It’s been a while since I posted any music trivia, so here are 21 questions, mostly gathered from Pop Master, the weekday quiz hosted by Ken Bruce on BBC Radio 2. The theme here is “Same title, different song”. In each case there’s a shared song title which has provided different hits for multiple artists

This piece has been prompted by the final question on Round 2 of Tuesday’s show (25 June 2019). It cost me a maximum score of 39. I had already managed 39 on Round 1 but this one stumped me: “What is the shared one-word title that has provided different top 40 hits for George Benson in 1986, Coldplay in 2000 and Natalie Imbruglia in 2005?”

The answer appears at the end of this piece, along with the answers to the other 20 questions listed below.

[UPDATE: I reviewed this piece on Thu 12-Aug-2021 and there were still questions here that I couldn’t remember the answers to; I have marked them in bold.]

Questions

1. What is the shared one-word title that has provided different top 40 hits for George Benson in 1986, Coldplay in 2000 and Natalie Imbruglia in 2005?
2. What two-word song title was the name of a hit for The Jam in 1981 and a different hit for David Bowie in 1986?
3. What one-word title has provided different #1 hits for Lionel Richie and Adele?
4. Top 10 hits for Van Halen in 1984, Kris Kross in 1992 and Madonna in 2006 all share what one-word title?
5. Roxy Music and Abba had different hits in 1979 with the same two-word title; what is it?
6. A 1980s hit for Terence Trent d’Arby shares its title with which 1970s top 10 for the band Free?
7. Oasis in 1998, Lisa Stansfield in 1989 and The Jam in 1977 all had hits that share what four-word title?
8. The only solo UK hit by John Waite, from 1984, shares its title with a 1988 release by Chris De Burgh; what is it?
9. Which of Elton John’s singles, a top 20 hit in 1995, shares its title with a 1998 #1 by Cher?
10. What shared song title has provided hits for Gary Barlow, Clean Bandit and Kelly Clarkson?
11. Manfred Mann in the 1960s and The Sweet in the 1970s had different hits which share what four-word title?
12. What shared one-word title has provided hits for The Cure, Shawn Mullins and Melanie B?
13. What single-word song title is the name of both Sally Oldfield’s only hit and Justin Timberlake’s most recent #1?
14. Sheena Easton and Meatloaf both had hits in the 1980s with different songs that share what two-word title?
15. Which three words provide the title of different hit singles for Kylie Minogue and George Benson?
16. What is the shared one-word title for hits by John Miles in 1976 and Madonna in 2000?
17. The O’Jays in the 1970s and Holly Johnson in the 1980s both had hits that share what two-word title?
18. Which 1987 hit for Swedish rock band Europe shares its title with a Top 5 hit for Cliff Richard from 1980?
19. The only hit for The Pearls, which reached the top 10 in 1974, shares its one-word title with which 2003 #2 hit by Blue?
20. In the 1990s East 17 and Peter Gabriel both had hits that share what one-word title?
21. What is the shared song title that provided hits for Musical Youth in 1983 and Rick Astley in 1987?

Answers

1. Shiver
2. Absolute Beginners
3. Hello
4. Jump
5. Angel Eyes
6. Wishing Well
7. All Around the World
8. Missing You
9. Believe
10. Stronger
11. Fox on the Run
12. Lullaby
13. Mirrors
14. Modern Girl
15. In Your Eyes
16. Music
17. Love Train
18. Carrie
19. Guilty
20. Steam
21. Never Gonna Give You Up