Opening Salvos from the British Invasion Quiz

Answer: Honky Tonk Women

In 1969, with The Beatles starting to break apart, The Rolling Stones were poised to become the preeminent rock band in the world. "Honkey Tonk Women" was one of eight of their songs to reach number one on the USA Billboard charts between 1965 and 1978.

It was released only as a single, although a very different countrified version was released on the "Let It Bleed" album later in December. It also made number one in the UK, one of four songs (with "Satisfaction", "Get Off of My Cloud", "Paint it Black") to top charts on both sides of the pond.

This was the first single released after the death (officially by drowning) of founding member Brian Jones on July 3rd, 1969. His influence in the band had already decreased greatly due to all kinds of drug related personal problems.

He was replaced by Mick Taylor and eventually by Ron Wood in 1975.

Answer: Pinball Wizard

"Pinball Wizard" is perhaps the best known song from "Tommy," one of the first and most impactful rock concept albums. Billed as a rock opera, "Tommy" has been performed on Broadway, and was made into a 1975 movie featuring the group members as well as Tina Turner, Elton John, Jack Nicholson, Eric Clapton, Oliver Reed and Ann-Margaret. Roger Daltry, the lead singer of The Who, stars as the title character in the film version.

The song in question details the tribulations of Tommy, who as a small boy is traumatized into deaf and blind senselessness after witnessing his father murder his mother's boyfriend.

He finds salvation and power through his amazing skills at the pinball tables.

Answer: Needles and Pins

This underrated song by The Searchers hit the charts in early 1964, eventually reaching number thirteen in the United States and number one in England and Canada. Written by Jack Nitzsche, Sonny Bono and Jackie DeShannon, it features Mike Pender on lead vocals.

The Searchers were from Liverpool, and although they had little lasting impact, they originally vied with Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Hollies, and The Beatles for supremacy on the Merseybeat scene. Their other tunes include "Don't Throw Iour Love Away," "When You Walk in the Room," and a cover of the Clovers' hit, "Love Potion No. 9"

Answer: She's Not There

"She's Not There" was the 1964 debut single of The Zombies, another talented early British Invasion band whose members hailed from St. Albans, a few miles north of London. Keyboard player Rod Argent wrote the song and is responsible for the unusual jazz influenced electric piano musical riff in the middle. Argent claims he had lead singer Colin Blunstone in his mind when he wrote the song, and Blunstone delivers with an intensely breathless vocal performance which perfectly captures the anxiety of a guy trying to deal with his untrustworthy and unavailable woman.

This was The Zombies only top 40 UK hit. In the USA, it rose to number two, and was the impetus for a successful tour of the States, which included an appearance on the first "Hullabaloo" television rock show.

Their follow up songs, "Tell Her No" (1965) and "Time of the Season" (1968) both did well in the USA.

Answer: Glad All Over

The Dave Clark Five originally competed with The Beatles as the top British Invasion band, enjoying great success in the United States. "Glad All Over," their debut release in the America, reached number six on the Billboard chart in March of 1964. The group tended to produce hard driving, simple, somewhat repetitive tuneful rockers.

It always sounded like they were having a good time. Between 1964 and 1966, they recorded fourteen straight USA top 25 hits. Although certainly successful in their native Great Britain, just like the Zombies they achieved even greater popularity in the USA. Clark did have a longer career in the music business after the short lived success of the band.

In 1986 he produced and co-wrote the musical "Time" for the London stage.

Answer: I'm a Believer

Superstar Neil Diamond wrote "I'm a Believer," which turned out to be a giant hit for The Monkees and reached number one in the US in December of 1966 and stayed there for seven weeks. It featured drummer Mickey Dolenz as lead vocalist. Dolenz sang lead on most of the hits, although Davy Jones, the only Brit in the band, was assigned that role for the TV show.

The Monkees were an American creation, a made for TV rock group formed in response to the popularity of the British Invasion bands. Thus by returning the "opening salvo" they earned their spot in this quiz.

They take some flack from sixties purists for not being "real musicians," but their popularity was undeniable, and they produced some fine, catchy pop tunes. Despite the fact that their initial musical input was limited by handlers and producers, the boys all did play instruments and eventually earned more musical control.

It is true that most of the musicianship on their studio recordings is session players, not the band members. Guitarist Mike Nesmith was an accomplished player and song writer even before joining the band.

Answer: Lola

This Kinks classic deals with a man having an encounter in a club with what turns out to be another man dressed as a woman. Songwriter Ray Davies denies that the song was about well known transvestite actress Candy Darling, whom he allegedly dated briefly and who is mentioned in Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side." Instead he says it was his manager who emerged from a club after a long night of drinking only to see beard stubble on the "woman" he was with. Either way, the opening three chord riff is one of the most recognizable in all of rock music.

The album "Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround" was actually released in 1970, and it marked a comeback for The Kinks in the United States, where their popularity had waned due to some poor performances on tour and Davies' cranky attitude.

It showed his incisive social commentary and creative song crafting skills had not diminished at all.

Answer: Savoy Truffle

The desire here was to make the obligatory Beatles entry neither too obvious nor too obscure. This George Harrison penned gem showed up on side four of the album now widely known as "The White Album," although technically the album title is simply "The Beatles," which is faintly monogrammed in relief with inconspicuous block letters on the cover.

The tune (recorded October, 1968) supposedly references the chocolate love obsession of Eric Clapton, who had become a close friend of Harrison and who played some backing guitar on the album. Note the stellar horn arrangement on the song, which became a trademark for Harrison on his later solo recordings. John Lennon did not sing or play on this song.

Answer: Lady Godiva

Be it myth, legend or fact, everyone seems to love the tale of the naked lady riding through the town of Coventry on her horse, to protest unfair taxes. Of course she has to be young and beautiful, with long blonde hair. Peter and Gordon were a popular British duo who started out singing tender, folk-oriented love songs.

Their friend Paul McCartney wrote one of their big early hits, "A World Without Love." "Lady Godiva" and the follow-up "Knight in Rusty Armour," both from 1967, had a cheeky, somewhat naughty side, indicative of the changing times where rock artists moved toward edgier subject matter in order to stay relevant.

Answer: The Game of Love

"Game of Love" which made number one in the USA in march of 1965, was the biggest hit for Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders. The group became just The Mindbenders when Wayne left only seven months later in the middle of a tour. The dreaded 'creative differences' along with disagreements about billing and recognition spelled their demise. Guitarist Eric Stewart took over lead vocals and they did have a follow up chart single in 1966 entitled "A Groovy Kind of Love." Stewart later moved on to form the group 10cc.