An earlier piece on this Blog (“Double A Sides at #1”) reflected on changes in how the UK charts are compiled. The Double A Sided single played a big part in chart history. In recent years, with the figures based mainly on digital downloads and streaming, Double A Sides have rarely featured in the Top 10. As things stand, a McFly release from 2007 looks like being the last ever Double A Side to reach #1.

That earlier piece lists the 47 different Double A Sides that topped the UK chart. It’s a while since I compiled a list of quiz questions as a Blog Post. Here are 15 questions based on the information contained in that list. Some of them are very difficult. If you can answer them all correctly without looking anything up, you are some kind of Pop Trivia Genius. The questions are in chronological order, and all relate to UK #1s. The answers appear at the end of this piece.

The Questions

1. The first Double A Sided single to reach #1 was the 1957 release “Gamblin’ Man” / “Putting On The Style” by which artist?
2. Cliff Richard & The Shadows had one Double A Sided #1, in 1963; one side featured “The Next Time”; what was on the other side?
3. The Beatles had two Double A Sided #1s featuring the following four songs, listed here in alphabetical order. Match the songs in their correct pairs, and give the years when they reached #1: “Day Tripper”, “Eleanor Rigby”, “We Can Work It Out”, “Yellow Submarine”
4. What song from a successful musical was paired with “What A Wonderful World” on Louis Armstrong’s only UK #1 in 1968?
5. Rod Stewart’s first UK #1 “Maggie May” was paired with which Tim Hardin song in 1971?
6. The 1977 Christmas #1 “Mull Of Kintyre” by Wings, which became the UK’s best-selling single up to that point, was released as a Double A Side with which other song?
7. Two of the Jam’s four UK #1s were released as Double A Sides, “Going Underground” in 1980 and “A Town Called Malice” in 1982; what other songs were on these two releases?
8. The final single released by Wham! before the band split up in 1986 was a Double A Side of “The Edge Of Heaven” and which other song?
9. [I believe that this is the most difficult question in this set] “Pump Up The Volume” by M/A/R/R/S is officially listed as a Double A Side; what is the title of the song it was paired with, including words in brackets?
10. When “Bohemian Rhapsody” returned to the top of the UK charts the month after Freddie Mercury’s death in 1991, it was listed as a Double A Side with which other Queen song?
11. In 1997, the first of the two Spice Girls Double A Sides to reach #1 featured “Who Do You Think You Are?” and which other song?
12. The best-selling UK single of all time is Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 97”, a Double A Side with which other song?
13. A 1998 release by All Saints is the only Double A Side to spend non-consecutive weeks at #1 on its original release; which two songs are featured on it?
14. Sam & Mark’s 2004 version of “With A Little Help From My Friends” was the third to reach #1; it was released as a Double A Side with which other song?
15. Finally, name either side of McFly’s 2007 Double A sided #1, the last one to reach the top of the UK charts

Questions and Answers

1. The first Double A Sided single to reach #1 was the 1957 release “Gamblin’ Man” / “Putting On The Style” by which artist?
   Lonnie Donegan
2. Cliff Richard & The Shadows had one Double A Sided #1, in 1963; one side featured “The Next Time”; what was on the other side?
   “Bachelor Boy”
3. The Beatles had two Double A Sided #1s featuring the following four songs listed in alphabetical order. Match the songs in their correct pairs, and give the years when they reached #1: “Day Tripper”, “Eleanor Rigby”, “We Can Work It Out”, “Yellow Submarine”
   “Day Tripper” / “We Can Work It Out” in 1965 and “Yellow Submarine” / “Eleanor Rigby” in 1966
4. What song from a successful musical was paired with “What A Wonderful World” on Louis Armstrong’s only UK #1 in 1968?
   “Cabaret”
5. Rod Stewart’s first UK #1 “Maggie May” was paired with which Tim Hardin song in 1971?
   “Reason To Believe”
6. The 1977 Christmas #1 “Mull Of Kintyre” by Wings, which became the UK’s best-selling single up to that point, was released as a Double A Side with which other song?
   “Girls’ School”
7. Two of the Jam’s four UK #1s were released as Double A Sides, “Going Underground” in 1980 and “A Town Called Malice” in 1982; what other songs were on these two releases?
   “Dreams Of Children” was paired with “Going Underground” / “Precious” was paired with “A Town Called Malice”
8. The final single released by Wham! before the band split up in 1986 was a Double A Side of “The Edge Of Heaven” and which other song?
   “Where Did Your Heart Go”
9. [I believe that this is the most difficult question in this set] “Pump Up The Volume” by M/A/R/R/S is officially listed as a Double A Side; what is the title of the song it was paired with, including words in brackets?
   “Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance)”
10. When “Bohemian Rhapsody” returned to the top of the UK charts the month after Freddie Mercury’s death in 1991, it was listed as a Double A Side with which other Queen song?
    “These Are The Days Of Our Lives”
11. In 1997, the first of the two Spice Girls Double A Sides to reach #1 featured “Who Do You Think You Are?” and which other song?
    “Mama”
12. The best-selling UK single of all time is Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 97”, a Double A Side with which other song?
    “Something About The Way You Look Tonight”
13. A 1998 release by All Saints is the only Double A Side to spend non-consecutive weeks at #1 on its original release; which two songs are featured on it?
    “Under The Bridge” / “Lady Marmalade”
14. Sam & Mark’s 2004 version of “With A Little Help From My Friends” was the third to reach #1; it was released as a Double A Side with which other song?
    “Measure Of A Man”
15. Finally, name either side of McFly’s 2007 Double A sided #1, the last one to reach the top of the UK charts
    “Baby’s Coming Back” / ”Transylvania”