Billboard Number Ones 1964 Quiz | 1960s Music

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The first single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964 was 'There! I've Said It Again'. Who was the artist?

Answer: Bobby Vinton

The first of two number ones for Bobby Vinton in 1964, his second hit was the extremely poignant 'Mr Lonely'.

*Useless information* 'There! I've Said It Again' was originally made popular in 1945 by Vaughan Monroe.

Bobby Vinton was born in Canonsburg Pennsylvania where there are two streets named after him.

2. The Beatles were extremely successful on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964. Starting from the first of February how many consecutive weeks were they at number one?

Answer: 14

'I Want to Hold Your Hand' for seven weeks, 'She Loves You' for two weeks and 'Can't Buy Me Love' for five weeks.
In total the Beatles held the number one spot for 18 weeks in 1964 with six different singles.

3. What was the Beatles' longest running number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964?

Answer: I Want to Hold Your Hand

'I Want to Hold Your Hand' was the Beatles first US number one and was the record that began the British invasion. 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' stayed at number one for seven weeks.

*Useless information* 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' was the Beatles best selling single ever selling approximately 12 million copies world-wide.

4. 'The House of The Rising Sun' was a 1964 number one hit on the US charts for another British group. Fronted by Eric Burdon who performed this song?

Answer: The Animals

'The House of The Rising Sun' was The Animals only number one hit on either side of the Atlantic.

*Useless information* 'The House of The Rising Sun' is believed to be based on an American folk song (although it has also claimed that the song was originally a 16th century English folk song that was altered to fit in with a New Orleans setting).
The oldest known recording was made in 1933 by Clarence Ashley and Gwen Foster.

5. Who had a 1964 number one US hit with 'Chapel of Love'?

Answer: The Dixie Cups

'Chapel of Love' was The Dixie Cups only number one single, selling over a million copies and earning them a gold disc.

*Useless information* 'Chapel of Love' was covered by Elton John for the film 'Four Weddings and a Funeral'.

6. Dean Martin hit the number one spot in the US in August 1964 with 'Everybody Loves Somebody'. What is Dean Martin's real name?

Answer: Dino Paul Crocetti

Dean Martin was born Dino Paul Crocetti in Ohio in 1917.

*Useless information* Although Dean Martin is world famous for his singing and his acting, one of the first 'jobs' he had was as a 15 year old boxer known as Kid Crochet. He contested 12 bouts and, according to himself, "Won all but 11 of them".

7. 'Ringo', by Lorne Greene, was at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for one week in December 1964. What popular western series did he star in?

Answer: Bonanza

Who can forget the map of the Ponderosa burning away at the start of the programme. 'Bonanza' ran for 431 episodes Chronicling the weekly adventures of the Cartwright Family. Lorne Greene starred as the patriarch of the family 'Ben Cartwright'.

*Useless information* 'Ringo' was the only top 40 hit that Lorne Greene had in the US. It told the story of a 'gunslinger' called Ringo. Although it has been suggested that the story is based on the notorious outlaw, Johnny Ringo, the known historical facts about Johnny Ringo do not agree with the lyrics of the song.

8. Second to the Beatles for number one Billboard 100 hits in 1964 were The Supremes with three different chart toppers that year. What was their first hit of 1964?

Answer: Where Did Our Love Go?

'Where Did Our Love Go' was the first number one single for the Supremes. This began a run that saw their next four releases also hit the number one spot.

*Useless information* the Supremes started life as the Primettes working as a 'sister act' to the Primes. The Primes eventually became the Temptations.
The Supremes began recording in 1961 and until 'Where Did Our Love Go?' they had only one top forty hit in the US and eight other releases that did not even reach the top 50. After 'Where Did Our Love Go?' 10 out of their next 15 releases hit number one.

9. Another British group with a chart topping number one in the US in 1964 was Manfred Mann. Their contribution to the British invasion was entitled 'Doo Wah Diddy Diddy'. But who was Manfred Mann?

Answer: The keyboard player

Originally released by the American group the Exciters in 1963, who reached number 78 in the Billboard charts, 'Doo Wah Diddy Diddy' spent two weeks at number one in the UK and the US when performed by Manfred Mann.

Manfred Mann was the South African born keyboard player for the group. Other songs recorded by the group include; 'Pretty Flamingo', '5-4-3-2-1' and the groups only other top ten Billboard hit, 'The Mighty Quinn'.

*Useless information* Manfred Mann eventually 'morphed' into Manfred Mann's Earth Band in the 1970s. This allowed them to have the honour of claiming the record for the group with the longest run between number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 charts; 'Doo Wah Diddy Diddy' in 1964 and 'Blinded by the Light' in 1977.

10. Again The Beatles. They had the 1964 Christmas record in the US.

Answer: False

The last of an amazing SIX number one singles for the Beatles in 1964 'I Feel Fine' was at the top spot for three weeks from December 26th just missing the Christmas number one by one day.
The Christmas number one spot was taken by the Supremes singing 'Come See About Me'. This was their third number one record in '64 and held the position for just one week from December the 19th.

Source: Author DaveH1960

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Dalgleish before going online.
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Billboard Number Ones 1964 Trivia Quiz

1964 and the British invasion begins. Ten questions on American number ones from 1964.

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