British Cover Versions Online Trivia | Music Mixture

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Billy Fury had a hit in 1964 with which Conway Twitty song?

Answer: It's Only Make Believe

Released by Conway Twitty in 1958, the song went to number one in both Britain and the USA. It was his only number one hit. The cover version by Billy Fury went to number ten in Britain. Glen Campbell had a top ten hit with it in both Britain and USA in 1970.

2. Who had the British hit version of "The Battle of New Orleans"?

Answer: Lonnie Donegan

Johnny Horton is most associated with this song. He had a Billboard number one with it in 1959. Lonnie Donegan's version was also released in 1959, and he had a British number two. He also changed the lyric slightly, substituting "bloody British" with "blooming British".

3. Marty Wilde had a hit with which Phil Phillips song?

Answer: Sea of Love

Phil Phillips was a one hit wonder. "Sea of Love" charted at number two in America, and made no impact at all in Britain. He never had another top forty hit. Marty Wilde's cover version charted at number three in Britain.

4. "Singing The Blues" was a hit for Tommy Steele. Whose version did he cover?

Answer: Guy Mitchell

Guy Mitchell's version of "Singing the Blues" spent nine consecutive weeks at number one in America, and three non-consecutive weeks at number one in Britain. Tommy Steele's British version went head to head with it, and spent one week at number one in Britain, with Guy Mitchell being number one the week before, and the two weeks afterwards. Tommy Steele's version had no chart success in America.

5. In 1960 which vocal trio recorded a British version of "Standing on the Corner (Watching All The Girls Go By)"?

Answer: The King Brothers

"Standing on The Corner" first appeared in the musical "The Most Happy Fella". The Four Lads then had a US number three hit with it in 1956. Dean Martin recorded it as an album track in the same year. The King Brothers released their version in Britain in 1960. It gave them a top ten hit, reaching number four.

6. Terry Dene had a hit with "A White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation)". Who wrote and recorded the American hit version?

Answer: Marty Robbins

Marty Robbins had a number one on the US Country music charts with "A White Sport Coat" in 1956. Terry Dene was one of the early British rock and roll stars, but his career was short lived. He had a number 18 hit with "A White Sport Coat" in 1957, but after a lot of bad publicity surrounding his army conscription and subsequent early discharge on medical grounds, he quit the music industry in 1964 to become an Evangelist.

He does however now sometimes appear in nostalgia shows.

7. The Beatles had a cover version of which Isley Brothers song on their first album?

Answer: Twist and Shout

The Isley Brothers recorded this in 1962, and it gave them their first top twenty hit. The Beatles covered it on their first album, "Please Please Me". It was released in the US as a single in 1964, and achieved number 2 in April of that year. The top five US singles that week were all Beatles recordings.

8. Tom Jones had a 1966 hit with "The Green Green Grass of Home". Which of the following had NOT recorded it before then?

Answer: Merle Haggard

"Green Green Grass of Home" was popularised by country singer Porter Waggoner in 1964. Bobby Bare recorded it in 1965, and in that same year Jerry Lee Lewis recorded it as an album track on "Country Songs for City Folk". The Tom Jones release of 1966 reached number one in Britain and number eleven in America.

9. Which British singer, disc jockey and radio show presenter had a hit with "Unchained Melody"?

Answer: Jimmy Young

Jimmy Young started his recording career in 1950, and had a big sheet music seller with "Too Young" in 1951. This was before the UK Singles Chart even existed. His version of "Unchained Melody" went to number one in 1955. He joined the BBC as a disc jockey in 1967 and worked for them continuously on Radio 1 and then Radio 2, where he presented a very popular mid morning show, until his retirement in 2002.

10. Jim Lowe had a 1956 American hit with "Green Door". "Which British artist had a hit with it in the same year?

Answer: Frankie Vaughan

Frankie Vaughan started his career as a song and dance act in variety in the 1940s. His trade mark was always wearing a top hat, bow tie, tail coat and carrying a cane. During the 1950s he recorded many cover versions of American songs, and in 1957 he had a number one with "Green Door". Jim Lowe had an American number one with it in 1956.

Source: Author Christinap

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Dalgleish before going online.
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British Cover Versions Trivia Quiz

Many songs of the 1950s and 1960s originated in America and were then covered by British artists. Here are ten to identify. All chart placings are Billboard top 100 or UK Singles Chart.

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