Those are the opening lyrics to “Moments To Remember” by Canada’s Four Lads. It’s still April, but May will be coming soon as will the rest of the ‘long, hot’ summer (hopefully). Then comes Fall and Winter and we start the year all over again. That thought led me to this weeks quiz-o-rama because it got me thinking about songs and/or groups that used the months of the year, either as the bands’ name or in a song title. There aren’t many of these, so this quiz should be relatively easy. I know, I know, I say that every time. C’mon, give it a shot.
QUESTIONS:
1. This LA based group went through a meteoric rise in popularity, sold millions of albums for several years, then disappeared for more than a decade. Several members of the band left over the years amid various disputes and personality conflicts, but the lead singer persevered. Their first charted hit in 1988, “Sweet Child O’ Mine”, took them to number ONE on the Hot 100, but the song of theirs with the name of a month in the title hit number 3 on the Hot 100 singles chart in 1992. This group was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, although their lead singer refused the honour and did not attend the ceremony in Cleveland. Do you know the name of the group and their ’92 hit?
2. This Canadian group racked up quite a few hits south of the U.S. Canada border including ‘You Could Have Been A Lady” and “Just Between You And Me”. Their name was used on the Marquee at the El Mocambo club in Toronto in March of 1977, but they were only the opening act for a secret gig by The Rolling Stones. The wife of the Prime Minister of Canada, Margaret Trudeau, showed up and partied with The Stones later. So do you know this Canuck group that has a month in their name?
3. This group came out of New Jersey. In fact, their success story became the hit Broadway play, “Jersey Boys”. From 1962 until ’64, they had four number ONE smashes. They didn’t make it that high on the charts again until 1976, although they had plenty of other hits along the way. The specific song we’re looking for had a month in the title. I ‘Wonder Who’ we’re looking for. OK, enough with the clues. Who’s the group and what’s their ‘month’ song?
4. He’s an actor. He’s a singer. He starred in movies such as “Voyage To The Center of The Earth”, “Bernadine”, “Exodus” and “State Fair”. On the record charts, he was unstoppable, charting six number ONE’s in 7 years. He took a bad rap for performing ‘sanitized white bread’ versions of black artists’ songs such as “Ain’t That A Shame”, “Long Tall Sally” and “Tutti Frutti”. His daughter Debbie followed in her father’s footsteps and hit the top of the charts in 1977. He’s a direct descendent of one of America’s legendary frontiersman. One of his number One hits was the theme song from a 1957 movie he also starred in, which has a month in the title. So, who’s the actor/singer and what’s the name of his song?
5. A happening in the 1960’s was a spontaneous event. But there was a group called The Happenings and they ‘happened’ to have several hits on the charts during the 1960’s. They ‘happened’ to be from Patterson, New Jersey and were known originally as The Four Graduates. Luckily they changed their name to The Happenings. Their first Top 5 hit had the name of a month in the title. ‘See’ if you can come up with the name of the song. If you can’t, don’t say I didn’t give you enough clues.
ANSWERS
1. It was “November Rain” by Guns N’ Roses that went to number 3 in 1992. Axl Rose (real Name William Bailey), who continues to perform under the Guns N’ Roses name, refused to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recently and sent a letter to the executives at the Hall of Fame which stated, “I strongly request that I not be inducted in absentia and please know that no one is authorized, nor may anyone be permitted to accept any induction for me or speak on my behalf.”
2. April Wine is the group name we were looking for. The band members have said that they chose the name because they were two words that sounded good together. April Wine was formed in Nova Scotia in 1969. In March 2009, they were inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame.
3. Those ‘Jersey Boys’ were originally known as The Four Lovers and first hit the charts with “You’re The Apple Of My Eye”. That one only made it to number 62. Changing their name to The Four Seasons changed their luck as well because their first two hits under their new name went straight to number ONE – “Sherry” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry”. The very next year, “Walk Like A Man” screamed to the top of the charts. More medium sized hits continued for the group – they even charted a couple of songs as ‘Wonder Who’. Then in 1976, fortune smiled on The Four Seasons once again when “December 1963 (Oh What A Night”) zoomed up the chart to number ONE.
4. It was Pat Boone with “April Love”, a number one song for the week of December 23, 1957. Pat wasn’t sure a ballad like “April Love” would make the charts amongst all the rock and roll hits of ’57 like “Jailhouse Rock” and At The Hop”, but it not only climbed to number one, it stayed there for two weeks. Pat is the great-great-great-great grandson of Daniel Boone.
5. It was in the early fall of 1966 that The Happenings had the first hit song “See You In September”. It climbed all the way to number 3 on the Hot 100 chart. They repeated that feat the next year when they hit again with ”I Got Rhythm”. Their last charted hit, 1969’s “Where Do I Go/Be-In/Hare Krishna” was a medley of songs from the Broadway play “Hair”
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
THOUGH APRIL SHOWERS MAY COME YOUR WAY
Well, here we In April – tax time in North America. Americans file by April 15th. Canadians get two extra weeks until April 30. Everybody’s thinking about money right now, so that’s what this week’s edition is all about – songs that had something to do with the ‘long green’. ‘Money’ songs that made Billboards’ Hot 100 chart include “Moneytalks” by AC/DC in 1991; Cyndi Laupers’ 1985 Top 30 hit “Money Changes Everything”;”Money Honey” by Elvis Presley from 1956 (although that one only made it as far as # 76); and Abba’s 1977 hit “Money, Money, Money”. So start thinking about the ‘greenback dollar’ for our American readers or ‘multi coloured bills’ here in Canada. One note – not all the songs will have the word ‘Money’ in the title, but that’s a good start. Follow the clues.
QUESTIONS:
1. This song was all about ‘The Benjamins’. It was first written and recorded by a Motown singer/songwriter. Released in 1960, it just barely missed the Top 20, peaking at # 23. The Beatles covered this song on their first album, although it never hit the singles chart. Other cover versions that DID make the charts include The Kingsmen in 1964, fellow Motown artist Jr. Walker in ’66 and The Flying Lizards in 1980. Can you ‘give me’ the answer as to the name of this song?
2. In Canada in 2011, this song received a warning from the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council due to a complaint about the lyrics being ‘homophobic’, even though it had been played on radio around the world with no problems since it first was released in 1985. It went to # 1 on the singles chart that year and so far, is this groups’ only chart topper. These ‘Sultans of Swing’ came together in London, England and first hit the record charts in 1979. Who are they and what was their # 1 hit song?
3. Producers Mark Burnett and Donald Trump selected this song as the theme for the TV series, “The Apprentice” which has since morphed into “Celebrity Apprentice”, still using the same theme song. This group first hit the singles chart in 1963 (but just barely). Their first Top 5 hit happened in 1972, then they rode the ‘Love Train’ to number one in ‘73. The song we’re looking for made it to number four in 1974. What’s the name of the group and their ‘Money’ song?
4. There’s no ‘money’ in this songs’ title, but it’s all about how little we get to keep around this time of year. It was written by one of The Beatles and released on their 1966 album, “Revolver”. Two British politicians are mentioned in the lyrics. One was the current Prime Minister. The other became Prime Minister in 1970.
Although this Beatles song did not chart on the Hot 100, it was been played extensively on radio and continues to be played, especially around this time of year. So what’s the name of the song?
5. Alan Parsons was an engineer at EMI’s Abbey Road studios starting in the 1960’s. He assisted on several of The Beatles final albums’ and later worked as an full fledged engineer for Paul McCartney, The Hollies and another group that went on to amazing chart success. One of those albums, released in March of 1973, spent an astounding 741 weeks from ‘73 until 1988. This song was released as a single from that album and climbed to number thirteen on the Hot 100 singles chart. If you can’t guess this one, maybe you should quit now (oh wait, it’s the last question anyway). So what’s the name of this classic hit?
ANSWERS
1. That would be Barrett Strong’s “Money (That’s What I Want)”. Strong later went on to co-write Motown hits such as “Just My Imagination”, “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” and Ball of Confusion”.
2. Dire Straits is the band. “Money For Nothing” is the song.
3. Canton, Ohio’s The O’Jays charted their first hit, a song called “Lonely Drifter”, in 1963. Although they had other minor hits over the years, it wasn’t until 1972 that they cracked the Top 10 with “Back Stabbers”, which went to number three. The following year, The O’Jays hit the big time with their number one smash, “Love Train”. In 1974, the group hit the Top 10 twice – first with “Put Your Hands Together” which hit number ten, then the song we were looking for – “For The Love of Money”. The “Celebrity Apprentice” theme made it to number nine. Since then, The O’Jays have scored two more Top 5 hits – “I Love Music (Part 1)” which went to number five in 1976 and 1978’s “Used Ta Be My Girl” which climbed all the way to number four.
4. “Taxman” by The Beatles was George Harrison’s sole songwriting contribution to the ”Revolver” album, but it was a darned good one. In the lyrics, George sings about ‘Taxman Mr. Wilson” and “Taxman Mr. Heath”. Harold Wilson was Prime Minister of Great Britain at the time and Edward Heath was in the official opposition.
5. This one really wasn’t that difficult, was it? The song in question is the Pink Floyd classic, “Money” from the “Dark Side of the Moon” album.
QUESTIONS:
1. This song was all about ‘The Benjamins’. It was first written and recorded by a Motown singer/songwriter. Released in 1960, it just barely missed the Top 20, peaking at # 23. The Beatles covered this song on their first album, although it never hit the singles chart. Other cover versions that DID make the charts include The Kingsmen in 1964, fellow Motown artist Jr. Walker in ’66 and The Flying Lizards in 1980. Can you ‘give me’ the answer as to the name of this song?
2. In Canada in 2011, this song received a warning from the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council due to a complaint about the lyrics being ‘homophobic’, even though it had been played on radio around the world with no problems since it first was released in 1985. It went to # 1 on the singles chart that year and so far, is this groups’ only chart topper. These ‘Sultans of Swing’ came together in London, England and first hit the record charts in 1979. Who are they and what was their # 1 hit song?
3. Producers Mark Burnett and Donald Trump selected this song as the theme for the TV series, “The Apprentice” which has since morphed into “Celebrity Apprentice”, still using the same theme song. This group first hit the singles chart in 1963 (but just barely). Their first Top 5 hit happened in 1972, then they rode the ‘Love Train’ to number one in ‘73. The song we’re looking for made it to number four in 1974. What’s the name of the group and their ‘Money’ song?
4. There’s no ‘money’ in this songs’ title, but it’s all about how little we get to keep around this time of year. It was written by one of The Beatles and released on their 1966 album, “Revolver”. Two British politicians are mentioned in the lyrics. One was the current Prime Minister. The other became Prime Minister in 1970.
Although this Beatles song did not chart on the Hot 100, it was been played extensively on radio and continues to be played, especially around this time of year. So what’s the name of the song?
5. Alan Parsons was an engineer at EMI’s Abbey Road studios starting in the 1960’s. He assisted on several of The Beatles final albums’ and later worked as an full fledged engineer for Paul McCartney, The Hollies and another group that went on to amazing chart success. One of those albums, released in March of 1973, spent an astounding 741 weeks from ‘73 until 1988. This song was released as a single from that album and climbed to number thirteen on the Hot 100 singles chart. If you can’t guess this one, maybe you should quit now (oh wait, it’s the last question anyway). So what’s the name of this classic hit?
ANSWERS
1. That would be Barrett Strong’s “Money (That’s What I Want)”. Strong later went on to co-write Motown hits such as “Just My Imagination”, “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” and Ball of Confusion”.
2. Dire Straits is the band. “Money For Nothing” is the song.
3. Canton, Ohio’s The O’Jays charted their first hit, a song called “Lonely Drifter”, in 1963. Although they had other minor hits over the years, it wasn’t until 1972 that they cracked the Top 10 with “Back Stabbers”, which went to number three. The following year, The O’Jays hit the big time with their number one smash, “Love Train”. In 1974, the group hit the Top 10 twice – first with “Put Your Hands Together” which hit number ten, then the song we were looking for – “For The Love of Money”. The “Celebrity Apprentice” theme made it to number nine. Since then, The O’Jays have scored two more Top 5 hits – “I Love Music (Part 1)” which went to number five in 1976 and 1978’s “Used Ta Be My Girl” which climbed all the way to number four.
4. “Taxman” by The Beatles was George Harrison’s sole songwriting contribution to the ”Revolver” album, but it was a darned good one. In the lyrics, George sings about ‘Taxman Mr. Wilson” and “Taxman Mr. Heath”. Harold Wilson was Prime Minister of Great Britain at the time and Edward Heath was in the official opposition.
5. This one really wasn’t that difficult, was it? The song in question is the Pink Floyd classic, “Money” from the “Dark Side of the Moon” album.
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