The #1 hits of 1963 Part 4 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Roy Orbison

Another number one for Roy Orbison, "Blue Bayou" hit number one in Australia and the UK, in Australia it was a double-sided hit with the flipside "Mean Woman Blues", an equal number one hit. In The USA, "Mean Woman Blues" made the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 while "Blue Bayou" only made number 29. Linda Ronstadt later recorded "Blue Bayou" and it became a number three hit for her in 1977 and was her best selling single. "Mean Woman Blues" was originally recorded by Elvis Presley for the movie "Loving You" and has been recorded by many of the old time rock and rollers.

Answer: The Jaynetts

The Jaynetts were a one hit wonder; this group from New York was made up of girls from various other groups. Their only hit was "Sally Go Round the Roses" and although the words are nonsensical and the melody very basic this record thrived due to clever arrangement and careful overdubbing of voices.

The song made number two on Billboard's Hot 100 and number three on the Cashbox but the Music Vendor had the record at number one. The record did not chart in Australia or the UK, however local group The Questions covered the song and made the top twenty in Australia during 1967.

The Jaynetts did not have another song make the Hot 100.

Answer: The Chiffons

The Chiffons were one of the many girl groups that were around in the sixties, their recording of "He's So Fine" went to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. The record made the top thirty in Australia and got as high number fifteen on the UK charts. Their follow up hit "One Fine Day" was a top ten on the Hot 100.

Answer: Bobby Vinton

Bobby Vinton was on a roll having had a number one in 1962 with "Roses are Red" he topped the charts again with "Blue on Blue" in 1963. The record made number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Australian charts. The record did not chart in the UK, however the song was recorded by many British artists.

The song was one of many composed by the hottest team of the time, Hal David and Burt Bacharach.

Answer: Frank Ifield

Frank Ifield was born in England to Australian parents; the family moved back to Australia when Frank was ten. Frank started performing on amateur talent shows on radio where he received a good response. His first recording was released in 1953. In 1959 he had two records make the top 40 and this encouraged him to go to England.

He had two number one hits on the UK charts in 1962, "I Remember You" and "Lovesick Blues". In 1963 he hit the top of the UK charts with "I'm Confessin' (that I Love You)".

This record made it number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 20 on the Australian chart.

Answer: Elvis Presley

Written by the prolific Elvis hit songwriter, Otis Blackwell, "Return to Sender was a number one hit for Elvis Presley. The chart performance of this song is remarkable as most charts around the world had the song at number one or number two. The song made number two in Australia for three weeks kept out of the top spot by The Shadows with "The Boys"; in the UK the song was Elvis's thirteenth number one. On the Billboard Hot 100 the song reached number two while on the competing chart Cashbox the song is listed as a number one. "Return to Sender" was featured in the Presley movie "Girls, Girls, Girls".

Answer: Skeeter Davis

"End of the World" was a crossover hit for Skeeter Davis in 1963. The song made number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Cashbox but made number one on the Billboard Easy Listening chart and the other big chart of the time, The Music Vendor. In Australia two or three other girls covered the song so the Skeeter Davis version, although played on the radio, only managed to make the top thirty.

In the UK the song made the top twenty.

Answer: The Singing Nun

"Dominique" was written and recorded by Jeanne-Paule Marie Deckers known better as The Singing Nun. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a worldwide hit. A hastily produced album sold over two million copies. The single "Dominique" made the top ten in Australia and the UK.

Answer: Kathy Kirby

Early in 1963 The Shadows topped the UK charts with an instrumental version of "Dance On" then in August a vocal version by Kathy Kirby peaked at number eleven on the UK charts. The vocal by Kathy Kirby received a lot of airplay in Australia and generated a lot of sales; consequently the song topped the Australian chart. The record did not chart in the USA.

Answer: The Essex

"Easier Said Than Done", released as the b-side of their first single "Are You Going My Way", became a number one hit first time out for The Essex. The Essex were active members of the US Marines at the time of their first release which made it difficult to promote records or make personal appearances. "Easier Said Than Done" made the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, number five in Australia but only managed to make number forty on the UK chart.

They followed this with "A Walking Miracle" a song in a similar vein to "Easier Said Than Done" which made the top twenty in both the USA and Australia.