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Novelty Songs Trivia Quiz

Own up, someone must have bought these records, as they've all had a degree of chart success. Disclaimer - the author takes no responsibility for any annoying tunes that may get stuck in your head as a result of taking this quiz. The quiz has a UK bias

A multiple-choice quiz by Supersal1. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Supersal1

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
271,101

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
1691

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. 1969 was a wonderful year for music. Amongst other greats, it gave us "Honky Tonk Women", "Get Back" and "I Heard It Through The Grapevine". However, the Christmas No. 1 in the UK that year was "Two Little Boys" by Rolf Harris. What were the names of the two little boys in question? Hint

Mike and Martin

Dave and Don

Bill and Bob

Joe and Jack

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Question 2 of 10

2. The fact that "Two Little Boys" was the Christmas No. 1 in 1969 had the advantage that it replaced an annoying song by The Archies as the UK chart topper. What was the name of this sickly sweet song?

Answer: (Two words both the same, five letters in each)

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Question 3 of 10

3. In January 1971 actor Clive Dunn sang about a relative. Which relative was this? Hint

Grandad

Uncle

Grandma

Aunty

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Question 4 of 10

4. "Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett was a No. 1 hit in the US in October 1962. Which film star released a cover version in 1977? Hint

Christopher Lee

Vincent Price

Peter Cushing

Boris Karloff

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Question 5 of 10

5. "The Floral Dance" was a surprise hit for the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band in 1977. It stayed at No. 2 on the UK charts for nine weeks. Which DJ released a version of it in 1978? Hint

Kenny Everett

Jimmy Young

Tony Blackburn

Terry Wogan

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Question 6 of 10

6. British DJ's Dave Lee Travis and Paul Burnett released a parody version of "Convoy" in 1978, under the name of Laurie Lingo and the Dipsticks. It reached No. 4 in the UK charts. Dave Lee Travis appeared on "Top Of The Pops" as the song's narrator - which name did he use? Hint

Groovy Geordie

Barmy Brummie

Mad Mancunian

Super Scouse

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which group proclaimed "(I've Got a Brand New) Combine Harvester" in 1976? Hint

The Turnips

The Swedes

The Wurzels

The Yokels

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Question 8 of 10

8. "Captain Beaky" reached No. 5 in the UK charts in 1980. It was taken from an album based on a book of poetry by Jeremy Lloyd. The villain of the tale was a snake. What was his name?

Hint

Slithering Steve

Rattling Roger

Coiling Colin

Hissing Sid

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which rocker had a change of pace in 1972, and confided in us about "My Ding-a-Ling"? Hint

Chuck Berry

Elvis Presley

Little Richard

Buddy Holly

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Question 10 of 10

10. The Goodies were better known for their TV shows. However, in 1975 they released a single, "Funky Gibbon", which reached No. 4 in the UK charts. Which of these people was NOT a member of The Goodies? Hint

Tim Brooke-Taylor

Bill Oddie

Graeme Garden

Jasper Carrot

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Joe and Jack

"Two Little Boys" topped the UK charts for seven weeks. It was originally popularised as a music hall song in the early 1900s. Rolf Harris has a strange and varied repertoire of recordings, including "Jake the Peg" and cover versions of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" and Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody".

Answer: Sugar Sugar

The Archies were a fictional cartoon band, voiced by a group of session artists. "Sugar Sugar" spent eight weeks as the UK No. 1, and four weeks as top of the billboard charts. Apparently it was Billboard's No. 1 record of 1969.

3. In January 1971 actor Clive Dunn sang about a relative. Which relative was this?

Answer: Grandad

Although Clive Dunn was a relatively youthful 51 when he sang this, his speciality was playing doddering old men, most notably Lance Corporal Jones in "Dad's Army". "Grandad" topped the UK charts for two weeks. It was originally intended to have been released with an eye to the 1970 Christmas charts, but a strike by power workers affected the EMI pressing plant, and its release was delayed.

4. "Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett was a No. 1 hit in the US in October 1962. Which film star released a cover version in 1977?

Answer: Vincent Price

The original song was re-released in 1973 and reached no. 3 in the UK charts, again in October. It had originally been banned by the BBC in 1962 as being too morbid.

5. "The Floral Dance" was a surprise hit for the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band in 1977. It stayed at No. 2 on the UK charts for nine weeks. Which DJ released a version of it in 1978?

Answer: Terry Wogan

Terry's version only reached the twenties in terms of chart position. "The Floral Dance" was written in 1911 by a lady named Kate Moss and is based on her experiences at the "Furry Dance" in Helston, Cornwall.

Answer: Super Scouse

"Convoy" by C W McCall reached No. 1 in the US charts in 1975.

The original "Convoy" inspired a film of the same name, starring Kris Kristofferson

7. Which group proclaimed "(I've Got a Brand New) Combine Harvester" in 1976?

Answer: The Wurzels

This song was sung to the tune of "Brand New Key" by Melanie. The Wurzels' version reached No. 1 in the UK in June 1976. The Wurzels also had success with "I Am a Cider Drinker", sung to the tune of "Una Paloma Blanca", and "Farmer Bill's Cowman". Their song "Drink up Thee Cider" is played at football club Bristol City's home ground if there is a home win.

8. "Captain Beaky" reached No. 5 in the UK charts in 1980. It was taken from an album based on a book of poetry by Jeremy Lloyd. The villain of the tale was a snake. What was his name?

Answer: Hissing Sid

"Captain Beaky" was narrated by actor Keith Michell. Other famous names who took part in recording the album were Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers. The British public took to Hissing Sid, and a campaign was launched to prove his innocence. Car stickers and graffiti proclaimed that "Hissing Sid Is Innocent". The follow up single was entitled "The Trial of Hissing Sid".

9. Which rocker had a change of pace in 1972, and confided in us about "My Ding-a-Ling"?

Answer: Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry was ranked at No. 5 on Rolling Stone's "The Immortals: 100 Greatest Artists of all Time" and No. 6 on their "100 Great Guitarists of all Time". His career spans over fifty years. Amazingly, "My Ding-a-Ling" is the only one of his records to reach No. 1 in both the US and the UK, in the autumn of 1972.

Answer: Jasper Carrot

Jasper Carrot had his own chart success with "Funky Moped". Most of this success was down to the fact that the B side, "Magic Roundabout", had been banned by the BBC.

Thanks for playing this quiz. I must admit to a sneaking fondness for some of the records listed here, but I'm not owning up to which ones!

Source: Author Supersal1

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Dalgleish before going online.
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