Lyrical Questions - 1963 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Walk Right In

Recorded by The Rooftop Singers, it peaked on the Billboard charts at # 1 for two weeks in January 1963. Their follow up song "Tom Cat" achieved top 20 status but that would be it for the group. Within four years they would disband. The song was originally introduced in 1930 by Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers.

Answer: Walk Like A Man

This hit #1 for the Four Seasons in March of the year. At this point, they had released four singles and three of them were #1's. Their reign as "Kings of the Musical Hill" had about eleven months to go before the Beatles would usurp their crown.

Answer: I Will Follow Him

"Little" Peggy March was 15 years old when this song topped the charts making her the youngest female soloist ever to have a #1 hit. I believe this record is still in tact as of 2004. She would only have two more minor hits in North America, both in 1963.

However, in 1964 she moved to Germany and began to record songs in several European languages as well as Japanese. She continues to perform and tour both in N. America and abroad.

Answer: Sugar Shack

"Sugar Shack" by Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs would be a five week #1 song in October of the year and ultimately, the biggest hit of 1963. Their follow up, "Daisy Petal Picking" was a minor success then several lean years followed. "Bottle Of Wine" was a #9 hit in 1968 but shortly after that, the group disbanded.

Answer: It's My Party

Lesley Gore was only 17 when this ditty hit #1 in June 1963. Quincy Jones discovered her singing in a Manhattan Hotel and became her producer. She would have ten top 40 songs under Jones' aegis. By the late '60's, she focused more on music composition than on recording and performing. As of the early 2000's she is back into touring and has designs on composing a musical stage revue.

Answer: Blowin' In The Wind

As sung by Peter, Paul and Mary, this Bob Dylan song reached #2 on the charts. The folk music craze led by Dylan, Joan Baez, Tom Paxton and all the others was at it's zenith by this time and coffee houses were springing up everywhere to capitalize.

Answer: Blame It On The Bossa Nova

A pretty big hit for Eydie Gorme, it peaked at #7 in the spring. Although the Bossa Nova was a popular dance in Brazil largely due to the compositions of Luiz Bonfa, the craze didn't amount to much in North America. Eydie married Steve Lawrence in 1957 and they've remained together ever since.

Answer: Then He Kissed Me

This was one of the Crystals three top ten hits. They were from Brooklyn.

Answer: Go Away Little Girl

This was Steve Lawrence's only #1 hit. It was also a #1 hit for Donnie Osmond in 1971 and I could only find five other instances where the same song was #1 for two different artists during the rock era. They were: "You Keep Me Hanging On" - Supremes (1966) & Kim Wilde (1987); "Venus" - Shocking Blue (1970) & Banarama (1986); "Lean On Me" - Bill Withers (1972) & Club Nouveau (1987); "Locomotion" - Little Eva (1962) & Grand Funk (1974); "Lady Marmalade" - LaBelle (1975) & Aguilera, Lil Kim, Mya and Pink (2001).

Answer: weren't very nice

This was a chart topper for three weeks for this girl group from Orange, New Jersey. They only had three top 40 songs in their career and by the mid-1960's were reduced to doing back-up vocals for others like Lou Christie.

Answer: He's So Fine

The Chiffons were from the Bronx and also did a considerable amount of back-up singing throughout the 1960's. It sure was difficult separating all these girl groups at the time - I had the same problem with rap singers in the 1990's!

Answer: Mean Woman Blues

Roy Orbison had "a woman mean as she could be" and it propelled him to #5 on the charts.

Answer: Little Deuce Coupe

After all their surfing songs, they did a few about cars then came the girls phase before settling into more mature stuff like "Good Vibrations", God Only Knows" and "Heroes And Villains".

Answer: Can't Get Used To Losing You

Andy was 35 years old by now and was devoting almost all his energies into his TV show.

Answer: Greenback Dollar

Only a #21 hit for the Kingston Trio, it was a rouser! Folk music was undergoing a transformation at this time. These types of songs were starting to give way to the more introspective protest songs thanks to the influence of Dylan and others.

Answer: One Fine Day

Carole herself covered this song in 1980 and had a #12 hit with it.

Answer: Surf City

"Surf City" was Jan and Dean's big contribution to the surfing genre. Co-written by Jan Berry and Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, it topped the charts for two weeks in August.

Answer: because it's "Easier Said Than Done"

"Easier Said Than Done" was a #1 song for two weeks by a group named Essex. They formed in 1962 while members of the U.S. Marines stationed at Camp LeJeune in N. Carolina. "A Walkin' Miracle" was their follow-up and it charted at #12 later in the year but that was all, folks. I suspect the group broke up as members were discharged from the service.

Answer: I Can't Stay Mad At You

This was just one of a number of King/Goffen hits they would conjure up. Skeeter was predominately a C&W artist and over the years from 1958 to 1976, she had a total of 41 hits on the country charts.

Answer: Puff

This poignant song recounts the passage of time. As the lyrics put it,
"A dragon lives forever but not so little boys.
Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys." Peter Yarrow was one of the co-writers of the song.