How Well Do You Remember 1964? Quiz

Answer: Dead Man's Curve

William Jan Berry and Dean Ormsby Torrence met in 1957 while playing football for University High School in Los Angeles, California. Jan and Dean were formed in 1959 and had their first hit with "Baby Talk", which peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 from that year. "Dead Man's Curve" was the duo's fourth top ten hit, peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 from 1964. Jan Berry had a near-fatal accident in 1966 when he crashed his own Stingray into a parked truck not far from the locations described in the song. Berry returned to the act in 1967 and the twosome continued to perform right up until Berry's death in 2004.

Answer: The Dave Clark Five

Drummer Dave Clark formed the band in North London, England in 1957. They were originally called The Dave Clark Quintet, but some people were apparently confused by the meaning of quintet, so in 1958 the group changed their name to the much simpler Dave Clark Five.

They were the forerunners of the "Tottenham Sound", where the music is more percussion driven. Whereas drummers of the day were almost always placed in the back, with the other band members out front, Clark would occasionally put his drum kit at the front of the stage, with the other musicians standing to the sides or even behind him. "Glad All Over" was the first of 17 top 40 hits the group would have on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1964 and 1967.

The Dave Clark Five disbanded in 1970.

Answer: Suspicion

"Suspicion" was ranked sixth on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of April 4th 1964; at the time the top five songs on the chart were all tunes by The Beatles. The song broke The Beatles' monopoly on the top five spots when it peaked at number three the following week.

After the success of Stafford's version of the song, Presley's original version was given a U.S. single release, but it only reached number 103 nationally. Although Stafford continued to record, he never achieved the same success that he had with "Suspicion".

Answer: Dusty Springfield

Dusty Springfield (born Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien) was a blue-eyed soul singer from West Hampstead, North London, England. As she explained in her biography, "Dusty Springfield: A Life in Music", she was given the nickname Dusty as a child, stating: "You see I was a bit of a tomboy, and my friends thought that Dusty was an appropriate nickname for a girl who liked to play football in the streets with the boys." "Wishin' and Hopin' ", which was written by the songwriting team of Hal David and Burt Bacharach, peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 from 1964.

It was one of six top 20 hits she would have on the Billboard Hot 100 from 1963 to 1989. Sadly, Dusty Springfield was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1994 and succumbed to it in 1999; she was only 59 years old.

Answer: Lesley Gore

Lesley Gore was only 16 years old when she had her first hit with "It's My Party", which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 from 1963. "You Don't Own Me" was released in the U.S. in December of 1963 and peaked at number two, where it stayed for three weeks in February of 1964.

The only thing that kept the single from reaching the top spot was The Beatles' juggernaut "I Want to Hold Your Hand". Gore was not only a talented singer, but was a pretty decent songwriter as well. She composed songs for the soundtrack of the 1980 film "Fame", for which she received an Academy Award nomination for "Out Here on My Own", a song she co-wrote with her brother Michael.

Answer: You Really Got Me

"You Really Got Me" was written by band member Ray Davies in March of 1964. Composed on a piano in his parents home, the original version was written in a slower more blues-oriented style. Davies played the chords for his brother Dave, The Kinks lead guitarist, and he thought the song would work much better as a guitar-centered track.

The tune was recorded at a faster tempo and with the now famous guitar riff and it became The Kinks break-out hit. "Rolling Stone" magazine ranked "You Really Got Me" number 82 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and number four on their list of 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time.

Answer: Remember (Walking in the Sand)

"Remember (Walking in the Sand)" was the first song to chart for The Shangri-Las, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 from 1964. A young and still unknown Billy Joel played piano on the session for this song and The Shangri-Las follow-up (and biggest hit) "Leader of the Pack", which went to number one in the same year.

Answer: Johnny Rivers

In January of 1964 Johnny Rivers was signed to play live gigs at the Whiskey a Go Go, a newly opened nightclub on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California. He became so popular and developed such a following at the club that Rivers, along with the help of Producer Lou Adler, recorded and released a live album titled "At the Whiskey a Go Go" in February of 1964.

The album reached number 13 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart and also produced Rivers' first big hit "Memphis", which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song turned out to be the second highest charting single of Rivers' career. Only his tune "Poor Side of Town" performed better, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 from 1966.

Answer: Dawn (Go Away)

Between February 22 and April 4 of 1964 "Dawn (Go Away)" spent three weeks at number three, two weeks at number four and one week at number five, but could never reach the coveted top spot. However, I wouldn't shed any tears for The Four Seasons. Between 1962 and 1975 they had five number ones and 14 top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

Answer: I Saw Her Standing There

The single was released in the U.S. in December of 1963 and while the A-side shot up the charts, spending seven weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 beginning in January of 1964, the B-side didn't even enter the chart until February 8, 1964. "I Saw Her Standing There" spent 11 weeks on the chart, peaking at number 14.

It was also ranked number 95 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles chart. Personally, I think "I Saw Her Standing There" is a much better tune than "I Want to Hold Your Hand", but that's just my opinion.