Most Popular UK No 1 Singles: 1 - 10 Quiz

Answer: Under Pressure

"Under Pressure" was number one for two weeks in 1981. The bass line was sampled by Vanilla Ice for "Ice Ice Baby" in 1990 (originally without songwriting credits).
The other choices are all collaborations.
"Peace On Earth/ Drummer Boy" by David Bowie and Bing Crosby was originally recorded in 1977, a month before Bing Crosby died, and reached number three in the UK.
"Dancing In The Street" was recorded by David Bowie and Mick Jagger for Live Aid in 1985. It reached number one in both UK and US.
"Barcelona" was recorded by Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe in 1987. It originally reached number eight in the chart but was re-released in 1992 for the summer Olympics (held in Barcelona, Spain) and reached number two. Freddie died in 1991.

Answer: Good Vibrations

"Good Vibrations" was written by Mike Love and Brian Wilson and was number one in the UK and US in 1966. It regularly turns up in 'Top xx Records' charts.
It was recorded and mixed over a six month period, with various elements of the song being edited together to produce a musical collage.
The Beatles were inspired by the album "Pet Sounds" to create "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and both "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "A Day In The Life" took forward the idea of creating musical collages.

Answer: Dancing Queen

A 2009 list of the most played songs in the UK over the past 75 years, compiled by PPL and BBC Radio 2, placed "Dancing Queen" at number eight (coincidentally).
Abba performed "Dancing Queen" to the King of Sweden in 1976 the night before he was married.

Answer: The Animals

"The House Of The Rising Sun" is an American folk song whose exact origins are unknown. The earliest recorded version is said to be a song called "Rising Sun Blues" made in 1932.
The Animals' version has been the most successful and is also acknowledged as one of the first - if not the first - folk rock hits ever made. It was the first 'British Invasion' number one in the US with no connection to The Beatles.
The Animals recorded "The House Of The Rising Sun" in one take.

Answer: Procol Harum

Procol Harum took "Whiter Shade Of Pale" to number one in the UK for six weeks in 1967. It was also a number one in Australia and reached number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In 2004 the song was named as the most played British song of the past 70 years. There are more than 900 recorded cover versions.

Answer: My Sweet Lord

"My Sweet Lord" was released in the UK in January 1971. George was the first ex-Beatle to have a number one single. "My Sweet Lord" spent five weeks at number one in the UK and four weeks in the US.
Following his death in November 2001 it was re-released and reached number one again in the UK in January 2002.
George was deeply interested in Indian culture and Eastern religion. The song is mainly about the Hindu God Krishna. Whilst inspired by the Edwin Hawkins Singers' "Oh Happy Day" there were musical similarities between "My Sweet Lord" and The Chiffons' "He's So Fine". This led to a long court battle where George was found to have unintentionally copied the song. He eventually bought the rights to "He's So Fine".
Release dates for the other George Harrison titles were "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) 1973; "All Those Years Ago" 1981; "Got My Mind Set On You" 1987.

Answer: 1970

Originally given the working title of "Hymn" and even mistakenly by the strings arranger "Like A Pitcher Of Water", "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was the title song from Simon & Garfunkel's fifth studio album.
Despite the huge worldwide success of both the single and the album, this marked the beginning of the end for the duo.

Answer: Hey Jude

"Hey Jude" was written by Paul McCartney as a ballad to comfort John Lennon's son Julian during John and Cynthia's divorce. It was originally entitled "Hey Jules".
It spent two weeks at the top of the UK charts in 1968, being replaced by another Apple single, Mary Hopkins' "Those Were The Days". In the US "Hey Jude" was number one for nine weeks, becoming the top single of 1968. It was The Beatles most commercially successful single, and was the favourite Beatles number one on this chart.
Although I was too young to see The Beatles perform, I have been fortunate enough to see Sir Paul play this live - and to sing along with the rest of the audience!

Answer: John Lennon

"Imagine" was first released in the UK in 1975 (it was released as a single in the US in 1971) when it reached number six in the chart. It became a number one hit for four weeks in 1981, following John's untimely death.
"Imagine" regularly features towards the top of Greatest Hits type Top 100 lists across the world. For example, it was number three in "Rolling Stone" magazine's 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time (2004).
It may be only coincidence that the two solo ex-Beatles singles featuring in this top ten are by the deceased members of the group.

Answer: Bohemian Rhapsody

"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen was number one in the UK for nine weeks beginning in November 1975. It was the biggest selling single of 1975. It was re-issued and hit the top spot again in 1991. It was the number one Christmas single in both 1975 and 1991.
As of July 2009 it is the UK's third biggest selling single, behind Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas" and Elton John's "Candle In The Wind 1997".

An unlikely hit as it had no discernable chorus and apparently unconnected sections encompassing musical styles such as 'a cappela', rock and light opera. As one British DJ quipped at the time: Queen's philosophy seems to be "If a thing is worth doing, it's worth over-doing".