ROLLING STONES @ 50

This year marks the 50^th anniversary of ‘the world’s greatest rock’n’roll band’, The Rolling Stones.  It was in 1962 that Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts and Brian Jones got together as The Stones...and they’re still going strong (although Brian Jones died in July of 1969 at the age of 27 and Bill Wyman retired from the group in 1993).  The Stones first hit Billboards’ Hot 100 chart in 1964 with their version of the Buddy Holly song, “Not Fade Away”.  Since then, they’ve charted 60+ singles.  Not all of them were huge hits, but they charted nonetheless.

Although we did ask questions about the Stones 50^th anniversary a few months back, this time we’ll give you a lyric line or two and you have to supply the song title.  Every song was a Top 10 hit and you’ve probably sung them in your car or around your house or apartment dozens of times.  You’ll get a lot of “Satisfaction” if you answer all these questions correctly.    

QUESTIONS:

1.  What Rolling Stones song do the following lyrics come from?  “I was drowned, I was washed up and left for dead.  I fell down to my feet and I saw they bled.”                                                                                                             

2.  The lyrics to this 1966 Stones song went like this:  “Well it seems to me that you have seen too much in too few years .  And though you’ve tried, you just can’t hide, your eyes are edged with tears.”  What’s the title of this 11^th charted Stones single (HINT:  Numbers can be fun).   

  

3.  This song comes from the Stones 1981 album, “Tattoo You”.  It didn’t make number one in North America, but was the runner up for 3 weeks.  The lyrics are:  “You make a grown man cry.  Ride like the wind at double speed.  I’ll take you places that you’ve never, never seen.”

4.  If you can’t get the answer to this one, you might have to turn in your Rolling Stones fan club card.  The opening lyrics are:  “I met a gin soaked, bar-room queen in Memphis.  She tried to take me upstairs for a ride”.  And the song title is...?  

5.  This Stones hit made it to # 3 in 1980.  The name of this song is also the title of the Stones album.  The lyrics are:  “Don’t you know promises were never made to keep.  Just like the night dissolve off into sleep.  I’ll be your saviour, steadfast and true...”  The title is in the very next line, so what’s the name of the song?

ANSWERS

1.  That would be “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”, a # 3 song on Billboards Hot 100 chart in 1968.   Whoopi Goldberg starred in a movie titled, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” in 1986 - the plot revolved around a bank employee who gets caught up in a spy ring.  I don’t think Mick Jagger and Keith Richards had this scenario in mind when they wrote the song.  But hey, they got a ton of cash for letting the producers use the title and their song in the movie.  Britain’s Q magazine, in its 2005 list of “100 Greatest Guitar Tracks”, placed “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” at # 2.              

2.  The song in question was “19^th Nervous Breakdown”.  Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote it during the Stones 4^th tour of the United States in 1965 and recorded it in the RCA studios in Hollywood in December of that year.  On a “Saturday Night Live” program earlier this year, guest host Mick Jagger sang this song, accompanied by The Foo Fighters.  If anyone remembers the short lived TV series from 2010, “Miami Medical”, then they might remember that “19^th Nervous Breakdown” was used as the theme song.  That series only last for 13 episodes, so chances are nobody remembers it at all.       

3.  “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” by Christopher Cross and Daryl Hall & John Oates hit, “Private Eyes” kept “Start Me Up” from the # 1 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart in the late fall of 1981, although the song did hit the top spot in Australia.  The Stones had recorded the song many different times.  During the “Some Girls” sessions in 1978, the song was called “Never Stop”.  The next year, while the Stones were recording the “Emotional Rescue” album, it was known as “Start It Up”.  It was eventually finished, renamed “Start Me Up” and released on 1981’s “Tattoo You” album, which itself, was # 1 on the Album chart for 9 weeks from September 19^th until November 14^th.            

4.  You know it.  You love it.  You turn up the radio every time that opening cowbell comes on.  “Honky Tonk Women” triumphed at # 1 for four weeks in 1969.  The hit version was only released as a single and first showed up on an album on the “Through The Past, Darkly (Big Hits Volume 2)” released later in 1969.  According to Rolling Stone magazine, the song is # 116 in its 2004 list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.  Stones producer Jimmy Miller played the cowbell, by the way.   A country-fied version called “Country Honk” appeared on the Stones album, “Let It Bleed” released in December of 1969.  The opening lyrics to that version are:  “I’m sittin’ in a bar, tipplin’ a jar in Jackson.”   

5.  The next lyric line was “I’ll come to your emotional rescue”.  The title “Emotional Rescue” was also used as the title for the album, which was # 1 on Billboards’ Album album chart for 7 straight weeks during the summer of 1980.  The single was truly an international hit, having been recorded in Nassau, Paris and New York City.  It was a disco influenced hit, partially because Mick Jagger spent a lot of time at the legendary Studio 54 in New York and absorbed the sound and feel of those disco songs they were playing there during the late 1970’s.         

MORE OF THE NAME GAME

This one worked well last time, so we’re doing it again – guessing the real names of # 1 recording artists.  Every one of the artists featured in these questions had number one hits during September (not that that will help you much).  So here we go, into the breach...one more time.  

QUESTIONS:

1.  He’s not related to Mitt Romney (at least as far as we know), but he is part of a large Mormon family.  He achieved great chart success by covering previous hits from Steve Lawrence, Roy Orbison, Freddie Scott, Paul Anka, Conway Twitty, Doris Day and Elvis Presley among others.  His biggest hit happened in 1971 with his first solo # 1 which stayed at the top of the single chart for 3 weeks.  He was a member of the family singing group made up of his brothers, then became a super successful duo with his younger sister which included their own network TV show.  He’s acted in plays, performed in Las Vegas and was one of the biggest ‘teen idols’ of the 1970’s.  Who is he?                                                                                                             

2.  Ernest Evans is one of the few performers who’s seen one their same hit make it to # 1 not once, but TWICE.  The first time was in September of 1960.  A year and a half later, in January of ’62, it was back on top again.  This two time # 1 artist started a dance craze during the 1960’s that swept the world.  Of course, Ernest Evans didn’t use his real name on the record.  His stage name was given to him by the wife of “American Bandstand” TV host Dick Clark.  He had many more hits, but only one additional # 1.  His last chart appearance came in 1988 with a variation of his two time # 1.  So who is Ernest Evans anyway? 

3.  This groups’ # 1 song in September of 1986 was sandwiched between Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away” and Janet Jackson’s “When I Think Of You”.  The group had three # 1’s, three years in a row – 1985, ’86 and ’87, then they took ‘a couple days off’.  The lead singer had a small part as a talent contest judge in the original “Back To The Future” movie in 1985.  His real name is Hugh Clegg III, but he used a somewhat different name during his hit making years with his San Francisco based group.  Who is Hugh?

4.  In September 1965, The Beatles were back at the top of the singles chart with their 9^th number one.  “Help” was the title track from their second motion picture and the plot revolved around Ringo Starr who’d been given a sacred ring by a fan and the religious cult it came from wanted it back...at any cost.  Of all four Beatles, John Lennon, George Harrison and Paul McCartney all used their real names throughout their career...only Ringo Starr was born under a different one.  What’s Ringo’s real name?  Is it:  a. Richie Rich  b. Richard Starker  c. Richard Starkey.  

5.  This British singer/songwriter/producer/actor changed his name so as not to be confused with another British singer/actor who’d already had world wide success in the mid 1960’s.  He chose a rather famous American last name and kept his own first one.  His ‘fame’ was such that he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.  He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  From 1964 to ’66, he recorded with British bands the King Bees, the Manish Boys and the Lower Third.  He changed his name around this time and finally hit the North American singles chart in 1972 with the song “Changes”.  During his career, he’s had two # 1 singles.  He’s enjoying his ‘golden years’ at the age of 65 with his actress/supermodel wife of 20 years.  So who is this ‘Space Oddity’? (boy, oh boy, there are more clues in this question than in the entire rest of the quiz)   

   

ANSWERS

1.  Donny Osmond is the answer we needed.  Donny was born on September 12, 1957 in Ogden, Utah.  In September of 1971, his re-make of “Go Away Little Girl” was # 1 on the singles chart for 3 weeks. It had previously been a # 1 hit for Steve Lawrence in 1963.  Donny & Marie had a successful touring show as well as an ABC TV variety show “Donny & Marie” from 1976 to 1979.  From 1998 to 2000, Donny & Marie also hosted their own syndicated TV talk show.  The duo still perform in Las Vegas and around the world.    

       

2.  Ernest Evans reminded Dick Clark’s first wife Bobbie of a teenage Fats Domino.  That’s when she came up with the variation of Fats’ name and called Ernest Evans, Chubby Checker.  Checker recorded “The Twist” (written by Hank Ballard) for Cameo/Parkway Records in Philadelphia.  Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand” national TV show helped make the song, and dance craze that came with it, a huge hit.  Chubby went on to chart 35 songs on Billboards’ Hot 100, including “Let’s Twist Again” in 1961, “Limbo Rock” and “Slow Twistin’” in ’63.  Chubby’s only other # 1 other than “The Twist” was “Pony Time” in ’61.  His last chart entry was “The Twist (Yo Twist)” with the Fat Boys in 1988.  

3.  Here’s a bit of ‘News’ for you all.  Hugh Anthony Cregg III was much better known as Huey Lewis and Huey Lewis & The News first hit the charts in 1982 with their Top Ten hit, “Do You Believe In Love”.  Their three # 1 singles were: “The Power Of Love” in 1985 (from “Back To The Future”), “Stuck With You” in September of ’86 and “Jacob’s Ladder” in March of ’87. 

    

4.  c. Is the correct answer.  Richard Starkey was born in Liverpool on July 7^th, 1940.  He joined The Beatles in 1962 replacing Pete Best.  His got his nickname, Ringo Starr, as a member of Rory Storm and The Hurricanes because he liked to wear a lot of rings on his fingers and his solo spot,ight during the groups’ set was known as ‘Starrtime’.  Ringo’s 13^th All Starr Band recently completed their latest tour.  Ringo ‘gets by with a little help from his friends’ at ringostarr.com.      

5.  David Robert Jones became David Bowie in the mid 1960’s to avoid confusion with fellow Brit Davy Jones of The Monkees.  The last name was ‘borrowed’ from Jim Bowie, who popularized the Bowie knife and who was one of the doomed American heroes at the Alamo.  Bowie’s two # 1 hits are: “Fame” in 1975 (John Lennon co-wrote the song and also supplied backing vocals) and 1983’s “Let’s Dance”.  Bowie was one of the first white artists to appear on the TV show, “Soul Train”.  David Bowie’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star is on the sidewalk in front of 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.

 

THE NAME GAME – 1970’s EDITION

Well Labour Day has come and gone and life goes on a little bit cooler.  It’s September, but we’re not going to ‘fall’ into being lax on this site.  The questions will keep on comin’.  This time, questions about songs from artists who were born during the month of September AND also had hits during the 1970’s.  It’s not complicated I promise.   

QUESTIONS:

1.  This singer/songwriter was a member of a very ‘colourful’ psychedelic British band.  He wrote almost all of their lyrics (including the songs on a 40 million selling album that spent over 700 weeks on Billboards’ album chart).  He split from the group after ‘creative differences’ and went solo in 1985.  Along with his former band mates, this performer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.  There’s no ‘dark side’ to this man’s talents, so can you name him?                                                                                                              

2.  This singer, songwriter, producer was born on September 1, 1946 and initially became successful as part of a group with his two twin brothers.  Their first North American hit happened in 1967, but they didn’t hit # 1 until 1971 – that one was followed by 8 other # 1’s throughout the 1970’s.  The brothers’ youngest sibling, who was also a singer, had 3 # 1’s in a row during the ‘70’s.  He died in 1988 at the age of 30.  This artist’s twin brothers both passed away making him the last one ‘Stayin’ Alive’.  Who is this chart topping performer?  

    

3.  Her maternal grandfather was a Nobel Prize winning atomic physicist.  She’s a multiple Grammy Award winner and has been at the top of the singles chart 5 times, starting in 1974 and had her last # 1 in 1981.  Her first charted hit single, which made it to # 25, was with a Bob Dylan song.  She’s also an actress with several major hit films to her credit (including one with the star of ”Saturday Night Fever”).  In fact, she had a couple of hit songs with this actor/singer/ airline pilot.  In the mid 1980’s she opened a chain of clothing stores called Koala Blue.  She still performs today and is currently on a North American tour.  Who is she?     

4.  This guitar player/songwriter had  two # 1 hits as a member of two different groups.  His first chart topper came in 1970 with his first group.  In 1974 as a co-founding member of his second group, he hit the top of the singles chart once again.  This performer has an ‘overdrive’ to succeed and his records have sold some 40 million copies.  He has had an on again/off again relationship with the lead singer from his first group, but they have toured together fairly recently.  His son had a Top 20 hit in 1999, so the family’s hit making continues with the next generation.  Can you ‘guess who’ this legendary guitar player is? (C’mon it’s right there in black and white already).    

   

5.  Farrokh Bulsara is the name with which this performer was born.  Growing up, he lived in Zanzibar (his home and native land), India and Great Britain.  At an early point in his career, this singer/songwriter performed as Larry Lurex.  In 2008, the editors at Rolling Stone magazine named him # 18 on their list of “The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time”.  The group he co-founded is considered to be rock ‘royalty’.  Canadian born actor Mike Myers used one of their songs in the first “Wayne’s World” films in 1992 and that song charted 7 positions higher than its first time around in 1976.  His group wrote and recorded the music to the 1981 film, “Flash Gordon”.  Can you guess the name of this electric performer?  

   

ANSWERS

1.  George Roger Waters was born on September 6, 1943 in Surrey, England.  He was a founding member of Pink Floyd and wrote most of the bands’ lyrics.  After some ‘creative disagreements’, Roger left Pink Floyd in 1985 and went on to a successful solo career.  He reunited on stage with David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Rick Wright in 2005 for the Live 8 Global Event.  After 3 kicks at the marriage can and 3 divorces, he said ‘I do’ for the 4^th time earlier this year. 

          

2.  It’s Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, full name Barry Alan Crompton Gibb.  The groups’ first chart hit in 1967 was “New York Mining Disaster 1941”, but it wasn’t until the summer of ’71 that they made it to # 1 with “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?”  Their other eight # 1’s during the ‘70’s were: “Jive Talkin’” (1975), “You Should Be Dancing” (1976), “How Deep Is Your Love” and “Stayin’ Alive” (both 1977), 1978’s “Night Fever” and “Too Much Heaven” and two in 1979, “Tragedy” and “Love You Inside Out”.   Barry also scored additional # 1’s by co-writing “Grease” for Frankie Valli in 1978; Andy Gibb’s three chart toppers, “I Just Want To Be Your Everything”, “(Love Is) Thicker Than Water”, “Shadow Dancing” and co-writing and producing “Islands In The Stream” with Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers in 1983.  Barry’s younger brother Andy passed away in 1988 and the twins, Maurice and Robin died in January of 2003 and May of 2012 respectively. 

        

3.  Olivia Newton-John came into this world on September 26, 1948.  Although many people assume she’s Australian, she was actually born in Cambridge, England and emigrated to Oz with her family when she was 6 years old.   Her maternal grandfather, Max Born, won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1954.  Her first album was 1971’s “IF Not For You” and the title song went to # 25.  Her five # 1 hits are: “I Honestly Love You” (1974), “Have You Never Been Mellow” (1975), “You’re The One That I Want” (with John Travolta in 1978), “Magic” (1980) and 1981’s “Physical”.  Olivia’s a breast cancer survivor since 1992 and is a tireless advocate for breast cancer research.  Since 2008, she’s been married to John Easterling, founder and President of the Amazon Herb Company.  It was the second marriage for both Olivia and John.  The couple live in Florida. 

4.  It was on September 27^th, 1943 that guitar legend Randy Bachman was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba (that’s in Canada for those of you reading outside North America).  His first taste of chart success came with the group Chad Allen & The Expressions (he being an expression).  To add a little mystery to the song “Shakin’ All Over”, the record company changed their name on the record label to Guess Who?  The name stuck.  Chad Allen didn’t.  After his departure, Burton Cummings became the new lead singer and keyboard player.  The Guess Who’s only number one single was 1970’s “American Woman”, which had a resurgence 34 years later with a version by Lenny Kravitz that was used in the film, “Austin Powers:  The Spy Who Shagged Me”.  After he left The Guess Who, he formed Brave Belt with Chad Allen, but after 2 albums, that group dissolved and Bachman-Turner Overdrive was born.  That groups’ only number one was 1974’s “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”.

5.  Freddie Mercury of Queen is the only correct answer to this question.  Freddie was born on September 5^th, 1946 in Zanzibar and died at the age of 45 on November 24, 1991.  Freddie didn’t live long enough to see the additional success that Queens’ song ”Bohemian Rhapsody” had...thanks to the success of the 1992 movie “Wayne’s World”.  When it was originally released in 1976, it went to # 9 on the singles chart.  After “Wayne’s World” came out, it zoomed right back on the charts to # 2.  During their career, Queen scored two # 1 hits, both in 1980 – “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “Another One Bites The Dust”, although they had more than two dozen of their songs make the singles charts.

BYE BYE BEATLES

Summer is coming to an end sooner rather than later and August is the month that The Beatles completed their final tour in 1966.  They began that tour in Chicago on August 12^th and wrapped up their last tour at the Cow Palace in San Francisco on August 29.  They stopped touring because they couldn’t hear themselves playing with all the fan screaming.  They also thought they weren’t growing as musicians and wanted to spend more time in the studio on their songs.  Since we haven’t done a Beatles quiz for awhile, we’re doing one this time.  All of the questions involve either number one songs by The Beatles or well known Beatles quotes and events, so it shouldn’t be THAT difficult.  Plus, all the questions are multiple choice.  Let’s see how you do.

QUESTIONS:

1.  After their final concert in San Francisco on August 29, 1966, George Harrison uttered which of the following statements: 
a. “Thank goodness, we’re finally done with that touring nonsense.”
b. “Well, that’s it, I’m not a Beatles anymore.”                                    
 c. “Hey Ringo, did you have to eat all of my french fries?” 

2.  The early Beatles films were for United Artists – “A Hard Day’s Night” in 1964 and “Help” in 1965.  United Artists wanted “A Hard Day’s Night” shot and released by early summer because they thought the group would be finished by then.  After the massive world-wide success of “A Hard Day’s Night” (thanks in part to a great script by Alan Owen and creative direction from Richard Lester), The Beatles second film “Help” began shooting in the Bahamas on February 24, 1965.  “Help” had its premiere in London on July 29th, 1965.  “Help” was eventually chosen over the films’ working title.  What was “Help” originally known as? (HINT: THAT TITLE WAS PRINTED ON THE 45rpm SINGLE OF “TICKET TO RIDE”)                                                                     
a. “Life On The Run”                                                                 
b. “Here, There and Everywhere”                                                      
c. “Eight Arms To Hold You”
  
3.  After “Help”, The Beatles had plans to film a third live action movie for United Artists, but couldn’t come to an agreement.  Eventually, “Let It Be” served as the final film in the contract  with United Artists.  In the meantime, the animated feature, “Yellow Submarine” was created.  The Beatles were so disinterested in the project that they didn’t even bother to do their own voices for the film.  Although the animated feature “Yellow Submarine” was released in 1968, the title song had been a hit two years previously.  It only went as high as number 2 on the singles chart.  One song used in the film however, did make number one.  Which song was that?  (HINT: IT WAS ALSO A SONG THE BEATLES PERFORMED VIA SATELLITE BEFORE A WORLDWIDE AUDIENCE IN 1967)                                                                                                                                                    
a. “Nowhere Man”                                                                     
b. “All You Need Is Love”                                                            
c. “Eleanor Rigby”

4.  In the television special, “Magical Mystery Tour”, The Beatles travelled around Great Britain in a bus filled with strange and wonderful people and did strange and wonderful things.  There was no script and The Beatles as well as the actors made it up as they went along.  The one hour special aired on BBC television during the Christmas holidays in December 1967 and was not well received.  In fact, the British press savaged it.  Only one song featured in the special made it to number one in North America.  Can you name it?  Was it:                                                                              
a. “Hello, Goodbye”                                                                 
b. “Magical Mystery Tour”                                                            
c. “All You Need Is Love”
  
5.  The Beatles final film, “Let It Be” (which to this day, has still NOT been released on DVD), began in 1969 as they rehearsed for a new album at Twickenham studios, just outside London and ended with a concert on the roof of their Apple office building on Saville Row in London.  While the title song, “Let it Be” as well as “The Long And Winding Road” both went to number one, there was one additional chart topper that was featured in the film.  Name that song.  Was it:

a. “Don’t Let Me Down”                                                               
b. “Get Back”                                                                        
c. “Across The Universe”              

ANSWERS

1.  b. Is the correct answer.  On the plane ride home to England after The Beatles final performance at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, George famously stated, “Well, that’s it, I’m not a Beatle anymore.”  Of course, he would be one for several more years, just not a touring one.
    
2.  The premiere for “Help” was held at the London Pavilion Cinema in Piccadilly Circus on July 29, 1965, 7 days after the title song “Help” was released in Great Britain as a single.  Another song featured in the film, “Ticket To Ride”, had been released a few months earlier and went to number one on Billboards’ Hot 100 chart for the week of May 22, 1965.  It was The Beatles eighth North American number one single.  Printed below the title “Ticket To Ride”, in smaller type on the 45rpm record, was: “From the United Artists Release Eight Arms To Hold You”, so the correct answer was c.
  
3.  Yeah the hint kind of gave it away.  The answer indeed was b. “All You Need Is Love”.  The Beatles had performed the song ‘live’ (with a recorded rhythm track and background vocals) for the “Our World” satellite broadcast on June 25, 1967.  It was seen in 26 countries to an estimated audience of four hundred million people.  “All You Need Is Love” was featured in the “Magical Mystery Tour” TV special as well as the North American LP (in Great Britain, the LP was not released until much later.  A double EP (extended play 45) came out in the U.K. featuring 6 songs, “Magical Mystery Tour”, “Your Mother Should Know”, “I Am The Walrus”, “The Fool On The Hill”, “Flying” (an instrumental) and “Blue Jay Way” along with a booklet of pictures from the TV special.
   
4.  “Hello, Goodbye” was the number one song in question, so a. is the correct answer.  The song topped Billboards’ singles chart for the week of December 30, 1967 and remained there for 3 weeks.  John Fred and His Playboy Band’s hit “Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)”, a take off on The Beatles “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”, knocked it out of the number one spot.  The flip side of the “Hello, Goodbye” 45rpm single was John Lennon’s “I Am The Walrus”.  “Hello, Goodbye” has been used recently in several commercials for various companies around the world.  
                                                    
5.  b. “Get Back” is the right answer with Billy Preston on organ.  The Beatles had met Billy in 1962 when he was performing with Little Richard.  While the former Fab Four were filming and rehearsing their latest album at Twickenham studios, Paul went to a concert by Ray Charles at the Royal Festival Hall in London and noticed Billy Preston on stage playing with Ray.  Paul invited Billy to hang out for a couple of weeks at Twickenham and Billy added that unique electric piano solo to “Get Back”.  It was number one on Billboards’ Hot 100 chart for 5 weeks starting with the week of May 24, 1969.