Number One Hits of 1959 - Part 3 Quiz

Answer: Wilbert Harrison

Wilbert Harrison hit the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Kansas City"; the song did not chart for Harrison in Australia or the UK. Wilbert did not chart again until 1969/70 when his version of his composition "Let's Work Together" was released to compete with a version by Canned Heat. "Kansas City" aka "KC Loving" has been recorded by many artists including Little Richard, Trini Lopez and The Beatles.

Answer: Chris Barber's Jazz Band

Chris Barber's Jazz Band, playing 'Trad Jazz' as was the popular style of the late fifties and early sixties, scored a number one on the Australian charts with "Petite Fleur". The record was top ten in the UK and on the Billboard Hot 100. Chris Barber, (Mr) Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball and The Temperance Seven popularised the Trad Jazz movement which effectively only endured from 1959-1962.

As they say, it was fun while it lasted.

Answer: Guy Mitchell

Guy Mitchell, a prolific hit maker through the 1950s with a studio influenced rockabilly style, hit the number one spot in 1959 with "Heartaches By The Number". The recording hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, the top ten in both the UK and Australia. "Heartaches By The Number" proved to be Mitchell's last chart entry; his biggest hit had been in 1956 with the worldwide number one hit "Singing the Blues".

Answer: Jerry Keller

Jerry Keller is classed as a one hit wonder for his only entry into the charts as a vocalist with "Here Comes Summer". The recording hit number one in the UK, number Fourteen on Billboard and only scraped in to the top forty in Australia. Although he never again made the charts, his songs recorded by a variety of artists did.

He wrote the English words to "A Man and A Woman" recorded by Matt Monro, Johnny Mathis and Englebert Humperdinck, and "Almost There" recorded by both Andy Williams and Robert Goulet for the 1963 film "I'd Rather Be Rich" starring Sandra Dee. Jerry also wrote the soundtrack music for a few films.

Answer: Johnnie Ray

A number one in Australia for Johnnie Ray, "I'll Never Fall in Love Again". Like Guy Mitchell, Johnnie Ray had a prolific chart presence in the 1950s. This recording, although a number one in Australia for five weeks, barely charted in the USA, indeed Joel Whitburn's invaluable volume "Top Pop Singles 1955-2015" shows the record only reaching a peak of number 75 on the Hot 100.

The record did no better in the UK where he had been immensely popular only made it to number 28 on the top forty. My research shows Johnnie Ray toured Australia six times in the 1950s.

Answer: Bill Haley & His Comets

"Joey's Song" reached number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100; the song did make number one in Australia for eight weeks from December 1959 through the end of January 1960. Although the famous "Rock Around the Clock" was successfully re-released in 1964 and 1974, "Joey's Song" was the last of their hits.

The record did not chart in the UK. Oddly, for all of the group's pioneering records and being cited as the instigators of Rock 'n' Roll, Australia is the only country where Bill Haley and His Comets had two number one hits.

Answer: Buddy Holly

Released after his death in February 1959, "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" was a number one hit for Buddy Holly in the UK. The song was written for Buddy by Paul Anka and made the top twenty in both Australia and the UK. Chart success for this rock pioneer was much greater in the UK and Australia. Since 1955 this record was the first posthumous number one hit.

Answer: Col Joye & The Joy Boys

Col Joye and the Joy Boys had their second number one for 1959 in Australia with "Rockin' Rollin' Clementine". The song is a rocked up version of the old folk song "Oh My Darling Clementine". Col Joye was a pioneer Australian rocker, who, with Johnny O'Keefe, Johnny Rebb, Johnny Chester and Johnny Devlin paved the way for all the artists and groups that came on the scene in the 1960s.

Answer: Cliff Richard

"Living Doll" was written by Lionel Bart and performed in the movie "Serious Charge" by Cliff Richard and The Drifters (later known as The Shadows). A differently arranged and re-recorded version was released and became Cliff's first number one single.

The record was number one for six weeks in the UK, top ten in Australia competing with a local cover version by Col Joye and it just crept into the Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: Bobby Darin

From the German musical "The Threepenny Opera", the song "Mack The Knife" first came to the attention of pop music charts in 1956 with a version by Louis Armstrong. In 1959, reluctantly as the story goes, Bobby Darin recorded a big band version of the song which went to the top of the Billboard Hot 100.

The song was the best seller and best chart performer of 1959. "Mack The Knife" by Bobby Darin reached number one in the UK chart and number two in Australia.