The Top Hits of 1964 Trivia Quiz

Answer: I Want To Hold Your Hand

Unquestionably one of the biggest hits of all time! Beyond its success in America, it was Number One in Britain and Australia for five weeks and in Canada for six.

The Beatles' first Number One hit in Britain was "From Me To You" which topped their charts for seven weeks in May and June of 1963. Prior to Capitol Records securing the distribution rights to Beatle records, "From Me To You" and other songs which had earlier success in the U.K. were released on small U.S. labels like Vee-Jay and Tollie and made no impression on the Billboard charts whatsoever.

When it was re-released to the U.S. audience, the best it could do was Number 41 on the charts, swamped by the group's newer releases. With "I Want To Hold Your Hand" leading the way, The Beatles would have a total of 30 songs chart on Billboard's Hot 100 before the end of the year, a truly amazing feat and one that surely will never, ever be matched. Very few recording acts manage that in a career!

Answer: Hello, Dolly!

Armstrong covered this song from a Broadway musical of the same name starring Carol Channing. At the age of 62, he was the oldest person ever to have a Number One hit on the Hot 100, a record that stands as of November 2005. Although the record only topped the charts for one week, it earned 1479 points based on its performance on other measured factors - 13 weeks in the top 10 and 22 weeks in the Hot 100.

Armstrong was a jazz icon, the biggest star in that genre for decades. Every trumpet player from Bix Beiderbecke to Wynton Marsalis emulated and learned from "old Satchmo" and no one ever matched his power and skill on the instrument. He set the standard! It's a curious piece of fate that would have the greatest musical group in history and the greatest jazzman in history become linked in this way and at the opposite extremes of their careers - The Beatles just starting theirs, Armstrong slowly concluding his. Within seven short years, Armstrong would shuffle off this mortal coil, the Beatles would have disbanded a year earlier... both became memories!

Answer: She Loves You

Despite only being Number One for two weeks, it gathered 1184 points largely due to spending 15 weeks in the Hot 100, 11 of those within the top 10.

In the U.K. it hit Number One in September 1963 for four weeks, fell back, then returned to the top spot for a further two weeks in November. It was released to the U.S. market in September on the Swan label and was ignored but upon its re-release in 1964, became a spectacular success as part of the Beatlemania phenomenon. It was Number One in Canada in January 1964 for three weeks actually preceding "I Want To Hold Your Hand" in that spot. Curiously, it never was Number One in Australia. From my perspective, I think this is their most memorable song of this era - the "She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah" line indelibly etched in the grey matter. "She Loves You" held the distinction of having sold more copies than any other record in U.K. history until 1977 when a Paul McCartney and Wings recording, "Mull Of Kintyre" finally outsold it.

Answer: Oh, Pretty Woman

This became a "good news-bad news" scenario for Roy Orbison... the good news - this would be his biggest hit ever; the bad news - it would be his last big hit ever!

Orbison, of course, was an original component of the Sun Records gang with Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis. While the others became immediate stars, it took Orbison half a decade to find his niche, the "rockaballad", scoring in 1960 with "Only The Lonely". He had nine top 10 hits in the early 1960s including "Crying" and "Dream Baby" but this would be his pinnacle. The song captured 1135 points with a 15-week chart presence to go with its three weeks at Number One.

Orbison kept recording for the rest of his life but all his songs were mediocre chart performers. He didn't want for popularity, however - he sold out concerts wherever he went and his 1988 concert "A Black And White Night" is classic. It looked like he was on the comeback trail then with a new album that was very well received on the heels of his work with The Traveling Wilburys. But fate intervened. He died of a heart attack in December of 1988 at the age of 52.

Answer: Baby Love

All those were Number One songs for The Supremes from August 1964 to June 1965... a pretty amazing run in the midst of Beatlemania! During that period, they actually had a fifth hit make Number One, "Come See About Me". Before Diana Ross left the group in 1969, they would add seven more Number One hits to their stellar roster, almost all of them written by Holland-Dozier-Holland.

Answer: Louie Louie

If you didn't get this one, no shame! Almost no one could decipher the lyrics from this garage band classic recorded by The Kingsmen. It never reached Number One spending six weeks at Number Two, stuck behind a series of other Number Ones - "Dominique", "There I've Said It Again" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand". With its 16 weeks in the Hot 100, it earned 1106 points, one point less than "Baby Love".

This is perhaps the only song in R&R history that has had a book written about it - "Louie, Louie" by David Marsh! Furthermore, a website exists that is totally dedicated to the song. Here's a few tidbits. The song was originally written and recorded by Richard Berry (no relation to Chuck) in 1955. He was from L.A. and the song developed a regional following, particularly for bands to cover at dances. Berry's recording had no chart success. A Portland, Oregon group known as The Wailers revived it in around 1962 and again, it was only something of a regional success. The Kingsmen and Paul Revere and The Raiders both recorded the song within 24 hours in the same primitive studio. The Kingsmen version was almost indecipherable, The Raiders version was audibly clear. The Raiders version charted nationally with luke warm results but was very popular regionally, The Kingsmen version, vice versa. So many versions of the song have now been recorded by so many different acts that a radio station in Los Altos Hills, California, KFJC, reportedly played the song for 63 continuous hours without once repeating a version. Because the lyrics (the indecipherable ones) were purportedly obscene, governor Matthew Welsh of Indiana declared it pornographic and forbade it to be played in that state. The FBI was also convinced that the lyrics contained "subversive" messages. A team of investigators played the tape backwards and forwards at every speed possible. Their final analysis? The lyrics were unintelligible in every test imaginable. That's a lot of controversy for one simple little, harmless lyric!

Answer: There! I've Said It Again

Early in his career, Vinton frequently recorded songs that originally were hits in the 1940s or early 1950s. This song was one of those, a Number One hit for Vaughn Monroe in 1945. Reportedly, the record was cut in one take and claiming that he couldn't do it any better, dismissed everyone from the studio.

Largely due to its four weeks at Number One, it totaled 1105 points, one point less than "Louie Louie" and two less than "Baby Love".

Answer: I Get Around

It charted for 15 weeks, spent nine weeks in the top 10, two of those at Number One. It actually was quite a simple song lyrically... there were four of these couplets and the rest of the song was this:

"I get around, get around, round, round
I get around from town to town
Get around round, round, I get around
I'm a real cool head, get around round, round
I get around, I'm makin' real good bread
Get around, round, round, I get around, I get around"

Pretty simple stuff indeed but as the kids would say on Dick Clark's Bandstand, "It has a real good beat and you can dance to it".

Answer: My Guy

Motown Records' first big star was Mary Wells. She had their first top 10 hit in 1962 with "The One Who Really Loves You" and "My Guy" was the label's first Number One on May 16, 1964, edging out the Supremes by three months. In all, she would have four top 10 hits with Motown.

Almost immediately after this hit, Wells left Motown and signed a significant contract with 20th Century Fox, lured with the prospect of becoming a movie star. That never materialized and worse, she was no longer the beneficiary of Smokey Robinson's talents as a songwriter - he crafted all of her biggest Motown hits. Effectively, her career went down the drain! She did have a few more releases crack the Hot 100 but most stagnated in the lower chart echelons. To be fair, she did do somewhat better on the R&B charts but stardom was lost. Diagnosed with throat cancer in 1990, she succumbed to the disease two years later.

"My Guy" scored 1071 points based on 15 weeks in the Hot 100, 13 weeks in the top 40, eight weeks in the top 10 and two weeks at Number One.

Answer: Mr. Lonely

Vinton wrote this song a couple of years earlier and it was originally recorded by Buddy Greco in 1962, peaking at Number 64 that year. Clearly, it required Vinton's forlorn touch to make it a hit. Subsequent to this tearjerker, Vinton's career tailed off somewhat. He wouldn't have another top 10 hit for three years despite releasing songs every three months or so although I suspect he did better on the Adult Contemporary charts. His last hurrah came in 1974 with "My Melody Love", a Number Three hit that year.

"Mr Lonely" scored 1066 points based on a 15 week chart run, nine weeks within the top 10. It was Number One for the week of December 12, 1964.

Answer: Everybody Loves Somebody

All these "Everybody" songs were charting hits on the Hot 100 at one time or another. "Everybody Needs Love" peaked at Number 39 in 1967 for Gladys Knight & The Pips while a different song with the same title charted at Number 32 for Stephen Bishop in 1978. "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love" charted at Number 58 for Solomon Burke in 1964 and a cover version by Wilson Pickett hit Number 29 three years later. "Everybody Ought To Be In Love" was a throwaway Number 75 for Paul Anka in 1977. For your file of useless information, a total of 38 songs starting with "Everybody" charted in the Hot 100 between 1955 and 1996!

"Return To Me" was Martin's big Number Four hit in 1958 that was alluded to in the question. He would follow up this 1964 hit with the Number Six "The Door Is Still Open To My Heart" later in the year, but the renaissance was short lived. Few of Martin's releases subsequent to these made much of an impression on the charts thereafter but by then he was otherwise occupied with his hit TV show and as the emcee of celebrity roasts for many years. He passed away in 1995 after a long period of deteriorating health.

This song charted for 15 weeks and was Number One for a week, scoring 1053 points.

Answer: Where Did Our Love Go

Here's a chronological rundown on how those five Number Ones compare:

1. Where Did Our Love Go (1964)- Hot 100 - 14 weeks, Top 40 - 13 weeks, Top 10 - 9 weeks, Number One - 2 weeks = 1046 points
2. Baby Love (1964)- Hot 100 - 13 weeks, Top 40 - 12 weeks, Top 10 - 8 weeks, Number One - 4 weeks = 1107 points
3. Come See About Me (1965) - Hot 100 - 14 weeks, Top 40 - 13 weeks, Top 10 - 9 weeks, Number One - 2 weeks = 1047 points
4. Stop! In The Name Of Love (1965) - Hot 100 - 12 weeks, Top 40 - 10 weeks, Top 10 - 8 weeks, Number One - 2 weeks = 904 points
5. Back In My Arms Again (1965) Hot 100 - 11 weeks, Top 40 - 10 weeks, Top 10 - 5 weeks, Number One - 1 Week = 727 points.

Pretty close race and note the virtually identical statistics for "Where Did Our Love Go" and "Come See About Me"! I'm somewhat surprised that "Back In My Arms Again" was the weakest hit of the five... it might have been my personal favorite.

Answer: Can't Buy Me Love

This was the Beatles third Number One hit to round out their debut "hat-trick" of chart toppers. They recorded the song in Paris while on tour and it would be the only Beatle song ever to be recorded outside of Great Britain, save for "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love" which were recorded in New York City from the Lennon demo tapes. Capitol Records must have been pleased with their investment - two records ("I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "Can't Buy Me Love"), 12 weeks at Number One!

Answer: False

The line in question came from Manfred Mann's debut Number One single "Do Wah Diddy Diddy". It topped the charts for two weeks during its 13 week tenure in the Hot 100 earning 994 points. The song was written by the prolific tandem of Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich and was originally recorded by The Exciters as the follow up to "Tell Him", their Number Four hit of 1963. With the "British Invasion" in full sway, record buyers opted for the Mann version to The Exciters misfortune.

Their rendition stalled at Number 78 on the Billboard charts... it's all a matter of timing!

Answer: A Hard Day's Night

This song was the first ever to achieve the "Triple Chart Topper" - it was Number One on the U.S., U.K. and Australian charts simultaneously.

Altogether, the Beatles would have a total of eight recordings rank among the top 100 songs of 1964. Four were noted in this quiz at number one, three, thirteen and fifteen. The others were: at number 25, "Love Me Do"; at number 34, "Please Please Me"; at number 38, "Twist And Shout"; finally, at number 56, "Do You Want To Know A Secret". Truly, the Liverpudlians had an awesome year... and they were just beginning!

Answer: The House Of The Rising Sun

This traditional blues number would be The Animals' biggest hit by far and it was their first Billboard charting success. This particular configuration of Animals would have seven more top 40 hits through to the summer of 1966, the biggest of those, their last before splintering, the Number 12 "Don't Bring Me Down". Alan Price, ostensibly the group's leader, left to go solo and Eric Burden took over leadership reins.

This led to other personnel adjustments as the band now embraced the burgeoning "psychedelic" sound. Six more top 40 hits ensued before Burden deserted the group in favor of the American group "War". With that, The Animals were effectively finished except for two brief reunions of the original cast in 1976 and 1983.

Answer: People

Barbra Streisand's first chart entry, she endured a prolonged absence from the charts until bouncing back with "Stoney End", a Number Six hit in 1971. Not that she was suffering mind you, establishing herself as major star in the movies and on Broadway.

It was in the mid to late 1970s and early 1980s that she made hay as a recording artist, scoring five Number One hits during that period. Now, she's an entertainment mogul and pretty much does what she wants!

Answer: Under The Boardwalk

This would be the third biggest song the group would record following "Save The Last Dance For Me" in 1960 and "There Goes My Baby" in 1959. During that period, Ben E. King was their lead singer then from 1961 to 1963, Rudy Lewis took over the role. Just before this song was slated for recording, Lewis died of a heart attack (at the age of 27 perhaps from an eating binge) and Johnny Moore replaced him.

Clyde McPhatter formed the original Drifters in 1953 and a recent glance at their web page suggested that they were still active with one original member, Bill Pinkney. However, the last update on the group's activities dates back to 2001 so it's tough to say whether they are still performing... or even exist! They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 1988.

Answer: Little Children

This cute little ditty was composed by Mort Shuman and J. Leslie McFarland. Shuman had an earlier partnership with Doc Pomus and together they wrote a number of big hits, among them "Save The Last Dance For Me" by The Drifters, "Little Sister" by Presley and "Teenager In Love" by Dion & The Belmonts. "Little Children" was actually popular enough in the U.K. to hit Number One there for two weeks in March of 1964.

Kramer, managed by Brian Epstein, was also the beneficiary of some songs from Epstein's other clients, a couple of guys named Lennon and McCartney. Essentially, they threw Kramer three songs that were deemed a little too "schmaltzy" for the Beatles to record, namely "Bad To Me", "I'll Keep You Satisfied" and "From A Window". Kramer, with his backing band, The Dakotas, parlayed them into Number Nine, Number 30 and Number 23 hits on the Billboard charts.

Eventually, Epstein devoted more of his energies to The Beatles, rightfully so, and Kramer lost not only a very capable manager but access to the prodigious talents of Lennon and McCartney. After having a moderate Number 47 hit in 1965 with "Trains And Boats And Planes" composed by Bert Bacharach and Hal David, he faded into oblivion. As of 2005, he still is a mainstay on the oldies circuit, primarily in Great Britain.

Answer: Time Is On My Side

The Rolling Stones started slowly on the Billboard charts in 1964. Their first entry was a cover of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away" that peaked at Number 48 in June. A couple of months later, they had two hits vying for Hot 100 positions - "Tell Me" that worked its way up to Number 24, then one of my personal favorites, "It's All Over Now", a classic R&B number originally recorded by Bobby Womack that charted at Number 26 but topped the British charts for a week in July. 1965 would be a different story and they would prove to be a legitimate challenge to The Beatles as the best group to come out of the U.K. at the time - at least to some!