Song Titles Through The Decades Vol. VIII Quiz

Answer: Line

The Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group had a number eight hit on the UK chart with "Rock Island Line" in 1956. It also reached number eight on the US pop chart the same year.

Lonnie Donegan was one of the UK's rare visitors to the US pop chart pre-Beatles and had two other US pop chart entries. "Lost John" which reached number 58 in 1956 and "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavour (On The Bedpost Over Night)" which reached number five in 1961. He had 17 UK top ten hits between 1956 and 1962, including three number one hits.

Answer: Rubber

Bobby Vee had a number six hit on the US pop chart with "Rubber Ball" in 1961. It reached number four on the UK chart the same year.

As was the practice in the UK at the time many British singers & groups covered American hits. Marty Wilde had a number nine hit on the UK chart with "Rubber Ball" in 1961 and The Avons had a number 30 hit with it the same year. Neither of the cover versions hit the US pop chart.

Answer: Strawberry

The Beatles had a double A-sided number two hit on the UK chart with "Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever" in 1967. "Penny Lane" reached number one for one week and "Strawberry Fields Forever" reached number eight on the US pop chart the same year.

The Beatles run of 11 consecutive UK number one hits came to an end with "Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever". Engelbert Humperdinck of all people was in the way at number one, with "Release Me"

Answer: Love

10cc had a number one hit for two weeks on the UK chart with "I'm Not In Love" in 1975. It reached number two on the US pop chart the same year.

It was at number two on the US pop chart for three weeks and was kept out of the number one position by "The Hustle" by Van McCoy, then by "One Of These Nights" by The Eagles, then by "Jive Talkin'" by The Bee Gees. For me it is a classic, up there with "Good Vibrations" and "Bohemian Rhapsody".

Answer: Kid

The Eagles had a number one hit for one week on the US pop chart with "New Kid In Town" in 1977. It reached number 20 on the UK chart the same year.

The song was from the Eagles album "Hotel California" which reached number one on the US Billboard album chart and number two on the UK album chart in 1976. It is the group's biggest selling album with sales of over 16 million in the US.

Answer: Sea

Del Shannon (one of my favourite singers from the early '60s) had an unexpected number 33 hit on the US pop chart with "Sea Of Love" in 1982. It did not chart in the UK. The record was produced by Tom Petty. It was a cover version of the original 1959 version by Phil Phillips with The Twilights, which reached number two on the US pop chart.

His previous US chart hit was "The Big Hurt" which reached number 94 in 1966, it did not chart in the UK. His last chart hit in the UK was "Stranger In Town" which reached number 40 in 1965. It reached number 30 on the US pop chart the same year.

Answer: Pain

The Police had a number 17 hit on the UK chart with "King Of Pain" in 1984. It reached number three on the US pop chart in 1983.

The Police had five number one hits on the UK chart between 1979 and 1983. They had one number one hit for eight weeks on the US pop chart with "Every Breath You Take" in 1983. It was number one for four weeks on the UK chart the same year. "Every Breath You Take" was their fifth and final UK number one and as Sting (Gordon Sumner) had written all five it made him the first person to compose five UK number one hits.

Answer: MMM

Hanson had a number one hit for three weeks on the US pop chart with "MMMBop" in 1997. It reached number one for three weeks on the UK chart the same year.

This could be a case of too much too soon. They were the first family group to achieve a UK number one hit with their debut single. "MMMBop" was the first debut single to top the US & UK chart at the same time. Hanson were the youngest act ever to be awarded a platinum disc in the UK.

Answer: Dream/Sun

Westlife had a number one hit for four weeks on the UK chart with the double A-side "I Have A Dream/Seasons In The Sun". It did not chart in the US.

"I Have A Dream" was a cover version of the 1979 Abba UK number two hit. "Seasons In The Sun" was a cover version of the 1974 Terry Jacks UK number one hit. It gave Westlife their fourth number one of the year. The first act since Elvis Presley in 1962 to have four number one hits on the UK chart in the same year.

Answer: Fix

Bob The Builder had the last number one of the year on the UK chart with "Can We Fix It" in 2000. It did not chart in the US.

Bob The Builder is an annimated cartoon builder voiced by British actor Neil Morrissey. Although "Can We Fix It" has sold over one million copies it was voted one of the worst 100 songs by UK TV Channel 4 viewers. It was the best selling UK single of 2000 and the 10th best selling single of the first decade of the 21st century.