoo's brother Eddie joined the group and in 1976 they had their first UK chart entry with "You To Me Are Everything" followed by "Can't Get By Without You" which peaked at number two.

Chris Amoo had been in another Liverpool group, The Chants. They should have been a success when Beatles manager Brian Epstein got involved with them in 1963. They became unhappy with his efforts and he let them go. They signed a record deal with Pye records but even though their fellow Liverpudlians The Beatles voted their 1964 single "I Could Write A Book" a hit on the BBC TV show "Hit & Miss" it sunk without trace.

Answer: Kiki Dee

"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" was written by Ann Orson/Carte Blanche (Elton John/Bernie Taupin). It was number one for six weeks on the UK singles chart for Elton John and Kiki Dee in 1976. It was number one for four weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

Amazingly "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" was the first UK number one hit for Elton John (Reginald Dwight) and it was the first and only number one hit for Kiki Dee (Pauline Matthews). Elton John and Bernie Taupin originally intended to record the duet with Dusty Springfield. Dusty's partner at the time, Sue Cameron, said Dusty could not make the recording because she was too ill.

Elton John had to wait just short of 14 years for his second but first solo UK number one hit, "Sacrifice"/"Healing Hands". The double A-Side was number one for five weeks on the UK singles chart in 1990. It peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year. Elton John and Kiki Dee hit the number two spot on the UK singles chart in 1993 with another duet "True Love". It peaked at number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

Answer: Dancing Queen

"Dancing Queen" was written by Benny Andersson/Bjorn Ulvaeus/Stig Anderson. It was number one for six weeks on the UK singles chart for ABBA in 1976. It was number one for one week on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977.

The members of ABBA were Benny Andersson born Goran Bror Benny Andersson in Vallingby, Stockholm, Sweden, in 1946. Agnetha Faltskog born Agneta Ase Faltskog in Jonkoping, Sweden, in 1950. Anni-Frid Lyngstad born Anni-Frid Synni Lyngstad in Bjorkasen, Ballangen, Norway in 1945 and Bjorn Ulvaeus born Bjorn Kristian Ulvaeus in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1945.

ABBA won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest which was staged in the UK. The winning song was "Waterloo" and it launched their international career. They became the most successful Scandinavian act of all time. They had 19 Top Ten hits on the UK singles chart between 1974 and 1981. This included nine number one hits. On the Billboard Hot 100 during the same period, they had four Top Ten hits including their only US number one "Dancing Queen".

Answer: Mississippi

"Mississippi" was written by Werner Theunissen. It was number one for four weeks on the UK singles chart for Pussycat in 1976. It did not chart in the US.

"Mississippi" was a Country & Western song written by a Dutchman, sung by a Dutch group in English and complete with a steel guitar, played by group member John Theunissen. Pussycat were Theo Coumans (drums), Betty Kowalczyk (vocals), Marianne Kowalczyk (vocals), Toni Kowalczyk (vocals), John Theunissen (guitar), Theo Wetzels (bass) and Lou Wille (guitar).

"Mississippi" not only topped the UK singles chart, it was number one in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland. In the UK it was awarded a Gold Disc for 500,000 sales. It had world wide sales in excess of 7,000,000 copies. They had a further 15 chart entries in the Netherlands between 1976 and 1983, which included a second number one hit, "Georgie" in 1976. The group disbanded in 1985.

Answer: Showaddywaddy

"Under The Moon Of Love" was written by Curtis Lee/Tommy Boyce. It was number one for three weeks on the UK singles chart for Showaddywaddy in 1976. It did not chart in the US.

The group was formed in Leicester, UK, with the amalgamation of two groups, Choise and The Golden Hammers in 1973. They became an octet whose original members were Malcolm Allured (drums), Dave Bartram (vocals), Romeo Challenger (drums), Rod Deas (bass), Russ Field (guitar), Buddy Gask (vocals), Al James (bass) and Trevor Oakes (guitar).

They had ten Top TEn hits on the UK singles chart between 1974 and 1978, most of which were covers of '50s and '60s hits. "Under The Moon Of Love" (a US number 46 hit for Curtis Lee in 1961) was their only UK number one hit. As of the date of this quiz Showaddywaddy are still performing. Their last UK hit was "Who Put the Bomp (In The Bomp-A-Bomp-A-Bomp)" which peaked at number 37 in 1982.

Answer: Johnny Mathis

"When A Child Is Born (Soleado)" was written by Ciro Dammicco/Fred Jay. It was number one for three weeks on the UK singles chart for Johnny Mathis in 1976/77. It did not chart in the US.

Johnny Mathis was born John Royce Mathis in Gilmer, Texas, USA, in 1935. Enrolling at San Francisco State University on a track scholarship he became a top high jumper and hurdler. In 1956 he was invited to try out for the US Olympic team for the Melbourne games in Australia. He decided to keep a recording appointment in New York instead.

He first made the US Billboard chart with "Wonderful! Wonderful!" in 1957. Later that year he had his first US number one hit with "Chances Are". He had to wait until 1978 for his second US number one hit "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late", a duet with Deniece Williams. "When A Child Is Born (Soleado)" was his only UK number one hit.