Number One Hits of 1959 - Part One Quiz

Answer: Elvis Presley

Elvis took "A Big Hunk of Love" to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1959. This was Presley's twelfth number one hit single in the USA. Cliff Richard was one of England's Elvis imitators, as was Marty Wilde. Little Richard did not record the song. The song was part written by Aaron Schroeder who composed a number of hits for Elvis including, "It's Now or Never", "Stuck on You" and "Good Luck Charm".

Answer: Col Joye & The Joy Boys

Australia's own Col Joye & The Joy Boys had their first number one hit on the Australian charts with "Bye Bye Baby". It was written by Frank McNulty in 1958 and first recorded by Sonny Williams on Coin Records. A New York record producer shipped the single around the world, where it was played by an Aussie DJ who mentioned the song to Col Joye.

Many other versions of the song were released, a version by Teresa Brewer and a version sung in Japanese by Col Joye. Col Joye's version of the song was number one in Sydney Australia for ten weeks based on sales and airplay sources for this are the 2UE Top 40 and the 2UW Top Thirty. Because record companies also released sales figures the charts were not always accurate, so radio station charts came from their playlists and their own research of record retailers.

This record barely charted outside of Sydney or Melbourne in the other Australian states, but its strong performance in those cities forced into the Australian lexicon.

Answer: Dave "Baby" Cortez

"The Happy Organ" was for Dave "Baby" Cortez his first and only number one hit. He had another top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962 with "Rinky Dink" but after that had no more chart success. "The Happy Organ" has the distinction of being the first 'Rock' instrumental to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: Lloyd Price

"Personality" reached number one in Australia during June of 1959, staying at the top of the charts for four weeks. This was the first and only number one for Lloyd Price. Price had two other top ten hits in 1959 on the Aussie charts. "Personality" made the top ten in both the UK and US charts, indeed it spent three weeks in the number two position on the Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: Craig Douglas

According to "The Complete Book of British Charts" Craig Douglas scored a number one hit with "Only Sixteen" on the British pop chart. The song was written and originally recorded by Sam Cooke, who had a US top thirty hit and did not chart in Australia. Craig Douglas did not chart in Australia until 1961 when his recording of "Time" reached the top ten. "Only Sixteen" was covered by Dr Hook in the mid 1970s and is by far the most successful version of the song. Brook Benton and Ritchie Valens did not record the song. Sam Cooke's' original version of the song only made it to number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 and did not chart in Australia.

Answer: The Browns

"The Three Bells" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Browns in mid 1959. The Browns comprised sisters Bonnie and Maxine with their brother Jim Ed Brown. The song reached number one on the Australian charts and did not chart in the UK. The Browns charted on the US country charts from 1954 through 1968, with many of their hits crossing over to the pop charts.

Answer: Shirley Bassey

Born in Tiger Bay, Wales in 1937, Shirley Bassey scored her first number one on the British charts with "As I Love You". Shirley is famous for having recorded and sung the theme for three James Bond movies, "Goldfinger", "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Moonraker".

This song did not chart in the USA or Australia. "The Complete Book of British Charts" credit Shirley with only one other number one, "Climb Every Mountain" in 1961.

Answer: Jimmie Rodgers

"Bimbombey" released in late 1958 in the USA, made the number one spot on the Australian chart for Jimmie Rodgers in February 1959. Rodgers was extremely popular in Australia where he was regularly in the charts from 1957 through the mid 1960s. "Bimbombey" reached number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 but did not chart in the UK.

Answer: The Platters

"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" by The Platters was the only record in 1959 to reach number one spot on the USA, Australian and UK charts. "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" was the fourth US number one for The Platters, on the Billboard Hot 100, having previously reached number one with, "My Prayer", "The Great Pretender" and "Twilight Time".

Answer: Russ Conway

"Side Saddle" was a number one hit in the UK for Russ Conway. The tune was penned by Conway as additional music for a BBC program "Beauty and the Beast". Russ Conway placed twenty songs on the UK charts between 1957 and 1962 with twelve of them reaching the top ten. Russ Conway did not make the singles charts in Australia or the USA.