DOUBLE DOLLARS / DOUBLE SIDED HITS

Most of you know about the weekly ‘”Double Dollars” promotion that mycollingwood.ca offers.  It’s a golden opportunity to have a great meal, or indulge in a spa day, or grab a bargain for half price – hence ‘Double Dollars’.  Your dollar goes twice as far, thanks to Julie and Dan at mycollingwood.ca, who work very hard to bring you the best deals in the area.  The ‘double’ concept got me to thinking about all those ‘double-sided’ hits from that by-gone era of the 45 single.  Yes, I know vinyl singles are still around, but not to the same degree as the ‘50’s, 60’s, and even ‘70’s.  Not by a long shot.  The single was THE thing to buy when you liked a song.  For this week’s quiz, we’ll stick to those magical three decades where the single was king.  It was a great feat for an artist or group to have a ‘double-sided hit’, although it happened more often than you’d think.  Artists who’ve had ‘double-sided’ hits include The 4 Seasons, Connie Francis, Paul Anka, The Coasters, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass and Stevie Wonder.  So, use both sides of your brain for this one.  There’ll be a few clues and hints along the way of course, so double down....’cuz here we go.  

QUESTIONS:

1. In late 1957, the ‘King of rock ‘n’ roll’ had a double-sided hit.  The ‘B’ side was a soulful ballad called ‘Treat Me Nice’, which made it to # 18 on the singles chart.  It came from one of Elvis Presley’s early movies.  The character Elvis played, Vince Everett, was a man serving a one year prison sentence for manslaughter.  He’s mentored in prison by a fellow inmate and when released, becomes a star, albeit a conceited star.  But like all of EP’s movies, it all works out in the end.  The ‘A’ side of this million selling single is the title of the movie.  So, what is the name of this # 1 ‘double-sided’ smash hit?  (HINT:  The warden threw a party in this county jail).  

                                                                                                                        

2.  Creedance Clearwater Revival had quite a few ‘double-sided’ hits during their career, including “Bad Moon Rising” / “Lodi”, “Down On The Corner” / “Fortunate Son” and “Up Around The Bend” / “Run Through The Jungle”.  The ‘double-sided’ songs we’re looking for were from 1970.  Both sides of this single made it to # 2.  The ‘B’ side was “Who’ll Stop The Rain”.  The ‘A’ side basically relates the story of what life is like on the road for a musician.  What’s the name of this Creedance hit?  (HINT: One of the words in the title is also a term used in basketball.  Doing this is a violation of the rules).               

3.  The Guess Who first hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1965 with “Shakin’ All Over”.  It made it to # 22.  Their next hit, “These Eyes”, went to # 6 in 1969, and their hit after that, that same year, was their first ‘double-sided’ single.  “Laughing” went to # 10 and “Undun” made it to # 22 (co-incidentally, the same as “Shakin’ All Over”).  The Guess Who’s BIGGEST ‘double-sided’ single happened in 1970.  Both sides of this 45 became # 1.  “No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature” was the ‘B’ side. The ‘A’ side of that single began as an improvisation at a curling rink gig in Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario.  It stayed at the top of the singles chart for three weeks.  In 1999, Lenny Kravitz recorded a new version for the movie “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me”.  Can you guess this Guess Who # 1 hit?  

4.  Without question, The Beatles were the kings of ‘double-sided’ hits.  Think about it: “I Want To Hold Your Hand” / “I Saw Her Standing There”, “Please Please Me” / “From Me To You”, “I Feel Fine” / “She’s A Woman”, “We Can Work It Out” / “Daytripper” are just three examples and there are plenty more.  The ‘double-sided’ hit we’re looking for is from 1967.  Both of these songs were recorded for, and were originally going to be included on The Beatles “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album.  However, Capitol Records wanted a new Beatles single, so these two songs were put together on one 45rpm record.  The ‘B’ side, “Penny Lane”, was written by Paul McCartney and includes his memories of people and places in his hometown of Liverpool.  The ‘A’ side was written by John Lennon and the title comes from a specific place in Liverpool.  Can you name this ‘A’ side of this ‘double-sided’ hit? (HINT:  “Nothing is real”). 

5.  Since 1962 when they first hit the charts with “Surfin’”, The Beach Boys had hits in every year during the rest of the ‘60’s...and many of those were ‘double-sided’ hits.  The first one was “Surfin’ Safari” in 1962.  The ‘B’ side of that single was “409”, a minor hit (# 76).  The ‘boys from the beach’ did it again the next year with the ‘double-sided’ single, “Surfin’ U.S.A.” and “Shut Down”.  In the summer of ’63, another ‘double-sided’ Beach Boys hit made the charts.  The ‘B’ side was Little Deuce Coupe”, which went to # 15.  The ‘A’ side of that 45 single went to # 7 and had, in its title, the summer water sport The Beach Boys liked to sing about early in their career.  What is the name of this ‘A’ side?  (HINT:  It was a ballad). 

ANSWERS

1.  The ‘A’ side of that ‘double-sided’ Elvis Presley hit was “Jailhouse Rock”, the title song from the 1957 movie.  Both ‘Treat Me Nice” and “Jailhouse Rock” were written for the movie by the song writing team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who also wrote “Hound Dog” (although not specifically for Elvis) as well as “(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care”, “Love Me”, “Don’t”, “Loving You” and “King Creole” among others that Elvis recorded.  Leiber and Stoller were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.  The duo also wrote most of the hits for The Coasters (“Charlie Brown”, “Yakety Yak” etc.)    HH                           

2.  Did you guess “Travelin’ Band”?  If you did, you guessed right.  Both “Travelin’ Band” and the ‘B’ side of that 45 single, “Who’ll Stop The Rain” were on 1970’s “Cosmo’s Factory” album.  “Travelin’ Band” has been covered by Elton John as well as Jerry Lee Lewis (who sang it with Creedance Clearwater Revival’s John Fogerty) on his 2006 album, “Last Man Standing”.  Incidentally, traveling in a basketball game occurs when a player holding the ball moves a foot or both feet in any direction and takes three or more steps without dribbling the ball.   

3.  The ‘A’ side was “American Woman”.  It was the only # 1 hit The Guess Who ever had (on Billboards’ Hot 100 chart at least).  Lenny Kravitz 1999 version peaked at # 49 on Billboards’ Hot 100 singles chart.   

4.  “Strawberry Fields Forever” was the intended ‘A’ side of that ‘double-sided’ hit, however “Penny Lane” went to # 1, whereas “Strawberry Fields Forever” peaked at # 8.  Both “Penny Lane” and “Strawberry Fields Forever” were included on The Beatles 1967 North American LP, “Magical Mystery Tour”.  In Britain, only an EP (extended play) was released containing 6 songs.  Those were, “Magical Mystery Tour”, “The Fool On The Hill”, “Flying” (an instrumental), “Blue Jay Way”, “Your Mother Should Know” and “I Am The Walrus”.  Capitol Records U.S. added the additional 5 songs.  The album has now been standardized around the world to include all 11 songs.       

 
5.  The ‘A’ side of that Beach Boys ‘double-sided’ single was “Surfer Girl”.  Brian Wilson, who wrote it and most of the other Beach Boys hits, sang lead.