UK Number One Hits of Christmas Past Quiz

Answer: Walking

"Just Walking In The Rain" was written by Johnny Brag/Robert S. Riley. It was number one for seven weeks on the UK Singles Chart for Johnnie Ray in 1956. It peaked at number two on the Billboard Top 100 the same year and was his biggest hit in the USA.

"Just Walking In The Rain" became number one in the UK on the 16 November 1956. It was the second of three UK number one hits for Johnnie Ray, the other two being "Such A Night" (number one for one week in 1954) and "Yes Tonight Josephine" (number one for three weeks in 1957).

Answer: We Can Work It Out/Day Tripper

"We Can Work It Out"/"Day Tripper" was written by Paul McCartney/John Lennon. It was number one for five weeks on the UK Singles Chart at Christmas for The Beatles in 1965/66. "We Can Work It Out" was number one for three weeks and "Day Tripper" peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1965/66.

"We Can Work It Out"/"Day Tripper" was the third successive Christmas number one hit for The Beatles. The other two were "I Want To Hold You Hand" which was number one for five weeks at Christmas 1963/64 and "I Feel Fine" which was a number one hit for five weeks in 1964/65.

Answer: Milkman

"Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)" was written by Benny Hill. It was number one for four weeks on the UK Singles Chart for Benny Hill in 1971/72.

Ten years earlier in 1961, Benny Hill had his first UK hit with "Gather In The Mushrooms" which peaked at number 12. In the same year he had his second UK chart entry with "Transistor Radio" which peaked at number 24. In 1963 he had a third chart entry with "Harvest Of Love" which peaked at number 20. That was it until "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)" made it to number one, which it also did in Australia.

Answer: Grandma

"There's No One Quite Like Grandma" was written by Gordon Lorenz. It was number one for two weeks on the UK Singles Chart for the St. Winifred's School Choir in 1980/81.

This was the only UK chart hit for St. Winifred's School Choir whose lead singer was eight-year old Dawn Ralph. However they did sing backing vocals on "Matchstalk Men And Matchstalk Cats And Dogs" by Brian and Michael which was number one for three weeks on the UK Singles Chart in 1978. Another achievement for the choir was to replace "(Just Like) Starting Over" at number one and then be replaced by "Imagine" which was in turn replaced by "Woman" giving John Lennon three posthumous number one hits in three months.

Answer: Reet Petite

Originally "Reet Petite" written by Berry Gordy/Billy Davis/Gwen Gordy Fuqua, peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart for Jackie Wilson in 1957. It was number one for four weeks on the UK Singles Chart in 1986/87.

Originally "Jailhouse Rock" was number one for three weeks on the UK Singles Chart for Elvis Presley in 1958. It peaked at number 27 in 1983.
Originally "Stand By Me" peaked at number 27 on the UK Singles Chart for Ben E. King in 1961, It was number one for three weeks in 1987.
Originally "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart for The Hollies in 1969, it was number one for two weeks in 1988.

Answer: Five decades of UK number one hits

"Saviour's Day" was written by Chris Eaton. it was number one for one week on the UK Singles Chart for Cliff Richard in 1990. It did not chart in the USA.

"Saviour's Day" was the 13th UK number one hit for Cliff Richard with and without his backing group The Shadows, who had five UK number one hits in their own right. UK superstar Sir Cliff Richard had two number one hits in the '50s, seven number one hits in the '60s, one number one hit in the '70s, two number one hits in the '80s and two number one hits in the '90s. That gave him number one hits in five consecutive decades on the UK Singles Chart.

Answer: These Are The Days Of Our Lives

"Bohemian Rhapsody"/"These Are The Days Of Our Lives" (double A-Side) was written by Freddie Mercury/Queen. It was number one for five weeks on the UK Singles Chart for Queen in 1991/92. "Bohemian Rhapsody" peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1992. The B-Side in the USA, was "The Show Must Go On".

"Bohemian Rhapsody" was number one on the UK Singles Chart for nine weeks in 1975/76. In total it was number one for 14 weeks and in the 20th century, was the only record to top the UK chart twice with different releases. Both periods at the top were at Christmas and it was the only single to top the UK chart in four different years.

Answer: The Spice Girls

"2 Become 1" written by The Spice Girls/Richard Stannard/Matt Rowe, was number one on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks for The Spice Girls in 1996/97. It peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997.

"Too Much" written by The Spice Girls/Paul Wilson/Andy Watkins, was number one for two weeks on the UK Singles Chart for The Spice Girls in 1997/98. It peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1998.

"Goodbye" written by The Spice Girls/Richard Stannard/Matt Rowe, was number one for one week on the UK Singles Chart for The Spice Girls in 1998. It peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1998.

Answer: Nicole Kidman

"Somethin' Stupid" written by C. Carson Parks was number one for three weeks on the UK Singles Chart for Robbie Williams And Nicole Kidman in 2001. Although the song charted in more than 20 countries it did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100.

The original version of "Somethin' Stupid" was by its writer and his wife, C. Carson Parks and Gaile Foote as Carson and Gaile in 1966. Of course the best known version is by Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra. It was a number one hit in 1967, on which Hal Blaine played drums and Glen Campbell and Al Casey played guitar.

Answer: Sausage Rolls

"I Love Sausage Rolls" was written by Alan Merrill/Jake Hooker/Mark Hoyle/Nick Southwood/Roxanne Hoyle. It was number one for one week on the UK Singles Chart for Ladbaby in 2019.

"I Love Sausage Rolls" is a charity song in aid of The Trussell Trust, who work towards the end for the need of food banks in the UK. Husband and wife team Ladbaby, had the last three Christmas number one hits on the UK Singles Chart.