Signature Songs of Singers or Groups-Part 15 Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Do these wishful lyrics bring back memories? "Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream Make him the cutest that I've ever seen Give him two lips like roses and clover Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over Sandman, I'm so alone Don't have nobody to call my own Please turn on your magic beam Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream" They were recorded by a quartet of young ladies out of Sheboygan, WI in 1954. The group had been formed in 1946 and started getting noticed after appearing on the popular radio show "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts" in 1949. What was the name of the group that took "Mr. Sandman" to Number One on the "Billboard" charts for seven weeks?

Answer: The Chordettes

"Mr. Sandman" was written by Pennsylvanian Pat Ballard. The Chordettes took it to the top of the "Billboard" chart on December 4, 1954 and it stayed there until January 21, 1955. Between 1954-1961, The Chordettes only released 15 singles, but a few made into the top 15 on the charts.
In 1956, "Eddie, My Love" made it to number 14, the same year, "Born To Be With You" reached number five, and in 1958, "Lollipop" made it all the way to number two. Marvin Gaye, Chet Atkins and The Supremes are among the other artists who have also covered "Mr. Sandman". Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, and Dolly Parton teamed up to release a trio version in 1980.
Here's the wind-up of their wishful song:
"Mr. Sandman bring us a dream
Give him a pair of eyes with a come-hither gleam
Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci
And lots of wavy hair like Liberace

Mr Sandman, someone to hold
Would be so peachy before we're too old
So please turn on your magic beam
Mr Sandman, bring us, please, please, please
Mr Sandman, bring us a dream"

2. Back in 1959 there was a young man who felt like taking a trip. He mulled over his choices of places to visit and finally decided that he was (Going to) "Kansas City". He told himself: "I'm going to Kansas City, Kansas City, here I come I'm going to Kansas City, Kansas City, here I come They got a crazy way of loving there and I'm gonna get me some". Can you name this sight-seeing singer who took "Kansas City" to the top of the "Billboard" chart?

Answer: Wilbert Harrison

Wilbert Harrison's, "Kansas City" reached the Number One spot on the "Billboard Hot 100 list on May 18, 1959, and stayed there for two weeks. The million seller was written by a duo who would become quite famous, Mike Stoller and Jerry Lieber ("Hound Dog", "Smokey Joe's Caf�", "Searchin'"). Harrison recorded a handful of albums and over 30 singles, but none of his other songs ever charted; however, "Kansas City" received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2001. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame named "K.C." as one of the 500 songs that helped shape R&R. The North Carolina Music Hall of Fame welcomed the Charlotte born Wilbert Harrison in 2009.
"Kansas City" has been covered many times, including renditions by Tom Jones, Brenda Lee, Flatt and Scruggs, Melissa Etheridge, and everyone's favorite fat man from New Orleans, Antoine Dominino.
If you feel the desire to travel, here's a little trip down memory lane with some more "Kansas City":
"I'll be standing on the corner, on the corner of Twelfth Street and Vine
I'm gonna be standing on the corner on the corner of Twelfth Street and Vine
With my Kansas City baby and a bottle of Kansas City wine

Well, I might take a train, I might take a plane but if I have to walk
I'm gonna get there just the same

I'm going to Kansas City, Kansas City, here I come
They got a crazy way of loving there and I'm gonna get me some.

3. If there is one thing I can't stand, it's a blabbermouth. Obviously, the singer of "You Talk too Much" (1960) felt the same way, and put his feelings into words. Those words and his singing took the tune to the top five on the Billboard chart. Here's the way the bluntly put lyrics begin: "You talk too much You worry me to death You talk too much You even worry my pet You just taaaaaaaalk Talk too much! Do you recall the name of the singer whose mate just went on and on (and on)?

Answer: Joe Jones

Joe Jones recorded "You Talk too Much" after Fats Domino declined to do so, despite the fact that it was written by the chubby one's brother-in-law, Reginald Hall. Released on the Ric label, the song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1960. Joe Jones was born in New Orleans and got his musical training at the famed Juilliard Conservatory of Music. Early in his career he was a piano player as well as an arranger for the legendary B.B. King. "You Talk too Much" was the only hit he ever recorded, but in 1964 he was managing The Dixie Cups when they recorded, "Chapel of Love" a "Billboard" Hot 100 chart topper.
Joe Jones concludes his musical tirade as follows:
You talk about people
That you've never seen
You talk about people
You can make me scream

You just taaaaaaaaalk
You talk too much!

4. I think it's accurate to say you don't hear all that many many songs penned about Gothic churches which have been open since 1093. Such was the case however, when in 1967, a group of British lads recorded "Winchester Cathedral". The song's writer, Gene Stephens, formed the group in 1966, and hired a Rudy Vallee type tenor named John Carter to be the lead singer on his novelty tune. What do you believe to be the moniker of this British band?

Answer: New Vaudeville Band

The New Vaudeville Band had a couple of other U.K. top 40 tunes, including "Finchley Central", which reached number 11, and "Green Street Green", which peaked in 37th place.
"Winchester Cathedral" climbed the U.K. charts to the number four spot, but was a chart-topper in Canada and also reached the Number One spot on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart on December 3, 1966. In addition, "Winchester Cathedral" enjoyed a month long stay on the top of the "Billboard" Easy Listening chart. The icing on the cake was taking home a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Song of the Year.

Sing along if you like:

Winchester Cathedral
You're bringin' me down
You stood and you watched as
My baby left town

Now everyone knows
Just how much I needed that gal
She wouldn't have gone far away
If only you'd started ringing your bell

Winchester Cathedral
You're bringin' me down
You stood there and watched as
My baby left town
"a-vo-dee-oh-doe,
a-vo-dee-oh-doe,
a-vo-dee-oh-doe-dee-oh-doe

5. "Dancing in the Street" was a great bouncy, up-tempo song of the 1960s. The opening lyrics could make you want to get on your feet: Callin' out around the world Are you ready for a brand new beat? Summer's here and the time is right For dancin' in the street All we need is music, sweet music There'll be music everywhere There'll be swingin', swayin' and records playin' Dancin' in the street The artists who performed it were one of the all-time greats, in fact they are inductees in two Halls of Fame. Can you remember who gave us this music, sweet music?

Answer: Martha and the Vandellas

Martha and the Vandellas took "Dancing in the Street" to number two on the "Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was originally released on just the group's third album, "Dance Party". From 1967-1972, the group was called "Martha Reeves and the Vandellas" in deference to Ms. Reeves who had become their lead singer in 1962. Two of their songs,"(Love is Like a) Heat Wave" (1963) and "Jimmy Mack" (1967) reached Number One on the "Billboard" R&B charts.
Both "Dancing in the Street" and "(Love is Like a) Heat Wave" were included on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's list of the 500 songs that shaped Rock & Roll. In 1995, Martha and the Vandellas became only the second all-girl group to gain admittance into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (The Supremes were inducted in 1988). Martha and the gang were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003.
OK, put on your hoofin' shoes and let's do some more dancing in the street:

Oh, it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on, every guy grab a girl
Everywhere, around the world

There'll be dancin'
They're dancin' in the street

This is an invitation across the nation
A chance for folks to meet
There'll be laughin', singin' and music swingin'
Dancin' in the street

Philadelphia P.A.
Baltimore and D.C. now
Can't forget the motor city

Let's form a big strong line and get in time
We're dancin' in the street
Across the ocean blue, me and you
We're dancin' in the street.

I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted just from singing!

6. "In the cool of the evening when ev'rything is gettin' kind of groovy, I call you up and ask you if you want to go and meet and see a movie. First you say no, you've got some plans for the night. And then you stop, and say, all right. Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you". "Spooky" was a song with a great beat that went to number three on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart in 1967. Who were the artists who took it there?

Answer: Classics IV

An earlier version of "Spooky" was recorded by saxophonist Mike Sharpe in 1966. He also co-wrote it under his birth name, Mike Shapiro, along with Harry Middlebrook. The popular Classics IV version was a hit both in America, where it reached number three on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart, and in the U.K. where it peaked at number 46. Yet another version was released in 1979 when members of Classic IV and a group called The Candymen joined forces to become the Atlanta Rhythm Section. Their version also charted but couldn't crack the top 15, topping out at number 17 on the "Billboard" chart.
"Spooky" has been covered by Andy Williams, Percy Sledge and The Lettermen, among others.

Here's the "Spooky" conclusion:

If you decide someday to stop this little game that you are playin',
I'm gonna tell you all what my heart's been a-dyin' to be sayin'.
Just like a ghost, you've been a-hauntin' my dreams,
So I'll propose... on Halloween.
Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you.

7. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" as originally recorded ran for over seven minutes, so lots of luck getting it played on the radio. The artist realized the problem and then recorded "the radio version", which still ran a healthy 4:29. It was a stroke of genius, as the song became her best selling number and went on to sell over six million copies as it topped the charts in several countries. Who is the young songstress who was born Gaynor Hopkins better known as?

Answer: Bonnie Tyler

Welsh born Bonnie Tyler took "Total Eclipse of the Heart" to the top of the music lists in the U.K., America, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand.
"Billboard" ranked it at number six on its list of the Songs of the Year.
Prior to the release of the single, it was was track four on Tyler's fifth album, "Faster Than the Speed of Night". Bonnie Tyler made a bit of music history when she became the first singer from Wales to ever have a Number One "Billboard" Hot 100 song. In a career that began in 1976, she has released over 40 albums and more than 80 singles. Early in 2013 she was still belting them out, having just performed in South Africa. Tyler's, "It's a Heartache" reached number four in the U.K. and number three in the U.S. in 1997. Bonnie Tyler's, "Holding Out for a Hero" (1984), peaked at number two in the U.K. and was number three on the U.S. charts.
Given the length of the song, I hope you'll be OK with just a few stanzas:

Turn around, every now and then
I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by
Turn around, every now and then
I get a little bit terrified and then I see the look in your eyes

And I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you'll only hold me tight
We'll be holding on forever

Once upon a time I was falling in love
Now I'm only falling apart
There's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart.

8. "Do You Love Me?" is a question frequently asked by insecure members of a relationship. It is also the title of a song that reached Number One on the "Billboard" R&B chart, and placed third on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart in 1962. Penned by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame songwriter and founder of Motown Records, Berry Gordie, it sold over a million copies. The group that recorded it featured the booming voice of Billy Gordon, and was inducted into the Doo-Wop Hall of Fame in 2010. Can you name them?

Answer: The Contours

"Do You Love Me?" was track one, side one of the only album The Contours recorded on the Gordy label, "Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance?") released in 1962. It would turn out to be the only song of theirs to chart on the "Billboard" Hot 100, although they did place a few numbers on "Billboard's" R&B lists. Those included, "Shake Sherry" (1962) which reached number 21, "Can You Do It?" got to the 16th spot (1964), and "First I Look at the Purse", which peaked in the 12th slot in 1965. When vocalist Danny Edwards jumped ship to join The Temptations in 1968, the group disbanded. A few years later they would reform, and were still performing with a combination of original members and a few newcomers, as of 2013.

Interesting fact: The popular Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze movie, "Dirty Dancing" (1987), featured "Do You Love Me?" on the sound tract, and Motown was quick to re-release the song. It charted once again, this time reaching number 11 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart (1988).

9. "La Bamba" (1958) was an iconic song which reached number 22 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart. It was recorded by one of the first artists to successfully take a Spanish language song onto the mainstream American Rock & Roll scene. He was a member of The Silhouettes as a guitarist at the age of 16, and later their lead singer. Can you name this culturally important singer?

Answer: Ritchie Valens

Born Richard Valenzuela, May 13, 1941, in California, the artist known as Ritchie Valens will be remembered for transitioning Latino music into another distinct part of pop and rock in the U.S. Although his career was brief (less than a year) its impact left the music world changed forever. He recorded just three albums and a handful of singles, before being killed in the infamous plane crash into a snow covered Iowa cornfield at the age of 17. "La Bamba" and the flip side "Donna" was the final single he recorded. "Donna", which he sang about a high school girlfriend, actually was initially the better received of the two, peaking at number two on "Billboard's" chart, but the cultural impact of "La Bamba" overshadows any chart listing. In addition to a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Ritchie Valens was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

Here, in his native tongue are some of the closing lyrics from Ritchie Valens signature song:

Parar bailar la bamba
Para bailar la bamba se necesita
Una poca de gracia
Una poca de gracia pa mi pa ti

Ay y arriba y arriba
Ay y arriba y arriba por ti seré
Por ti seré
Por ti seré

Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba

10. "The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down Of the big lake they called 'Gitche Gumee' The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead When the skies of November turn gloomy With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty That good ship and crew was a bone to be chewed When the gales of November came early." An so begins, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (1976) the lengthy ballad about the final hours of the freighter which had been plying the Great Lakes for 17 years, before sinking November 10, 1975 in the storm tossed Lake Superior. The song was sung by the same man who wrote it. Can you fathom the name of that artist who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012?

Answer: Gordon Lightfoot

Gordon Lightfoot has been called the greatest songwriter ever to hail from Canada. His tale of the fate of the Edmund Fitzgerald's captain Ernest McSorely, and his crew of 28 (all of whom perished) was originally released as track two on Lightfoot's 1976 album, "Summertime Dream". The album reached number one in Canada and peaked in 12th place in the U.S. When the single was released later that year it also went to number one in Canada, and reached number two on the "Billboard" Hot 100 list. In a career which began in 1962, Gordon Lightfoot, who was a 1986 inductee into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, has released over 35 albums and more than 45 singles. The following all were Number One "Billboard" Hot 100 hits: "Sundown" (1974), "Carefree Highway" (1974), and "Rainy Day People" (1975). Gordon Lightfoot is credited with sales of over seven million records worldwide.

Interesting fact: Although the song states the big freighter was heading to Cleveland, she was instead en route to a Detroit steel mill.

Ironic fact: One of the Edmund Fitzgerald's nicknames was "Titanic of the Great Lakes".

Source: Author paulmallon

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ralzzz before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

This is a follow up to my "Signature Songs"-Parts 1-14 quizzes. Many singers have recorded a special tune with which they will long be associated. I'll give you the titles of ten songs. See if you can name the singer or group best known for singing it.

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