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Quiz about Obscure Songs From Famous Artists

Obscure Songs From Famous Artists Quiz

Some very famous artists have released songs in the UK that failed dismally to make a chart impact, or even get much airplay. How many of these "famous obscurities" can you spot?

A multiple-choice quiz by Rowena8482. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Rowena8482

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
312,872

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
2351

Question 1 of 10

1. This singer had a massive hit, which stayed at number one in the UK Singles Chart for 5 weeks, and in the chart for 32 weeks. She followed this with a song which peaked at number 14 and stayed in the chart for 10 weeks. Sadly her next UK release, "Flames of Paradise", in 1987, only made it to number 59, and stayed in the chart for just three weeks. Who is she? Hint

Annie Lennox

Madonna

Celine Dion

Jennifer Rush

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Question 2 of 10

2. This band had 16 top ten hits on the UK Singles Chart, starting in 1980.
Their hits included three number ones. In 1991, between the fourteenth and fifteenth of these hits, they released "The Way You Do The Things You Do", which limped its way to number 49 for just three weeks, before sinking back out of the chart. Who are they? Hint

UB40

Simply Red

INXS

Erasure

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Question 3 of 10

3. This band had eleven Top Ten hits on the UK Singles Chart in the 1970s, including four number ones. Their songs "Laser Love" and "The Soul of my Suit" failed to make it into the Top 40; who are they? Hint

The Eagles

Journey

Chicago

T Rex

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Question 4 of 10

4. After a string of hits, starting in 1953, and including eleven in the Top Ten and a number one in the UK Singles Chart, this artist only managed to reach number 42 with his song "The Door is Still Open to my Heart". Who is he? Hint

Frank Sinatra

Bob Hope

Perry Como

Dean Martin

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Question 5 of 10

5. This band had two massive hits in the 70s, both of which re-entered the UK Singles Charts in the 1990s and were hits again. Their five most successful singles all reached the Top 15, but their songs "Sex Over the Phone" and "San Francisco (You've Got Me)" didn't do anywhere near as well, both failing to make it into the Top 40. Which band is this? Hint

Village People

KC and the Sunshine Band

Earth, Wind and Fire

Boney M

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Question 6 of 10

6. Twenty one UK Top 10 hits, including no less than eight number ones were all very well, but this artist still failed to even get into the Top 60 with the songs "Time on my Side" and "Rock and a Hard Place", both released in the 1980s. Who are they? Hint

Elvis Presley

Madonna

The Rolling Stones

Tom Jones

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Question 7 of 10

7. This band had sixteen Top Ten hits, including six number ones, on the UK Singles Chart in the 1970s and 80s. In spite of them being one of Britain's best loved homegrown bands, this success did not extend to their songs "Gypsy Road Hog" and "Do You Believe in Miracles", neither of which made it into the Top 40. Who are they? Hint

Showaddywaddy

Ultravox

Slade

The Rolling Stones

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Question 8 of 10

8. This singer had a string of UK hit singles, starting in 1964. They included eight Top Ten hits, and ended with a number one in 1993. Her very first UK single release reached number 7, her third made it to number 8, but her second single "Here Comes the Night" limped to number 50 for just one week. Who is she? Hint

Cilla Black

Lulu

Dusty Springfield

Petula Clark

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Question 9 of 10

9. In amongst a string of 22 Top Ten hits on the UK Singles Chart, this band's offerings "Are You Growing Tired of my Love" and "Not at All" only reached number 46 and 50 respectively. Who are they? Hint

The Beatles

The Hollies

Status Quo

Gerry and the Pacemakers

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Question 10 of 10

10. This singer had 38 Top Ten hits on the UK Singles Chart, including eight number ones, but his songs "Ease on Down the Road" in 1978, and "We're Almost There" in 1981, both failed to make it into the Top 40. Who is he? Hint

Elvis Presley

Bob Marley

Michael Jackson

Elton John

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Jennifer Rush

Jennifer Rush's biggest hit was of course "The Power of Love", and the follow up was "Ring of Ice", both released in the UK in 1985. Even though "The Power of Love" reached the top spot in more than ten countries around the world, and sold more than a million copies in the UK alone, it only got to number 57 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

2. This band had 16 top ten hits on the UK Singles Chart, starting in 1980. Their hits included three number ones. In 1991, between the fourteenth and fifteenth of these hits, they released "The Way You Do The Things You Do", which limped its way to number 49 for just three weeks, before sinking back out of the chart. Who are they?

Answer: UB40

All three of UB40's number one hits in the UK Singles Charts were cover versions; "Red Red Wine" in 1983, "I Got You Babe", with Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders on vocals, in 1985, and "Falling in Love With You" in 1993.

Answer: T Rex

"Laser Love", released in 1976, reached number 41, and "The Soul of my Suit", released in 1977, made it to number 42. This was the "beginning of the end" of T Rex's success in the UK; their only hit after that was a re-issue of "20th Century Boy" which reached number 13 in 1991.

Answer: Dean Martin

Dean Martin's only UK number one hit was "Memories are Made of This" which spent sixteen weeks on the charts in 1956.

Answer: Village People

"San Francisco (You've Got Me)" was the band's first single release in the UK, and reached number 45 in December 1977. "Sex Over the Phone" was released in 1985, and reached number 59. Their biggest hits were "YMCA" and "In the Navy", which reached number one and number two respectively on the UK Singles Chart in 1978 and 79.

The Village People were as famous for their costumes as they were for their music, and in 2008 they were awarded their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Answer: The Rolling Stones

The Stones first UK Top Ten hit was "Not Fade Away" in 1963; it was their third single release, and reached number three. "Time on my Side" reached number 62 in 1982, and "Rock and a Hard Place" reached number 63 in 1989.

Answer: Slade

Slade, and their lead singer, the inimitable Noddy Holder, have become a British institution with their perennially released "Merry Xmas Everybody". The song entered the UK Singles Chart no less than eight times between 1973 and 1986, and is practically compulsory listening at Christmas parties. "Gypsy Road Hog", released in 1977, reached number 48 and spent just two weeks on the charts, and "Do You Believe in Miracles" didn't even do that well, reaching number 54 in 1985.
Hands up if you did the "It's CHRIISSSSSTMAAAAAAAAAS" thing when you realised this was Slade? :-D

Answer: Lulu

Lulu, born Marie Lawrie, released "Shout", her first single, in May 1964. Her third single was "Leave a Little Love" which spent 11 weeks on the UK Singles Chart. Her only UK number one hit was "Relight my Fire", performed together with Take That, and it spent 12 weeks in the chart from October 1993.

Answer: Status Quo

"Are You Growing Tired of my Love" was Status Quo's third UK single and was released in 1969. "Not at All" was released in 1989. Their only UK number one hit was "Down Down", which spent eleven weeks in the charts in 1974.

Answer: Michael Jackson

"Ease on Down the Road" got to number 45 and spent four weeks on the chart, and "We're Almost There" reached number 46, also spending four weeks on the chart. Somewhat eerily, Michael Jackson released a single called "Gone Too Soon" in 1993, which reached number 33 on the UK Singles Chart.

Source: Author Rowena8482

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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