Next July We Collide With Mars Quiz

Answer: High Society

Written by Cole Porter, the song is "Well, Did You Evah" from "High Society". In the 1956 film it was sung by Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. Other stars of the film were Grace Kelly and Louis Armstrong. The song was not originally written for "High Society". Cole Porter wrote it for the 1939 musical "DuBarry Was A Lady" where it was performed by Betty Grable and Charles Walters.

The version from "High Society" has though become by far the best known.

Answer: Venus

Mark Wynter had a 1962 number four on the UK Singles Chart with "Venus in Blue Jeans". Although he had a quite long career, from 1960 to 1968, as a pop singer, Mark Wynter traded singing for acting in the 1970s, and had a very successful career as a stage actor.

As well as pure acting roles in plays such as "Charley's Aunt" and "Conduct Unbecoming" he also appeared in many musical revivals; "Barnum" and "The King and I" are amongst his credits.

Answer: Kentucky

"Blue Moon of Kentucky" was written by Bill Monroe in 1946, and was recorded by him and his band, "The Blue Grass Boys". It is the official bluegrass song of the state. There have been many cover versions over the years, one of the best known being by Elvis Presley. It was released as the 'B' side of "That's All Right" in 1954.

Answer: A star

"Swinging on a Star" was originally sung by Bing Crosby in the 1944 film "Going My Way". It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. There have been numerous cover versions, and in 1963 Big Dee Irwin and Little Eva had a number seven hit on the UK singles chart.

It was Big Dee Irwin's biggest hit. Little Eva had a solo number one on both sides of the Atlantic a year earlier with "The Locomotion".

Answer: New Orleans

"The House of the Rising Sun" started life as a folk song. No-one knows who wrote it, and over the years there has been more than one version of the lyrics. In the 1960s the British group, The Animals, started using it to close their live act. The audience response persuaded their record company that it was worth recording and in 1964 they released the single.

It was an immediate hit, going to the number one spot on the singles charts in several countries. It was unique not only for Eric Burdon's amazing rendition of the song, but for the length of the record. Pop records were around two minutes at the time, whereas this was around five minutes long.

Answer: Jupiter and Mars

"Fly Me to the Moon" was originally called "In Other Words". It is rumoured that Peggy Lee persuaded Bart Howard, the writer, to officially change the title, mainly because it had become well known by the unofficial title. The 1964 Frank Sinatra version of the song was played by the Apollo 10 astronauts during their moon orbiting mission, and Buzz Aldrin played it during the Apollo 11 moon landings.

Answer: Rick Wakeman

David Bowie's 1973 single featured Rick Wakeman as guest pianist. At the time he was in progressive rock band Yes. After leaving them he went on to feature on records by Black Sabbath, T-Rex and Cat Stevens, as well as making solo recordings. "Life on Mars?" spent thirteen weeks on the UK singles chart, and had a second spell of popularity in 2006/07 when it was used as the theme tune for a television series of the same name.

Answer: Alabama

"Stars fell on Alabama" was written in 1934. Ricky Nelson released it in 1961 as an album track on "Rick is 21". It was different from the pop songs he was known for, being a jazz standard, but his version works very well. Other noted recordings include Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin, Kay Starr and Frankie Laine.

Answer: It's Only a Paper Moon

"It's Only a Paper Moon" was written by Harold Arlen and forms part of the Great American Song Book. Although written for a Broadway play, "The Great Magoo", the song is best known for popular recordings by Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald. It also featured in an episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine", called "It's Only a Paper Moon", where it was sung by James Darren.

Answer: Rising

Written by John Fogerty "Bad Moon Rising" was on their album "Green River", with the single being released a little while before the album. It reached number one on the UK singles chart and number two on the Billboard Hot 100. It seems to have become something of a favourite of werewolf and horror movies, having been used in "Twilight Zone:The Movie", "An American Werewolf in London and "Blade".