Music Trivia
1. Who is the lead singer on the Python Lee Jackson hit song "In A Broken
Dream"?
Rod Stewart. Stewart joined the Australian group Python Lee Jackson as a session
singer for the recording of "In A Broken Dream". The song became a UK top 20 hit
in late 1972. During the song’s rise to the top 20, Rod Stewart was already a
successful solo recording artist, climbing the charts in 1971 with the
international number one single "Maggie May". Concurrent to his solo recording
career, Stewart was also lead singer for the UK group Faces from 1969 to 1975.
Faces had an international top 20 hit in early 1972 with the song "Stay With Me".
2. Who does "You're A Mean One, Mr Grinch" from 1966?
Thurl Ravenscroft. The song first appeared on the soundtrack to the TV film "How
The Grinch Stole Christmas" and was written by Theo Seuss Geisel (AKA Dr Seuss)
and Albert Hague. "You’re A Mean One, Mr Grinch" is sometimes mistakenly
credited to Boris Karloff, who is the narrator of the 1966 TV film. Thurl
Ravenscroft was also the voice of "Tony The Tiger" for Kellogg's "Frosted
Flakes" cereal. In the 2000 movie version of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas",
Jim Carrey provides the vocals for "You’re A Mean One, Mr Grinch".
3. What Led Zeppelin song consistently appears in the top 10 of rock radio
stations’ "greatest songs of all-time charts" despite never being released as a
single?
"Stairway To Heaven". Led Zeppelin’s most famous recording was written by Jimmy
Page and Robert Plant and released on their 1971 album "Led Zeppelin IV" (AKA
"Untitled"). Formed in England in 1968, Led Zeppelin consisted of Jimmy Page,
Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham. Other popular songs include
"Whole Lotta Love", "Black Dog", "Rock & Roll", "Kashmir" and "Immigrant Song".
John Bonham died on 25 September 1980 and the group disbanded shortly afterwards. Led Zeppelin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.
4. Who had a number one hit with the 1957 song "Get A Job"?
The Silhouettes. Originally released on the Junior label in 1957, "Get A Job"
was written by group members Bill Horton, Richard Lewis, Earl Beal and Ray
Edwards and went to number one in the USA in early 1958. Lyrics from the song
were the inspiration for the group name Sha Na Na, formed in 1969. The Mills
Brothers also had a hit (top forty) with "Get A Job" in 1958.
5. Who does "Ma Belle Amie" from 1969?
Tee Set. The song was written by group members Peter Tetteroo and Hans Van Eijck
and went to the US top ten in early 1970. Although classified as a one hit
wonder, the Dutch band had many top forty hits in their native Holland. Popular
songs included "Don’t You Leave", "Now’s The Time", "She Likes Weeds" and "If
You Do Believe In Love". Also recording solo, Peter Tetteroo had a Dutch top ten
hit in 1968 with his cover of Neil Diamond’s "Red, Red Wine".
6. Who originally recorded the 2005 song "Mississippi Queen" by Ozzy
Osbourne?
"Mississippi Queen" was originally recorded by Mountain and written by Corky
Laing, Felix Pappalardi, David Rea and Leslie West. Formed in New York, the
group consisted of Leslie West, Felix Pappalardi, Corky Laing and Steve Knight.
Released in 1970, their version of the song hit the US top forty in the spring
of that year. Another popular release by Mountain was the 1970 song "For
Yasgur’s Farm". Felix Pappalardi was shot to death in 1983.
7. As a member of Tony Toni Tone, Raphael Wiggins began recording solo under
what new name?
Raphael Saadiq. Born Raphael Wiggins, he recorded under this name as a member of
Tony Toni Tone. The group released many popular singles including "Feels Good",
"If I Had No Loot", "Anniversary" and "(Lay Your Head On My) Pillow". Raphael
Saadiq scored his first major solo hit with the song "Ask Of You" from the 1995
movie "Higher Learning".
8. Who originally wrote and recorded the 1976 song “Blinded By The Light” by
Manfred Mann’s Earth Band?
“Blinded By The Light” was originally written by Bruce Springsteen and released
on his “Greetings From Asbury Park N.J.” album in 1973. Springsteen wrote
another top 40 song for Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, the 1975 song “Spirit In The
Night”, also originally released on the “Greetings From Asbury Park N.J.” album.
9. Who had a top ten hit with the 1963 song "Just One Look"?
Doris Troy. "Just One Look" was written by Gregory Carroll and Doris Payne (AKA
Doris Troy) and was released as a single in 1963, going to the top ten that same
year. Classified as a one hit wonder, Doris Troy did not have any other
significant chart entries. The Hollies also recorded a popular version of "Just
One Look", their version hitting the charts in 1964. During her recording career, Doris Troy sang backup vocals for several British groups, including vocals
on Pink Floyd's 1973 album "Dark Side Of The Moon".
10. Who does "The Rapper" from 1970?
The Jaggerz. From their 1970 album "We Went To Different Schools Together", the
song was written by group member Dominic Ierace (AKA Donnie Iris) and went to
the top ten that same year. Although classified as a one hit wonder, the
Pittsburgh, PA band also had minor hits with the songs "I Call My Baby Candy"
and "What A Bummer", both from 1970. Donnie Iris went on to solo success in the
early eighties, scoring hits with the songs "Ah! Leah!", "Love Is Like A Rock"
and "My Girl".
11. What was the first ringtone to cross over into the UK singles chart and
debut at number one?
"Axel F" by Crazy Frog. The hugely popular 2004 ringtone was released in Europe
as a single in May 2005 and went straight to number one on the UK singles chart.
The German dance group the Bass Bumpers assumed the band name Crazy Frog for the
single’s release. "Axel F" was originally written and recorded by German
keyboardist/songwriter Harold Faltermeyer and released on the soundtrack to
"Beverly Hills Cop" (starring Eddie Murphy who played Axel Foley). Faltermeyer’s
instrumental version went to the top five in both the USA and UK in 1985.
12. What singer played Eddie in the 1975 movie "The Rocky Horror Picture
Show"?
Meat Loaf. Born Marvin Lee Aday in Dallas, Texas, Meat Loaf also recorded one
song for the movie soundtrack, "Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul". In 1976, Meat
Loaf was featured on lead vocals on the Ted Nugent album "Free-For-All".
Collaborating with songwriter Jim Steinman, Meat Loaf released the popular
albums "Bat Out Of Hell" (1977) and "Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell" (1993).
Popular song releases include "Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad", "Paradise By The
Dashboard Light", "I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)" and "I’d Lie
For You (And That’s The Truth)".
13. What popular recording artist was the creator of the solid-body electric
guitar as well as a pioneer in multi-track recordings?
Les Paul. Together with his wife Mary Ford, the duo recorded many popular songs
in the fifties. Top 10 hits in the USA included "How High The Moon", "Vaya Con
Dios (May God Be With You)", "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise", "Mockin’
Bird Hill" and "Hummingbird". In 1952, after refining the solid-body electric
guitar he originally built in 1941, the first Gibson Les Paul was marketed to
the public. In the early fifties Les Paul began overdubbing his guitar work and
Mary Ford’s vocals using an 8-track tape recorder he designed and built himself.
Les Paul was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
14. What was the origin of the group name ABBA?
The ABBA name is an acronym of the band members’ first names – Agnetha Faltskog,
Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Anni-Frid Lyngstad (AKA Frida). From Sweden,
the pop quartet became internationally popular and very successful commercially.
Most of ABBA's songs were written by band members Andersson and Ulvaeus.
International hits included "Waterloo", "SOS" (unique in that both the song
title and the artist name are palindromes), "Fernando", "Dancing Queen", "Take A
Chance On Me" and "The Winner Takes It All".
15. Who first took the song "Big Yellow Taxi" to the US top 40?
The Neighborhood. From their 1970 album "Debut", the song hit the top forty that
same year. "Big Yellow Taxi" was originally written and recorded by Joni
Mitchell and released on her 1970 album "Ladies Of The Canyon". This version of
the song did not reach the top 40. It was the live version of "Big Yellow Taxi"
from Mitchell’s 1974 album "Miles Of Aisles" that hit the top forty in early
1975. Amy Grant had a minor hit with her 1994 release of the song. "Big Yellow
Taxi" became popular again when the Counting Crows (featuring Vanessa Carlton)
released their version of the song in 2002.
16. Who originally wrote and recorded the 1971 Three Dog Night song "Liar"?
"Liar" was originally recorded by the British band Argent and released on their
self-titled debut album in 1970. The song was written by Argent member Russ
Ballard. Argent’s most popular release was the international top 10 song "Hold
Your Head Up" from 1972.
17. What popular rap artist was born Curtis Jackson?
50 Cent. From Queens, New York, 50 Cent was signed to Columbia Records in 1999
and released the single "How To Rob" shortly afterwards. Before the scheduled
release of his album "Power Of The Dollar", 50 Cent was shot 9 times in Queens,
after which he was dropped from Columbia and the album was not released. Signed
to Eminem and Dr Dre’s Shady/Aftermath label, 50 Cent’s first album release on
his new label was "Get Rich Or Die Tryin’" in early 2003. Popular single
releases include "Wanksta", "21 Questions", "In Da Club" and "Candy Shop". The
2005 movie "Get Rich Or Die Tryin’" was inspired by the life story of Curtis
Jackson.
18. "Bubbles" of "Trailer Park Boys" had a Canadian hit song as a member of
what band?
Sandbox. Mike Smith, AKA "Bubbles" of "Trailer Park Boys", was a member of
Sandbox when they had a hit song with "Curious" in 1995. From Nova Scotia, the
band consisted of Paul Murray, Scott MacFarlane, Troy Shanks, Mike Smith and
Jason Archibald. The group released two albums, "Bionic" in 1995 and "A Murder
In The Glee Club" in 1997.
19. What was the first Johnny Cash song to reach the top 40 on the pop
charts?
"I Walk The Line". Recorded in 1956, "I Walk The Line" was written by Johnny
Cash and hit the top 40 in late 1956. The first chart entry for Cash was also
his first release, "Cry! Cry! Cry!" (backed with "Hey Porter"), which hit the
country top 40 in 1955. During a live performance in 1968, Johnny Cash proposed
to country singer June Carter. The couple married later that same year. The duo
had a top 40 pop hit in 1970 with the song "If I Were A Carpenter". In 1985,
Cash teamed with Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson to form
the Highwaymen, who recorded three albums between 1985 and 1995. Johnny Cash
released many popular songs including "Ballad Of A Teenage Queen", "Don’t Take
Your Guns To Town", "Ring Of Fire", "Folsom Prison Blues" and "A Boy Named Sue".
He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1980 and into the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. Johnny Cash died on 12 September 2003.
20. Who does "Take Off" from 1981?
Bob and Doug McKenzie, AKA Canadian comedians Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas from
the TV series "SCTV". "Take Off" was written by Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas,
Jonathan Goldsmith and Marc Giacomelli and became an international hit in early
1982. The song featured Geddy Lee of Rush on vocals and was first released on
the Bob and Doug McKenzie album "Great White North" in 1981. Another popular
song from the album was "Twelve Days Of Christmas". Thomas is the brother of
singer/songwriter Ian Thomas, who had an international hit with the 1973 song
"Painted Ladies".
21. Who are the four members of the Damn Yankees?
Ted Nugent (Amboy Dukes), Tommy Shaw (Styx), Jack Blades (Night Ranger) and
Michael Cartellone. The foursome released two albums, their self-titled debut in
1990 and "Don’t Tread" in 1992. Popular singles from the group include the top
10 hit "High Enough" and the top 40 hit "Where You Goin’ Now". In 1995 Tommy
Shaw and Jack Blades teamed up as Shaw Blades to release the album
"Hallucination".
22. Who had a number one hit with the 1958 instrumental "Tequila"?
The Champs. From Los Angeles, the group originally consisted of Dave Burgess,
Buddy Bruce, Daniel Flores (AKA Chuck Rio), Cliff Hills and Gene Alden. Later
group members included Jimmy Seals, Dash Crofts (Seals & Crofts), and for a
brief period, Glen Campbell. The Champs took their name from Gene Autry’s horse
"Champion". The group had other instrumental hits with the songs "El Rancho
Rock", "Too Much Tequila" and "Limbo Rock". Eddie Platt also took an
instrumental version of "Tequila" to the top 40 in 1958.
23. Everlast had a US top 10 song as a member of what rap group?
House Of Pain. Everlast (AKA Erik Schrody) was a member of House Of Pain when
the group had a top 10 hit with "Jump Around" from their 1992 self-titled debut
album. From Los Angeles, House Of Pain consisted of Everlast, Danny Boy (AKA
Daniel O’Connor) and DJ Lethal (AKA Leor DiMant). The trio disbanded after
releasing three albums. Recording solo, Everlast had a top 40 hit with "What
It’s Like" from his 1998 album "Whitey Ford Sings The Blues".
24. New Order scored their first UK top 20 hit song under what band name?
Joy Division. Released in 1980, the critically acclaimed "Love Will Tear Us
Apart" was written by group members Ian Curtis, Stephen Morris, Peter Hook and
Bernard Sumner. The song reached the UK top 20 shortly after the death of lead
singer Ian Curtis (committed suicide on 18 May 1980). The Joy Division album
"Closer" (recorded in March 1980) was released in July 1980 and featured the
songs "Isolation", "Twenty Four Hours", "Heart & Soul" and "Decades". The three
remaining members continued under the name New Order, adding Gillian Gilbert in
late 1980. Bernard Sumner became lead singer for New Order.
25. Who had a number one hit with the 1968 song "In The Year 2525 (Exordium
& Terminus)"?
Zager & Evans (Denny Zager and Rick Evans). "In The Year 2525 (Exordium &
Terminus)" was written by Rick Evans and originally released as a single on the
Truth label in 1968. When re-released on the RCA label, the song climbed to the
number one spot in both the USA and UK in the summer of 1969. Classified as a
one hit wonder, Zager & Evans did not have any other significant chart entries.
26. Who first took the song "Thunder In My Heart" to the UK top 40?
Leo Sayer. From his 1977 album "Thunder In My Heart", the song was written by
Leo Sayer and Tom Snow and hit the top forty in both the UK and USA that same
year. In early 2006, "Thunder In My Heart Again" by Meck featuring Leo Sayer was
released as a dance remix of his earlier hit and debuted at number one on the UK
charts. Leo Sayer's last number one song in both the UK and USA was "When I Need
You" released in 1976. Other popular song releases include "Long Tall Glasses (I
Can Dance)", "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" and "More Than I Can Say".
27. Who is the link between the albums "Dark Side Of The Moon" and "I Robot"?
Alan Parsons. Prior to forming the Alan Parsons Project, Parsons worked at Abbey
Road Studios, engineering the 1973 Pink Floyd album "Dark Side Of The Moon".
With Eric Woolfson, Parsons formed the Alan Parsons Project in London in 1975.
Their second album release was "I Robot" from 1977 which yielded the singles "I
Wouldn’t Want To Be Like You" and "Don’t Let It Show". Other popular song
releases include "Damned If I Do", "Games People Play", "Eye In The Sky" and
"Don’t Answer Me".
28. Who does "Girl You Know It’s True" from the late 1980s?
Milli Vanilli. Milli Vanilli was a German act formed by producer Frank Farian
that featured frontmen Fabrice Morvan and Rob Pilatus. In addition to the single
"Girl You Know It’s True", their debut album (originally released in 1988)
included the popular singles "Baby Don’t Forget My Number", "Girl I’m Gonna Miss
You", "Blame It On The Rain" and "All Or Nothing". Milli Vanilli was stripped of
their 1989 Best New Artist Grammy Award in 1990 when it was discovered that
Fabrice Morvan and Rob Pilatus did not sing on their debut album (actual
vocalists were John Davis, Brad Howell and Charles Shaw). Rob Pilatus died in
April 1998.
29. What did Tony Christie, Sham 69 & The Special Assembly, Crazy Frog,
Embrace and Tonedef Allstars all have in common in June 2006?
All five artists had World Cup 2006 songs in the UK top 40. Tony Christie’s "(Is
This The Way To) The World Cup", Sham 69 & The Special Assembly’s "Hurry Up
England - The People's Anthem", Crazy Frog’s "We Are The Champions (Ding A Dang
Dong)", Embrace’s "World At Your Feet" and Tonedef Allstars’ "Who Do You Think
You Are Kidding Jurgen Klinsmann?" all reached the UK top 40 in June 2006.
Tonedef Allstars consisted of Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters (both members of the
1966 World Cup winning team from England), Frank Bruno (ex-boxer) and Bill
Pertwee (from English TV show "Dad’s Army").
30. Who had a number one hit with the 1958 song "To Know Him, Is To Love
Him"?
The Teddy Bears (Phil Spector, Carol Connors and Marshall Leib). "To Know Him,
Is To Love Him" was written by Phil Spector and went to number one in the USA
and to the UK top 10 in early 1959. Re-titled as "To Know You Is To Love You",
both Bobby Vinton and Peter & Gordon had top 40 hits (USA) with the song. B.B.
King had a top 40 hit with a different version of "To Know You Is To Love You"
in 1973. Stevie Wonder and Syreeta Wright wrote this version of the song.
31. What was the US number one hit song from the album "Get The Knack"?
"My Sharona" by the Knack. From their debut album, "My Sharona" was written by
Doug Fieger and Berton Averre and hit the number one spot in the summer of 1979.
Formed in Los Angeles in 1978, the Knack consisted of Doug Fieger, Berton Averre, Prescott Niles and Bruce Gary. Other popular song releases include "Good
Girls Don’t", "Baby Talks Dirty" and "Rocket O' Love".
32. Eric Carmen had a US top 10 song as a member of what band?
Raspberries. Eric Carmen was a member of Raspberries when the group had a top 10
hit with "Go All The Way" in 1972. From Ohio, USA, Raspberries consisted of Eric
Carmen, Wally Bryson, Dave Smalley and Jim Bonfanti. Carmen went solo in 1975,
scoring top 10 hits with the songs "All By Myself", "Hungry Eyes" and "Make Me
Lose Control".
33. Who first took the song "Unchained Melody" to the top of the charts?
Les Baxter. Written by Alex North and Hy Zaret, Baxter’s version of "Unchained
Melody" hit the number one spot in the USA in 1955. Many other artists have
scored top 10 hits with the song, including Al Hibbler, Jimmy Young (UK), Roy
Hamilton, and, with the most popular version of the song, the Righteous Brothers.
34. What popular rap artist was born Shawn Carter?
Jay-Z. From Brooklyn, New York, Jay-Z started his own label (Roc-A-Fella Records) before releasing his debut album "Reasonable Doubt" in 1996. Many platinum
selling albums followed, including "Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life", "The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse", "The Black Album" and "Collision Course" (with
Linkin Park). Popular song releases include "Can't Knock The Hustle", "Feelin'
It", "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)", "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)",
"Izzo (H.O.V.A.)", "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" and "Dirt Off Your Shoulder". In late
2004, Jay-Z became president of Def Jam Records.
35. Who originally wrote and recorded the 2006 song "Somebody's Watching Me"
by Beatfreakz?
"Somebody's Watching Me" was originally written and recorded by Rockwell (born
Kennedy Gordy) in 1983. The song reached the top 10 in both the USA and UK and
featured Michael Jackson on backing vocals. Rockwell is the son of Berry Gordy
Jr, the founder of Motown Records. The version of the song by the Dutch trio
Beatfreakz reached the UK top 10 in May 2006.
36. What Seattle group was originally named after professional basketball
player Mookie Blaylock?
Pearl Jam. The group began recording as Mookie Blaylock in 1990, changing their
name to Pearl Jam during recording sessions for their 1991 debut album "Ten"
(named after Mookie Blaylock’s jersey number). The original group included Eddie
Vedder, Mike McCready, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament and Dave Krusen. Pearl Jam has
released many popular albums and singles, including the songs "Jeremy", "Tremor
Christ", "I Got Id", "Who You Are", "Given To Fly", "Last Kiss" and "World Wide
Suicide".
37. Who originally recorded the 1990 Tesla song "Signs"?
Five Man Electrical Band. The Canadian group consisted of Les Emmerson, Ted
Gerow, Mike Belanger, Rick Belanger and Brian Rading. “Signs” was written by Les
Emmerson and released in 1970. The Five Man Electrical Band version of “Signs”
became an international hit in 1971. The group had another major hit that same
year with the song “Absolutely Right”. The band originally began recording as
the Staccatos in 1965. The Staccatos had a Canadian hit with the song “Half Past
Midnight” in 1967.
38. Who does "Who Let The Dogs Out" from 2000?
The Baha Men. From their 2000 album "Who Let The Dogs Out", the song was written
by Anslem Douglas and became an international smash that same year. Originally
known as High Voltage, the Baha Men were formed in the Bahamas in the early
1980s by Isaiah Taylor, Herschel Small and Jeffrey Chea. Prior to "Who Let The
Dogs Out", the group was extremely popular at home in the Bahamas and in Japan.
Popular song releases include "Back To The Island", "Oh Father", "Dancing In The
Moonlight" and "That’s The Way I Get Down".
39. Ed King scored top 10 hits as a member of what two groups?
Strawberry Alarm Clock and Lynyrd Skynyrd. From California, USA, Ed King was
guitarist for Strawberry Alarm Clock when the group had an international top 10
hit in 1967 with the song "Incense & Peppermints". The band had a follow-up top
forty hit with the 1967 song "Tomorrow". In late 1972, King joined Lynyrd
Skynyrd as their bassist, switching to guitar shortly afterwards. The group had
a top 10 hit in 1974 with the song "Sweet Home Alabama". Other popular releases
by Lynyrd Skynyrd include "Simple Man", "Free Bird", "Saturday Night Special"
and "What’s Your Name".
40. Who does "As The Years Go By" from 1970?
Mashmakhan. "As The Years Go By" was written by group member Pierre Senecal and
became an international hit that same year. The band consisted of Rayburn Blake,
Brian Edwards, Jerry Mercer and Pierre Senecal. From Canada, Mashmakhan became
extremely popular in Japan after the release of the song. Other singles released
by the group included "Gladwin", "Days When We Are Free" and "Start All Over".
After the break up of the band in the early seventies, Jerry Mercer became a
member of April Wine.
41. Who does "Seasons In The Sun" from 1973?
Terry Jacks. Released as a single in 1973, the song was written by Jacques Brel
and Rod McKuen and became an international hit in 1974. "Seasons In The Sun" was
originally recorded by the Kingston Trio in 1963. Prior to gaining fame as a
solo recording artist, Jacks had been a member of the Poppy Family with his wife
Susan Jacks. The Poppy Family scored international hits in 1970 with the songs
"Which Way You Goin’ Billy?" and "That’s Where I Went Wrong".
42. Who had a top ten hit with the 1987 song "Respect Yourself"?
Bruce Willis. From the actor’s 1987 debut album "The Return Of Bruno", the song
was written by Luther Ingram and Mack Rice and reached the top ten that same
year. "Respect Yourself" was originally recorded by the Staple Singers, their
version hitting the top forty in 1971. Bruce Willis released his second album,
"If It Don’t Kill You, It Just Makes You Stronger", in 1989.
43. What English rock band took their name from a 1950 song by Muddy Waters?
The Rolling Stones. In early 1962 the group's line-up included Mick Jagger,
Keith Richards and Brian Jones; it was around this time that Jones suggested the
band name itself after the Muddy Waters song "Rollin’ Stone". The Stones
completed their line-up with the addition of Bill Wyman (later in 1962) and
Charlie Watts (January 1963). This line-up remained intact until the departure
of Brian Jones in June 1969 (died 3 July 1969). Jones was replaced by ex-John
Mayall guitarist Mick Taylor. Taylor left in 1975 and was replaced by former
Faces member Ron Wood. The Stones were responsible for many classic songs
including "(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction", "Get Off Of My Cloud", "Paint It,
Black", "Honky Tonk Women" and "Angie". Most songs were written by the song
writing duo of Jagger and Richards, nicknamed the Glimmer Twins. Dick Taylor, an
early member of the Rolling Stones, was a founding member of the British group
the Pretty Things in 1963.
44. What popular rock frontman was born Steven Tallarico?
Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. Steven Tallarico began his recording career in New
Hampshire, USA as a member of Chain Reaction, which released the songs "The Sun"
and "When I Needed You" in 1966. In 1972 Tallarico changed his name to Steven
Tyler, and along with the other members of Aerosmith – Joe Perry, Brad Whitford,
Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer – the group was signed to Columbia Records. They
released their self-titled debut in early 1973, followed by the single "Dream
On" later that same year. The single did not reach the top 40, but when it was
re-released in 1976, "Dream On" peaked in the top 10. Aerosmith has released
many popular albums and singles over the years, including the songs "Sweet
Emotion", "Walk This Way", "Angel", "Love In An Elevator", "Cryin’" and "I Don’t
Want To Miss A Thing".
45. Who originally wrote and recorded the 1999 song "Last Kiss" by Pearl Jam?
"Last Kiss" was originally written and recorded by Wayne Cochran in 1961. The
song was first taken to the top 10 in Canada and the USA by J Frank Wilson and
The Cavaliers in 1964. "Last Kiss" climbed the charts again in both Canada and
the USA when the Canadian group Wednesday had their biggest hit with their 1973
version of the song.
46. Who had a number one hit with the 1960 song "Stay"?
Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs. "Stay" was written by Maurice Williams and went
to number one in the USA in late 1960. In 1964 the 4 Seasons had a top 40 hit
with their version of the song, followed by Jackson Browne in 1978.
47. This group originally began recording as Kara’s Flowers in 1997. Who did
they become?
Maroon 5. Kara’s Flowers consisted of Jesse Carmichael, Ryan Dusick, Adam Levine
and Mickey Madden. They released the album "The Fourth World" in 1997. A few
years later, the group added a fifth member, James Valentine, and changed their
name to Maroon 5. Their first album was "Songs About Jane", released in June
2002. The album yielded the popular singles "Harder To Breathe", "This Love" and
"She Will Be Loved".
48. Who are the two members of Gnarls Barkley?
Cee-Lo (AKA Thomas DeCarlo Callaway) and Danger Mouse (AKA Brian Burton). Prior
to Gnarls Barkley, Cee-Lo was a solo rap artist and former member of the Goodie
Mob (US top 40 song "Cell Therapy" in 1995). Producer Danger Mouse produced the
2005 Gorillaz album "Demon Days". The duo’s first song release as Gnarls Barkley
was "Crazy", which hit number one on the UK charts in April 2006.
49. Who does "Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man" from 1968?
The Bob Seger System. "Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man" was written by singer/songwriter/guitarist Bob Seger and appeared on the first of three albums released by
the Bob Seger System. The song became Seger’s first top 40 hit. The 1976 album
"Night Moves" was recorded with Seger’s backing group The Silver Bullet Band
(Drew Abbott, Chris Campbell, Charlie Martin, Alto Reed, Robyn Robbins). The
album featured the songs "Night Moves", "Mainstreet" and "Rock & Roll Never
Forgets". Other popular song releases since "Night Moves" include "Against The
Wind", "Shame On The Moon", "Like A Rock" and "Shakedown". Bob Seger is featured
on the 3 Doors Down single "Landing In London".
50. Who does "Rapture" from 1980?
Blondie. "Rapture" was written by group members Deborah Harry and Chris Stein
and became an international hit in early 1981. Formed in New York City, the
other members of Blondie consisted of Frank Infante, Jimmy Destri, Nigel
Harrison and Clem Burke. Other popular song releases include "Heart Of Glass",
"One Way Or Another", "Call Me" and "The Tide Is High". A mix of the songs
"Rapture" and the Doors’ "Riders On The Storm", titled "Rapture Riders", was
released in early 2006. Prior to Blondie, Deborah Harry was a member of the
group Wind In The Willows.
51. What popular singer/songwriter was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou?
George Michael. The duo of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley formed Wham! In
the early 1980s and released their first single "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)"
in 1982. Many popular singles followed, including "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go",
"Careless Whisper", "Everything She Wants", "Freedom" and "I’m Your Man". When
Wham! disbanded in 1986 Michael continued recording as a solo artist. Many more
popular singles and albums followed, including the songs "I Knew You Were
Waiting (For Me)" (with Aretha Franklin), "Faith", "Father Figure", "One More
Try", "Praying For Time" and "Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me" (live recording
with Elton John).
52. Jay Ferguson had US top 40 hit songs as a member of what two groups?
Spirit and Jo Jo Gunne. Jay Ferguson was a member of Spirit when the group had a
top 40 hit with "I Got A Line On You" in 1969. From Los Angeles, Spirit
consisted of Ferguson, Mark Andes, Ed Cassidy, Randy California and John Locke.
Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes left Spirit to form Jo Jo Gunne in 1971. Jo Jo Gunne
had a top 40 hit with the 1972 song "Run Run Run". Recording solo, Ferguson
scored a top 10 hit with his 1977 song "Thunder Island", and another top 40 hit
with the song "Shakedown Cruise" in 1979.
53. What popular rock frontman was born Paul Hewson?
Bono of U2. Bono, the Edge (born David Evans), Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen
formed U2 in Dublin, Ireland in 1977. Their first release was the three song EP
"Three" in 1979. The EP featured the song "Out Of Control" which hit number one
on the Irish charts. Their first album release, "Boy", followed a year later and
included the popular song "I Will Follow". U2 has released many popular albums
and singles over the years, including the songs "New Year’s Day", "Pride (In The
Name Of Love)", "With Or Without You", "I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking
For", "Desire", "One" and "Vertigo". U2 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame in 2005.
54. A live performance by Don McLean of his song "American Pie" was the
inspiration for what popular song?
"Killing Me Softly With His Song" written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel.
Through collaboration with the two songwriters, Lori Lieberman described the
effect of the Don McLean performance and recorded and released "Killing Me
Softly With His Song" in 1972. The song later became a major hit for Roberta
Flack in 1973 and for the Fugees in 1997. The song "American Pie" was inspired
by the death of the Big Bopper, Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens in a plane crash.
55. This group originally began recording as the Classics and then as the
Collectors. Who did they become?
Chilliwack. During the period 1963-1966, the Classics released several singles,
including the songs "I Don't Know" and "Gone Away", released under the name of
the Canadian Classics in 1965. In 1966 the Classics changed their name to the
Collectors and Bill Henderson joined the group as their lead vocalist and
guitarist. The Collectors released two albums and several singles, including the
songs "Lydia Purple" and "Looking At A Baby". The Collectors became Chilliwack
in 1970, releasing numerous singles and albums under their new name. "My Girl
(Gone, Gone, Gone)" and "I Believe" were two popular singles, both from the 1981
album "Wanna Be A Star".
56. Who originally wrote and recorded the 2003 Sheryl Crow song "The First
Cut Is The Deepest"?
"The First Cut Is The Deepest" was originally written and recorded by Cat
Stevens. It was released on his album "New Masters" in 1967. There have been
several popular versions of this song over the years. PP Arnold had a British
hit with the song in 1967. Keith Hampshire had a Canadian hit in 1973. The song
was a hit again when it was released by Rod Stewart in 1976.
57. What popular folk/rock singer/songwriter was born Robert Allen Zimmerman?
Bob Dylan. Zimmerman adopted the stage name Bob Dylan (Dylan from the poet Dylan
Thomas) before he began recording in 1962. He has released many critically
acclaimed albums including "Another Side Of Bob Dylan" (1964), "Blonde On
Blonde" (1966) and "Blood On The Tracks" (1975). Popular songs by Dylan include
"Blowin' In The Wind" (1963), "Like A Rolling Stone" (1965), "Rainy Day Women
#12 & 35" (1966) and "Lay Lady Lay" (1969). His songs have been covered by many
artists including the Byrds, Eric Clapton, Bryan Ferry, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley
and Rod Stewart. "Life" magazine named him as one of the 100 most important
Americans of the 20th century.
58. What George Harrison song allegedly copied the 1963 song "He's So Fine"
by the Chiffons?
"My Sweet Lord" from the 1970 George Harrison album "All Things Must Pass". The
ex-Beatle was sued by Bright Tunes Music Corporation (Chiffons) for allegedly
infringing on the copyright of the Chiffons song "He’s So Fine" written by
Ronald Mack. In 1976 the court ruled in favour of the Chiffons arguing that
George Harrison had "subconsciously plagiarized" their song.
59. What artist was discovered on TV's "The Gong Show" and then had a major
hit with the song "Got To Be Real" in 1978?
Cheryl Lynn. After her performance of "You Are So Beautiful" on "The Gong Show"
in 1976, Cheryl Lynn signed with Columbia and released her self-titled debut in
1978. The album featured the song "Got To Be Real" written by David Foster,
Cheryl Lynn and David Paich. The creator and host of "The Gong Show", Chuck
Barris, was responsible for another major hit. Chuck Barris wrote the song
"Palisades Park" which was a hit for Freddy Cannon in 1962.
60. This band first toured Scandinavia as the New Yardbirds in 1968. Shortly
after the tour the band changed their name. What was their new name?
Led Zeppelin. After the Yardbirds broke up in 1968, the only remaining member,
Jimmy Page, joined first with John Paul Jones and then Robert Plant and John
Bonham. The foursome toured Scandinavia as the New Yardbirds to meet a series of
previous Yardbirds concert commitments. Later that same year they changed their
name to Led Zeppelin, allegedly a suggestion made by Keith Moon of The Who.
61. Who originally wrote and recorded the 1993 Mariah Carey song "Without
You"?
"Without You" was originally recorded by Badfinger and released on their "No
Dice" album in 1970. The song was written by Badfinger members Tom Evans and
Pete Ham. Two members of Badfinger committed suicide, Pete Ham on 23 April 1975,
and Tom Evans on 23 November 1983. The most popular version of "Without You" was
released by Nilsson in 1971. His version went to number one in 1972.
62. What do Pink Floyd and Hoagy Carmichael have in common?
Two of the longest song titles in the history of popular music. Pink Floyd's
song is titled "Several Species Of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together In A
Cave & Grooving With A Pict". Hoagy Carmichael's song is titled "I'm A Cranky
Old Yank In A Clanky Old Tank On The Streets Of Yokohama With My Honolulu Mama
Doin' Those Beat-o, Beat-o, Flat On My Seat-o Hirohito Blues".
63. Before his hit "The Wedding Song (There Is Love)" in 1971, he had many
international hits as a member of what group?
Peter, Paul & Mary. "The Wedding Song (There Is Love)" was from Paul Stookey’s
1971 album "Paul And". Peter, Paul & Mary formed in New York City in 1961, and
consisted of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers. The trio released many
popular songs including "Puff (The Magic Dragon)", "Blowin’ In The Wind"
(written by Bob Dylan) and "Leaving On A Jet Plane" (written by John Denver).
64. Who originally wrote and recorded the 1973 Nazareth song "This Flight
Tonight"?
"This Flight Tonight" was originally written and recorded by Joni Mitchell. It
was released on her critically acclaimed album "Blue" in 1971. The popular
Nazareth version of this song was released as a single in 1973 and appeared on
their "Loud 'N' Proud" album in 1974.
65. What band was the starting point for guitarists Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck
and Jimmy Page?
The Yardbirds. Eric Clapton joined Keith Relf, Chris Dreja, Paul Samwell-Smith
and Jim McCarty in October 1963, replacing guitarist Anthony “Top” Topham. With
this lineup, the Yardbirds had their biggest international hit with the song
“For Your Love” in 1965. That same year, Eric Clapton left the band and was
replaced by Jeff Beck. During the next year, the band had hits with the songs
“Heart Full Of Soul”, “I’m A Man”, “Shapes Of Things” and “Over Under Sideways
Down”. In mid 1966, Paul Samwell-Smith left the band and was replaced by Jimmy
Page on bass. Shortly after Jimmy Page joined the group, Chris Dreja switched to
bass and Jimmy Page shared lead guitarist duties with Jeff Beck. The two
guitarists played together in the band until Jeff Beck left in November 1966.
The last major hit single for the band, “Happenings Ten Years Time Ago” in 1966,
featured both Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page on lead guitar.
66. What do Chubby Checker and Bing Crosby have in common?
Number one songs that went back to number one a few years later. Bing Crosby was
the first to do it. His song “White Christmas”, written by Irving Berlin, first
went to number one in 1942. It went to number one again in 1945. Bing Crosby re-recorded “White Christmas” in 1947, and the new version hit the charts
again repeatedly for many years afterwards. Chubby Checker’s song “The Twist”,
written by Hank Ballard, first went to number one in 1960. "The Twist" went to
number one again in 1962.
67. What Dutch group released their first single "Please Go" in 1965?
Golden Earring, consisting of long-time members Barry Hay, Rinus Gerritsen,
George Kooymans and Cesar Zuiderwijk. Very popular in their native Holland,
Golden Earring achieved international fame with the Kooymans and Hay penned song
"Radar Love" from their 1973 album "Moontan". "Radar Love" became a classic
"road/driving" song. Another popular Kooymans and Hay composition from the same
album was "Candy's Going Bad", which was covered by the Godz in 1978. The group
had another major hit in 1983 with the song "Twilight Zone". "Radar Love" was a
hit again in 1989 when it was covered by White Lion.
68. Who originally recorded the song "My White Bicycle"?
"My White Bicycle" was originally recorded by Tomorrow and written by Keith Alan
Hopkins (AKA Keith West) and Ken Burgess. The song was released as a single in
1967 and later appeared on their 1968 album "Tomorrow". Nazareth revived the
song when they released their version as a single in 1975. Tomorrow began
recording as the In Crowd in 1965. The group consisted of Keith West, Steve Howe, Junior (John Wood) and Twink (John Alder). While the group was still
together, Keith West released the single "Excerpt From A Teenage Opera" which
became a UK hit in 1967. After Tomorrow broke up in 1968, Twink briefly joined
the Pretty Things and then the Pink Fairies. Steve Howe joined Yes in 1970 and
then became a member of Asia in 1981.
69. What popular singer was born Walden Robert Cassotto in 1936?
Bobby Darin. His recording career began in 1956 and ended when he died in 1973
at the age of 37. Bobby Darin released many popular songs including "Splish
Splash", "Early In The Morning" (under the name the Rinky-Dinks), "Dream Lover",
"Mack The Knife", "Beyond The Sea" and "You’re The Reason I’m Living". "Early In
The Morning" was originally released under the group name the Ding Dongs, but
shortly after its release the group name was changed to the Rinky-Dinks due to
contractual obligations. In the late sixties, Bobby Darin recorded for a brief
period as Bob Darin. He appeared in several movies, including the 1963 movie
"Captain Newman, M.D.", for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best
Supporting Actor. Bobby Darin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
in 1990.
70. What were the six costumes worn by the Village People?
An American Indian, biker, construction worker, cowboy, military man and a
policeman. Brought together in New York by disco producer Jacques Morali, the
Village People originally consisted of Alexander Briley, David Hodo, Glenn
Hughes, Randy Jones, Felipe Rose and Victor Willis. The group scored massive hit
singles in the late seventies with the songs "Macho Man", "Y.M.C.A." and "In The
Navy". In 1980, the Village People were featured in the movie "Can’t Stop The
Music".
71. An original member of Roxy Music, he later went on to co-produce U2’s
“The Joshua Tree”. Who is he?
Brian Eno. He appeared on Roxy Music’s first two albums, “Roxy Music” in 1972
and “For Your Pleasure” in 1973, which were both popular in the UK. After
leaving in 1973, Eno worked on various solo and collaboration projects including
work with Robert Fripp, David Bowie and Talking Heads. Critically acclaimed
albums included “Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)” from 1974 and “My Life In
The Bush Of Ghosts” from 1981 (with David Byrne of Talking Heads). In 1980 he
began working with Daniel Lanois and the two would go on to produce several
projects including U2’s “The Joshua Tree” (1987) and “Achtung Baby” (1991).
72. Who had a number one hit with the 1981 song “Mickey”?
Toni Basil. From her 1981 album “Word Of Mouth”, “Mickey” was written by Mike
Chapman and Nicky Chinn and reached the number one spot in the fall of 1982.
Classified as a one hit wonder, Toni Basil did not have any other significant
chart entries.
73. Who collected all royalties for the song “Bitter Sweet Symphony” by the
Verve?
ABKCO, copyright holders of the Rolling Stones’ early material. Andrew Loog
Oldham, manager and producer of the Rolling Stones until 1968, recorded an album
of their material entitled “The Rolling Stones Songbook” in 1966. A sample of
his arrangement of the song “The Last Time” was used by the Verve in their song
“Bitter Sweet Symphony” on their 1997 album “Urban Hymns”. ABKCO sued the Verve
and was awarded 100% of the royalties for the song.
74. What singer/actor had a number one hit while playing Dr Noah Drake on
the TV soap “General Hospital” from 1981–1983?
Rick Springfield. Born in Australia, he appeared in several TV series and made-for-TV movies. He made his movie debut in the film “Hard To Hold” in 1984.
He released many popular songs in the 1980s, including the number one hit
“Jessie’s Girl” in 1981, “I’ve Done Everything For You”, “Don’t Talk To
Strangers”, “Affair Of The Heart” and “Love Somebody”.
75. What country music star had his first major hit with the psychedelic
classic "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)"?
Kenny Rogers. He began his recording career in 1956 with a group called the
Scholars. After joining the New Christy Minstrels for a brief period in 1966,
Kenny Rogers left and formed the First Edition in 1967, releasing "Just Dropped
In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" that same year. The First
Edition had another major hit with "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town" in 1969.
Kenny Rogers left the First Edition to go solo in 1973, releasing many popular
songs since that time including "The Gambler", "Coward Of The County" and "Lady".
76. What song was written in part as a response to the 1970 Neil Young song
"Southern Man"?
"Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. The song was written by group members Ed
King, Gary Rossington and Ronnie Van Zant and released on their "Second Helping"
album in 1974. "Free Bird" was another popular song for the group, written in
tribute to Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band. Lynyrd Skynyrd’s name was
derived from the name of their school gym teacher, Leonard Skinner.
77. Before his big hit “Baker Street” in 1978, he had an international hit
in 1973 as a member of what group?
Stealers Wheel. “Baker Street” was from the 1978 Gerry Rafferty album “City To
City” which also yielded the hit singles “Right Down The Line” and “Home & Dry”.
Stealers Wheel was formed in 1972 and consisted of principle members Gerry
Rafferty and Joe Egan until the group’s break-up in 1975. The song “Stuck In The
Middle With You” became an international hit for Stealers Wheel in 1973 and was
later revived when it was featured in the Quentin Tarantino film “Reservoir
Dogs” in 1992. The group had another hit with the song “Star” released in 1973.
Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan had recorded together previously in the group the
Fifth Column, releasing the song “Benjamin Day” in 1966. Before joining Stealers
Wheel, Gerry Rafferty had also been a member of the duo the Humblebums with
Billy Connolly, who went on to become an internationally popular comedian.
78. What British group formed in 1967 and was named after a cat?
Procol Harum. The group began recording as the Paramounts in the early 1960s,
changing their name to Procol Harum in 1967. Original group members included
Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Robin Trower, Matthew Fisher, Chris Copping and BJ
Wilson, with many personnel changes over the years. The group’s biggest hit was
the song “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” from 1967. They also had hits with the songs
“Homburg” and their live performance of “Conquistador”, recorded with the
Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in 1971.
79. Free, Bad Company, The Firm and The Law – who was a member of all four
bands?
Paul Rodgers. The critically acclaimed vocalist began recording as a member of
Free in 1968. Free had a major hit with the song “All Right Now” in 1970. As a
member of Bad Company, the group released many popular albums and songs,
including “Can’t Get Enough”, “Feel Like Makin’ Love” and “Rock ‘N’ Roll
Fantasy”. Formed in 1984, the Firm included Jimmy Page on guitar, and released
the popular single “Radioactive” in 1985. Paul Rodgers and Kenny Jones teamed up
to form the Law, releasing their self-titled debut album in 1991, which included
the song “Laying Down The Law”.
80. Who had a number one hit with the 1982 song “When I’m With You”?
Sheriff. “When I’m With You” was written by Arnold Lanni and was originally
released on their 1982 self-titled debut album. The song was a minor hit in 1983, but after a Las Vegas radio station added it to their playlist in 1988,
the song was re-released and went all the way to the number one spot in early
1989, long after the group had disbanded. The Canadian group consisted of Freddy
Curci, Steve DeMarchi, Wolf Hassel and Arnold Lanni. After the group broke up,
Hassel and Lanni went on to form Frozen Ghost, and Curci and DeMarchi later
formed Alias with Mike DeRosier, Roger Fisher and Steve Fossen, all former
members of Heart.
81. Who originally recorded the 1986 Bananarama song "Venus"?
Shocking Blue. The Dutch group consisted of Cornelius Van Der Beek (drums),
Klaasje Van Der Wal (bass), Robbie Van Leeuwen (guitar, vocals) and Mariska
Veres (vocals). “Venus” was written by Robbie Van Leeuwen and released in 1969.
The Shocking Blue version of “Venus” became an international hit in 1970. The
song was a major hit again in 1981 when it was included in the Stars On 45 song
medley “Venus / Sugar Sugar / No Reply ...”. Nirvana covered the Shocking Blue
song “Love Buzz” on their 1989 album “Bleach”. Frankie Avalon had a major hit
with another song titled “Venus” in 1959. Ed Marshall wrote this song.
82. Never a member of the Monkees, this Davy Jones changed his name in 1966
before going on to international stardom under what new name?
David Bowie. Born David Robert Jones, he began his recording career as a member
of Davie Jones and The King Bees. The group released the single “Liza Jane” in
1964. He then joined the Manish Boys who released the single “I Pity The Fool”
in 1965. He left the Manish Boys that same year to record as Davy Jones and The
Lower Third. This group also released a single, “You’ve Got A Habit Of Leaving”,
in 1965. As David Bowie, his first major UK hit single was “Space Oddity” in
1969. The song became a North American hit in 1973. Since that time David Bowie
has released many popular songs including “Fame”, “Golden Years”, “Let’s Dance”
and “Dancing In The Street” with Mick Jagger. David Bowie is one the most
influential artists in the history of popular music.
83. Who had a number one hit with the 1985 song "Rock Me Amadeus"?
Falco (born Johann Holzel in Vienna, Austria). From his 1985 album "Falco 3",
"Rock Me Amadeus" was written by Rob Bolland, Ferdi Bolland and Falco and went
to number one in both Austria and Germany that same year. The song rose to
number one in the USA in early 1986. The inspiration for the song came from an
increase in media attention paid to composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Other
popular song releases by Falco included "Der Kommissar", "Jeanny" and "Vienna
Calling". He was killed in a car accident on 6 February 1998.
84. What music video featured future "Friends" star Courteney Cox as a fan
dancing onstage with Bruce Springsteen?
"Dancing In The Dark". From Bruce Springsteen's hugely popular 1984 album "Born
In The USA", "Dancing In The Dark" was one of seven top 10 hit singles taken
from the album. The other hit singles were "Born In The USA", "Cover Me", "Glory
Days", "I'm Goin' Down", "I'm On Fire" and "My Hometown". Springsteen released
his first album "Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ" in January 1973. He has been
accompanied throughout most of his recording career by his backing group the E
Street Band with principal members Roy Bittan, Clarence Clemons, Danny Federici,
Nils Lofgren, Garry Tallent, Steve Van Zandt and Max Weinberg.
85. What country music artist discovered at the age of 11 that his father
was a Major League Baseball star playing with the Philadelphia Phillies?
Tim McGraw. His father, Tug McGraw, had a 19-year career in Major League
Baseball, first with the New York Mets and then with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Tim McGraw has released many popular albums and songs. His first major hit was
with the song "Indian Outlaw" in 1994, it was followed by other hit singles
including "Don’t Take The Girl", "I Like It, I Love It", "Live Like You Were
Dying" and "Over And Over" (duet with Nelly). Tim McGraw is married to country
star Faith Hill.
86. This former member of the group People is considered a founding father
of Christian rock. Who is he?
Larry Norman. People scored a top 20 hit (in the USA) in 1968 with the song "I
Love You", originally performed by the Zombies and written by group member Chris
White. Larry Norman has released many Christian rock albums, such as the
influential albums "Upon This Rock" (1969) and "Only Visiting This Planet" (1972), which included the songs "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" and "Reader's
Digest".
87. The four principal members of this hugely popular English rock band
hadn’t played together since the early eighties but reformed to play Live 8 in
London’s Hyde Park on 2 July 2005. Who are they?
Pink Floyd. Roger Waters joined David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright for
the first time since touring for "The Wall" album in the early eighties. The
foursome was responsible for such classic albums as "The Dark Side Of The Moon",
"Wish You Were Here" and "The Wall". The first Pink Floyd singles and "The Piper
At The Gates Of Dawn" album featured founding member Syd Barrett, who was
replaced by David Gilmour in 1968.
88. David Foster had his first major hit as a member of what group?
Skylark. The Canadian band had a major hit with the song “Wildflower” from their
1972 self-titled debut album. “Wildflower” was written by Doug Edwards and Dave
Richardson. The group consisted of David Foster (keyboards), Donny Gerrard
(vocals), BJ Cook (vocals), Doug Edwards (guitar), Steven Pugsley (percussion),
Carl Graves (bass) and Duris Maxwell (drums). Skylark released one more album,
"Skylark 2" in 1974, disbanding that same year. David Foster went on to become
one of the most successful producers and composers in all popular music.
89. Who originally wrote and recorded the song “Morning Dew”?
"Morning Dew" was originally written and recorded by Bonnie Dobson. The song was
first released as a live recording on her album “At Folk City” in 1962. The song
was inspired by the 1959 film “On The Beach”; a movie set in the future when
virtually all life on earth has been exterminated by the after effects of a
nuclear holocaust. A very popular song, “Morning Dew” has been covered by many
artists including the Grateful Dead, Lulu, Jeff Beck, Tim Rose, Nazareth and
Robert Plant.
90. Who originally recorded the 1989 Simply Red song "If You Don't Know Me
By Now"?
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. Formed in 1954, the group had many personnel
changes over the years, with long time member Harold Melvin at the helm from
1954 until his death in 1997. Teddy Pendergrass joined in 1969 and was a member
until leaving to go solo in 1976. "If You Don't Know Me By Now" was released in
1972 and written by Philadelphia Soul pioneers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff. The
group also had hits with the songs “The Love I Lost”, “Bad Luck” and “Wake Up
Everybody”. After going solo, Teddy Pendergrass released many popular songs,
including “Close The Door” and “Can’t We Try”, and recording with Stephanie
Mills, the duo had a hit with the song “Two Hearts” in 1981.
91. What group featured both Neil Young and Rick James as members?
The Mynah Birds. The Toronto based Mynah Birds were formed in early 1965 and
featured Ricky Matthews, AKA Rick James, as lead singer. The group released the
single “The Mynah Bird Hop” on the Columbia label in 1965. They signed with
Motown after Neil Young joined the band in January 1966. The Mynah Birds
recorded 16 songs for Motown. The group broke up in March 1966 when it was
discovered that Rick James had been AWOL from the US Navy. Neil Young and fellow
Mynah Birds member Bruce Palmer went on to form Buffalo Springfield later that
same year.
92. What actor/singer had a number one hit while playing Ben Cartwright on
the Western TV series "Bonanza"?
Lorne Greene. Born in Ottawa, Canada, he played the role of Ben Cartwright from
1959 until "Bonanza" went off the air in 1973. Greene began recording in the
early 1960s, his song "Ringo" going to number one in 1964. Other popular
releases included the songs "The Man" from 1965 and "Waco" from 1966.
93. Who had a number one hit with the 1979 song “Ring My Bell”?
Anita Ward. From her 1979 album “Songs Of Love”, “Ring My Bell” was written by
Frederick Knight and reached the number one spot in the summer of 1979.
Classified as a one hit wonder, Anita Ward did not have any other significant
chart entries.
94. Who does “We Are The World” from 1985?
USA For Africa. USA (United Support of Artists) For Africa was a collection of
over 40 artists formed to help the people of Africa. USA For Africa included Ray
Charles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie,
Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder. “We Are The World”
was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and went to number one in 1985.
95. Who does "Hold Your Head Up" from 1972?
Argent. From their 1972 album "All Together Now", the song was written by Rod
Argent and Chris White and went to the top ten that same year. The group’s
original members were Rod Argent, Russ Ballard, Robert Henrit and Jim Rodford.
Prior to forming Argent in 1969, Rod Argent had been a founding member of the
Zombies with Paul Atkinson, Colin Blunstone, Hugh Grundy and Chris White. The
Zombies released many popular songs in the sixties including the international
hits "She’s Not There", "Tell Her No" and "Time Of The Season".
96. Who originally recorded the 1971 song "One Tin Soldier" by Coven?
"One Tin Soldier" was originally recorded by the Canadian group the Original
Caste and written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter. Released in 1969, their
version of the song hit the US top forty in early 1970. Another popular release
by the Original Caste was the 1970 song "Mr Monday". Coven’s version of "One Tin
Soldier" was used in the 1971 movie "Billy Jack" and hit the top forty in the
fall of that same year.
97. This Buffalo Springfield song is generally known as “Stop, Hey What’s
That Sound”. What is the song’s actual title?
“For What It’s Worth”. The song was written by Stephen Stills and released on
Buffalo Springfield’s self-titled debut in 1967. The group consisted of Neil
Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay, Dewey Martin and Bruce Palmer (replaced by
Jim Messina in 1968). Other songs by the group include “Go & Say Goodbye”,
“Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing”, “Mr Soul”, “Expecting To Fly” and “Bluebird”.
The group released three albums before disbanding in 1968. Stephen Stills and
Neil Young joined Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Richie Furay and Jim Messina
formed Poco in 1968.
98. Who originally wrote and recorded the 2005 Bo Bice (American Idol season
4 runner-up) version of the song "Vehicle"?
"Vehicle" was originally recorded by the Ides Of March and written by Ides Of
March member Jim Peterik. Released in 1970, their version hit the top 10 in the
USA that same year. From Chicago, Illinois, the Ides Of March had other popular
releases including the songs "You Wouldn’t Listen", "Roller Coaster" and "L.A.
Goodbye". Jim Peterik co-founded the group Survivor in 1978, which had an
international number one hit with the song "Eye Of The Tiger" from "Rocky III"
in 1982.
99. Who originally recorded the 1995 hit song "Total Eclipse Of The Heart"
by Nicki French?
"Total Eclipse Of The Heart" was originally recorded by UK artist Bonnie Tyler
and written by Jim Steinman. Released in 1983, the song hit number one in both
the UK and USA that same year. Other popular releases by Bonnie Tyler include
"Lost In France", "It’s A Heartache", "Here She Comes" (from the 1984 re-release
of the movie "Metropolis") and "Holding Out For A Hero" (from the 1984 movie
"Footloose"). Her raspy vocals are the result of an operation in 1976 to remove
throat nodules. Nicki French’s version of "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" hit the
top five in both the UK and USA in 1995.
100. Who originally wrote and recorded the 2005 Def Leppard song "No Matter
What"?
"No Matter What" was originally recorded by Badfinger and released on their "No
Dice" album in 1970. The song was written by Badfinger member Pete Ham.
Badfinger’s version of "No Matter What" hit the top 10 in both the USA and UK in
late 1970 and early 1971 respectively.
101. Who are the "A" and "M" in A & M Records?
Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss. Using the initials of their last names, the duo
formed the A & M Records label in Los Angeles, California in 1962. The label’s
first release was the single "The Lonely Bull (El Solo Toro)" by Herb Alpert &
The Tijuana Brass in 1962. The song hit the top ten in the USA that same year.
102. Who had a number one hit with the 1974 song "I Can Help"?
Billy Swan. From his 1974 album "I Can Help", the song was written by Billy Swan
and reached the number one spot that same year. Although classified as a one hit
wonder, Billy Swan also had a country hit with his 1975 song "Everything's The
Same (Ain't Nothing Changed)". Years earlier, Swan wrote the song "Lover Please", which was a hit for Clyde McPhatter in 1962.
103. What was the origin of the group name Pink Floyd?
The Pink Floyd name was taken from the first names of two early American
bluesmen – Pink Anderson and Floyd Council.
104. What star from the 1970s TV series "Starsky & Hutch" recorded a number
one hit in 1976?
David Soul. From 1966 to 1967 he made appearances on "The Merv Griffin Show" as
"The Mystery Singer" AKA "The Covered Man" wearing a hood. Soul eventually
appeared without the hood and shortly after was offered a lead part in the TV
series "Here Come The Brides". In 1975 he landed the role of Hutch in the TV
series "Starsky & Hutch". In 1976 he recorded the number one hit (USA and UK)
"Don’t Give Up On Us" written by Tony Macaulay. Other popular songs by David
Soul include "Silver Lady", "Going In With My Eyes Open" and "Let’s Have A Quiet
Night In".
105. Who does "Life Is A Highway" from 1991?
Tom Cochrane. From his 1991 album "Mad Mad World", the song was written by
Cochrane and hit the top ten in both Canada and the USA. Other releases from the
album included "No Regrets", "Sinking Like A Sunset" (written by Annette
Ducharme) and "Mad Mad World". Prior to gaining fame as a solo recording artist,
he had been a member of the group Red Rider along with Ken Greer, Rob Baker,
Peter Boynton and Jeff Jones. Very popular in their native Canada, Red Rider
released many popular singles including "Lunatic Fringe", "White Hot", "Young
Thing, Wild Dreams (Rock Me)" and "Big League".
106. Who wrote the Peter & Gordon song "A World Without Love"?
"A World Without Love" was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and went to
number one in 1964. The two Beatles penned other singles for the duo of Peter
Asher and Gordon Waller, including "Nobody I Know" and "I Don't Want To See You
Again"; both of which also hit the charts in 1964. The Beatles never released
their own versions of these three songs. Peter Asher's sister Jane was Paul
McCartney's girlfriend during this period.
107. Before his hit "Lonely No More" from early 2005, he had many popular
releases as a member of what group?
Matchbox Twenty. "Lonely No More" is from the Rob Thomas solo album "Something
To Be". Formed in Orlando, Florida, Matchbox Twenty members Kyle Cook, Paul
Doucette, Adam Gaynor, Rob Thomas and Brian Yale released many popular songs
including "3 AM", "Push", "Bent" and "Disease". In 1999, Rob Thomas was featured
with Santana on the chart topping single "Smooth".
108. What popular R & B/rock singer/actress was born Anna Mae Bullock?
Tina Turner. She began her recording career in 1960 as half of the Ike and Tina
Turner duo. The duo released many popular songs including "A Fool In Love" (1960), "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" (1961), "River Deep – Mountain High" (1966)
and "Proud Mary" (1970). After Ike and Tina Turner disbanded in 1974, Tina began
recording as a solo artist. From her "Private Dancer" album in 1984, the song
"What's Love Got To Do With It" went to the number one spot that same year.
Other popular songs included "Better Be Good To Me" (1984), "Private Dancer"
(1984), "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" (1985), "Typical Male" (1986)
and "I Don't Wanna Fight" (1993). During this period she also appeared in
several movies, including "Tommy" (1975) and "Mad Max – Beyond Thunderdome"
(1985). Ike and Tina Turner were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in
1991.
109. Who originally recorded the 1988 song "The Loco-Motion" by Kylie
Minogue?
"The Loco-Motion" was originally recorded by Little Eva and written by Gerry
Goffin and Carole King. Little Eva's version of the song hit number one in the
summer of 1962. "The Loco-Motion" was also recorded by Grand Funk and released
on their "Shinin' On" album in 1974. Almost 12 years after Little Eva had a
number one hit with the song, "The Loco-Motion" again climbed to the number one
spot in early 1974.
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