Number One Hits of 1965- Part 2 Quiz

Answer: The Seekers

The Seekers recorded "The Carnival Is Over" in mid 1965 and released it in time for it to be number one leading into Christmas in the UK. The record was the last number one of 1965 and stayed in that position for the first two weeks of 1966 in The Seekers' native Australia.

The record did not make the Billboard Hot 100. The song itself was written by Tom Springfield (brother of Dusty), the melody taken from an old Russian folk song.

Answer: Barry McGuire

Recorded in one take and legend has it that Barry McGuire read the lyrics off a crumpled piece of paper given to him by the composer P F Sloan. Legend also says the one take was to be polished in the studio and overdubbed, but the first take was leaked to a radio station.

The record "Eve of Destruction" went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and made number three on the British charts. In Australia the record made the top ten reaching number five. Many radio stations banned this song because of lyrics like "You're old enough to kill, but not for votin'" which were unpopular with the establishment during the Vietnam War.

Answer: The Beatles

The Beatles took "Ticket to Ride" to number one In April 1965. The song hit number one in Australia, USA and their native UK. The song was the first of the heavier sound the Beatles were drifting towards. Every author who writes about The Beatles' music analyses this song until it becomes boring and musicologists also dwell on this. Suffice to say it is a great pop rock song and fitted in neatly in 1965. In the early seventies the Carpenters released a very good slower version of "Ticket To Ride".

Answer: Unit 4 + 2

Unit 4 + 2 hit the top of the British charts in 1965 with "Concrete and Clay". The record made the top twenty in the USA and Australia and was the biggest hit for the group. Their next single released in late 1965 was "You've Never Been in Love Like This Before" which is my favourite of their limited output.

This second chart single reached number ten in the UK and failed to chart significantly anywhere else. The group continued to record and perform until 1970 when they disbanded.

Answer: The Supremes

"Come See About Me" was the third consecutive number one for the Supremes, hitting the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in mid December 1964 for one week, then returning to the top spot three weeks later in January 1965. The record was a number eleven hit in the UK. In Australia "Come See About Me" hit number 48 although the flipside, "Always in my Heart" made the top forty.

The three week gap at the top of the Billboard hot 100 was filled by The Beatles with "I Feel Fine".

Answer: The Righteous Brothers

One of the greatest pop songs ever recorded so said Neil Diamond when discussing music of the 1960's.
"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" recorded by The Righteous Brothers earned that praise. The record hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in February of 1965. In Australia it peaked at number two behind the Rolling Stones, "Under The Boardwalk" and in the UK it took the top spot.

This record was released again and again over the years and in the UK hit number one again in 1990.

Answer: The Dave Clark Five

Written by and originally recorded by Bobby Day as a flipside to his classic "Rockin' Robin", "Over and Over" became a big hit for The Dave Clark Five. The record went to Number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the Dave Clark Five's only US number one. The record made the top twenty in Australia and in the UK only got to number 45.

Answer: The Byrds

With the words of the first two verses from the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible, King James version I believe. This was an unlikely combination for a hit song however it struck a chord (pardon the pun) with the youth of the sixties as it was seen as a protest against the war in Vietnam.

The recording by The Byrds of this Pete Seeger song went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In Australia the record reached number 44 and in the UK peaked at number 26. The Byrds' recording of the song has been featured on the soundtrack of more than 50 movies.

The song itself has been recorded by many diverse artists including The Seekers, Chris DeBurgh and Dolly Parton.

Answer: The Rolling Stones

"Under the Boardwalk" / "Walking the Dog" was a double sided number one for The Rolling Stones in early 1965 on the Australian Charts. "Under the Boardwalk" had been a top ten hit for The Drifters in 1964 rising to number four on the Billboard Hot 100. "Walking the Dog" made the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963 for its writer and performer, Rufus Thomas. "Under the Boardwalk" was not released as a single in the UK or the USA.

This marked the last time in the 1960s the Stones would significantly make the charts with a song they did not write.

Answer: Georgie Fame

Georgie Fame, or Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, as my Columbia 45 states, hit the top of the UK chart in early 1965 with "Yeh Yeh". Highly influenced by jazz style blues organists like Oscar Brown and Jimmy Smith, Georgie Fame released a string of chart hits through 1965-1969 and managed three UK number ones.

This record of course was number one in the UK. It made the top thirty on the Billboard Hot 100 and rose to number twelve in Australia.