We Don't Need A Singer Vol. 1 Quiz

Answer: Mr. Acker Bilk

This was a clarinet piece written for Bilk's daughter by Bilk, and the song was originally titled "Jenny". It was originally released in the U.K in 1961, and became the biggest selling instrumental of all time in the U.K. It was subsequently released in the U.S. in 1962 and went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

It was the first recording by a British artist to ever reach the number one spot in the U.S. and was Billboard's number one single for the year.

Answer: The Tornados

The Tornados were from the U.K. and went all the way to number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in late 1962 with this song. It is recognized as the first song by a "group" of musicians from the U.K. to reach number one in the U.S. as opposed to Acker Bilk's song which was the first number one by an individual artist to accomplish the same feat.

The song was named after the "Telstar" satellite which had recently been launched into orbit. The sound effects were primitive, but effective. Allegedly, the sound of radio signals were made by running a pen around the edge of an ashtray, and the sound of the rockets blasting off, was actually a flushed toilet being played back in reverse with varying speeds.

Answer: Duane Eddy

It was Duane Eddy who took this song to number six on the Billboard U.S. charts in 1961. This trailblazer of instrumental music had 34 charting singles, 15 of which made it into the Top40, and his records sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, being inducted in 1994.

Answer: Santo and Johnny

It was Santo and Johnny Farina, two brothers from Brooklyn, who had this song released regionally in the New York area. The song eventually received national airplay, reaching number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in late summer of 1959.

Answer: The Champs

The Champs tooks this song to number one on the charts in the early spring of 1958. It actually was a B-side to the release called "Train To Nowhere", which found little success. A DJ in Cleveland started playing "Tequila" and it caught on, so much so that the song had national success.

The word "Tequila" is spoken a total of three times during the song.The song became synonymous with Pee-Wee Herman in the 1985 film "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure".

Answer: The Surfaris

It was The Surfaris who put this song on the charts in 1963. Another B-side success, this song was the flipside of a song called "Surfer Joe", which had little success. "Wipeout" made it all the way to number two on the charts that year. It also was re-released in 1966, and made it back to number 16 on The U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts that year, making it one of the few songs ever to accomplished the feat of reaching the Top 20 in different years of release.

The most popular cover of the song was in 1987 by the, "The Fat Boys" a popular rap group at the time.

They got some help from "The Beach Boys", who sang backup vocals on the tune.

Answer: Booker T. and The M.G.s

It was Booker T. and The M.G.s who put this song together and took it all the way to the number three position on The Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1962. Interestingly the song never charted in the U.K. that year, but did make the charts 18 years later in 1980, after being featured in the motion picture "Quadrophenia".

The song is listed on Billboard Magazine's "500 Greatest Songs Of All Time" at number 181.

Answer: The Ventures

The Ventures had been recording since the early 1960s and were most famously remembered for their hit recording of "Walk, Don't Run" earlier in the decade. However, they had not seen that kind of success since 1964, although they continued to record and release songs that would make it onto the Billboard charts, but just barely crack the Top 100 in most cases. That all changed in 1968 when they were asked to do the theme song for "Hawaii Five-O", the hit series starring Jack Lord.

They went back to the top of the charts peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 charts that year.

In 2008 The Ventures were inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall Of fame.

Answer: Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass

It was Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass who took this song to number seven on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1965. The song was ultimately rewarded with a Grammy as record of the year. It has been covered a number of times, even by The Beatles in 1963, who did a vocal version.

Answer: Paul Mauriat

The song actually was composed with words, but Mauriat did it as an instrumental only. Mauriat was a French orchestra leader who had been recording music since the late 1950s. This was his biggest success in the U.S., although he was considered one of the best in Europe.

The song spent five weeks at the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1968. Incidently, the reference to Leandros is significant. She performed the song (with lyrics of course) at the Eurovision Songfest in 1967.

The song did not win any awards that year, but Leandros recorded the song in both French and English, as well as Greek, German, Spanish, Italian and Dutch and was very successful with it.

Answer: Hugh Masekela

Hugh Masekela was a trumpeter from South Africa. He took this composition to number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1968. The next year, 1969, saw The Friends Of Distinction take the same song, (albeit this time with lyrics), and shoot up the charts to number three.

Answer: Mason Williams

Mason Williams was the head writer for "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" in the late 1960s when he came up with this instrumental number in 1968. The song shot up the charts and reached number two on The Billboard U.S. Hot 100. Williams was rewarded with three Grammy Awards for the song. An interesting note is that in 1998, BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated) presented Williams with a special citation for the song which became the number one instrumental song of all time as far as radio airplay goes, with over 5 million airings to that point.

Answer: Apollo 100

Apollo 100 were a group of British studio musicians who had their 15 minutes of fame with this tune. The tune was loosely based on a composition of Johann Sebastian Bach called "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring". It peaked at number six on Billboard's Hot 100 charts in 1972. The group never could duplicate the success of this recording and disbanded a year later.

Answer: The Edgar Winter Group

Considered progressive hard rock group, The Edgar Winter Group had a number one Billboard hit with this tune in 1973. Winter was one of the pioneers in the use of a portable sythesizer, which he strapped around his neck, giving him more free movement during performances. The song is listed at number 97 on VH1's "100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs".

Answer: Harold Faltermeyer

Faltermeyer was a German musician/composer who came up wit this hit for the soundtrack to Murphy's movie. He also worked on the soundtrack for the movie "Top Gun". The song here went to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1984.