Whose Line Was It Anyway: US Number Two Hits Quiz

Answer: Sam Cooke

"Chain Gang" was written by Sam Cooke/Charles Cooke Jr. It was kept off the top of the Billboard Hot 100 by "My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own" by Connie Francis and "Mr. Custer" by Larry Verne and spent two weeks at number two. It was Sam Cooke's first Billboard Top 10 hit, since his number one hit "You Send Me" in 1957.

"Chain Gang" was his first UK Top 10 hit (number nine in 1960), which was followed by "Cupid" (number seven in 1961) and "Twistin' The Night Away", (number six in 1962).

Sam Cooke was shot to death in the Hacienda Motel, Los Angeles, USA, in 1964 aged 33.

He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

Answer: Dion

"The Wanderer" was written by Ernie Maresca. It was kept off the top of the Billboard Hot 100 by Gene Chandler with "Duke of Earl" and spent one week at number two. Dion left his backing group The Belmonts and went solo in 1960. He had a US number one hit the following year with "Runaround Sue".

In the UK "Runaround Sue" peaked at number 11 in 1961 and "The Wanderer" peaked at number 10 in 1962. On re-issue in 1976 it peaked at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.

Dion was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.

Answer: Elvis Presley

"Return To Sender" was written by Winfield Scott/Otis Blackwell. It was kept off the top of the Billboard Hot 100 by The 4 Seasons with "Big Girls Don't Cry" and spent five weeks at number two. "Return To Sender" still sold in excess of 1,000,000 copies in the USA.

In the UK "Return To Sender" became Elvis Presley's ninth number one hit of the '60s and remained at number one for three weeks over the Christmas period of 1962. The song was featured in the 1962 Elvis Presley movie, "Girls! Girls! Girls!", starring Stella Stevens and Laurel Goodwin.

Elvis Presley died of cardiac arrest in Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee, USA, in 1977 aged 42.

He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

Answer: Lesley Gore

"You Don't Own Me" was written by John Madara/Dave White. It was kept off the top of the Billboard Hot 100 by The Beatles with "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and spent three weeks at number two.

"You Don't Own Me" was Lesley Gore's most successful song after her first hit and number one "It's My Party" but it was also her last US Top 10 hit. It did not chart in the UK.

Lesley Gore died of lung cancer at the NYU Langone Medical Center, Manhattan, New York, New York, USA, in 2015 aged 68.

Answer: The Beatles

"Twist And Shout" was written by Bert Berns/Phil Medley. It was kept off the top of the Billboard Hot 100 by The Beatles themselves with "Can't Buy Me Love" and spent four weeks at number two. "Twist And Shout" was originally recorded by The Top Notes in 1961. The Isley Brothers took the song to number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962.

The Beatles' version was first released on their 1963 UK album "Please Please Me", then on the UK EP (extended play) "Twist And Shout". It topped the UK EP chart for 21 weeks and sold so many copies that it registered on the UK Singles Chart too.

The Beatles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988

Answer: Herman's Hermits

"Can't You Hear My Heartbeat" was written by John Carter/Ken Lewis. The song was kept off the top of the Billboard Hot 100 by The Supremes with "Stop! In The Name Of Love" and spent two weeks at number two.

"Can't You Hear My Heartbeat" was released in the UK as the B-Side of "Silhouettes" a number three hit on the UK Singles Chart and a number five hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1965.

One of the first American all-girl rock groups Goldie and The Gingerbreads, released a version of "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat" in 1965. It peaked at number 25 on the UK Singles Chart but did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: The Rolling Stones

"19th Nervous Breakdown" was written by Mick Jagger/Keith Richards. It was kept off the top of the Billboard Hot 100 by SSgt. Barry Sadler with "The Ballad Of The Green Berets" and was number two for three weeks and also peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart.

"19th Nervous Breakdown" was one of six songs on the Billboard Hot 100 by The Rolling Stones during 1966. The biggest hit of the six was "Paint It, Black", a number one hit in the USA and UK.

The Rolling Stones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.

Answer: The Mamas & The Papas

"Dedicated To The One I Love" was written by Lowman Pauling/Ralph Bass. It was kept off the top of the Billboard Hot 100 by The Turtles with "Happy Together" and spent three weeks at number two for The Mamas & The Papas.

It was originally recorded in 1957 by the "5" Royales which peaked at number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961. The Shirelles version did much better, it peaked at number three, also in 1961.

The Mamas & The Papas were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Answer: Mary Hopkin

"Those Were The Days" was written by Boris Fomin/Gene Raskin. It was kept off the top of the Billboard Hot 100 by The Beatles with "Hey Jude" and spent three weeks at number two. This was Mary Hopkin's first record for The Beatles Apple record label.

"Those Were The Days" was produced by Paul McCartney and it was the second single released on the Apple record label. The Beatles' "Hey Jude" was the first.

Answer: Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Proud Mary" was written by John Fogerty. It was kept of the top of the Billboard Hot 100 by two records, "Everyday People" by Sly and The Family Stone and "Dizzy" by Tommy Roe and spent three weeks at number two. It peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart the same year.

"Proud Mary" was the first of five number two hits for Creedence Clearwater Revival on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1969 and 1970 but they never had a number one hit. They did have a number one hit on the UK Singles Chart when "Bad Moon Rising" was number one for three weeks in 1969.

Creedence Clearwater Revival were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.