Double-Sided Hit Singles Trivia Quiz

Answer: Don't Be Cruel

"Hound Dog" was at Number One on Billboard for the first five weeks of the release of the single. "Don't Be Cruel" then held the top spot for six weeks. It was also the first single to top the Billboard Pop chart, the Billboard Country chart and the Billboard R and B charts. During his first engagement at Las Vegas in 1956 Elvis heard a band called Freddie Bell and the Bellboys do their version of "Hound Dog".

The first television show to feature Elvis singing the song was "The Milton Berle Show" (1956). Elvis insisted on perfection when recording the song so he did 30 takes and finally approved take number 28 for release. Elvis first sang "Don't Be Cruel" to a national audience on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1956. "Blue Suede Shoes" was another 1956 hit foe Presley, "All Shook Up" and "Jailhouse Rock" were Elvis releases the following year. Elvis leads all artists in US Billboard double-sided hits with 36.

Answer: Hello Mary Lou

"Travelin' Man" was written by Jerry Fuller. A brief film was produced to promote the video and has been considered the first music video. It was Nelson's second Number One hit. "Hello Mary Lou" was written by singer Gene Pitney. Nelson's version reached Number Nine in the US but was more popular in Europe than "Travelin' Man". Gene Pitney recorded the song as an album cut in 1962 on "The Many Sides of Gene Pitney" but his label didn't release it as a single. "Young World" was a Top Ten hit for Ricky in 1962 and had the Number 87 "Summertime" on the flip-side. "Teen Age Idol" was a 1962 Top Ten and "Fools Rush In" made it to Number 12 in 1963.

Answer: Day Tripper

"Day Tripper" and "We Can Work it Out" were recorded as part of the "Rubber Soul" album recording sessions. There has been speculation regarding what Lennon and McCartney actually really meant by the term "Day Tripper". The Beatles recorded "We Can Work it Out" during October of 1965 and spent 11 hours of studio time recording the song.

The group members reportedly differed on which song had more commercial appeal as a single so they were both included on the same release. The Beatles had their first of 26 double-sided hits when "I Want to Hold Your Hand" went to Number One and "I Saw Her Standing There" went to Number 14 from the "B" side in 1963. "I Feel Fine" went to Number One in 1964 while the flip side, "She's a Woman", peaked at Number Four. "Can't Buy Me Love" was a 1964 Number One.

Answer: I Get Around

The first Number One hit for the Beach Boys was "I Get Around". The group has scored eight double-sided hits since forming in 1961. Their father was relentless in his promotion of the band and got the boys their first official gig on New Year's Eve, 1961.

They each took home $50 for performing at a Ritchie Valens Memorial Dance with Ike and Tina Turner on the bill. The group realized chart success singing about hot rods and surfing until The British Invasion. They adapted to the changing styles and released the Number One "Good Vibrations" in 1966.

They topped the charts again 22 years later with "Kokomo". They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the same year. "Little Deuce Coupe" backed with "Surfer Girl" was a 1963 Beach Boys double-sided hit. "Surfer Girl" peaked at Number Seven. "Surfin' USA" was a Number Three hit in 1963.

The flip side, "Shut Down" made it to Number 23.

Answer: News of the World

"News of the World" was the second album that the band members of Queen produced. Their first self-produced album was "A Day at the Races". Brian May was credited as songwriter for "We Will Rock You" and Freddy Mercury got songwriting honors for "We Are the Champions". John Deacon composed the second single release from the album, "Spread Your Wings".

The song made the Top Forty, peaking at Number 34. Science Fiction genre artist Frank Kelly Freas designed the robotic cover for the album. "Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted" was released by the Animals the same year. "Rockin' All Over the World" was a 1977 Status Quo album and "Innocent Victim" was released by Uriah Heep the same year.

Answer: I'm a Believer

I'm a Believer" and "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" was a double-sided smash for The Monkees. "Last Train to Clarksville" was the first Number One hit for the Monkees. It was backed with "Take a Giant Step". "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" had "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" as the flip side and "Valleri" had the Number 34 "Tapioca Tundra" as a flip side. The group was formed when Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider were inspired by "A Hard Days Night" (1964) to create a television show focusing on zany band members.

More than 400 aspiring actor/musicians answered a newspaper ad for talent. Michael Nesmith was the only member hired who went to the audition as a result of the ad. Folksinger Peter Tork was a dishwasher before Stephen Stills recommended him to the producers. Ironically Davy Jones appeared with the cast of "Oliver!" on "The Ed Sullivan Show" the same night that the Beatles made their American debut.

He was already an artist on the Colpix label when considered for the band and Micky Dolenz had been an established actor since he was ten.

Answer: Peter Criss

Drummer Peter Criss sang "Beth" and co-wrote the song with Stan Penridge. Other members of the band were reluctant to include the song on the "Destroyer" album because it wasn't consistent with the band's style. Peter was backed with a piano and strings so no other members of the band played on the recording or were even present during the session.

When they performed the song on concert Peter sang to a recording of the backing track. To date "Beth" has reached the highest chart position of any Kiss single and became the first Gold Record for the band. Peter composed the genesis of the song while in a band called Lips before becoming one of the founding members of Kiss.

When he left Kiss the song was dropped from their live lineup.

Answer: Ruby Tuesday

"Ruby Tuesday" was recorded in 1966 but not released until early the following year. It reached the top slot on the US charts but peaked at Number Three in the UK. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are credited as the songwriters. Keith related during a 1971 interview with "Rolling Stone" magazine that the song was inspired by a groupie.
The Rolling Stones released a live version during their "Steel Wheels" tour and included the version on their 1991 live album, "Flashpoint".
When "Let's Spend the Night Together" was released in 1967 it initially received little airplay because of suggestive lyrics. When the group performed the song on "The Ed Sullivan Show" they conceded to sing "let's spend some time together" because Sullivan was adamant that they couldn't perform the song the way it was written. In 2006 the band was prohibited from singing the song when performing in China.
"Lady Jane" was released the previous year. "Angie" was released in 1973 and "Jiving Sister Fanny" came out in 1975.

Answer: Born on the Bayou

John Fogerty wrote "Proud Mary" and "Born on the Bayou". "Born on the Bayou" was included on their set list when they performed at Woodstock. The group performed their set in the middle of the night when most of the attendees were sleeping. "Proud Mary" has been covered by artists from Ike and Tina Turner to Leonard Nimoy.

The song reached the Number Two spot, one of several for the band. "Down on the Corner" was from their 1969 "Willie and the Poor Boys" LP. "Who'll Stop The Rain" was from their "Cosmos Factory" album the following year and "Sweet Hitch Hiker" was from the 1972 "Mardi Gras" album.

Answer: I Feel the Earth Move

"I Feel the Earth Move" and It's Too Late" comprised a double-sided hit when the single was released from King's "Tapestry" album. "So Far Away" was another hit single from the same album. Carol had her first taste of Number One success as a songwriter while working at the Brill Building when the Gerry Goffin and Carole King composition, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", went to Number One for the Shirelles in 1961.

She wrote or co-wrote many sixties hits before embarking on a solo career in the early seventies. "It's Too Late" spent four weeks at Number One when it came out in 1971. "Jazzman" reached Number Two in 1974.

The 1972 hit, "Been to Canaan", was a Number 24 in 1972 and "Sweet Seasons" reached Number Nine in 1972.