I still struggle to separate out the Motown groups, the culprit this time being The Marvelettes. In they go to my Spotify playlist.
Questions
The composer of Frank Sinatra’s “Strangers in the Night”, which German orchestra leader had a Billboard no. 1 in 1961 with “Wonderland by Night”? Perhaps he never came out during the day as his other hits include “Moon Over Naples”.
BERT KAEMPFERT
A host of his own show from 1951 to 1982 who was known for his ‘champagne music’, who hit Billboard no. 1 in 1961 with “Calcutta”, an instrumental version of a German pop song composed by Heino Gaze with the original title “Kalkutta liegt am Ganges”?
LAWRENCE WELK
The second Billboard no. 1 for Chubby Checker following “The Twist”, which 1961 hit introduced a new dance style that is referenced in the Go-Go’s song “We Got the Beat”, with the song also being included in the 1988 film “Hairspray”?
PONY TIME
Getting the name for their band from a popular hairstyle at the time, The Marcels hit no. 1 in both the US and UK in 1961 with which song penned by Rodgers and Hart back in 1934?
BLUE MOON
Ernie K-Doe hit Billboard no. 1 in 1961 with which song named for a type of relative? His track “Here Comes the Girls” was adapted by the Sugababes for their 2008 UK number 3 track “Girls”.
MOTHER-IN-LAW
Heard in season 4 of “Stranger Things”, which song by Ricky Nelson that was released as a double A-side with “Hello Mary Lou” reached Billboard no. 1 in 1961? According to the lyrics he has a ‘China doll down in old Hong Kong’, ‘Pretty Polynesian baby over the sea’ and a ‘Fraulein down in Berlin town’.
TRAVELIN’ MAN
Covered by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds on their “Kicking Against the Pricks” album, which 1961 Billboard no. 1 for Roy Orbison shares its name with a Eurovision winning song from the 2010s?
RUNNING SCARED
His “Chevy Showroom” variety series airing from 1957 to 1960, who reached Billboard no. 1 in 1961 with “Moody River”? This was the last of his six US number ones.
PAT BOONE
Also having hits with the similarly titled “School Is Out” and “School Is In”, “Quarter to Three” was the only Billboard No. 1 for which singer who unusually has two middle initials that come from a deliberate attempt to gain more publicity?
GARY U.S. BONDS
One of the longest chart toppers from the 1960s with an impressive seven weeks, which song reached Billboard no. 1 in 1961 for Bobby Lewis? It later made it on to the “Animal House” soundtrack.
TOSSIN’ AND TURNIN’
Sung by Elvis Presley in the film “G.I. Blues”, Joe Dowell’s big moment came in 1961 when he took which song to the top of the US charts?
WOODEN HEART
Bobby Vee’s only trip to Billboard no. 1 was with which song written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin? Confusingly it was also a hit for Bobby Vinton, with The Beatles singing it during their failed audition with Decca Records.
TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY BABY
Sausages being one of the most popular products of this singer’s namesake food company, whose most successful hit was the 1961 Billboard no. 1 “Big Bad John”? The Swedish band Troll had a local hit with a song by this artist’s name.
JIMMY DEAN
The Marvelettes were the first Motown artist and all-female vocal group to reach Billboard no. 1 with which song? They had other top ten hits with “Playboy” and “Don’t Mess with Bill”.
PLEASE MR. POSTMAN
Original titled “Mbube” after the Zulu word for ‘lion’ and written by South African Solomon Linda, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” made its appearance at the top of the US charts in 1961 for which band? Neil Sedaka was a founding member, but had already left to pursue a solo career by the time of this success.
THE TOKENS
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