Another summary of my scores from a week’s worth of questions from Pop Master, along the lines of this piece from April.

Just like 8 million other people in the UK I continue to follow Pop Master, the mid-morning quiz on BBC Radio 2. It has been the subject of many pieces on this Blog, including this one from week ending 15 April 2022.

Currently I make a note of the following: my score, the bonus questions, any questions I have got wrong, any that feature information that is new to me or that I guessed right, and finally the “3 in 10” challenge.

Here is a summary of the information I noted down for the week ending Friday 13 May 2022. Answers to the questions are in brackets. Capitalized text is used for questions that I got wrong, along with the word “NOPE”. Capitalized text within a question indicates information that is either new or noteworthy, for example CHRISTOPHER WALLACE, the real name of rapper Notorious BIG. Other notes appear in square brackets.

Monday 9 May 2022: 39, 39

Round 1: 80s Hits [Not Male vocalists]

BONUS questions: Identify this group from their first hit, To cut a long story short (Spandau Ballet) / Roy Orbison’s original version of Crying, became a chart-topper in 1980 for which artist? (Don McLean) / The only Top 10 by this group, Reward; who are they? (Teardrop Explodes)

Q10: When you were young, Top 3 in 2006 for which group? (Killers)

39 for me, 18 for her

Round 2: Male Vocalists [Not Reggae Steady Go]

BONUS questions: First of 3 consecutive #1s for John Lennon, Woman, name either of the other 2 (Imagine) Starting Over / From 1986, Lady in Red, the debut Top 40 hit for (Chris de Burgh) / Only Top 40 hit by this performer, from 1966, Elusive Butterfly (Bob Lind)

Q5: What kind of Girl did Tori Amos sing about on her 1994 hit? (Cornflake)

Q8: You had me, Right to be wrong, 2004 hits for a female singer (Joss Stone)

Q10: In the late 1970s, the only Top 40 hit for the Jags was called Back of … (My Hand)

39 for me again, 30 for him

3 in 10: Westlife, yes for me, not for him

Westlife (9 May 2022): Mandy / Flying without wings / Miss you nights / Seasons in the sun / I have a dream / The Rose / Swear it again

Tuesday 10 May 2022: 27, 39

Round 1: Disco Divas [Not Hit Duets]

BONUS questions: The only Top 20 by this performer, Jump to the beat; who is she? (Stacy Latisaw) / Patrice Rushen Forget-me-nots, name the act that covered it in 1991 (TONGUE & CHEEK) [NOPE. It only got to #26, Ken] / First of 2 hits by FIRST CHOICE, Armed & Extremely Dangerous, name the other; NOPE, can’t remember (SMARTY PANTS) [There have been times when I would have known that one]

Q10: What was the title of the 2003 hit for Craig David & Sting? (Rise & Fall)

15 for her, 27 for me, 1 tough bonus, and 1 I might have got some other time

Round 2: Hit Duets [Not The Motown Sound]

BONUS questions: Peabo Bryson & Regina Bell, A Whole New World, name the Disney film it was the theme to (Aladdin) / A 1978 Top 10 duet, Too much too little too late; name both singers, (Deniece Williams, Johnny Mathis) / Name the act who had their only UK Top 20 in 1976 with this, I’m your puppet (James & Bobby Purify)

Q10: Complete the title of the 1984 Jacksons hit that featured Mick Jagger: State of (Shock) YES, and that’s one I’ve got wrong before

39 for me, Ken hasn’t told us his score, maybe it was 3, I wasn’t keeping count

3 in 10: Nik Kershaw, yes for me, not for her

Nik Kershaw (10 May 2022): I won’t let the sun go down on me / The Riddle / Wouldn’t it be good / Don Quixote

Wednesday 11 May 2022: 39, 30

Round 1: Hello and Welcome [Not Hits featuring]

BONUS questions: Name this country singer from his 1963 Top 10 hit, Welcome to my World (Jim Reeves) / Name the group responsible for this 1988 hit, Welcome to the jungle (Guns ‘n Roses) / Billy Davis and his version of Tell Him, name the act who revived it in 1974 (Hello)

Q7: 4 of S Club 7’s hits had 1-word titles, name one (Reach), also Natural, You, Alive [that was for S Club, the others were for S Club 7]

Q10: Who had a Top 3 in 2018 with his single Paradise? (George Ezra) YES, another full house, 4 out of 5 so far this week

9 for her, 39 for me

Round 2: Hits featuring [Not Blondie]

[I’d have gone for the Blondie questions, I reckon the Hits Featuring questions could be tricky]

BONUS questions: Turn of the century hit, featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo, name the group (Corrs) is my guess, they sound Irish, nope it was (B*WITCHED) [I shall be there, got to #13, entered the chart in December 1999] / Temptations sang backing vocals on this 1991 hit for which singer? (Rod Stewart) / 1983 hit featuring Maggie Riley, Moonshadow, credited to which multi-instrumentalist? (Mike Oldfield)

Q7: Little Fictions, Build a rocket boys, The seldom seen kid were all albums this century for which group? (Elbow)

Q10: In 1988 S’Express followed up their #1 Theme from S’Express with a song about what kind of Guy?: (SUPERFLY) Guy NOPE

30 for me, 21 for him

3 in 10: Dollar, yes for me, not for him

Dollar (11 May 2022): Who were you with in the moonlight / Give me back my heart / Mirror Mirror / I want to hold your hand

Thursday 12 May 2022: 30, [+ 3 in 10] 36

Round 1: 90s Hits [Not Here and Now]

BONUS questions: 1998, the only major hit for this group, Brimful of Asha; who are they? (Cornershop) / One of 4 Top 20 hits by Kylie Minogue in 1991 alone, name it (WORD IS OUT), NOPE [I don’t recognize ANY of the 4 hits, which were: What Do I Have To Do [#6], Shocked [#6], Word Is Out [#16] and If You Were With Me Now [#4, featuring Keith Washington] / Which legendary singer had her most recent Top 10 hit in 1999 with this one? Sounds like (Tina Turner) [YES, it got to #10, and is called When the heartache is over]

Q4: In which year were the songs at 30 20 and 10 in this week’s chart Next to me Emmeli Sande, Boyfriend Justin Bieber, Somebody that I used to know Gotye featuring Kimbra? (2012)

Q7: The 1994 debut by China Black had what one-word title? (SEARCHING)

Q8: Complete the title of this Debbie Gibson 1988 hit: Only in my (Dreams)

Q10: In 1973 Gaye was the first and biggest hit for which male singer? (Clifford T Ward)

12 for her, 30 for me

Round 2: Black and white [Not Here and Now]

BONUS questions: 2005 hit, Please name this group after hearing a clip from a 2005 hit; it was Black & White Town, Ken told us after the clip, so it’s (Doves)  / The Black-Eyed Boys was the 3rd chart entry for which group? (Paper Lace) / From 1995, a revival of A whiter shade of pale by which female singer? (Annie Lennox)

Q5: Too young to die in 1993 was the first chart appearance for which chart act? (JAMIROQUAI) NOPE

Q7: Not that kind, Cowboys & Kisses and Paid my dues were all 2001 hits for which singer? (Anastasia)

Q8: What was the title of the first hit for Smokie? (If you think you know how to love me) YES

Q10: Hold back the river was a hit in 2015 for which singer-songwriter? (James Boy)

9 for her, 36 for me, let down by Jamiroquai

3 in 10: Eddie Grant as a solo artist, yes for me, not for her

Eddy Grant (12 May 2022): I don’t wanna dance / Electric Avenue / Give me hope Joanna / Do you feel my love / Living on the front line

Friday 13 May 2022: 33, 39

Round 1: I see the moon [Not Male Vocalists of the 80s]

BONUS questions: Here’s a 1962 #1 for Danny Williams, Moon River; name the film from the previous year that it was featured in (Breakfast at Tiffany’s) / Minor hit in 1985, more successful on re-release in 1991, Whole of the Moon; name the band (Waterboys) / Here’s a 1957 Top 20 hit for a male singer, Lyrics include They call me the Moonlight Gambler, I gambled for love and lost; (Pat Boone) is my guess NOPE (FRANKIE LAINE) [Tough one, it only got to #13, and #28 on re-entry, he only had 3 more hits after that, the biggest was the last of these, Rawhide #4, entered the charts in November 1959]

Q8: Who had a Top 5 hit in 1985 with her version of Ben? (Marti Webb)

Q10: Name the Steps singer who joined Russell Watson on his 2002 single Someone like you (Faye Tozer) YES, good guess

27 for him, 33 for me

Round 2: Male Vocalists of the 80s [Not Electric Light Orchestra]

BONUS questions: From 1988, the only #1 for this performer, Nothing’s gonna change my love for you  (Glenn Medeiros) / Tell her about it, a 1984 Top 5 hit for which singer? (Billy Joel) / Dead ringer for love, the biggest hit of the 80s for which singer? (Meat Loaf)

Q10: What was the 2002 #1 by Sugababes that samples a Tubeway Army #1? (Freak Like Me)

39 for me, 36 for him, he didn’t get the year, #1s of (2011) including Price Tag, Olly Murs and Military Wives (he said 2014)

3 in 10: Jess Glynn, yes for me, not for him

Jess Glynn (13 May 2022): Thursday / Hold my hand / Don’t be so hard on yourself / These days / I’ll be there /

A summary of the questions I didn’t get

Monday 9 May: [none]

Tuesday 10 May: Forget-me-nots 1991 cover by TONGUE & CHEEK (bonus question) / First Choice other hit Smarty Pants (bonus question)

Wednesday 11 May: B*witched featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo December 1999 I shall be there (bonus question) / 1988 S’Express follow-up to their #1: Superfly guy

Thursday 12 May: Kylie Minogue 1991 hit Word is out (bonus question) / China Black debut 1988 Searching / Jamiroquai debut 1993 Too young to die

Friday 13 May: Frankie Laine 1957 Moonlight gambler (bonus question)

Sequence of scores: 39, 39, 27, 39, 39, 30, 30, 36, 33, 39

Total points: 351

Daily Average: 35.10

Top score, 39 points: 5

2nd top score, 36 points + “3 in 10”: 1

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