BRI's Top Ten Hits of 1963 Quiz / Test | 1960s Music

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What was the #10 hit for the year 1963? "We're gonna move it slow, When lights are low. When you move it slow, it sounds like more, And it's all right, whoa, it's all right."

Answer: It's All Right

"It's All Right" was number one on the R&B charts, and #4 on the pop charts for The Impressions. The Impressions were one of the first R&B groups to switch back and forth between different singers, a technique used quite a bit in gospel music. Curtis Mayfield sang with the group, and wrote a lot of their songs.

This resulted in them being among the first to release songs that had a social conscience, as Mayfield became more and more involved in the civil rights movement.

2. What was the #9 hit for the year 1963? (This part is spoken before the song.) "He went away, And you hung around and bothered me every night. And when I wouldn't go out with you, You said things that weren't very nice."

Answer: My Boyfriend's Back

"My Boyfriend's Back" was originally recorded by The Angels, as a demo that the songwriters could use to try and sell the song to The Shirelles. The result was so good that it was released under The Angels' name, giving them their one and only number one hit.

3. The #8 hit for 1963 was known better for its amazing harmonica playing than for its rather limited lyrics, some of which I will give you. "Everybody say yeah. (yeah!) Say yeah. (yeah!) Say yeah. (yeah!) Yeah. (Yeah) Yeah! (Yeah)"

Answer: Fingertips Part 2

"Fingertips Part 2" was a huge hit for "Little" Stevie Wonder, topping both the Pop and the R&B charts when Wonder was only thirteen years old. Wonder has been blind since he was an infant, when he was exposed to too much oxygen in his incubator. It hasn't slowed him down any, as he was playing piano, drums and harmonica by the age of nine, and had signed a contract with Motown when only twelve.

4. What was the #7 hit for the year 1963? "True love means planning a life for two, Being together the whole day through. True love means waiting and hoping that soon, Wishes we've made will come true. My love, my love."

Answer: Hey Paula

Ray Hildebrand and Jill Jackson first performed together on a radio broadcast to raise money for the American Cancer Society, when they were still in high school. The song they sang was one that Hildebrand had written himself. It was released under the name Paul and Paula, and reached number one on both Pop and R&B charts.

5. What was the #6 hit for the year 1963? "She wore ____________, Bluer than velvet was the night, Softer than satin was the light, From the stars."

Answer: Blue Velvet

In the first ten years of the history of rock and roll, Bobby Vinton charted more number one hits than anyone else - including Elvis Presley! He had a particularly good year in 1963, when he scored a number three hit with "Blue on Blue", and two number one hits with "Blue Velvet" and "There I've Said it Again".

6. What was the #5 hit for the year 1963? "Wish he were mine, (Do-lang-do-lang-do-lang) That handsome boy over there, (Do-lang-do-lang-do-lang) The one with the wavy hair. (Do-lang-do-lang-do-lang)."

Answer: He's So Fine

The Chiffons were an all girl singing group that formed in high school. They met singer/writer Ronnie Mack at an after school recreation center, and started performing a lot of his songs at their gigs. He asked them to sing "He's So Fine" when he was trying to sell the song to some record producers. It turned out to be their only number one hit, on both the Pop and the R&B charts.

7. What was the #4 hit for the year 1963? "Rain please tell me now does that seem fair, For her to steal my heart away when she don't care? I can't love another when my heart's somewhere far away."

Answer: Rhythm of the Rain

Joh Gummae, Lenny Green and Dave Wilson met while they were on the same ship in the Navy. Gummae wrote the song "Rhythm of the Rain" while on a tour of duty, somewhere near the Aleutian Islands. Gummae eventually joined a group that the other two had started, and after various incarnations, they called themselves The Cascades, a name that was inspired by a dish detergent. "Rhythm of the Rain" was their only real hit.

8. What was the #3 hit for the year 1963? "Why does the sun go on shining? Why does the sea rush to shore? Don't they know it's the end of the world, 'Cause you don't love me any more?"

Answer: End of the World

Born Mary Frances Penick, Skeeter Davis took her last name from The Davis Sisters, a duet she was once part of, and her first name from a nickname given to her by her grandfather. He called her Skeeter because he felt she was always 'buzzing around like a mosquito'.

She went solo after her partner, Betty Davis, was killed in a car accident that also left her with some serious injuries. She was primarily a Country artist, but did have many cross over hits, such as this one.

9. What was the #2 hit for the year 1963? "If everybody had an ocean, Across the U.S.A. Then everybody'd be surfin', Like Californi-a. You'd seem 'em wearing their baggies, Huarachi sandals too."

Answer: Surfin' USA

Brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine were the Beach Boys, a group of crazy California boys who gave us amazing vocal harmonies, and a whole legacy of surfing songs. While "Surfin' USA" was actually written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, it was so similar to Chuck Berry's song "Sweet Little Sixteen" that he threatened to sue.

As a result, Berry was given sole writing credit for the song. I wonder if he threatened to sue himself when he used the same tune again in his own songs.

10. What was the #1 hit for the year 1963? "There's a crazy little shack beyond the tracks, And everybody calls it the ___________. Well, it's just a coffeehouse and it's made out of wood. Expresso coffee tastes mighty good. That's not the reason why I've got to get back, To that ___________, whoa baby, To that ____________."

Answer: Sugar Shack

The Fireballs were so named by the audience after they delivered a rousing rendition of "Great Balls of Fire" at a high school talent contest, in New Mexico in the late '50s. However it wasn't until they hooked up with lead singer, Jimmy Gilmer that they would score their only number one hit, "Sugar Shack", which became the biggest selling single that year.

Source: Author skunkee

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BRI's Top Ten Hits of 1963 Trivia Quiz

The BRI (Bathroom Readers' Institute), in consultation with DJ Bob Shannon of WCBS-FM has published lists of the top ten hits for various years. If I give you some lyrics, can you identify the songs on their list for 1963?

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