That Was The Year That Was: Pop Music 1962 Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In 1962 the movie "It's Wonderful To Be Young" was released in America. It starred Cliff Richard and The Shadows who had been in New York to promote their movie. What is the original UK title of the movie and the number one UK single of the same name?

Answer: The Young Ones

"The Young Ones" was written by Sid Tepper/Roy C. Bennett. It was number one for six weeks on the UK singles chart for Cliff Richard and The Shadows in 1962. It did not chart in the US. It entered the UK singles chart at number one becoming the first single by a UK group to do so.

The movie "The Young Ones" starred Cliff Richard as Nicky Black, Robert Morley as his father Hamilton Black and The Shadows as the musicians. The ever so nicely spoken Nicky Black (Cliff) plays a rich boy trying to save his youth club from demolition by his father. I will admit before the world that I paid to see this movie which bore little resemblance to the life of me or my friends in Merseyside.

The movie had a �230,000 budget and was the second most popular movie at the British box office in 1961, behind "The Guns of Navarone" at number one. Oh how easily we were entertained in those far off days of yore.

2. Is this deja vu or is it happening again? I'm sure this dance record was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 15 months ago but here it is again at number one. What is the title of this record?

Answer: The Twist

"The Twist" was written by Hank Ballard. It was number one for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for Chubby Checker in 1962. It peaked at number 14 on the UK singles chart the same year.

"The Twist" was originally number one for one week on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960 and peaked at number 44 on the the UK singles chart the same year. It was the first single to re-enter the Billboard Hot 100 and return to the number one position.

In 1975 "The Twist" re-entered the UK singles chart and peaked at number five as the double A-Sided hit "Let's Twist Again"/"The Twist".

In 1988 "The Twist (Yo, Twist)" by The Fat Boys featuring Chubby Checker peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at number two on the UK singles chart the same year.

3. The year was 1962, the place was New Brighton on the opposite bank of the river Mersey from Liverpool in the UK. John Lennon was talking to harmonica player Delbert McClinton about his playing on a number one hit record in the US at the time. It may have inspired Lennon's harmonica solo a few months later on "Love Me Do". What is the title of that US number one hit record with the harmonica intro?

Answer: Hey! Baby

"Hey! Baby" was written by Margaret Cobb/Bruce Channel. It was number one for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for Bruce Channel in 1962. It peaked at number two on the UK singles chart the same year.

Bruce Channel was born Bruce McMeans in Jacksonville, Texas, USA, in 1940. After such a fabulous start to his US chart career it's a pity that Bruce Channel never made the Top 50 ever again. His biggest hit after "Hey! Baby" was "Number One Man" which peaked at number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962, it did not chart in the UK.

His only other hit on the UK singles chart was "Keep On" which peaked at number 12 in 1968, it did not chart in the US.

4. Three records tied for the single that spent the most weeks at number one on the UK singles chart in the '60s. The first one was by a solo singer in 1960 and the third one was by a cartoon group in 1969. Who were the four lads that had the second one in 1962?

Answer: Hank, Bruce, Jet and Tony (The Shadows)

Hank Marvin (lead guitar), Bruce Welch (rhythm guitar), Jet Harris (bass guitar) and Tony Meehan (drums) were The Shadows. They were the most successful British instrumental group by a million miles. No one came near them in the '60s or since.

The Shadows had five number one hits on the UK singles chart, "Apache" (number one for five weeks in 1960), "Kon-Tiki" (number one for one week in 1961), "Wonderful Land" (number one for eight weeks in 1962), "Dance On" (number one for one week in 1963) and "Foot Tapper" (number one for one week in 1963).

"It's Now Or Never" was written by Eduardo Capua/Aaron Shroeder/Wally Gold. It was number one for eight weeks on the UK singles chart for Elvis Presley in 1960. It was number one for five weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

"Wonderful Land" was written by Jerry Lordan. It was number one for eight weeks on the UK singles chart for The Shadows in 1962. It did not chart in the US.

"Sugar Sugar" was number one for eight weeks on the UK singles chart for The Archies in 1969. It was number one for four weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

5. I must admit going to see another pop musical in 1962, it was "It's Trad Dad" ("Ring-a-Ding Rhythm!" in the USA). Slotted in throughout the movie and nothing to do with the story were various singers and groups. One of them sang the B-side of his latest UK single "Hey Little Girl", in the US it was the B-Side of "The Swiss Maid". Who was the singer?

Answer: Del Shannon

"Hey Little Girl" was written by Del Shannon. It peaked at number two on the UK singles chart for Del Shannon in 1962. It peaked at number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

In the movie "It's Trad Dad" ("Ring-a-Ding Rhythm!" in the USA) Del Shannon sang "You Never Talked About Me". I had heard "Runaway" on the radio the year before but I didn't know who he was or much about pop singers at the time. I wanted the record even though I didn't have a record player at the time. I went to a number of record shops/stores but none of them had heard of "You Never Talked About Me" so I was disappointed not to get a copy.

As a last resort I went to my small local record shop who I thought would not have it and they didn't. The girl behind the counter told me that they did have his latest single "Hey Little Girl" so I bought that to start my record collection off. Sitting on the bus home I took the record out of the bag to look at it and there on the B-Side was "You Never Talked About Me". None of the people in the other record shops had bothered to tell me about "Hey Little Girl" or look at the B-Side. I bought many a record from that little shop in the future.

6. The most successful girl group of the '60s, before The Supremes, had their second and last US number one hit this year. The song was about a boy in the armed forces. What is the name of the group?

Answer: The Shirelles

"Soldier Boy" was written by Luther Dixon/Florence Greenberg. It was number one for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Shirelles in 1962. It peaked at number 23 on the UK singles chart the same year.

The original Shirelles were Doris Coley, Addie Harris, Beverly Lee and Shirley Owens. They had their first Billboard Hot 100 hit with "I Met Him On A Sunday (Ronde-Ronde)", which peaked at number 49 in 1958. Their first number one hit was "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" which was number one for two weeks in 1961.

After "Foolish Little Girl" peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963, The Shirelles did not have another Top 20 hit but did have a string of minor hits up until 1967.

7. Elvis Presley's record label RCA struck while the going was good. There were only 12 number one hits on the UK singles chart in 1962 and Elvis had four of them, (twice as many as he would have in the UK for the rest of the '60s) and one of them was a double A-Side. Which one of the four with these lyrics was the only one to peak at number one in the US? "If I found a lucky penny I'd toss it across the bay Your love is worth all the gold on earth No wonder that I say"

Answer: Good Luck Charm

"Good Luck Charm" was written by Aaron Schroeder/Wally Gold. It was number one for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for Elvis Presley in 1962. It was number one for five weeks on the UK singles chart the same year.

"Can't Help Falling In Love" was written by George David Weiss/Hugo Peretti/Luigi Creator. It peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for Elvis Presley in 1962. "Rock-A-Hula Baby" was written by Fred Wise/Ben Weisman/Dolores Fuller. It peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 for Elvis Presley in 1962. "Rock-A-Hula Baby"/"Can't Help Falling In Love" was number one for four weeks on the UK singles chart the same year.

"She's Not You" was written by Doc Pomus/Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller. It peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 for Elvis Presley in 1962. It was number one for three weeks on the UK singles chart the same year.

"Return To Sender" was written by Otis Blackwell/Winfield Scott. It peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for Elvis Presley in 1962. It was number one for three weeks on the UK singles chart the same year.

8. "Come Outside" was a comedy number one record in the UK this year and featured actress Wendy Richard. She is best remembered for playing Pauline Fowler for more than 20 years in the BBC soap "EastEnders". Previously she had been in the BBC comedy series "Are You Being Served" for 13 years. She played a junior assistant in the ladies department of the Grace Brothers department store. What was the name of her character in "Are You Being Served"?

Answer: Miss Brahms

"Come Outside" was written by Charles Blackwell. It was number one for two weeks on the UK singles chart for Mike Sarne featuring actress Wendy Richard. It did not chart in the US.

Wendy Richard's first TV appearance was in the BBC serial "Stranger On The Shore" she then appeared in another BBC series "The Newcomers" in 1965. Also in that year she appeared in and episode of "The Likely Lads and was in a scene subsequently cut from The Beatles' movie "HELP!". Her big break came in the '70s in the BBC series "Are You Being Served?" were she played Miss Shirley Brahms. Further TV success came in 1985 when she played Pauline Fowler for more than 20 years in the BBC soap "EastEnders".

She appeared in two carry on movies, "Carry On Matron" (1972) and "Carry On Girls" (1973), and in "No Blade of Grass" (1970), starring Nigel Davenport and "Gumshoe" (1971) starring Albert Finney. She also appeared in movie versions of the British TV shows, "On The Buses" (1971), starring Reg Varney, "Bless This House" (1972), starring Sid James and "Are You Being Served?" (1977), starring John Inman, Mollie Sugden and Frank Thornton.

9. "The Concert for George" was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 29 November 2002 as a memorial to George Harrison on the first anniversary of his death. The singer and musician who sang "I'll See You In My Dreams" while playing his ukulele at the end of the concert had his biggest UK hit in 1962, with "A Picture Of You". What is his name?

Answer: Joe Brown

"A Picture Of You" was written by John Beveridge/Peter Oakman. It peaked at number two on the UK singles chart for Joe Brown and The Bruvvers in 1962. It did not chart in the US.

Joe Brown and The Bruvvers from London were managed by Larry Parnes who managed other British singers such as Billy Fury, Georgie Fame and Johnny Gentle. The same Larry Parnes who turned down The Beatles at an audition to be Billy Fury's backing group. However he must have seen something in them as he later hired them to back another singer, Johnny Gentle, on a tour of Scotland.

Parnes had a penchant for giving his singers dynamic names such as Fury, Tempest, Power and Eager. For some reason known only to himself he tried to rename Joe Brown as Elmer Twitch. Joe Brown lived near George Harrison and they became great friends.

10. Another chart career was coming to an end this year with a last placing in the Top Ten in the US and UK. Mel Blanc was a guest voice on the record by a singer that Little Richard would have been glad to see the back of. Who was the singer?

Answer: Pat Boone

"Speedy Gonzales" was written by Buddy Kaye/Ethel Lee/David Hill. It peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 for Pat Boone in 1962. It peaked at number two on the UK singles chart the same year.

The female voice on the record was provided by singer Robin Ward and the voice of Speedy Gonzales was that of voice artist Mel Blanc who also supplied the voice in the Warner Brothers' "Speedy Gonzales" cartoons.

The original version of "Speedy Gonzales" was by David Dante (alias David Hill & Davis Hess). It was released in 1961 but did not chart in the US or the UK.

Little Richard became annoyed with Pat Boone for covering and having a bigger hit on the Billboard Top 100 with "Tutti Frutti" than his own version. He decided to write a song so up-tempo that Pat Boone could not sing it but he did. Little Richard's version of "Long Tall Sally" peaked at number six on the Billboard Top 100 in 1956 and Pat Boone's version peaked at number eight the same year.

11. Before the UK beat boom of 1963 became the US British invasion of 1964, it killed off the chart careers of many home grown singers. In the 16 months from March 1961 to July 1962, this girl had five Top Ten hits on the UK singles chart. This included two number one hits, all before her 16th birthday. Who is she?

Answer: Helen Shapiro

Helen Shapiro was 14 years old and still at school when "Don't Treat Me Like A Child" peaked at number three on the UK singles chart in 1961.

Also in 1961 she had two number one hits on the UK singles chart, "You Don't Know" (three week at number one) and "Walkin' Back To Happiness" (three weeks at number one). "Walkin' Back To Happiness" was her only hit on the Billboard Hot 100 when it peaked at number 100 for one week in 1961. In 1962 she had her last UK Top 20 hit when "Tell Me What He Said" peaked at number two and "Little Miss Lonely" peaked at number eight.

She had a couple of minor hits in 1963 and 1964 but her chart career was over before her 18th birthday in 1964.

12. Brenda Lee had her biggest hit of 1962 with a song containing these lyrics. What is the title of the song? "No use in holding other hands For I'd be holding only emptiness No use in kissing other lips For I'd be thinking just of your caress"

Answer: All Alone Am I

"All Alone Am I" was written by Arthur Altman/Manos Hadjidakis. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 for Brenda Lee in 1962. It peaked at number seven on the UK singles chart in 1963.

Brenda Lee was born Brenda Mae Tarpley in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, in 1944. She had her first hit record on the Billboard Top 100 in 1957 with "One Step At A Time" which peaked at number 43. Chart wise she out lasted all of her contemporaries and many that came later. Between 1960 and 1966 she had 19 Top 20 hits of which 13 were Top Ten hits. She had two number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 with "I'm Sorry" (number one for three weeks in 1960) and "I Want To Be Wanted" (number one for one week in 1960). Her final hit on the Billboard Hot 100 was "Nobody Wins" which peaked at number 70 in 1973. From the '70s into the 21st century she has had many hits on the Billboard Country chart, which included numerous Top Ten hits.

13. British singer Billy Fury's backing group The Tornados were enjoying a transatlantic number one hit in 1962 with "Telstar". In the UK a group, little known outside of Liverpool (who had been turned down at the audition to be Billy Fury's backing group), had their first hit on the UK singles chart. Who were they?

Answer: The Beatles

Yes, believe it or not The Beatles (still The Silver Beatles at the time) did not get the job as replacements for Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames, as Billy Fury's backing group. However, John Lennon did come away with Billy Fury's autograph. Later, Fury's manager (Larry Parnes), gave them a job backing one of his other singers (Johnny Gentle), on a tour of Scotland.

The Beatles debuted on the UK singles chart with "Love Me Do" which peaked at number 17 in 1962. It was number one for one week on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964.

The Swinging Blue Jeans debuted on the UK singles chart with "It's Too Late Now" which peaked at number 30 in 1963. It did not chart in the US.

The Searchers debuted on the UK singles chart with "Sweets For My Sweet" which was number one for two weeks in 1963. It did not chart in the US.

The Mojos debuted on the UK singles chart with "Everything's Alright" which peaked at number nine in 1964. It did not chart in the US.

14. In November 1962 the eleventh movie starring Elvis Presley was released; it featured the song "Return To Sender". What was the title of the movie?

Answer: Girls! Girls! Girls!

"Return To Sender" was written by Winfield Scott/Otis Blackwell. It peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for Elvis Presley in 1962. It was number one for three weeks on the UK singles chart the same year.

"Girls! Girls! Girls!" starred Elvis Presley as fishing guide Ross Carpenter, Stella Stevens as Robin Ganter, Robert Strauss as Sam and Jeremy Slate as Wesley Johnson. The movie grossed over �2,500,000 at the box office.

The soundtrack album from the movie peaked at number three on the Billboard album chart in 1963. It peaked at number two on the UK album chart the same year.

15. The British invasion had a false dawn in 1962. Four barren years after the last British US number one hit "He's Got The Whole World (In His Hands)" by Laurie London in 1958, two came along in 1962. Which two Billboard Hot 100 number one hits (both instrumentals) were they?

Answer: "Stranger On The Shore"/"Telstar"

"Stranger On The Shore" was written by Acker Bilk/Robert Mellin. It was number one for one week on the Billboard Hot 100 for Mr. Acker Bilk with the Leon Young String Chorale in 1962. It peaked at number two on the UK singles chart in 1961

"Telstar" was written by Joe Meek. It was number one for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Tornadoes in 1962/63. It was number one for five weeks on the UK singles chart for The Tornados in 1962.

"Midnight In Moscow" was Trad. arr. Kenny Ball. It peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962. It peaked at number two on the UK singles chart for Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen in 1961.

"Wonderful Land" was written by Jerry Lordan. It did not chart in the US. It was number one for eight weeks on the UK singles chart in 1962.

"Nut Rocker" was written by Kim Fowley. It peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 for B. Bumble & The Stingers in 1962. It was number one for one week on the UK singles chart the same year.

Source: Author shipyardbernie

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Do you know what happened in the pop music world of 1962? Play the third quiz in this series if you remember, or want to find out. UK chart: Guinness book of British Hit Singles & Albums. US chart: Joel Whitburn's Billboard book of Top Pop Singles.

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