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Quiz about The Great Pretender
Quiz about The Great Pretender

The Great Pretender Trivia Quiz


"The Great Pretender" is one of my favourite songs and I was surprised to find out just how many artists have released versions of it. This quiz is about ten of them.

A multiple-choice quiz by lonely-lady. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
lonely-lady
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
368,618
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
650
Last 3 plays: Guest 85 (6/10), chianti59 (7/10), paper_aero (8/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. Which teen group from California, best known for their hit "A Thousand Stars", released a cover of "The Great Pretender" in 1961? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Who recorded the long jazz trumpet version of "The Great Pretender" in 1981? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Which singer shaved off his moustache for the music video of his version of "The Great Pretender" in 1987? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Which famous duo, who started their singing careers in The Paramours, released a version of "The Great Pretender" on their 1981 album at the start of their third incarnation? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Which American singer and actor recorded the song for a track on his "Moody River" album in 1961? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Which prominent lady of Country Music recorded a version of "The Great Pretender" in 1984, for her album of the same name, that featured covers? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Which Soul artist, who died aged 33, recorded his own version of "The Great Pretender" in 1960, four years before his death? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Which famous singer had the song as the second track on his 1962 album, "Crying"? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Which singer was only "Twenty-four Hours from Tulsa" when he recorded his version of "The Great Pretender" in 1969? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Saving the best known till last, which group released the original version of "The Great Pretender" in 1955? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 11 2024 : Guest 85: 6/10
Feb 28 2024 : chianti59: 7/10
Feb 21 2024 : paper_aero: 8/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Which teen group from California, best known for their hit "A Thousand Stars", released a cover of "The Great Pretender" in 1961?

Answer: Kathy Young and the Innocents

Kathy Young (born 1945) started her recording career aged only 15 in 1961. Her version of "The Great Pretender" did not reach the top forty. After a three year marriage to the founder of The Walker Brothers, she retired from the music business upon her second marriage in 1969, to concentrate on her family.

Kathy returned to Los Angeles in 1994 and also returned to the music industry, performing mostly in rock shows.
2. Who recorded the long jazz trumpet version of "The Great Pretender" in 1981?

Answer: Lester Bowie

The recording by Lester Bowie (1941 to 1999) was just over sixteen minutes long (16:22) and was the first track on his album of the same name. His improvisation around the theme is all in his own style and a new take on the original. Beautiful in its own way and so different to the rest.
3. Which singer shaved off his moustache for the music video of his version of "The Great Pretender" in 1987?

Answer: Freddie Mercury

Who can forget Freddie Mercury (1946 to 1991) in his pale pink shiny suit gradually making his way down the magnificent staircase to join ranks of cardboard cut-outs of himself?

Freddie Mercury continued to record with Queen until shortly before his death, with occasional recordings alone.
4. Which famous duo, who started their singing careers in The Paramours, released a version of "The Great Pretender" on their 1981 album at the start of their third incarnation?

Answer: The Righteous Brothers

Bill Medley (born 1940) and Bobby Hatfield (1940 to 2003) chose the name, The Righteous Brothers, after a compliment from an audience member during a performance with The Paramours. They performed together as The Righteous Brothers from 1962 to 2003, but with two gaps at the beginning and end of the 1970s.
5. Which American singer and actor recorded the song for a track on his "Moody River" album in 1961?

Answer: Pat Boone

In the later part of the 1950s, Pat Boone (born 1934) was second only to Elvis Presley in terms of chart success, according to Billboard.

Surprisingly, Elvis Presley did not record a version of "The Great Pretender".

Graeme Edge and Justin Hayward are member of the British band, The Moody Blues.
6. Which prominent lady of Country Music recorded a version of "The Great Pretender" in 1984, for her album of the same name, that featured covers?

Answer: Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton (born in 1946) sang the song a little slower than most other versions and it had a definite country music feel to it.

"Save The Last Dance For Me" and "Downtown" were the two singles that she released from the album, both in 1984.

Taylor Swift was not born until 1989, five years after the album was released.
7. Which Soul artist, who died aged 33, recorded his own version of "The Great Pretender" in 1960, four years before his death?

Answer: Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke (1931 to 1964) was known as the "King of Soul" due to his distinctive voice and pioneering sound. Many soul singers cite him as their greatest influence.

Otis Redding was only 26 when he died in 1967.
8. Which famous singer had the song as the second track on his 1962 album, "Crying"?

Answer: Roy Orbison

All four gentlemen released albums in 1962, but Roy Orbison's had the title, "Crying" named for his 1961 hit single.

Roy Orbison (1936 to 1988), known as "The Big O", had a career that lasted for over thirty years. He started out alongside Elvis Presley at Sun Records and ended his career as part of the Traveling Wilburys, the supergroup started by George Harrison and Bob Dylan.
9. Which singer was only "Twenty-four Hours from Tulsa" when he recorded his version of "The Great Pretender" in 1969?

Answer: Gene Pitney

Gene Pitney (1940 to 2006) was actually six years from Tulsa, as he had that hit in 1963. It has been suggested by several experts that it was Gene Pitney's version that most influenced the record by Freddie Mercury.

In a career that lasted for more than forty years he had many hits. In 1964 Gene Pitney had the distinction of being the first to take a song written by the Rolling Stones into the top ten of British music charts. It was "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday".
10. Saving the best known till last, which group released the original version of "The Great Pretender" in 1955?

Answer: The Platters

"The Great Pretender" was written by Buck Ram (1907 to 1991) and it only took him twenty minutes. After The Platters first record "Only You", which he had also written and produced, was a hit, he was asked what their next record would be. Twenty minutes later he had the answer!

The Platters were a very successful group and there have been several incarnations. In the 1990s there were four different groups, using variations on the name, touring.
Source: Author lonely-lady

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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