To test all the Dopers I have accumulated the following questions concerning songs that reached the pinnacle of success by achieving the vaunted #1 Position on the Billboard charts for popular songs (singles) for the period of 1955 to the Present. I’m counting on all of you to provide speedy and responsive answers.
[ol]
[li]From 1955 to 1958 Billboard used four charts - Best Sellers, Jockey, Juke Box ,and Top 100 - for reporting the #1 song. Which was the first song to achieve consensus Number #1 ranking on all four charts?[/li][li]What song is the first foreign langauge song to reach #1 (no cheating - the name must be original song title not the cover version title used so frequently later)?[/li][li]The #1 Song led by the chief A&R Man for Columbia Records in the mid to late 50’s who did everything in his power to keep his label out of the rock-n-roll era?[/li][li]The only Number #1 song recording (i.e. same version with same studio recording) to reach #1 on two separate occasions?[/li][li]Name three songs (same songwriter) that became #1 songs by two different artists?[/li][li]The bitter and misunderstood 1970 song by one of the R&B (or soul) artists that essentially marked the end of his and his band’s career?[/li][li]Phil Spector’s First #1 Song?[/li][li]Name three #1 song titles that included the names of US Cities in their titles?[/li][li]The only Beatles #1 song that was also accredited to another artist?[/li][li]Two songs that were released and reached #1 after the artist had had died?[/li][/ol]
Galveston - Glenn Campbell
Comin’ into Los Angeles - Arlo Guthrie
By the Time I Get to Phoenix - I forget who did this originally
Do You Know The Way to San Jose - Dionne Warwick
L.A. Woman - The Doors
Viva, Las Vegas - Elvis Presley
[li]The bitter and misunderstood 1970 song by one of the R&B (or soul) artists that essentially marked the end of his and his band’s career?[/li][/QUOTE]
Some guesses:
“Tears of a Clown” - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (More Likely)
“Family Affair” - Sly and the Family Stone (Not Likely)
Actually, this site states that BBLB was #1 for two weeks.
However, the Croce song that reached #1 after he died was Time in a Bottle (December 1973). While the song was already released as part of the album You don’t mess around with Jim, I’m pretty sure that the single was released after his death in September 1973 - but I have to go home to be sure.
What’s Chuck Berry’s only #1 Hit on Billboard’s Pop Singles chart?
What band has the most #2 hits without ever reaching a #1 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart. (I heard this question about 10-15 years ago. It’s possible the answer has changed, but I somehow doubt it.)
This band had 7 number two hits, 1 number three, 2 number fours, 1 number six, and 2 number 8s, for a total of 13 Top Ten hits, but never once topped the Pop Singles charts.