Lyrics From 1965 - Part 1- Folk Rock Quiz

Answer: A time to eat, a time to fast

Most fans of this musical era are now aware that Pete Seeger adapted the lyric from a book of the Bible, Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3, verses 1- 8. At the time, when I first heard the song, I swore that it had to be a Bob Dylan composition until I was shown otherwise. The Byrds "turned, turned, turned" this song into their biggest hit ever, a three week #1 in December of 1965.

Answer: The Eve Of Destruction

This was the protest song to end all protest songs, written by a young man named P.F. Sloan. Barry McGiure was the vocalist having left his gig as the lead singer of the New Christy Minstrels a few months earlier. It hit #1 in September for one week. Both Sloan and McGuire were pretty much driven out of the music business because of this song. Visit Http://www2.gol.com/users/davidr/sloan/aboutsongs.html
for Sloan's account.

Answer: I Got You Babe

It was #1 for three weeks in August. Written by Sonny Bono, it would be Sonny and Cher's only chart topper and million selling Gold Record. Sonny left show business to enter politics in the late 1980's but was killed in a skiing accident in 1998. Cher, meanwhile, continued to turn out musical hits well into the 1990's, acted in several movies and even won an Oscar for best actress in "Moonstruck" in 1987.

In 2004, she participated in her fourth or fifth "farewell tour" so although this would lead one to believe that she's contemplating retirement, it doesn't appear too imminent.

Answer: Like A Rolling Stone

Bob Dylan reached #2 for two weeks with this hit. These are pretty heavy lines and certainly the whole song has a deep undercurrent that's pretty unflattering. Although it's clear that he's mocking someone who's gone from riches to rags, is it a real story or metaphor? I have no idea!

Answer: It Ain't Me Babe

This was performed by The Turtles and charted at #8 as their debut single. The group was formed in L.A. by Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan and with many personnel changes behind this duo, they went on to have nine top 40 hits until disbanding in 1970.

Answer: I ain't lookin' to move in with you

This song proved to be a double hit in 1965, something out of the usual for the rock era. The competing versions were recorded by Cher, her first solo effort without Sonny, and by The Byrds. Cher's version proved to be more popular. Her version charted #15, The Byrds version just squeezed into the top forty at #40.

Answer: You Were On My Mind

The group "We Five", a California quintet that included lead singer Beverley Bivens and Mike Stewart, the brother of John Stewart of The Kingston Trio, made this a #3 hit in summer of 1965. Little else is known about the group other than their follow-up song "Let's Get Together" charted at #31 for two weeks in December of the same year.

This was one of the few "folky" songs of the year that wasn't composed by Dylan, the composer being Sylvia Fricker, a Canadian performer, part of the folk duo, Ian and Sylvia, and one time spouse of Ian Tyson, the other member of the duo.

They performed the song on an album dating from 1972 and the two versions were considerably different.

Answer: Tambourine

"Mr. Tambourine Man" by The Byrds topped the Billboard charts for a week in July of '65. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 1991. They formed in 1964, the original group consisting of Roger McGuinn, David Crosby and Chris Hillman on guitars, Gene Clark and Mike Clarke on percussion.

The group started splintering in 1967 when Crosby left to co-found "Crosby, Stills and Nash". Hillman departed later and helped form "The Flying Burrito Brothers". The original lineup briefly reunited twice - in 1973 and 1979. For more interesting background info on this song, go to http://www.bobshannon.com/stories/byrds.html.

Answer: Baby Don't Go

1965 was a really, really big year for Sonny and Cher. They finally made it to the big time after a couple of lean years performing as "Caesar and Cleo". Altogether, for the year, the duo would have five charting top forty hits and Cher would add two more solo. "Baby Don't Go", written by Sonny, peaked at #8 in the fall of '65.

Answer: I'll Never Find Another You

Written by Tom Springfield, Dusty's brother, this was the debut hit in North America for The Seekers, a group formed in Australia. Their biggest hit would come in 1967 with "Georgy Girl", a #2 hit. The group would disband in 1969 but one of the original members, Keith Potger, recruited new members and revived the group a year later as The New Seekers.

They would be best remembered for "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony)", later used in famous "Coca-Cola" commercials.