Clergymen in Song Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Reverend Mr. Black

Bobby Darin and Faron Young each released a version of "The Reverend Mr. Black" in 1963 but The Kingston Trio had the most successful release. Johnny Cash also recorded a version of the song in 1971 and it has since been done by several artists. The song was written by the songwriting team of Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber and acknowledged a co-writer, Billy Edd Wheeler.

The song was inspired by a 1931 song titled "The Lonesome Valley". The lyrics "lonesome valley" was in the opening line of each chorus. "Lonesome Valley" was performed by The Fairfield Four for the soundtrack of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" in 2000.

Answer: Don't Be Cruel

"Don't Be Cruel" was recorded in the summer of 1956 at RCA's New York City studios. Elvis took 28 takes of the song and it was the final take that ended up as the single. He performed the song live on "The Ed Sullivan Show" two months later. Songwriter Otis Blackwell composed the song, but Elvis changed some of the lyrics and was credited as a co-writer on the release. Artists as diverse as Devo, Ringo and Neil Diamond have recorded versions of the song.
"All Shook Up" and "Return to Sender" are other Otis Blackwell compositions that became successful Elvis hits.
"Baby, Let's Play House" was written by Arthur Gunter and released by Elvis in 1955. "Love Me" was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and reached Number Seven for Presley in 1956. Winfield Scott and Otis Blackwell teamed up to write Elvis' 1962 hit, "Return to Sender".

Answer: Revolver

None of the members of the Beatles played an instrument on "Eleanor Rigby" when it was recorded in June of 1966 at the Abbey Road Studios as part of the "Revolver" sessions. Paul McCartney wanted an eight-piece string quartet backing him. He sang lead backed by John Lennon and George Harrison. George Martin composed the score for the string octet. "Revolver" was the Beatles' seventh album and remained at the top of the US album charts for seven weeks.

It followed the December 1965, release of "Rubber Soul". "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was released in mid-1967 and "Yesterday and Today" was a 1966 release that initially had the controversial butcher album cover.

Answer: Brother Taylor

The line in the song went "That nice young preacher, Brother Taylor, dropped by today, Said he'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday, oh, by the way". "Ode to Billy Joe" was recorded initially with Bobbie Gentry playing the guitar and singing. The song was intended to be the flip side of a Gentry song called "Mississippi Delta". The staff at her label realized the song had airplay potential even though it was over four minutes long so they put strings and other accompaniment to the tune. Their instincts proved correct.
In addition to being a Number One US hit, the song garnered eight Grammy nominations. Bobbie Gentry received three and Jimmie Haskell took one home as the arranger. The song created one of pop music's greatest mysteries and spawned a movie based on the song nine years after it was released.
Becky Thompson was a girl mentioned in the song, MacAllister was Billie Joe's last name and Carroll County was where the picture show was located.

Answer: Brother Love

"Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show" was the title of the 1969 Neil Diamond single and the name of the album that contained the song. It was his fourth studio album. The album also contained "Sweet Caroline". "Sweet Caroline" was not originally included on the album.

When it became popular after release as a single and hit Number Four on the Billboard charts it was included on later releases of the LP. The "Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show" single peaked at Number 22. When the song was released it generated controversy because some Southern Evangelical groups thought it poked fun at revivals.

When Neil countered by insisting that the song glorified Gospel music the issue seemed settled.

Answer: I've Gotta Get a Message to You

Although the three brothers were credited as writers, Robin Gibb conceived the idea of the song. "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" was a single release from the group's "Idea" album. In the song the singer was pleading with a prison chaplain to get a message to his wife/girlfriend before going to the electric chair.

The tune was the group's second US Number One hit but was eclipsed by the Beatles' "Hey Jude" after only one week at the top in 1968. "New York Mining Disaster 1941" and "To Love Somebody" were both from the group's 1967 "Bee Gees 1st" album. "Massachusetts" was a cut from their 1968 "Horizontal" album.

Answer: Padre

"Green Green Grass of Home" was written by Country songwriter Claude "Curly" Putman, Jr. The song depicted a man dreaming about his home and girlfriend then waking up realizing he's about to be executed. When the condemned man woke from his dream the lyrics related that "There's a guard and there's a sad old padre, arm and arm we'll walk at daybreak".

The padre was a reference to a man of the cloth accompanying him to his execution. After Tom Jones had a hit with the record it was also covered by artists including Johnny Cash, Hank Snow, Joan Baez and Elvis.

It has also since been recorded in several languages.

Answer: California Dreamin'

"California Dreamin'" was written by John and Michelle Phillips while they were living in New York in 1963. Two years later they had formed the Mamas and Papas and were introduced to executives at Dunhill Records by singer Barry McGuire. Barry McGuire was actually the first artist to record the song on his "This Precious Time" LP. The Mamas and Papas recorded the backing track vocals on McGuire's recording.
When Barry's version failed to chart, the group used the same backing tracks to record their own version of the song and a flute solo was added.
A radio station on the East Coast in Boston broke the song and it eventually peaked at Number Four in the US. The song lyrics stated that when the singer stopped into a church he met a preacher.
"Go Where You Wanna Go" was their first release but failed to chart until after they had put "Monday, Monday" on the charts. "Monday, Monday" was their only Number One hit. "Words of Love" was written by John Phillips and hit Number Five in 1966 with Mama Cass singing the lead vocal.

Answer: Sky Pilot

The actual war involved in "Sky Pilot" was never revealed in the lyrics, but when it was released the Vietnam War was raging. The lyrics simply narrated the duties of the chaplain and related that he was "a good holy man", but it was still considered by some to be a protest song. The songwriting was credited to Burden and the musicians in the Animals at the time, but none of them were the original Animals. Any recordings after the original Animals disbanded in 1966 were released as Eric Burdon and the Animals. "Sky Pilot" was included on the album "The Twain Shall Meet" and was too long for a single release so the song was split on both sides of a single.

"Help Me Girl" was a 1966 release by The Animals and "We Gotta get Out of This Place" was 1965 single by the band. "When I Was Young" was done by Eric Burdon and the Animals. Both "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" and "Sky Pilot" were popular songs with the servicemen in Vietnam.

Answer: Radical

The last line of the final verse ended "And when the radical priest come to get me released we was all on the cover of Newsweek". The song was a single release from Paul's 1972 album, "Paul Simon", and his second solo effort after the breakup of Simon and Garfunkel.

The song narrated a story of kids who committed an unknown crime and were freed when the priest intervened. Several mysteries abound about the song such as what the boys did and what their mama saw. In a 1972 interview with "Rolling Stone" magazine Paul simply said "I have no idea".

The song has been interpreted as a protest song abut anti-war demonstrations involving activist priests such as Father Daniel Berrigan or Rev. William Sloane Coffin.