The '50s: Not All Rock 'n' Roll Vol.2 Quiz

Answer: You Belong To Me

"You Belong To Me" was written by Pee Wee King/Chilton Price/Redd Stewart. It was number one for one week on the UK singles chart for Jo Stafford in 1953. It peaked at number one on the Billboard chart in 1952.

Jo Elizabeth Stafford was born in Coalinga, California, USA, in 1917. Her first US chart hit was the "The Trolley Song" as part of the group The Pied Pipers. It peaked at number two in 1944. Their version of the song charted higher than the original version by Judy Garland from the movie "Meet Me In St. Louis", which peaked at number four.

During the '40s Jo Stafford had 18 Top Ten hits in the US, two of which, "Candy" with Johnny Mercer (1945) and "Temptation" with Red Ingle & the Natural Seven (1947), hit the number one spot. In the '50s she had 11 US Top Ten hits which included the number one hits "You Belong To Me" (1952) and "Make Love to Me" (1954). She died of congestive heart failure in Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA, in 2008 aged 90.

Answer: Vera Lynn

"My Son, My Son" was written by Gordon Melville Rees/Bob Howard/Eddie Calvert. It was number one for two weeks on the UK singles chart for Vera Lynn in 1954. It peaked at number 28 on the Billboard chart the same year.

Singer/songwriter/actress Vera Lynn was born Vera Margaret Welch in East Ham, Essex, England, in 1917. During WWII, she toured Burma, Egypt and India, performing outdoor concerts for the troops. She was known as the forces' sweetheart and these songs made during the war will always be associated with her, "There'll Always Be an England", "We'll Meet Again", "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" and "The White Cliffs of Dover". As of October 2017 Dame Vera Lynn is still alive, aged 100.

Answer: The Blues

"Learnin' The Blues" written by Dolores Silvers was number one for two weeks on the Billboard chart for Frank Sinatra in 1955. It peaked at number two on the UK singles chart the same year.

Frank Sinatra was born Francis Albert Sinatra in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA, in 1915. He got his first showbiz break in 1935 when he joined The 3 Flashes who then became The Hoboken Four. In 1939 he joined The Harry James Band and later that year The Tommy Dorsey Band. Sinatra went solo in 1942 but still had a legal battle with Dorsey to end a contract that gave Dorsey 43% of Sinatra's life-time earnings. That was settled in 1943 but Tommy Dorsey had never forgiven Sinatra before his death in 1956.

Sinatra not only became a musical icon, he also became a movie star. After a career slump he won the Academy award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Private Angelo Maggio in the 1953 movie "From Here To Eternity" starring Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr. Sinatra did not like Rock 'n' Roll and it would be 11 years to the day until his next US number one hit with "Strangers In The Night" in 1966. He must have been happy to have removed The Beatles' "Paperback Writer" from the number one spot. He died of a heart attack in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, USA in 1998 aged 82.

Answer: Lay Down Your Arms

"Lay Down Your Arms" was written by Leon Land/Ake Gerhard/Paddy Roberts. It was number one for four weeks on the UK singles chart for Anne Shelton in 1956. It peaked at number 59 on the Billboard Top 100 the same year.

Anne Shelton OBE was born Patricia Jacqueline Sibley in Dulwich, London, England, in 1923. She began singing on the BBC radio programme "Monday Night at Eight" at the age of 12. During WWII she toured military bases in Great Britain and between 1942 and 1947 she had the BBC radio programme "Calling Malta". She also appeared in two movies in the '40s. After a number of hits in the '50s her last UK chart hit was "Sailor" which peaked at number ten. A version of the song by Petula Clark was number one for one week on the UK singles chart in 1961.

Anne Shelton performed in several Royal Variety Performances over the years. She was awarded the OBE in 1990 for her work with the "Not Forgotten Association". It is a charitable organisation for disabled former service personnel from all wars. She died of a heart attack in Herstmonceux, Sussex, England in 1994 aged 70.

Answer: Johnnie Ray

"Just Walking In The Rain" written by Johnny Bragg/Robert Riley, peaked at number two on the Billboard Top 100 for Johnnie Ray in 1956. It was number one for seven weeks on the UK singles chart the same year.

Johnnie Ray was born John Alvin Ray in Dallas, Oregon, USA, in 1927. He became deaf in his left ear at the age of 13 after some high jinks when he was a boy scout. After his first record and minor hit "Whiskey And Gin", he came to national prominence when "Cry"/"The Little White Cloud That Cried" (with The Four Lads), reached number one and number two respectfully on the Billboard chart in 1951.

Between 1951 and 1959 he had 16 Top 20 hits on the Billboard chart, eight of which made the Top Ten. "Cry" was his only US number one hit. In the UK between 1952 and 1957 he had 19 Top 20 hits which included ten Top Ten hits. Three of those were number one hits, "Such A Night" (number one for one week in 1954), "Just Walking In The Rain" (number one for seven weeks in 1956) and "Yes Tonight Josephine" (number one for three weeks in 1957). Johnnie Ray died of hepatic encephalopathy resulting from liver failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA, in 1990 aged 63.

Answer: Frank

"Got-ta Have Something In The Bank, Frank" written by Mort Garson/Bob Hilliard peaked at number eight on the UK singles chart for Frankie Vaughan with The Kaye Sisters in 1957. It did not chart in the US.

Frankie Vaughan was born Frank Ableson in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, in 1928. His career started in the late '40s and he worked with The Nat Temple Band in the early '50s. His first UK chart hit was "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" which peaked at number 11. Between 1954 and 1968 he had 18 Top 20 hits, 11 of which were Top Ten hits which included the two number one hits "The Garden Of Eden" (number one for four weeks in 1957) and "Tower Of Strength" (number one for three weeks in 1961). He was awarded the OBE in 1965 and the CBE in 1996. He died of heart failure in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, in 1999 aged 71.

The Kaye Sisters (a separate act) were Sheila Jones, Shirley Palmer and Carol Young. They came to public notice on TV in 1956 and their first record "Ivory Tower" peaked at number 20 on the UK singles chart. From 1957 to 1960 they had three Top Ten hits, "Got-ta Have Something In The Bank, Frank" (number eight in 1957) and "Come Softly To Me" (number nine in 1959) both with Frankie Vaughan and "Paper Roses" (number seven in 1960) which was their last UK chart hit.

Answer: Laurie London

"He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" written by Robert Lindon/William Henry peaked at number 12 on the UK singles chart for Laurie London in 1957. It was number one for four weeks on the Billboard Top 100 in 1958.

One hit wonder 13 year old Laurie London was still attending The Davenant Foundation Grammar School in Whitechapel Road, London, England, when he recorded "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands". It is a traditional American spiritual, the writers' names on the record are pseudonyms used by British writers Jack Waller and Ralph Reader. They had used the song in their 1956 stage musical "Wild Grows the Heather". Laurie London originally retired from music aged 19 after having some success in Germany and Denmark. He ran a hotel, The Angel, in Petworth, West Sussex, England, in the '90s but sold it in 2000 and later ran the Ship and Castle bar and restaurant in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.

Answer: Connie Francis

"Who's Sorry Now" written by Ted Snyder/Bert Kalmar/Harry Ruby peaked at number four on the Billboard Top 100 for Connie Francis in 1958. It was number one for six weeks on the UK singles chart the same year.

Connie Francis was born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero in Newark, New Jersey, USA, in 1938. Following her first recording in 1956 she failed to break into the Billboard Top 100 nine times. She finally made it when "The Majesty Of Love" (a duet with Marvin Rainwater) peaked at number 93 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1957. Between 1958 and 1963 she had 21 Top 20 hits of which 16 were Top Ten hits. Three of these were number one hits: "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" (number one for two weeks in 1960), "My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own" (number one for two weeks in 1960) and "Don't Break The Heart That Loves You" (number one for one week in 1962).

In the UK between 1958 and 1962 Connie Francis had 18 Top 20 hits of which ten were Top Ten hits. Two of these were number one hits, "Who's Sorry Now" (number one for six weeks in 1958) and "Carolina Moon"/"Stupid Cupid" (number one for six weeks in 1958).

Answer: Living Doll

"Living Doll" was written by Lionel Bart. It was number one for six weeks on the UK singles chart for Cliff Richard & The Drifters (The Shadows) in 1959. It peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

"Living Doll" was the fourth top ten hit on the UK singles chart for Cliff Richard & The Drifters who changed their name to The Shadows on later records. After "Living Doll" peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959 Cliff Richard had to wait nearly 17 years before his first US Top Ten hit. That was "Devil Woman" which peaked at number six in 1976. Between 1958 and 2008 he has had 69 Top Ten hits on the UK singles chart, 14 of which have been number one hits. He is the only singer to have had UK number one hits in five consecutive decades, the '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s.

Between 1960 and 1979 The Shadows had 16 Top Ten hits on the UK singles chart, five of which (all instrumentals) reached number one. Former original members Jet Harris and Tony Meehan had three Top Ten hits in 1963 including the number one hit "Diamonds" (Instrumental).

Answer: Singing The Blues

"Singing The Blues" written by Melvin Endsley was number one for three weeks on the UK singles chart for Guy Mitchell in 1957. It was number one for ten weeks on the Billboard Top 100 in 1956.

Guy Mitchell was born Albert George Cernik in Detroit, Michigan, USA, in 1927. Between 1950 and 1960 he had 13 Billboard Top 20 hits of which nine made the Top Ten. Two of those were number one hits, "Singing The Blues" (number one for ten weeks in 1956) and "Heartaches By The Number" (number one for two weeks in 1959). He died of complications from cancer surgery in Desert Springs Hospital, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, in 1999 aged 72.

Tommy Steele and The Steelmen's version was number one for one week on the UK singles chart in 1957. It did not chart in the US.

Tommy Steele was born Thomas William Hicks in Bermondsey, London, England, in 1936. He was Britain's first homegrown Rock 'n' Roll Star. His sometime backing group were The Steelmen. He had 13 Top 20 hits on the UK singles chart, seven of which were Top Ten hits. His only number one hit was "Singing The Blues". He started singing non-Rock 'n' Roll songs early on and after 1960 went into stage and movie musicals and had a very successful career.

"Singing The Blues" was first recorded and released by Marty Robbins in 1956. It peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Top 100 and was number one on the Billboard C&W chart. It did not chart in the UK.