The #1 hits of 1963 Part 5 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Frank Ifield

Originally recorded in 1956 and a number one hit of eight weeks for Gogi Grant who charted the same version again in 1961 of "The Wayward Wind". In February 1963 Frank Ifield took the song to the top of the British charts. "The Wayward Wind" by Frank Ifield did not chart in the USA and was only a moderate hit in Australia just scraping in to the top twenty. Frank Ifield's popularity in the UK was such that pre Beatles, from June 1962 through January 1964, Frank placed seven singles on the UK charts, four reaching number one, two making the top ten and one top twenty. Frank now lives in semi retirement in Sydney Australia (May 2020) not far from this author.

Answer: Nino Tempo and April Stevens

Nino Tempo and April Stevens recorded "Deep Purple" in 1963 and achieved a number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and a Grammy award to boot.
This recording made the top ten in Australia and number seventeen in the UK.

The song itself was written in 1933 by Peter DeRose with lyrics added by Mitchell Parish in 1939. In one week in March 1939 there were five different versions of "Deep Purple" on the Hit Parade, which noted the most played and best selling songs of the week.

Answer: Gerry & The Pacemakers

Gerry & The Pacemakers followed "How Do You Do It" with "I Like It" which like the earlier record went to the top of the UK chart. The record made number three in Australia and did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 until 1964 where it peaked at number seventeen.

Answer: Brian Poole and The Tremeloes

"Do You Love Me", originally recorded by the Contours and a number three hit for them in 1962 on the Billboard Hot 100, was a UK number one for Brian Poole and the Tremeloes. Brian Poole and the Tremeloes had hit number three on the UK charts earlier in 1963 with "Twist and Shout". "Do You Love Me" was a number one for the group in Australia but due to poor marketing by Decca did not chart in the USA.

Answer: Bobby Vinton

The multi talented Bobby Vinton had his second number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Blue Velvet". The record did not chart in the UK until 1990 when it reached number three, due to its use in a television commercial for cosmetics.
In Australia the record made the top twenty peaking at number sixteen.

Answer: Little Stevie Wonder

At thirteen and top of the Billboard Hot 100, such was the lot of (Little) Stevie Wonder when "Fingertips part 1" made it for him. The record did not chart very much outside the USA, which was not a big concern for Stevie as he has had chart hits in Australia-22, UK-51 and on the Billboard Hot 100-60 since "Fingertips" in mid 1963. Stevie has won countless music awards including 25 Grammys and an Academy Award for best song "I Just Called to Say I Love You" from the movie "The Woman in Red".

Answer: Cliff Richard and The Shadows

"The Next Time / Bachelor Boy" was a double sided hit for Cliff Richard and The Shadows. The record went to number one with "The Next Time" being the more popular track in the UK. Ironically the record was number one for three weeks and lost the top spot to The Shadows with "Dance On" which in turn was replaced by "Diamonds" performed by ex Shadows members Jet Harris and Tony Meehan. "The Next Time/Bachelor Boy" made it to number nine in Australia where Cliff and the Shadows were immensely popular, with "Bachelor Boy" being the favoured side.

In the USA "Bachelor Boy" stumbled into the Billboard Hot 100 at 99 for one week. Cliff Richard managed 20 songs on the Hot 100 between 1959 and 1983 with only three making the top ten. His appeal throughout the UK, Europe, Canada and Asia/Oceania makes him one of the top ten artists of all time. I am still mystified that he and the Shadows have not been elected to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Answer: The Beatles

"From Me To You" was the first record to top the UK Chart for The Beatles. It was a number six hit in Australia and did not initially chart in the USA. However a version by Del Shannon made the Billboard Hot 100 and made the top ten in Australia in 1963. Del Shannon was the first person to have a hit with a Lennon/McCartney song outside the UK.

Answer: Steve Lawrence

Although he released over 70 albums and 50 singles, Steve Lawrence only managed to top the Billboard Hot 100 with "Go Away Little Girl" in early 1963. The recording did well in Australia where it made the top fifteen and stayed on the top forty chart for eighteen weeks.

The record did not chart in the UK for Steve but a cover version by Mark Wynter made the top ten. Donny Osmond released a version of the song in 1971 which topped the Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: Ned Miller

Ned Miller was a singer songwriter from Utah who hit the right target with his release of "From A Jack to a King". The record hit number one in Australia and stayed there for three weeks. In the USA the record made the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Billboard Country chart.

In the UK the song made number two, kept out of the top spot by Cliff Richard and the Shadows with "Summer Holiday" then by the Shadows with "Foot Tapper". Ned Miller released a number of singles in the sixties but his only other Billboard Hot 100 hit was "Do What You Do Do Well" in 1965.