No.1 Hits of the 60s Vol.13 Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Twist

The song was originally a Top 40 hit for Hank Ballard and the Midnighters in 1959, but it was Checker's cover version of "The Twist" in 1960 that gave rise to the dance craze. The song became a number one U.S. charting Billboard hit in 1960, and amazingly accomplished the same feat when re-released in 1962.

As of 2009, this is still the only song in U.S. Billboard chart history to accomplish the feat of achieving the number one position on the charts during two different releases. Checker had a number of other songs pertaining to dances that made the charts, including "Let's Twist Again", a follow up to this song, and others such as "The Fly" and "Pony Time".

Answer: Quarter to Three

"Quarter to Three" was a 1961 number one hit for Gary U.S. Bonds (born Gary Anderson) which stayed at the top of the charts for two weeks that summer. Bonds had a string of Top 40 hits in the early 1960s with such songs as "New Orleans", "Dear Lady Twist" and "School Is Out". Bonds had resurgence in the early 1980 working with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and had a Top 20 hit in 1981 with a song titled "This Little Girl". Springsteen often does a rendition of this song at his live shows.

Answer: The Stripper

"The Stripper" was composed and recorded by British born composer/arranger David Rose in 1962 and spent a week at number one on the charts during the summer that year. It has been prominently featured over the years in such films as "Slap Shot" (1977), "Used Cars" (1980) and "The Full Monty" (1997), as well as a number of television shows.

However, it is most recognized as the tune playing in the background when Swedish model Gunilla Knudson uttered the words "Take it off, take it ALL off" for a Noxzema shave cream television ad during the 1960s.

Answer: The Essex

"Easier Said than Done" was a number one hit for The Essex in the summer of 1963. It remained at the top of the charts for two weeks. The group was on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps but managed to find time to record this top selling hit. The female voice you hear in the tune is that of Anita Humes who was also a Marine.

The group had a follow up hit later that year called "A Walking Miracle".

Answer: A Hard Day's Night

The only song listed that made the top of the U.S. charts in 1964 was the title cut, "A Hard Day's Night". This song was released to coincide with the release of the feature film of the same name in the summer of 1964. One of the songs not listed, "Can't Buy Me Love" was also used in the film, but was released well in advance of the movie release and was number one in April that year.

Answer: True

"Ticket to Ride" made it top the top of the charts in May 1965, and was number one for one week, almost three months before the release date of the feature film which was released in late July. The title song didn't make it to number one until September that year. "Ticket to Ride" is listed on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" at number 384.

Answer: Paint It Black

"Paint It Black" was the Stones 1966 smash hit which spent two weeks at the number one spot on the charts in June 1966. The song was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. The song was also a number one single in both the U.K. and Amsterdam, and reached number two in Ireland.

It has been used on a number of motion picture soundtracks, and is closely associated with the war in Vietnam, partly due to its use in the closing credits of the film "Full Metal Jacket" (1987).

Answer: Light My Fire

"Light My Fire" introduced the The Doors to the mainstream rock world in 1967. Their first release, "Break On Through to the Other Side" failed to crack the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, but "Light My Fire" did a little better for Jim Morrison and the group, reaching number one on the charts in the summer of 1967 for a three week stay.

The song appears on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" at number 35 as well as number seven on a VH-1's list of the "100 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The song was subsequently covered by Jose Feliciano in 1969 and became a Top 5 hit all over again.

Answer: People Got to Be Free

"People Got to Be Free" was the 1968 smash hit by The Rascals. The song was written by Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati, two of the band members. The song spent five weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts, as well as number 14 on the Black Singles chart.
"All the world over, so easy to see!
People everywhere, just wanna be free.
Listen, please listen! that's the way it should be -
Peace in the valley, people got to be free."
The song lyrics are a plea for world harmony and tolerance, wishful thinking in 1968.

Answer: I Can't Get Next to You

"I Can't Get Next to You" was the one that hit the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in the fall of 1969 and camped out for a two week stay. It was their second number one on the Pop charts. More amazingly it was the group's ninth number one hit in twelve tries on the U.S. R&B charts. The song was recorded with all five group members doing vocals in sort of a dialogue fashion, and then all five singing the chorus, a technique that was kind of unusual.
"Dennis Edwards: "I can turn the grayest sky blue..."
Melvin Franklin: "I can make it rain, whenever I want it to...".
Eddie Kendricks: "I can build a castle from a single grain of sand..."
Paul Williams: "I can make a ship sail on dry land...".
Otis Williams: "I can make the seasons change just by a wave of my hand..." (later in the song).
All this for the love of a woman.